Abbie & Evan

We started our trying-to-conceive journey in the early spring of 2023, using apps to track ovulation and fertile windows. After about nine months of negative tests, we learned about Shady Grove Fertility through a friend who was undergoing treatment at the time and having a very positive experience. We set up our initial consultation in April 2024 with Dr. Valerie Libby, and from the start, we were impressed.

We went through initial testing which included bloodwork, ultrasounds, a saline sonogram, and an HSG. Through that testing, we found out that I had a hydrosalpinx — a completely blocked tube — on my right side, uterine fibroids, and a lower-than-average follicle count and AMH level. Following testing, we set up our treatment plan, which included a freeze-all egg retrieval, surgery to remove my tube (salpingectomy) with hysteroscopy and myomectomy to remove fibroids

Finding fertility care at SGF

For our first egg retrieval, we completed estradiol (E2) priming to start, followed by injections with monitoring appointments. Following our first egg retrieval, we were met with a lot of grief and disappointment — we did not end up with any viable embryos. We felt defeated, but we knew we wanted to try again.

Dr. Libby took our case to the team at Shady Grove Fertility, where all the doctors could consult and provide thoughts on our next treatment cycle. We immediately went into a second round of egg retrieval using a different protocol, with high hopes of getting a couple of embryos to freeze prior to surgery. This second retrieval included adding acupuncture, estradiol patches, and injections. We also adjusted dosages of vitamins I was taking. At the end, we had two embryos, and one came back genetically normal.

I underwent surgery in December 2024, and following a repeat saline sonogram in March 2025, we were cleared for our frozen embryo transfer (FET). We were so excited.

Parenthood is possible

Our FET cycle included oral medication and a daily progesterone in oil injection. We completed our FET on June 5, 2025, and on June 16, bloodwork confirmed we were pregnant. We delivered a healthy baby boy early on January 14, 2026, and feel incredibly blessed and thankful for this difficult but rewarding journey we went through to get here. It’s true what they say — it only takes one.

Our biggest advice for other couples going through infertility treatment is to continue to live life the way you want to. I took my injections with me everywhere — the lake, restaurants, concerts, in the car — because the infertility journey can be long, longer than we thought it would be, and we wanted to continue to live our lives the way we wanted to. We didn’t want infertility to change us or limit what we were able to do, and it helped to alleviate some of the stress related to our treatment.