Suzanne & Buddy

We started our journey at Shady Grove Fertility after three miscarriages even though we had our first son naturally. We did not have any difficulty getting pregnant the first time – in fact, we got pregnant within a month of trying.

During the preliminary stages, we became pregnant naturally with twins…which I subsequently miscarried. We continued screenings and tests at our OB/GYN and saw a perinatologist. I was diagnosed with a MTHFR gene mutation, insufficient Fallopian tubes, and antiphospholipid syndrome.

During the time I was seeing the perinatologist, I decided to make an appointment at Shady Grove Fertility because I knew I would need help if I wanted to become pregnant and stay pregnant again. When I came to Shady Grove Fertility, we did some more screening/testing to help our physician determine a complete diagnosis. We qualified for the Shared Risk 100% Refund Program and were ready to get started.

Getting started at SGF

Because of my diagnosis, Dr. Esposito recommended moving straight to IVF with preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).

I am an RN, so needles are not a problem for me. There were many subcutaneous needles, which were not a problem for me. I did ALL of my needles myself. The most difficult needle for me, overall, was the “trigger” HCG needle at 2:00 a.m. the night prior to the egg retrieval. That was an IM injection and for some reason, it just really hit home to me how real it all was.

I had to constantly keep my emotions in check, keep things in perspective, and focus on life. I was in my last semester of graduate school, plus working 32 hours per week, so it was definitely a time where I forced myself to focus on other things and keep busy.

Our egg retrieval day came and we got the news that out of 12 eggs retrieved, only 2 fertilized normally. We decided to transfer both of our embryos. I was never really concerned about getting pregnant. I was concerned about staying pregnant. So, the 2-week wait wasn’t really difficult. I had plenty of stress and things in my life that helped distract me.

The news we were waiting for

Dr. Esposito and Betsy, our RN, called me with the results—we we’re pregnant! I purposely tried not to get excited. Again, getting pregnant wasn’t the problem—it was staying pregnant.

The whole pregnancy was an emotional roller coaster that didn’t end until I held my baby in my arms. I was on IM progesterone and Lovenox the entire pregnancy…endured subchorionic bleed and 13 weeks of bedrest. Our amazing daughter was born on 8/13/07.

We are forever grateful to SGF—Dr. Esposito and Dr. Chang…the nurses and other staff. We paid $42,000 out of pocket, cried many tears, and endured a lot of stress and anxiety, but would do it all again!

My advice to current and future patients

Fertility issues can consume you if you let them. My first piece of advice is to keep your regular routine as normal as possible. I hear stories about women avoiding things, people, and places they enjoy because they want to avoid contact with families or babies, or children. That’s a mistake. The last thing you want to remember about your journey is what you didn’t do. If you are struggling that much that you are withdrawing or manipulating your life, you need to seek therapy.

The second piece of advice is to stay busy. After my first miscarriage, I started sewing a quilt. I still call this quilt my “therapy quilt.” The quilt is a king-sized hand-sewn quilt made from flannel sheet scraps. It was part of the reason I stayed sane throughout the process. Find a great support system—whether it’s family, friends, professionals, or a support group. Find a great support system and keep in close, regular contact with them. Start a journal and write every day. I started graduate school after my first miscarriage, so I worked towards something and stayed focused on other goals and being productive.

My third piece of advice is to have faith. Pray often and count your blessings and feel thankful every day. If nothing else, this fertility journey taught me how strong my faith really is. It taught me that all struggles and challenges eventually turn into blessings and that I may not be in control and that is OK. I never once stopped believing that my dream would come true. I just knew it would. Nothing is impossible.