Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Deb,  I have never had this problem but one of the SEcretary's that I
    know her daughter went through this and got pregnant on the second try
    and is due with her second child in a few months.  She had to go
    through AI becasue after her first child she had endometriosious(sp)
    really bad and had an operation to remove some of the tissue and
    couldn't get pregnant for 5 years so finally they tried AI after a
    bunch of tests and it worked.
    
    Good Luck.
    
    
    Liz

    Deb,
    
    My husband and I have had an infertility problem for 14 years.  We went
    through every test and it was determined that my husband had a low
    sperm count with low motility.  We tried AI three times, twice with no
    fertility drugs and once with.  We had no success. 
    
    The procedure is painless.  Some women may experience some mild
    cramping but nothing too bad. 
    
    From this point we had Invetro Fertilization which again did not work
    and six months later had GIFT performed in which I did get pregnant. 
    
    Depending on the reason that you are having AI done is a factor in the
    success rate.  It was determined that with my husband the main factor
    was that he has a rare condition where his body actually creates
    antibodies against the sperm killing them within hours.  Thus with AI
    the sperm did not have enough time to fertilize the egg, yet with GIFT
    both the eggs and sperm were placed in my fallopean tube at the same
    time thus giving the sperm time to fertilize the egg.
             
    Good luck,
    
    Stacey

Stacey --

When you had AI, did they wash the sperm?  I'm not sure, but I think that
sperm washing may help get rid of anti-sperm antibodies.

    Gerald,
    
    Yes the sperm were washed each time but they would die within hours.
    
    Stacey

Do you folks remember back a few years that a woman was AI and
became pregnant with SEVEN babies, 4 still born and 3 born with
mental retardation? The parents won a judgement against the
doctor for the kids to be given $2-3K each/month for as long as
they live (medical expenses).

In a subsequent report, the mother is this time pregnant with
twins. In the interview with the AI doctor, he said that multiple
pregnancies are possible.

calvin

re .5:

It can't have been the AI that caused the multiple births.  She was probably
taking a drug, possibly Pergonal, to stimulate the ovaries to release
multiple eggs.  AI is often used with Pergonal, but the two are used to
solve different problems.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, Pergonal must be given conservatively and
monitored very closely in order to avoid both danger to the woman and
multiple births.  When it's conservatively administered, perhaps 30% of
Pergonal pregnancies results in multiples, the vast majority of these
being twins.

    When the parents chose artificial insemination (I assume they knew the
    risks) and they had multiple kids with defects WHY is the Dr. liable?
    Was he guility of malpractice? If so, how?  I get sick of people
    getting shirts sued off when the parents CHOSE to have kids.  Isn't
    the entire field of medicine an "inexact science"?  
    

As mentioned before, AI, or Artificial/Alternative Insemination, does not
cause multiple births.  AI is the placing of semen inside of the woman's
body, which will hopefully result in the woman's pregnancy.  The woman
would be no more likely to have multiple births than if she had had 
sexual intercourse with a man.

It is common, however, to be taking fertility drugs at the same time of
doing AI, and this is when multiple births may occur.

I used Artificial Insemination by an anonymous donor to conceive my son.
Since we knew from my basal temperature charts that I was not ovulating
regularly, I was also taking 50 mg of Clomid.  I was inseminated for a 
year before I got frustrated enough to ask for all of the tests to be
done on me right away.  My doctor found a cyst, drained it, and I got
pregnant right away (a week or two later).

The first doctor that I went to did AI with a type of hard plastic cervical
cap.  It was to stay in me a "long" time (an hour?  Two?  More?  I don't
remember).  When it was removed by my spouse, I was cut and bled.  The next
time we had another doctor, a very gentle doctor, remove it.  She also cut
me slightly as she removed it.  The doctor who was using the cervical cap
was very mean to me, caused me lots of pain, didn't care, and yelled at me.
I changed doctors (he is no longer in Colo Spgs, BTW).

