Your Care Team

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by Jessica, former patient and current SGF employee

Jessica was a former (successful) patient who become a Patient Service Representative after her treatment at Shady Grove Fertility.

Blood draws, transvaginal ultrasounds, missing work, and paying lots of money on top of it doesn’t sound very appealing when you first hear about infertility treatment, however there are some good parts surround treatment. My favorite? My husband.

My husband, Brian, works with a law enforcement agency – and at the time – had a very inconvenient work schedule. We would go days without seeing each other, having only time for an early morning goodbye kiss or a late night goodnight kiss. But when it came to starting fertility treatment, as a couple, we decided that he would be there for me every step of the way and that included him joining me for every appointment that I had at Shady Grove Fertility.

On the days that I would go to Shady Grove Fertility, we would turn it into a ritual and it was our time that we got to spend together. We would take advantage of it by waking up early, going to the appointment, and then going to get breakfast together before we had to go our separate ways. Brian and I would look forward to the days where I had appointments because then we knew we would be able to spend an extra couple hours together that we originally didn’t have.

It helped me significantly knowing that I had something to look forward to with each monitoring appointment. Going through treatment is stressful and nothing is ever set in stone, it is nice to have a routine going where you have some stability. If you don’t have a husband with a flexible schedule, try something that would give you great joy. You could bring a very enjoyable book that is so difficult to put down; attend acupuncture after each appointment; take the extra long way to work to clear your head; bring a good friend who makes you forget about getting poked and prodded; or treat yourself to something that is normally so selfish, but totally worth it. You, as a patient, have put your body through so much and totally deserve every single selfish act possible.

More posts from Jessica:

If you would like to schedule an appointment with a fertility specialist, please speak with one of our New Patient Liaisons at 877-971-7755.

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WJLA – ABC7 Reports: Does Infertility Lead to Divorce?
Lauren’s Marriage is Stronger Now than Before

WJLA- ABC7 shares Lauren and Suraj Shrestha’s experience with infertility treatment. After a year of trying to conceive, they decided to try in vitro fertilization (IVF). Watch her story:

Danish Study Looks at the Impact of Infertility on Relationships
Does Infertility Lead to Divorce?

A new study from Denmark looked at how infertility impacted the relationships of over 47,000 women over the course of seven years. At the conclusion of the study, 57 percent of the women had a child, and 43 percent did not. The women who did not have a child were three times more likely to divorce or break up from their partner.

Shady Grove Fertility’s Dr. Stephen Greenhouse says he is not surprised by the research and says, “it’s an emotional roller coaster.” Women and men experiencing infertility often feel angry, guilty, and out of control.

Managing the Stress of Infertility Treatment

March is Social Worker Month
March is Social Worker’s Month. SGF has a team of 10 Social Workers available for group and one-on-one sessions.

Shady Grove Fertility recommends taking measures to help manage stress throughout the fertility journey. Whether that means talking with a counselor, taking up yoga, or doing acupuncture, reducing stress levels will not only make the journey a little bit easier but may have a positive impact on overall treatment success.

If you are having trouble trying to conceive, it may be time schedule an appointment at Shady Grove Fertility. Please speak with one of our New Patient Liaisons at 877-971-7755

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The holiday season can be difficult for those that are having trouble conceiving. Dr. Stephen Greenhouse (Shady Grove Fertility – Fair Oaks, VA) shares tips for coping with the holiday season.

  1. Know that it is difficult. Dealing with infertility isn’t easy. You don’t always have to put on a strong face.
  2. Do something for YOURSELF. Whether it is hiking or reading a book, taking time for yourself each day, can make managing other stress a little bit easier.

“This is your holiday as well. You need to feel comfortable,” says Dr. Stephen Greenhouse. Taking steps to enjoy this holiday season is important. Watch the video for more tips on coping with this holiday season.

Tips for Coping with the Holiday Season from Dr. Stephen Greenhouse

If you are ready to schedule an appointment with Dr. Stephen Greenhouse or another physician at Shady Grove Fertility, please speak with one of our New Patient Liaisons at 877-971-7755.

