r/TTC_POI

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for advice and especially to hear from women with POI who were still able to conceive with the help of a fertility clinic/HRT.

I have iatrogenic POI. After my cancer treatment, I was fortunate enough to have a child, and we've been trying to conceive again more or less since 2023.

After getting COVID in early 2024, my periods stopped completely. Since summer 2024 my FSH has mostly been around 100, and the fertility clinics I consulted basically considered me a hopeless case.

A lot has happened in my life since then, but a few months ago we decided to contact clinics again for one final attempt (In fact, at that time I suddenly had two days of spotting without being on HRT or any other medication).
Of the two clinics that were willing to give us a chance, we chose the one that had clearly taken the time to thoroughly review my medical records and gave us the better overall feeling.
However, they're not particularly optimistic and also fairly conservative in their approach. For example, they don't prescribe DHEA because they don't feel the current evidence is strong enough.

Since my estrogen levels were barely detectable and the goal was also to bring my FSH down, we started transdermal Oestrogel (1.5 mg estradiol daily). At my first follow-up one week later, my endometrial lining measured 4–5 mm, which was encouraging. However, another week later it had decreased to only 2–3 mm (This was explained by the fact that I'd applied the Oestrogel to my thigh instead of my upper arm that week, had come down with a cold, and had taken ibuprofen).

As there was still no visible follicle, I started vaginal Utrogestan/progesterone 200mg for 10 days on cycle day 16 anyway. On cd 31 and 32, I had some dark brown spotting, but according to my clinic this wasn't considered a true withdrawal bleed.

An ultrasound on cd 34 showed that my lining had increased to 7–8 mm, and the clinic assumed that the withdrawal bleed would still happen. My estradiol (E2) level at that point was 788 pmol/L.

Now it's cycle day 40, and the bleed still hasn't started. I have another follow-up appointment tomorrow.

I've continued using Oestrogel every day throughout. There were no ultrasound scans while I was taking progesterone, and at no point were my FSH or progesterone levels checked again.

Has anyone experienced not having a withdrawal bleed despite taking progesterone?

Which treatment protocols ultimately led to a successful pregnancy for you?

Is there anything in particular I should be paying attention to or asking my clinic about?

Over the past three years, I've spent countless hours reading, researching, and trying to learn as much as I can. I'm so grateful to everyone who shares their experiences in forums like this—it really does help.

I'm now 41, and we've decided to give ourselves until the end of this year before accepting that it's time to let go of our dream...

Hi fellow POI mamas! I am 5W (got pregnant spontaneously with cyclical HRT ~ transdermal estradiol 1mg daily & 100-200mg luteal oral progesterone). I am worried about how much hormone I'm on and its safety while pregnant. It feels sometimes like we are such an outlier population that even most RE don't really know how to deal with us... like we CAN get pregnant naturally but then we need HRT to sustain the pregnancy...

I'm currently on pretty high levels of vaginal progesterone (200mg vaginally 3x/day) (at 200mg total per day my progesterone was 15 which my RE says is too low).

I'm also still on transdermal estradiol (1mg/day) as when I get off of it I get night sweats, heart palpations and insomnia, so my RE said to stay on it a bit longer until placenta takes over, or at least until week 6.

I am reading all these studies about progesterone or estrogen use while pregnant causing autism, gender dysmorphia, birth defects, behavioral challenges etc. Its just so overwhelming as its not like I want to be taking hormones, but my body doesn't make enough naturally for me to carry the pregnancy to term without help.

I wanted to know if you were on HRT while pregnant how your babies came out?

It can feel so lonely to be POI and pregnant as family & friends are really worried with all the HRT I'm taking, and, as someone who generally doesn't like drugs or want to expose a baby to them, I am worried too! Although also so grateful as they are why I was able to conceive! It can feel really overwhelming as I don't think as a population we are really studied at all (like we are not IVF, we do conceive, but then need a lot of overlapping care), and I don't know if the health of our babies as a population is really studied either. Sometimes I feel defective but I know we are not!

Anyone relate? How was your pregnancy? And how did your babies turn out? Thank you so much.

Not sure what I’m even looking for here, maybe just a space I can share my thoughts without judgement.

No longer working NHS as they refused as any help due to POI diagnosis. No ovary stimulation, IVF etc. We have sought private help, and tried some meds and although I didn’t expect miracles today, I went for a cycle day 12 transvaginal ultrasound to see if there was any activity.

First of all she REALLY struggled to find my left ovary, when she did eventually, she said it’s half the size it should be and no activity.
Fluid sac could be seen but she obviously couldn’t say what that was
Uterus lining 4mm
Right ovary found with 1 follicle around 17mm

I keep telling myself I need to try everything before accepting I will biological never have my own children but days like today, I really question if I’m strong enough

Sending hugs to all those going through this awful journey xxxx

I have been on 1mg topical daily systemic estradiol & 100mg luteal micronized progesterone for the last couple years following a traumatic injury that caused premature POI, endocrine collapse & menopause symptoms.

I'm receiving mixed info from my Doctors and don't know what to trust. I think cases like mine are very rare and no one seems to know what to do with me. I was told by an RE I had a less than 1% chance of conceiving and that I needed donor eggs, and to get off all hormones, which I refused to do.

I'm 4.5 weeks, with doubling HCG and stable progesterone levels per 2 blood tests.

I did contact that RE (who I've only seen once & didn't feel gave my chart the time of day) and his nurse told me to stay on the 100mg of progesterone and stop the estradiol.

My ND who prescribed the HRT for POI said to switch to 200mg vaginal progesterone suppositories (100mg twice a day) and stop the estradiol.

I booked with an OB (I didn't have one) and she told me to stop everything, but hasn't seen me as a patient yet so doesn't understand my case.

I'm terrified of stopping the estradiol before the placenta takes over since my body doesn't make enough on its own (I'm in low-normal ranges when taking daily 1mg topical cream).

I've read that many IVF and donor egg pregnancies stay on estradiol until the placenta takes over.

If my body doesn't produce enough estrogen on its own, is it truly safe for me to stop taking it before the placenta takes over? Is it dangerous to continue?

I don't want to harm this pregnancy and at the same time I don't feel like any of these doctors are actually reviewing or understand my case. The RE runs a massive clinic and he doesn't really give the time of day to anyone ~ everything is referred through his nurses via messages and they were telling me for months that i needed to stop HRT and that supplements wouldn't make a difference, which I knew was wrong. He runs an IVF business so I think he focuses mostly on that.

My ND is awesome but she doesn't specialize in pregnancy so she doesn't know for sure what to do.

And my new OB I don't see until mid-July, so she told me to stop everything via a receptionist but has never seen my chart.

I just messaged the RE's office and asked to have the Dr there review my chart and case and call me, and also messaged another RE practitioner to see if there's any chance I can get in with them asap.

I'm afraid of stopping the estradiol since I don't make enough naturally (although clearly make some as I did ovulate) but I also don't want to harm the developing fetus. This is super time-sensitive and I am so stressed. Guidance is very much appreciated!

Hi Everyone,

29F TTC with POI diagnosis. FSH 80 and AMH 0.09 last checked. I just started HRT 3 days ago. Estradiol patches and oral progesterone for 14 days. I was said Donor egg ivf is my only option. I don’t believe this as so many women have conceived on HRT. But I want to understand if anyone else had a better recommendations in Ireland. I need some support as I haven’t come across women with this diagnosis here in this country(am sure there are).

Thank you.