The next doctor was Dr. Robert Hahn.  He is *wonderful* as is his nurse Lynn.
She did all of the work with me, and NEVER hurt me once.  She just used a 
small speculum to open me up, a syringe (without the needle, of course), and I
had to lie there for 20 minutes or so.  That's all there was to it.  

My periods are irregular, but somehow I always ovulate on the same day of
my cycle.  I would take the ovulation test, then call the doctor's office
and make the appt for the next morning.  Since we were using fresh sperm
(not frozen) then they would call the donor and have him come in an hour
or so before I got there.  Worked very well.

What else do you want to know?

        Carol

RE:                      <<< Note 119.7 by DISCVR::GILMAN >>>
                                   -< Why? >-

    >>When the parents chose artificial insemination (I assume they knew the
    >>risks) and they had multiple kids with defects WHY is the Dr. liable?
    >>Was he guility of malpractice? If so, how?  I get sick of people
    >>getting shirts sued off when the parents CHOSE to have kids.  Isn't
    >>the entire field of medicine an "inexact science"?  
    
    As others have mentioned, the multiple births were probably due to
    Pergonal or another fertility drug, not to the AI.  As someone also
    mentioned, a woman taking Pergonal must be carefully monitored -- and
    if she is, then multiple births can be avoided.  One thing that should
    be done is an estradiol blood test every day.  The follicles in which
    the eggs reside give off estrogen, and the amount of estrogen being
    given off is a very good measure of how many eggs there are.  Also, a
    vaginal sonogram can be done so the doctor can actually count the
    follicles and know *exactly* how many eggs there are -- that's how they
    find them during an IVF retrieval.  If those two things are done, and
    there are too many eggs (some of Pat's fellow IVF patients produced up
    to 20 eggs in one month on massive doses of Pergonal!), then the AI can
    be skipped, the Pergonal dose adjusted, and AI tried again the next
    month.  In my non-medically-educated opinion, any doctor who doesn't
    follow such a procedure is being negligent.
    
    FWIW,
    Steve

    .9  I assume that the Dr. DIDN'T follow the approved methods to monitor
    the women and therefore he was liable.
    
    .8  What choice does one have regarding an anoymous donor?  That is
    is there any choice as to physical characteristics of the donor is it
    completely a random choice?  I know this is a touchy question for some
    people but I don't think the question is out of order.

                      <<< Note 119.10 by DISCVR::GILMAN >>>
                                 -< Choices? >-
    
>>    .8  What choice does one have regarding an anoymous donor?  That is
>>    is there any choice as to physical characteristics of the donor is it
>>    completely a random choice?  I know this is a touchy question for some
>>    people but I don't think the question is out of order.

A woman I know received a list of "donor characteristics" that included
things like hair and eye color, hobbies, highest grade completed, height
and weight.  

    A close friend of mine here at work got pregnant while on 
    Pergonal.  She was monitored VERY closely with blood tests
    and ultra-sounds to see how many eggs had matured.  She was
    told by her Dr. that she had 5 eggs that matured and that
    was alittle high.  He told her 3 is the norm, anything over
    could produce multiple births.  Ultimatly it was her decission
    to try that month or skip over and adjust the Pergonal next
    month.  She went ahead and tryed and only had one baby.  I 
    don't understand how these other people can take the Dr.
    to court for thier 7 babies.
    
    
    Anyway, thank you all for your imputs.  Let me see if I can
    be a little more specific for my situation.
    
    I am taking 100mg of Clomid a month and am on my 5th month of
    taking it.  My eggs don't mature enough to furtilize.  Also,
    the post-cortal tests we had came back pretty bad.  My husbands
    sperm does'nt smim too good with my mucus.  So the AI that my 
    Dr. is going to do is the one that they deposit it directly into
    the uterus, and by-pass the cervix and the mucus.  My Dr. told me
    that usually most of the sperm dies in the cervix and never makes
    it to the uterus.  So this should give me a better shot.
    
    Let me ask another question.  Thoses of you that went from Clomid
    to Pergonal, how did the Dr. determine that you should be on
    Pergonal instead?  I was woundering if my Dr. should give me another
    ultra-sound to see if the Clomid is making those eggs mature more.
    He had mentioned that he wants to save Pergonal as the last resort.
    