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Shady Grove Fertility is proud to announce Dr. Stephanie Beall, our 29th physician. During Dr. Beall’s orientation she was so kind to sit down and let us ask her all the fun questions… the ones about her!

Meet Dr. Stephanie Beall:

Did you always want to become a doctor?

Yes. Even when I was a little girl playing imagination games, I use to play make believe that I was a doctor performing surgery. I would carefully remove the tiny seeds in grapes using toothpicks for a scalpel and forceps.

What led you to Reproductive Endocrinology?

I have always enjoyed learning about the intricate details surrounding reproduction. But more importantly, I knew that I wanted to become a reproductive endocrinologist after working with infertile couples during my medical school and residency training.  For me, helping a loving couple start a family is incredibly satisfying.

What would you consider your communication style?

Calm and unpressured. I like to spend time with my patients, allowing them to ask all of their questions. I feel that it is my goal to provide an understanding at the end of the visit, and in doing so help to dismiss misconceptions and fear.  I believe the physician-patient relationship is a relationship founded on mutual respect.

What was the last movie you saw in a movie theatre?

The Hobbit.  It was quite by accident. We always go to the movies on Christmas day and last year when we went the Hobbit was the only movie not sold out. Although I had read the Hobbit series when I was young and enjoyed the movie, my fiancé was not a fan and was very happy when the movie had ended.

What are you most excited about at Shady Grove Fertility?

Being able to build a relationship with my patients and the physicians in the community. I also look forward to acting as a resource through which questions can be answered, fears calmed, and families created.

If you could tell men and women anything about their fertility, what would it be?

Fertility is a precious gift that all to often is not appreciated until it is hard to obtain or taken away prematurely.  It is important to realize that there is a biological time during which we were made to make children. Pushing the limits or attempting pregnancy outside of that window can often lead to disappointment and frustration.  With care and foresight, we can now help couples protect their fertility so that they can have children when they are ready.

Would you ever go sky diving?

Absolutely not! The closest that I have ever come to sky diving was when I went parasailing in Cabo.  While I was dangling in the air above the water all that I could think about was that I wanted to be back on the ground as soon as they could reel me in.  I would never go sky diving!

What do you do in your free time?

I spend my free time with my daughter and my fiancé.  We enjoy cooking together and hosting dinner parties and play dates,  traveling and experiencing the diversity of cultures.

What is your favorite book?

Anything written by Thomas Hardy.

Do you have infamous doctor handwriting?

Only my signature. Otherwise my writing may be small but it is extremely legible and neat.

Summer or Winter?

Summer, I hate the cold. The only exception is snow skiing, which I love however it does require a lot of layers.

If you are interested in learning more about egg freezing, please call Shady Grove Fertility to schedule a consultation at 1-877-971-7755 or click here.

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From IUI to IVF and donor egg treatment, the experience of each individual patient can significantly vary. There are however, a few common threads that pull every patient together; one such thread is the dreaded “two week wait”.

What is the Two Week Wait?

The two week wait is the period of time between a pregnancy attempt and the beta hCG blood test – the test that determines whether or not you’re pregnant. It takes about two weeks from the time a fertilized egg implants in the uterine wall to start emitting enough of the hCG hormone (human chorionic gonadotropin) to be detected by a blood test.

Can I Take a Home Pregnancy Test Before My Beta?

Home pregnancy tests are generally not recommended as they can render false results – either false negative or a false positive. A false positive result may be due to the fact that in many of our treatments, hCG, the same hormone that measures pregnancy, is given to “trigger” ovulation in many of our patients. Taking a home pregnancy test too early can result in a positive pregnancy test due to trace amounts of hCG injection still in the bloodstream from the “trigger” shot, even if implantation has not occurred. Home urine pregnancy tests are less sensitive than a blood hormone test, and can render a false reading despite the start of a pregnancy due to an undetectable amount of hCG.

