You know, the ones that go in my butt.
The ones with the big needle.
Yeah, that big.
I swear to you, this is far worse than the HCG shot. The temporary roomie actually found a place of her own a few weeks ago, and has been moving out all week. Worked out perfectly for her that she found a new place so quickly, but the timing kind of sucked for me!
I was on my own for this though. I can’t even believe I was able to do that to myself. It honestly makes me a little nauseous to think about. Or to consider doing again every night for the next 10 weeks. The needle is big, the spot awkward, and the oil is thick. So I swear to you it took me almost an entire minute to completely push the plunger down.
And my tush is SORE this morning.
I am not a fan, and if anyone has any tips or hints, I would gladly take them.
But that’s not what I want to talk about. What I want to talk about is the warning inside the progesterone box. The only warning in there, typed out on its own piece of paper.
And there were about 26 copies of this same exact warning in the box.
Nothing else. No directions. No side effects.
Just this warning, written 26 separate times… to make sure people get the hint.
Here is what it said:
WARNING FOR WOMEN:
Progesterone or progesterone-like drugs have been used to prevent miscarriage in the first few months of pregnancy. No adequate evidence is available to show that they are effective for this purpose. Furthermore, most cases of early miscarriage are due to causes which could not be helped by these drugs.
There is an increased risk for minor birth defects in children whose mothers take this drug during the first 4 months of pregnancy. Several reports suggest and association between mothers who take these drugs in the first trimmest of pregnancy and genital abnormalities in male and female babies.
The risk to the male baby is the possibility of being born with a condition in which the opening of the penis is on the underside rather than the tip of the penis (hypospadias). Hypospadias occurs in about 5 to 8 per 1,000 male births and is about doubled with exposure to these drugs. There is not enough information to quantify the risk to exposed female fetuses, but enlargement of the clitoris and fusion of the labia may occur, although rarely.
Therefore, since drugs of this type may induce mild masculinization of the external genitalia of the female fetus, as well as hypospadias in the male fetus, it is wise to avoid using the drug during the first trimester of pregnancy.
These drugs have been used as a test for pregnancy but such use is no longer considered safe because of possible damage to a developing baby. Also, more rapid methods for testing for pregnancy are now available.
If you take progesterone or a progesterone-like drug and later find you were pregnant when you took it, be sure to discuss his with your doctor as soon as possible.
I’m sorry, but I am freaking out! How is this OK? How is it even kind of OK?
And how is this drug which the food and drug administration is saying you should absolutely not take during pregnancy the same drug that is involved/required in every single IVF cycle?!?
I mean, you're supposed to take this up to the 10th week of pregnancy!
I understand and recognize the risks that some of the drugs involved in this process may have on me and my body. I accept those risks.
But risks to my unborn children? I don’t know how I can possibly feel OK about taking that on. There are some things that just cannot be forgiven, and I’m pretty sure if I have a son who has a malformed penis as a result of this drug – he may never forgive me.
I need information. I need answers. I need comfort.
Do any of you know anything about any of this?