    Bye,
    Deb

re .12:

>    the post-cortal tests we had came back pretty bad.  My husbands
>    sperm does'nt smim too good with my mucus.  So the AI that my 
>    Dr. is going to do is the one that they deposit it directly into
>    the uterus, and by-pass the cervix and the mucus.  My Dr. told me
>    that usually most of the sperm dies in the cervix and never makes
>    it to the uterus.  So this should give me a better shot.

    That's called IUI (intra-uterine insemination).  Is your doctor
    planning to do sperm washing?  Have you or your husband been
    tested for anti-sperm antibodies?  How did your husband's sperm

    It's my understanding that the people doing AI try to match the
    donor's general appearance with that of the father, to avoid 
    having children who don't look somewhat like their parents.
    
    Matching hobbies and university degrees is also popular, but
    most likely less important.
    
    For a while there was a company which sold sperm from Nobel
    Prize winners.  No guarantees, though!
    
    		-John Bishop

    Of course, if you're talking about AIH (artificial insemination by
    husband) as the base note was, getting a "lookalike" isn't a problem.
    It's only with AID (artificial insemination by donor) that matching
    looks becomes an issue.

    Free associating here (AID => AIDS), what precautions are taken
    with AID to prevent the spread of AIDS?

    On a lighter note: In the early years of Saturday Night Live, there
    was a skit about a sperm bank where everyone wanted their kids to
    have a great sense of humor, so Rodney Dangerfield (I think) was
    in great demand.

    I believe they test donors for AIDS now.
    
    The odds are very very low, given the many factors involved which
    reduce transmission potential:
    
    o	Low incidence of AIDS in general population
    o	Lower incidence in donor population (e.g. no females and hence
    	no female prostitutes, few drug addicts...)
    o	Some screening
    o	Some testing
    o	Some processing of semen (anything which reduces volume)
    o	Low number of actual uses of donor semem
    o	Less friction than "regular" intercourse (and therefore
    	less breaching of the barrier posed by the vaginal mucus and skin)
    o	Low rate of transmission of AIDS for any one act
    	of intercourse anyway
    
    If you want to worry, worry more about the donor sharing lethal
    recessive genes with the mother--that's probably more common.
    
    		-John Bishop

    
    I'm holding the result of AIH in my arms now!
    
    I found the procedure painless - all 7 times.  Waiting for the results 
    was the worst part.
    
    Good luck,
    

    7 TIMES, MY GOODNESS!  What is the success rate?  Is 7 times
    normal?
    
    Thanks,
    
    Deb  - p.s. congradulations to you for your success!
    

    I have some more questions for you all.
    
    When you first had IUI done did the dr. do blood work
    and ultra-sounds before to see how developed the follicles
    were?  Did you have an injection to force ovulation?  I think this
    is some kind of serge.  Also I read that sometimes they give you a
    progesterone supplement after the insemination.  Has anyone
    ever had/heard of this?
    
    Specificaly has anyone ever gone to New England Memorial Fertility
    Center?  I got some literature from this hospital a while back
    and was reading some of it.  It seems that my Dr. (who is 
    out of Worcester Fertility Institute, Dr. Pokoly) has not
    mentioned any of this to me.  He just told me to take an
    ovualtion test next month and when it turns bright blue to
    call his office and his nurse will set me up to come in that
    day to have the insimination done.  And oh, by the way my
    Dr.'s office is not open on the weekends or holidays so if
    you ovulate on one of those days you just have to wait till
    Monday or the next day and try then.  Is'nt there a good chance
    that could be too late?
    
    Well, I'm just feeling a little frustrated,
    
    Thanks,
    
    Deb

<    .8  What choice does one have regarding an anoymous donor?  That is
<    is there any choice as to physical characteristics of the donor is it
<    completely a random choice?  