On average, two weeks after your IUI or embryo transfer you will come back to our Center for your pregnancy test. This test is done by blood draw and measures the hCG levels produced by a developing embryo. The most reliable pregnancy test available is the hCG blood test performed in your local Shady Grove Fertility office

What Levels of hCG Will Determine If I’m Pregnant?

On Shady Grove Fertility’s Facebook community and other online forums, patients frequently talk numbers when referring to their beta results- for example, 250, or 893, or 2,334. These patients are referring to the levels of hCG hormone found in the blood.  A positive pregnancy or beta test is determined if the level of hormone is found to be above 5 mIu/ml, as long as the test is not done too early following an HCG trigger injection. A blood hCG number over 100 is a good first beta result, although many ongoing pregnancies start out with a beta hCG level below that number. Higher numbers are not indicators of a multiple pregnancy; only the ultrasound can determine if you are pregnant with multiples.

How Many Beta Tests Do I Need?

Additional beta tests are typically performed every 48-72 hours after the first positive test to confirm hCG levels are continuing to rise. We look for the level of hCG to rise about 60% or more in each of the additional tests. If the number continues to increase, physicians become more confident that there is likely a viable pregnancy, as the rising levels means the embryo is continuing to grow. After your second or third hCG beta blood test, you may have a series of ultrasounds (1 or 2) to verify the presence of a sac and ultimately fetal cardiac activity, a heartbeat.

Can I Continue My Normal Day-To-Day Activities During the Two Week Wait?

We tell all of our patients to be cautious during their first five days after their treatment. We recommend that you refrain from strenuous physical activities as well as sexual activities during this time, unless otherwise instructed by your physician or nurse, as they may cause uterine contractions that might impair the implantation process. For some patients, there is also a greater risk of ovarian issues since the ovaries are still slightly enlarged from stimulation.

After the first few days, you can to start light aerobic activities such as yoga, moderate walking, swimming and lightweight training on a stair master or elliptical machine. The goal is to increase your heart rate, without creating additional impact on your body which can happen with activities such as jogging, aerobics or using a treadmill.

What Can I Expect Next?

If your beta levels come back positive, you are now considered to be 4 weeks pregnant. Most patients will come in for ultrasounds usually between 6-7 weeks gestation to verify fetal cardiac activity. At about 8 weeks gestation you, will be referred back to your OBGYN to continue your prenatal care.

If you aren’t successful, your physician and care team will advise you to stop your medications. You will have the opportunity to talk with your physician to review the past cycle and make a decision together about your next steps. While your physician will determine the timing of a new cycle, it is not always necessary to take time off between cycles unless otherwise directed. Many patients are able to begin another cycle the following month.

