After 10 attempts of getting pregnant via PGD, we finally heard the good news 'blood test is positive' a few days before New Years eve. It was the first (and only) pregnancy, even though more than 140 eggs have been retrieved during the last three years. A total of 8 eggs have been transferred, and this time hopes were that we finally would have this very longed for baby.
However, it was not without obstacles. Due to risk of crosslinking of the DNA in our two mutations (making false positives or false negatives), the laboratory in Copenhagen had not been able to set up the analysis to rule out fanconi anemia in the early stages of testing the eggs. We had therefore agreed to go along with the eggs that tested positive with the same HLA as Sebastian. In this way we would be sure about the HLA, but had to test via a CVS for fanconi anemia. A rather clumsy way of doing PGD - but surely a way, compared to the alternative: not to try for a healthy donormatching child.
However, already at the first scan in mid-January it was clear that the foetus was far smaller than expected. 'Hello fanconi anemia' was all we could think of. The second scan confirmed the lack of growing, although a little heart could still be detected. The last scan showed no heart-blinking, and the pregnancy has now ended.
It was our last attempt. We had agreed on that before diving into the tenth round in November last year. It is a tough decision - but a nescessary one. We cannot go on - especially not with such dissapoiting results.
Instead we hope to be able to conceive another healthy child naturally. Despite my age, we cross our fingers that our family can be completed with yet another healthy child. However, we are well aware that fanconi anemia seems to be lurking behind the tree: in 4 out of our 5 pregnancies (giving us two wonderful children, one with fanconi anemia, one without) the disease has most likely been involved. The 25% risk of fanconi anemia does seem to hit us harder than average!
It is of course hard to have to give up on this. All we can do now is pat ourselves on the back and say: we did what we could. And then move on. Looking at Sebastian and Marie-Louise I feel so fortunate to have a family in the first place ;-)