Different doctors do it differently.  My doctor used live sperm at that
time, so we got to know very little.  I found out later (too late) that
I could have found out more, but they don't keep records and have forgotten
who the donor was.  Before the insemination, though, the doctor looked over
my spouse carefully to make sure that the baby would match us both as well as 
possible.  As it turned out, although both of us have dark hair and hazel
eyes, our son has dark BLOND hair and blue eyes!  :-)

Places which use frozen sperm often have forms that the donors have filled out
with medical background and personality clues (hobbies, any message they
want to give to the recipients of the sperm, etc).  They also include
lists of physical characteristics such as race, skin color (if white, it 
could be olive, fair, etc), eye and hair color and so on.  Often the
parent(s)-to-be are given several of these forms from which to choose a donor. 

          Carol

A woman I know who is currently undergoing this also does the 
ovulation test, her DR. uses ultrasound to check out the eggs.
I'm not certain if she is getting any injections.  Her Dr.
does use a suppository after the insemination, I"m not sure
what's in it but it's suppossed to make the environment more
"friendly" for the sperm.

Ultrasounds and blood tests (estradiol levels) are much more accurate at
determining ovulation than at-home ovulation tests, particularly if there's
a female factor.  I would be wary of a doctor who thinks that an at-home
test is adequate.  Is this doctor an infertility specialist?  Who referred
you to him?  If you're not a member of RESOLVE, join.  They do referrals
and give medical advice over the phone.

A pregnancy after seven inseminations is not out of line.  It all depends
on what the problems are and how aggressive you and the doctor want to be.
The next step after inseminations (with possible use of drugs like Pergonal)
is IVF or GIFT.  Since these are much more invasive and expensive, it makes
sense to do seven inseminations before bringing in the big guns.

    My Dr. is on the RESOLVE list of good DR's, I check with them
    when I made my first appt.  I am not a member of RESOLVE, my
    husband is'nt so gun ho on joining.  I'm not sure if they
    have mtgs for just woman, I think I would feel uncomfortable
    if I went to a meeting with all couples alone.  Maybe I
    should call and find out.
    
    Getting back to my DR, he is from Worcester Fertility Institute.
    He does specialize in infertility, however, he also delivers
    babys and practices as a regular OBGYN.  He is not an
    endocronologist(sp?), that is someone who is specialized in
    hormones, which is where my problem is.  
    
    Something else that I have learnt is that most people who
    go through IUI have the insimination done 2 days in a row.
    My Dr. only said he was going to do it 1 day.  Next time
    I go I am going to ask more questions.
    
    Thanks for your imput,
    
    Deb 

    Yes, IUIs are usually done two days in a row to maximize the chances of
    conception.  It's sometimes hard to pinpoint the exact time of ovulation
    even with ultrasounds and estradiol levels.  The way I understand it,
    the ultrasounds don't actually show the egg.  Before ovulation, they
    show the follicle growing, and afterwards, there's some fluid.  It all
    looks like gray blurs to me, but they technicians and doctors know how
    to look at the blurs.

    If the doctor was recommended by RESOLVE, why don't you call them
    and voice your concern about the treatment you received?  Explain your
    dilemma regarding your husband's unwillingness to face the problem
    (which they'll probably say is quite common).  I'm pretty sure that
    they have women-only support groups as well as couples groups (and
    possibly even men-only groups).  Even if you don't use their
    support groups, there's plenty of valuable information available from
    them in their newsletters, publications, and from their telephone
    medical advice.

    I did call RESOLVE, just yesterday.  The woman that I spoke to was
    very nice.  She assured me that what my Dr. was doing was not
    that unusual.  She said some DR's do on thing and some do
    another.  She told me that 6 months trying this proceedure
    on Clomid is about normal, before trying pergonal.
    
    She gave me the telephone # for the local RESOLVE chapter
    in MASS.  I called to find out more infor about the support
    groups, but they are on vacation till Aug 6th.  I left a message
    for them to send me some info.
    
    Deb

	What is GIFT?  Can anyone describe the process to me?

GIFT is Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer.  In IVF, the sperm and the egg are
combined in a dish (in vitro is Latin for "in glass").  In GIFT, they're
combined in the Fallopian tubes.  Which is used depends on the cause of
infertility.  Any recent book on infertility should give you more information.