Getting Through the Two Week Wait – Advice from Doctors, Nurses, and Patients

  • Shady Grove Fertility Nurse Sonia“My best piece of advice: STAY OFF the INTERNET. Check with your nurse to see what sites are reliable and appropriate, but otherwise going to the chat rooms and boards will do nothing but cause additional stress. I always tell the patients ‘If you feel like you are about to start surfing the web… call your nurse first, we will talk you off the ledge.’” – SGF Nurse Sonia Parker
  • “For my third IUI, I took a vacation from work for the two weeks. Every time I tried to throw myself into work, I couldn’t give it 100% which caused more stress. So I saved up chores to do: cleaned and organized at home (labeled drawers, washed all the curtains, cleaned the windows… stuff I only did every few months, I saved it up for the two weeks), visited local family and friends, went to the library, actually made dinner using new recipes, caught up on my recorded shows, organized photos, did a scrapbook of my pets, and a million other little things I rarely had time for. And yep, I got pregnant. Apparently, taking a break from work was good for me!” – Former Patient KarlynShady Grove Fertility Dr. Stephen Greenhouse
  • “Try to continue your normal routine. This may help decrease the anxiety of the two week wait and don’t forget to do something special just for yourself.” – Dr. Stephen Greenhouse, SGF Physician in Fair Oaks, VA
  • “Almost nothing helped! But, if there was one thing, it was simply remembering how lucky we were to have the opportunity to get pregnant at all. I have to say, when we took two home tests and my partner told me we were pregnant was the most incredible moment of my life. I will never forget it. We now have a nearly five-month old. He’s beautiful, and totally worth the (three years and) two-week wait agony. Good luck to everyone waiting!” – Former Patient Kylie
  • “For my husband and I to get through the two week wait, we went on dates to restaurants we had never been to, we had a big dinner party with a bunch of our friends one night and on another night I went out with my high school girlfriends. For me, it was a really good distraction and it was helpful to surround ourselves with such happy, positive energy during the wait. It also took our minds off of it because we were looking forward to something a little bit closer than the pregnancy test and it also gave us something else to talk about.” SGF Employee and Former Patient, Tori
  • Dr. Anithia Nair of Shady Grove Fertility“I always tell patients to channel positive thoughts and karma for themselves instead of being anxious about the test result. When you are feeling worried, I always suggest diverting your thoughts to a mental checklist of all the people that love you and want the treatment to work (including me on the list of course)! It’s always best to force your thoughts away from the worry that can come with the two week wait.” – Dr. Anitha Nair, SGF Physician in Washington, DC
  • “Book a little vacation for afterward so you’d have something to look forward no matter what happened.” – Former Patient Emily
  • Melanie Bates, RN“I let my patients know that it may be a hard time for them, given we have been in contact nearly every day towards the end of their cycle. I encourage them to call if they need to talk or have questions. I also encourage them to do something nice for themselves – plan a date day with their partner, a day trip or a weekend get-away. I encourage them to have some time where they are not to discuss or think about their cycle (though this is definitely hard!). I let them know I will call as soon as I have the Beta results, and that the time the results come in varies, so not to worry as to what time they receive the call.” SGF Nurse Melanie Bates
  • “Remember that it is normal to have absolutely no signs of pregnancy during the two week wait.  So many women say to me I feel like I am going to get my period I can’t be pregnant and then we do the Beta and its positive! Remember “Dr. Google” did not go to medical school! Everything you read on the internet is not true and be particularly wary of information obtained in chat rooms and on blogs. Unless these sites are monitored by medical professionals to make sure the information people are writing is correct, the possibility of misinformation exists. Remember that the information written in a post might have been true for that person’s situation, but it does not mean it is true to your case. Don’t beat yourself up mentally. If you are maintaining a healthy lifestyle and following the instructions that your MD and the nurses gave you-, you are doing everything you can to make your outcome a positive one!” – SGF Nurse Chris Bishop
  • “Patients find it helpful to establish a routine prior to the start of their cycle. If you take go to a dinner and movie every Wednesday night, continue with that routine throughout your two week wait.” – Dr. Isaac Sasson, SGF Physician in Chesterbrook, PA
  • Karen Calabrese, RN“Remind yourself that you are going to succeed; it is just figuring out how to get there.” SGF Nurse Karen Calabrese

If you are having trouble conceiving and would like to speak with one of our New Patient Liaisons by calling 877-971-7755 or schedule an appointment.
 

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Fertility treatment can feel like an overwhelming undertaking. Between keeping track of test results, medication dosing, and waiting for results it can sometimes feel like a full-time job if you had to do it alone. At Shady Grove Fertility, each patient has a dedicated Fertility Nurse Coordinator to guide them through treatment from start to finish and keep track of everything along the way, making an otherwise daunting process straightforward and uncomplicated.

Some of SGF’s Donor Team Nurses


Shady Grove Fertility’s medical team includes over many experienced that work one-on-one with patients at all points in their journey. “A part of my responsibility to each patient is to hold their hand through the process, act as their sounding board and their teacher. Every day, my goal is to build a rapport and trust with our patients; I find this extremely important in order to properly treat each patient,” explains Debbie Dancer, a Fertility Nurse Coordinator in SGF’s Philadelphia area office. “Our hope is that patients understand at the end of the day we are on their side and want to help them achieve success in a safe manner.”

