"For 4 years, I went through three rounds of IVF."
I pointed at the medical reports on the screen and calmly described those painful experiences. My voice stayed flat.
"Each time, I first had an ultrasound, then started hormone shots to stimulate ovulation. Every 3 days, I had to go back to the hospital so the doctors could monitor my follicle growth and adjust the dosage. Once several follicles had matured, I had to take the trigger shot. The egg retrieval came 36 hours later. Because I had to stay conscious, I couldn't be put under anesthesia. Under ultrasound guidance, a fine needle was inserted into my ovary to retrieve the eggs from each mature follicle. The whole procedure lasted 20 minutes. Afterward, I had to rest for 2 hours before I could leave, and my lower abdomen would ache
