Samantha & Matt

My husband Matt and I met in elementary school. We were always friends and even attended dances together while in high school since I went to an all-girls private school and he went to an all-boys private school. Matt and I didn’t officially start dating until college and 11 years later, we have been together ever since! We always knew we wanted to have a family, but little did we know that when we started trying, we would struggle for years with no success.

Trying for our family

We tried for 3 years to start our family. We switched OB/GYN’s, but my doctor never put me on any medications to increase our chances of pregnancy. I didn’t know anything about infertility because I had no idea I had any health issues that would cause a problem.

Finally, I was referred to Shady Grove Fertility. I believe everything happens for a reason, but I do wish I had come to SGF sooner.

We had our first visit to SGF in December of 2016. I was extremely nervous to switch to a fertility specialist! I had no idea what to expect. Dr. Katz had us undergo fertility testing and I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). I had all the signs of PCOS but had no idea.

Beginning treatment

We began a treatment protocol in January. Dr. Katz began monitoring me to see if I could ovulate on my own. Although I was ovulating, we had two unsuccessful cycles of timed intercourse. We knew we didn’t want to waste any more time, so we moved forward with ovulation induction and completed our first intrauterine insemination (IUI) in March of 2017.

The IUI cycle was nerve-wracking. We had more monitoring appointments with blood work and ultrasounds. I was most nervous about the ovulation shot.

Wende Allen completed our IUI procedure. The procedure itself was quick and I remember wanting to lay on the table as long as they would allow to ensure it would “stick.”

The dreaded two-week wait was hard. During that time, my emotions took over and I worried that our infertility journey could be a long one. I spent the full 2 weeks wondering if the IUI worked. I questioned how much I could take and if I was strong enough to continue on with treatment.

Finally, it was the day of my beta. I remember that day in April feeling nervous as I had my blood drawn to see if the IUI was successful.

Best voicemail ever

Our amazing nurse Kristen called us and gave us the news that we were pregnant! That phone call was the most emotional moment of the entire process! I still have the voicemail saved to this day and listen to it from time to time. We had our nurse leave the voicemail so my husband and I could listen together.

I was amazed that one medicated cycle was all it took! At that moment, all of the early morning appointments, blood draws, ultrasounds, medications, and tears were all worth it.

I was excited to graduate and move on to the normal OB/GYN appointments, but sad to leave SGF because the consistent monitoring kept my mind at ease.

Our SGF miracle

In November 2017, we welcomed our beautiful little girl Aubrey to the world 3 weeks early! I know we didn’t struggle with treatment like many others, but I want others to see that it can happen on the first try! We had low expectations, but with the help of Shady Grove Fertility, having a baby was made possible. We are forever thankful and plan on returning for baby number 2!

My advice to future patients would be don’t wait to seek help! If you want a baby, go to Shady Grove Fertility and get started. Also, be sure to surround yourself with supportive people. My family and friends really helped me through some of the darkest days of my fertility journey.