Beginning Your Fertility Treatment Journey

The first step for patients is their initial consultation – an appointment where patients meet with their physician, nurse, and financial counselor. This first appointment is full of information and can be a lot to take in for patients just starting the process of seeking fertility treatment. “Couples walk into our offices wanting a baby yesterday and feel lost,” says Pam Cash, a Fertility Nurse in Virginia. “The doctor talks to them about what tests they need to complete and often times the patient may seem confused about the process and where to go from here.  That is why right after meeting with their physician a patient will meet with their nurse. We work with each patient to decode the process, help navigate them through their pre-screening and help get them closer to starting treatment and achieving their goal of having a baby.”

A few hardworking Leesburg Nurses


Beyond providing the cut and dry facts of a patient’s cycle progress, it is important for each nurse to learn about and understand each patient individually. Paige Pahira, Fertility Nurse Coordinator in Rockville, MD knows the importance of getting to know her patients, “I work to foster a relationship with each patient that meets their individual needs. To do this, I need to identify how much anticipatory guidance they need. Some patients like their results to be straightforward and others like to have long conversations. I think what makes each nurse unique is their ability to gauge each patient’s needs and cater their care differently.”

Trust in Our Experience

With over 30,000 babies born as a result of fertility treatment at Shady Grove Fertility, the nursing team has a lot of experience. After helping thousands of patients, seasoned nurse Allison Catalani, from the Frederick, MD office, offers this bit of advice: “Relax, and let us guide you – all too many people think they have to take it all on themselves.  We are a team, and you can trust us to be just as invested in your overall success as you are!”

Many patients are quick to learn that Shady Grove Fertility’s Nursing Team will work tirelessly to help you through your fertility journey and quickly become your biggest supporter and even bigger cheerleaders.

From the Nurses: The Most Common Questions

Patients usually have a lot of questions. Our nursing staff put together the most frequently asked questions from their patients:

Will IVF use all of my eggs?

No. At the beginning of every menses, a “crop” of antral follicles (small resting follicles which contain an egg) are recruited. Typically one follicle matures which leads to the release of the egg within the follicle through ovulation. The remaining follicles are not used and are absorbed into the body.

When a patient undergoes IVF treatment, medications are used to grow and develop a majority of the available antral follicles, as opposed to just the one which would occur naturally. Once the follicles are matured, the eggs are retrieved from the ovaries. At the conclusion of the cycle the body returns to the normal pattern of recruiting and ovulating a single egg in each cycle.

Why does my partner need fertility testing?

Although infertility is thought by many to be a woman’s disease, many are surprised to learn that 40-50% of all infertility is due to a male factor. A complete fertility work-up includes a semen analysis (looking at the male partner’s sperm quality and quantity). An accurate diagnosis and treatment is dependent on a complete work-up considering all of the factors that could be attributing to a patient’s infertility.

When can I start my treatment cycle?

Treatment cycles (IUI, IVF, Donor Egg, and Frozen Embryo Transfers) may begin when “pre-screening testing” recommended by their physician has been completed. This typically includes day three hormone blood work for the female partner and infectious disease blood work for both, a semen analysis, HSG, and genetic disease screening.

Additionally, treatment cycle consent forms need to be signed and completed and patients will need to meet with the financial counselor to answer any insurance or financial program questions.

Patients will often discuss upcoming menstrual cycles with their primary nurse, who can work with them individually to offer a tentative calendar of anticipated treatment cycle dates.

What can I expect in monitoring?

SGF’s Frederick Nursing Team

Cycle monitoring, or morning monitoring, is a series of appointments used to track the progress of a cycle. IVF patients may require between four to six different monitoring appointments during the stimulation phase of the cycle. At these appointments, blood is drawn and analyzed to monitor hormone levels and a pelvic ultrasound is performed to track follicular development and size. The data collected at these appointments helps your physician track the response to stimulation and further medication dosing.

Monitoring patients will receive a follow-up call from their nurse later in the afternoon – where she will provide any physician directed changes to the protocol such as medication dosing, answer any outstanding questions, and provide an overall update on the status and progress of the cycle.

If you are having trouble conceiving and would like to speak with one of our New Patient Liaisons by calling 877-971-7755 or schedule an appointment.

2026 Shady Grove Fertility

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