	Thanks.  Your brief response is enough for me.  I had
	seen several references to GIFT and had no idea what
	people were talking about.

	Margaret

Answering my own question in .15 regarding the possibility of contracting
AIDS from AID (donor insemination):

I recently read that donors are tested for AIDS several months after they've
donated sperm.  The sperm is only used after the test is negative.  (Obviously,
it's kept frozen in the meantime.)

    There was a very good article on the subject in yesterday's (10/7) 
    Boston Globe. It was contained in a special pull-out section devoted
    to good health.

    Hi,
    
    I have a friend whom is interested in artificial insemination.
    She is single and is having a run-around with the insurance company
    on whether she should qualify. Apparently the insurance company
    says that she must prove she is infertal by "trying" for a certain
    number of years.  Does anyone have any experience or information
    on this that I could pass on to her?
    
    Thanks in advance.
    
    Bobbi

    Most insurance companies will cover the cost of having the insemination
    done by a doctor, but not the cost of the sperm samples.  However
    if you get an infertility diagnosis, some insurance companies will
    cover it.  I know someone who went through HCHP and when she was 
    diagnosed as infertile they reimbursed her for all of her previous
    costs.  The number of months which you have to "try" before being
    considered a candidate for infertility testing varies with insurance
    companies.
    	Linda

    I have just recently been approved by John Hancock for Artificial
    Insemination.  With John Hancock (Digital Medical Plan) my doctor had
    to write a letter explaining my reason for infertility before we could
    attempt insemination.  Under John Hancock (because I live in NH) I had
    to be trying for 5 years before being considered a candidate for
    infertility testing, luckily I have been trying for 4 years and with my
    history they (John Hancock) approved it with no questions asked.  If I
    lived in MA, it would only have to be 1 year.  
    
    I would suggest contacting your insurance company first before having
    it done, to see if they will pay or not.  
    
    Cheryl
    

    I am truly missing something here...
    
    If you live in NH rather than MA, but you're under John Hancock, you
    have to try to get pregnant for 5 years before being an infertility
    testing candidate?  I guess someone said it's a difference in state
    law, yes?  (dumb)  But, what did "they" consider to be infertility
    *testing*?  Do you mean basic work ups, or actually starting the AI? 
    Being an old lady of 35, I'm not thrilled with hearing about the 5 yr
    plan, here.
    
    -d

    I believe that the waiting period will be changed to 1 year for 
    everyone beginning January 1st; so this may be a non-issue.  They
    mentioned it on the Health Care DVN yesterday afternoon.  They also
    said there would be a 5 attempt limit on GIFT.
    
    FYI,
    Carol

    The five year wait has nothing to do with whether or not you can
    seek treatment or testig but rather what John Hancock requires you
    to be defined as infertile before they will pay for the
    testing/treatments. 
    
    FYI. As for the amount of coverage they offer, when you do qualify
    and not all insurance policies will cover infertility at all, they
    have one of the best coverages I have ever seen.
    
    

According to the benefits bulletin, there are changes in coverage for IVF and
GIFT.  No mention is made of other infertility treatments.  Under the new
policy, there's a one-year wait (it doesn't say from what) for IVF and GIFT,
with a limit of five cycles (IVF and/or GIFT).  The one-year wait has been
in effect in Massachusetts because of state law.  DEC is extending it to
the rest of the country.

re: all...

I had most of the procedures described in this note so maybe I can summarize
some of the issues.  I did AID for many many months when first trying to get
pregnant.  I got to pick some general characteristics of the donor, like hair
color, eye color, general complexion, etc.  The frozen sperm are incubated for
6 months before being released, so that the donor can be repleatedly tested for
AIDS as well as other communicable diseases.

