Hardly anyone thinks about needing fertility treatment to get pregnant. But when its time to finally consider seeking help, many patients who consult reproductive specialists come laden with many misconceptions about getting pregnant in general and fertility treatment specifically.
Amy and her husband Greg had tried unsuccessfully to conceive for more than a year when she spoke to her OB/Gyn about her concerns. After undergoing an HSG (hysterosalpingogram), or “dye test,” so that her physician could visually inspect her fallopian tubes for any blockages, Amy’s OB/Gyn pronounced that she’d likely need IVF.
“When my doctor said I was ‘an excellent candidate for IVF’ and handed me a referral slip to Shady Grove Fertility, I was in tears,” Amy describes. “I was absolutely floored. I never thought that I would need IVF.”
In addition to the HSG, which her OB reported showed blockage in one of her tubes, Amy’s husband consented to a semen analysis which, according to her doctor, “turned out just fine.” In fact, he said that there was no reason for her husband to participate in the initial consultation with a fertility specialist.
Because infertility is a couple’s issue, Shady Grove Fertility encourages both partners to participate in the initial consultation because there is a lot of information to take in and absorb. In that first visit, couples meet with their doctor, nurse and financial counselor, so it really helps for both partners to share that experience. “I’m so glad he came with me,” Amy remembers about her first appointment at Shady Grove Fertility’s Annandale, VA office.
Fertility, An Emotional Rollercoaster
At their first meeting, their physician, Dr. David Saffan, inspected Amy’s previous HSG films and thoroughly discussed the couple’s medical history. Based on the information he was hearing from them, Dr. Saffan was not convinced about Amy’s earlier diagnosis of blocked tubes. Dr. Saffan ordered a second HSG to be performed and found that Amy’s initial diagnosis was incorrect – no tubal blockages were detected. When he recommended that they begin with an Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), Amy and Greg were relieved that IVF was, in fact, not going to be the first step in their fertility journey.
Since the couple had only recently moved to Virginia from out-of-state just a couple of months prior, they knew few people in the area. They had been careful about whom they told among family and friends about their treatment. Amy credits the Annandale staff for providing a nurturing environment, even when the news she received from her first IUI cycle wasn’t good.
“Our nurse, Linda Bergman, was especially supportive during the entire process,” Amy said. “My work scheduled sometimes made it hard for me to take calls during the day, but Linda was always available to communicate by e-mail.”
As the couple began their second IUI cycle, they talked about the possibility of taking the next step to IVF. Amy wondered if she “could do IVF, or would it be a signal that it’s just meant to be, our not having a baby.”
Amy explained that it was both the complexity of the technique and the costs associated with IVF that was scary to them. But when they learned that their third IUI cycle didn’t result in a pregnancy, Amy said that they were ready to move to IVF without hesitation.
“We were just like ‘OK then…we’re doing IVF,’” she said. “It’s funny how your perspective on something changes as you make your way through the process and as you develop trust and confidence in your medical team. Honestly, being able to participate in the Shared Risk program helped in the decision as well because we were having to pay out-of-pocket for our IVF treatment,” Amy added referring to Shady Grove Fertility’s 100% Refund Program, a financial option that allows couples to attempt up to six treatment cycles for one flat fee with 100% refund guarantee should they not have a baby.
Finding Support Within The Family
Preparing for her first IVF cycle, Amy knew that her steadiest emotional support would come from her sister-in-law in New York who had previously undergone IVF to have her child. Having a close relative who “had been there” provided Amy with an outlet to discuss the different steps in the IVF process, and her emotions about it, all which could fluctuate between hope and worry in the span of a single day.
“I think for most people who go through this process, the emotional toll of IVF can be equal to or greater than the physical toll,” said Amy. “She was really my personal go-to person. I was able to call her at anytime to talk about things from my injections to my growing follicles. All along the way she kept saying positive things about the process since that’s how they had their son.”
Amy’s first cycle went very well, resulting in four good quality embryos. With Dr. Saffan’s recommendation, Amy and her husband decided to transfer one good quality embryo back to her uterus.
“Dr Saffan told us that Shady Grove Fertility has excellent success with single embryo transfer, and all that it takes is one good, strong embryo,” she explained. “He said ‘we want you to have a safe pregnancy, not multiples’.”
When told about the single embryo transfer, Amy’s sister-in-law, who’d transferred four embryos to have one baby, thought that transferring only one embryo might reduce Amy and Greg’s chances of pregnancy. Although she wasn’t totally sold on the idea given her own experience at another center, Amy’s sister-in-law supported her decision.
“I could tell she and others were scared that single embryo transfer wasn’t going to work for me, but they kept it to themselves,” Amy recalls. “I think they felt that transferring only one embryo would reduce my chances of successfully conceiving and result in another let down for me.”
Nearly 11 months later, Amy and her husband are enjoying the result of their decision – a new daughter. And knowing that there are three frozen embryos provides them with the hope to be able to add additional children to their family in the future.
“We joke with the baby and ask, ‘who was in that Petri-dish with you?’” said Amy.
For someone who started out absolutely reticent to use fertility treatment at all, Amy has made a complete turnaround. She says that she would tell anyone who might be feeling the same way she once did to think of it like she and her sister-in-law do.
“We’re fertility warriors,” she said. “I think of all IVF babies out there as very, very wanted children that couples went through great lengths to have. While it’s not the way you dreamed of creating your baby, being able to hold my daughter makes everything I went through well worth it.”
She adds, “And, without a doubt, I couldn’t have gone through this whole process without the trust and support that I received from everyone at Shady Grove Fertility, especially Dr. Saffan and the entire Annandale office. They comforted me through ever part of my fertility journey, and helped me reach the point where I was comfortable taking that ‘next step.’ I would tell anyone struggling like I did that Shady Grove Fertility is the right place for you.”
For more information on our fertility treatment services or to schedule an appointment with one of our physicians, please call our New Patient Center at 888-761-1967 to speak with an expert who can help guide you and provide answers to your questions.
