The 2 Week Wait: 2WW

The 2ww is traditionally a time of nervousness for many women (sometimes men as well to be fair) about whether or not all of this effort and time a couple has put into this has worked.  This is the time where all we can do is wait.  Nothing we can do helps the outcome (according to research) however that does not stop women from doing many different things to try and influence it anyway.

From acupuncture to eating pineapple to bed rest or little to no activity.  These are just a few of the things some women try out during this time to help things along.


I was specifically told by my doctor to not exercise or do anything strenuous so that is the only thing I have actively been doing to help things along.

So should I take a home pregnancy test?  Absolutely not.  Why??  I just can't wait 17 days or whatever it is for the first beta blood test.  Yes.  You.  Can.

The odds are pretty high of getting a false positive or negative regardless of what you feel is going on inside your body.  You may feel lots of things and you may feel nothing.  It's the hormones.  The home tests are not made to detect  less than a certain amount of the hCG hormone (the pregnancy hormone) that is needed to deduce if you are pregnant or not.  A blood test is much more effective in this early stage.  Think about it.  If you were getting pregnant naturally, a home pregnancy test would likely not tell you (on average) until you were 4 or 6 weeks along.  This is barely 2 weeks.

But....I WANT TO!

Fine.  Check out the chart below to help yourself and your sanity.

Cycle Day	Event	Additional Information
12	hCG trigger injection for ovulation induction
13	(waiting)	the time between trigger and retrieval is approximately 36 hours
14	Retrieval	Ovulation; start of luteal phase
15	24-hour fertilization report
16	(waiting)
17	3-day transfer
18	(waiting)	1dp3dt
19	5-day transfer	2dp3dt
20	(waiting)	3dp3dt; 1dp5dt; Normal human embryos hatch and implant 5 - 7 days after fertilization.
21	(waiting)	4dp3dt; 2dp5dt
22	10 days past trigger (the last day any hCG from the trigger shot should be in your system).	5dp3dt; 3dp5dt
23	Start HPTs today, using your first morning pee (hCG is present in urine in the highest concentration first thing in the morning).	6dp3dt; 4dp5dt
24	POAS (pee on a stick!)	7dp3dt; 5dp5dt
25	POAS	8dp3dt; 6dp5dt
26	POAS	9dp3dt; 7dp5dt
27	POAS	10dp3dt; 8dp5dt
28	Official Quantitative hCG Blood Test (This is done at your doctor's office or a lab.)	11dp3dt; 9dp5dt; Missed period (+) or beginning of period (-).

Did you notice that on day 23 and 24 are the EARLIEST days you should even think about a home pregnancy test?  Even then, it is not as effective as your beta blood test will be.  The likelihood that you may still get a false positive or negative on day 23 and 24 is still a good bet.  So if you do decide to test at home, try not to freak out if it says no.  

For more information, check out this website:  IVF Connections.  It is pretty helpful and remember, you may get 4 negative home pregnancy test results and still end up with a beautiful baby because of the beta blood tests you took at your doctors office.  Calm down and try not to freak out too soon.  

Yes...I broke down and took a hpt test yesterday which was day 24 for me and it was negative BUT I told myself the same thing I am saying here: don't freak out until the doctor tells you what you need to know.  

Just breathe.  We can't control it.  We can only help by not being stressed and all emotional.  

Take your meds, eat healthy and do things to distract yourself.  For example, I have read 5 books this week. I have also thought about what trip we want to take (Osaka) after this is finished--either way it goes, we're still going to go.  It's only an hour away by plane so if I am pregnant no biggie.  Plus, the less emotional and dramatic you are, the more people will still want to talk about things with you.  

If you do need to freak out, freak out on a forum or Facebook group with other people going through the same thing as you. Read through other people's stories and their questions and concerns.  Your friends and family who have not gone through this do not have the same information you have and have not researched it as much as you have with the specific questions you have had.  Since they are not going through it, they may understand what you are going through but it is hard to understand and "get" unless you have gone through it yourself.  Just like with anything else in life.

Another thing.  Trust your doctor.  They know what they are doing and they are there to help you.  If you are mean to them they will not want to help you as much and they will not be kindly disposed to you and your needs.  They are people too and not magicians.  If it doesn't work this time, it is NOT their fault.  It just didn't work this time.  Together, you and your doctor can calmly discuss what happened and why and go from there.  Don't be a jerk. 

That being said, chose your doctor carefully.  Research them and their facility.  Don't be afraid to ask them intelligent questions and ask around about them and their facility.  Your personality and your doctors may not match and that may or may not work for you.  

It took Joseph and I 6 months to find the right place (in Daejeon), Maria Fertility Hospital, and the doctor is very good, but the services they provide just do not fit our needs.  It took another 8 months to find Rachel IVF after a lot of research and asking around Korea.  Rachel IVF does fit our needs and our doctor is amazing.  

My advice for the 2ww?
Breathe, don't freak out, eat healthy foods, take your medicine and keep busy. 

Friday cannot come fast enough!  I need more books to read.  Any suggestions?