Aside from many tests described elsewhere in this notesfile, I went on Clomid
for a while, to lengthen the lutial phase of my cycle.  This still didn't work.
My doctor suggested a couple months of Perganol treatment (every OTHER month).
I had to self-inject Lupron daily, to suppress my own body controlling the
cycle (since the doctor wanted to control it).  I would have an estradiol blood
test each morning and a follicle study (internal ultrasound which visually
watches the growth and number of the sacks containing the eggs) so that the 
doctor could determine what the Perganol was doing, then she would decide how
much additional Pergonal to administer at the end of each day, based on t he
blood levels and the size of the follicles.

Each cycle (Perganol or not), I would be inseminated 3 times, twice vaginally
and one Interuterine (IUI), closest to the time of ovulation.  The sperm was
washed only when getting the IUI, since you lose the natural protectiveness
of your own body when the vagina/cervix is skipped over.  The vaginal 
inseminations were done as described elsewhere here, with a needleless syringe
to shoot it in.  I would be turned upwards for about 20 minutes and then a
"plug" would be inserted so it would stay there against gravity when I got up
to walk around.  It had a string on it so it could just be pulled out 4/5 hours
later.  It was made of a very soft sponge covered with a sandwich baggie-like, 
so it would never hurt going in or coming out.  There was NEVER any bleeding
associated with any of this.  The IUI was done with much more sophisticated
sterile plastic tubing, so that it could be passed through the cervix, into
the uterus without risk of infection.  This is also one of the reasons that
the sperm is washed first.  They would rinse it with some solvent, centrifuge
it down to a small solid wad, without any semen left.  They did this about
3 times and then refloated it in a different solvent which was some kind of
sperm nutrient formula to help them survive in me better.

I would get a shot of HCG right at the end to release the egg(s) and
support the environment and sometimes another shot of HCG 3-5 days later for
more support (the only drawback from all the HCG is that the drugstore tests
you take to see if you're pregnant test for HCG and you don't know if it's
positive cause of all the shots or because you finally did it!). 

I did this for 36 cycles altogether with various things.  On the months when I
did not get all the Perganol related testing, I used First Response to
determine the day of  ovulation, and  this was never a problem, as I am pretty
predictable. The Perganol did NOT work for me (but I only tried it 3 cycles; my
doctor didn't like to do it more than that).  Clomid and HCG were the operative
drugs the month it "took".  Once it was determined that I was pregnant, I had
to use the Progesterone suppositories to further "support" the scarey first few
months, when miscarriages are most likely. 

Let's see, I think I covered everything, yes?  I'm not 7 weeks away from D-Day
and getting very psyched and very scared!

RE: insurance.  I can only speak for John Hancock and my own experience.  They
pay for all AI costs that are associated with Infertility problems.  The
waiting periods, etc are all based on the definition of Infertility.  If you
have one of four diagnoses (Endometriosis, Blocked Tubes, DES, ?/can't remember
the 4th), you will get reimbursed immediately.  Otherwise, there used to be
a 5 year waiting period, where you had to have documented that you were seeing
a doctor for Infertility before they would pay.  Mass changed it to one year
a couple of years ago and now that is national.  I waited for the year, then
it turned out that in one of the tests they found endometriosis and zapped it.
The ironic thing is that I had endometriosis BEFORE the surgery, but the
diagnosis was only AFTER it, when I was CURED, so it's kinda backwards.  Anyway
after that, all expenses were treated like any other condition, subject to
yearly deductible and 80/20 copay up to the out-of-pocket max.  All surgery
stuff was 100%.  The donor sperm, its shipment costs and the procedures to
get them in me (AID, IUI) were all considered at the nromal 80%.

I know this is an old note, but if anyone would like more details or doctor
recommendations, etc, I'd be glad to help/advise/inform.  Send mail to 
ICS::Waky anytime.

<I know this is an old note, 

Don't worry about that.  Most people have their notes profile set so that
they see *all* newly written notes, regardless of where they are located in
the file.

<RE: insurance.  I can only speak for John Hancock and my own experience.  They
<pay for all AI costs that are associated with Infertility problems.  The
<waiting periods, etc are all based on the definition of Infertility.  If you
<have one of four diagnoses (Endometriosis, Blocked Tubes, DES, ?/can't remember
<the 4th), you will get reimbursed immediately.  Otherwise, there used to be
<a [...] waiting period, where you had to have documented that you were seeing
<a doctor for Infertility before they would pay.  

Did you get any information on how a single heterosexual woman or a lesbian
could "prove" her infertility to John Hancock? 

            Carol

    The following response is being entered on behalf of a member of
    our community who wishes to remain anonymous at this time.  If you
    wish to respond anonymously, you may send your reply to me and I
    will remove identifying information before forwarding it to the
    noter.
    
    --bonnie
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I feel like I have recently lived thru most of what has been questioned in 
this note. I recently gave birth to a baby that was conceived thru AID.

My husband was infertile - sperm count was 0!
I was fine..at least physically.
His infertility was the result of botched double hernia surgery almost 20
years ago. Needless to say that after 2 years of tests and surgery on his part
to try and rectify the situation (they finally found that the original doctor
had cut his Vas on both sides and never fixed it or told anyone) we had to 
come to terms with the fact that I could conceive but we were lacking sperm.

It was my husband that suggested using a donor!
I had a fertility specialitst that dealt with a sperm bank so we started the 
process of choosing the biological child of our child. This was hard. We were
handed a list of available donors (no names - ID only numbers), and specific 
characteristics to choose from - parental origin, coloring, eyes, hair, education
background, blood type, hobbies/interests etc. All specimins are held for 6 
months while the person comes back for AIDs test etc..
It would have been easier if we gave the doctor our requirements first and had
her choose the donor. The list thing was tough (I felt like I was 'shopping')
After coming to a decision (we listed our first 3 choices in order of preference)
our first choice was not available when I was ready to ovulate (they had sperm 
on hand but it had not been available for release due to timing of blood tests).
This happened 4 months in a row. Along with the clomid for days 5-9, folicle 
scans via ultrasound, HCG for release of folicles and then Intra Uterine
Insemination, we were also on edge every month due to the availability of our 
first choice in donors. 

The first time #82 was available (a med student with the same coloring/height/
weight as my husband) was during my 5th cycle. Things are meant to be the way
they happen. THAT WAS THE TIME I CONCEIVED!!! 

Our baby is 6 months old now and we are considering another child. Right after
her birth, I called the sperm bank to see if they had any #82 on hand. As luck
(or fate) would have it, they were just about to release for sale all remaining
specimins of his. He is graduating now and moving out of the area of the bank.
I took a best guess as to how many inseminations we might need for the future
and got out my American Express card. I now own 18 units in a sperm bank in 
Virginia. When we are ready to use it, I will have it shipped to my doctor
the same way as before..FEDERAL EXPRESS (honest..). If we conceive again, our
children will have the same genetic backgound and possibly the same physical
characteristics and we won't have to go thru that donor selection again.

I wanted to share our story here to give hope to those of you that are going
thru the same thing we did, or even a piece of it. All proceedures plus cost
of sperm were covered by John Hancock. (We haven't submitted bills for sperm in
storage - I doubt they will cover it until we use it). I feel truely blessed
for so much this past year - the donor program, technology, our medical benefits
the support of friends and this notesfile and most of all our little girl.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share this story here.
If you would like to discuss any of this on the phone, post a note here and I
will give ya a buzz.

Good luck to all!!!!!

>>I now own 18 units in a sperm bank in  Virginia. 

If only it paid interest!

Thanks for sharing your story.

    We tried donor insemination with frozen sperm for 1 1/2 years with
    no results.  Then a friend whom we trusted agreed to act as a donor 
    for us.  The first time we used fresh Cindy conceived.  She had been 
    undergoing diagnostics for infertility for almost a year.
    Unfortunately that ended in an early miscarriage but it did answer
    the question of whether she could.  The freezing process reduces
    motility by 1/2-1/4 and the number of sperm in the samples we were
    getting was 1/16th of an ejaculate.  IUI may boost the chances because
    the sperm has to travel a shorter distance and doesn't have to get
    through the mucus barrier of the cervix.
    	Linda