Mary, 37, and her husband, 41, had tried for years to have a child. As time went on, they realized conceiving naturally might not be an option for them. “We tried for years with no success,” Mary shares. Concerned about her age and wanting answers, she asked her OB/GYN for a recommendation. She was referred to Dr. James P. Lin at Reproductive Fertility Center (RFC).
Meeting their fertility doctor
From the very first consultation, Mary felt a connection with Dr. Lin and the RFC team. Mary recalls,
I was a little naive going into the whole thing and didn’t know much, but Dr. Lin explained everything really well and was very honest with us, which we liked. He told us the statistics on IUI and IVF and how IVF could be more successful for us. But I wanted to try IUI anyway, so Dr. Lin helped us. It honestly felt like everyone at RFC really wanted to help us.
The couple began with IUI treatments, hoping for a simpler start.
The IUI appointments were early in the morning, which Mary admits was not ideal for her, but the process always ran smoothly. “I never had to wait. Everything and everyone was always on top of it and on time. The clinic was nice and clean, and everyone would explain everything really well,” she says. Although she underwent several IUIs over the course of a year, the treatments were unsuccessful. Mary remembers the emotional impact clearly, sharing, “I knew there was a possibility it might not work and that the chances were slim”.
With IUI behind them, the couple decided to move forward with IVF. Mary prepared for her first IVF cycle. The process was overwhelming at first, but the RFC team helped Mary every step of the way. “You have to prepare yourself mentally because of all the shots and medicine is very daunting and very overwhelming. But the staff printed out a medication schedule for me and even personalized it for my needs. They sat down with me and explained everything perfectly. It was so reassuring, and I felt confident in their abilities,” Mary shares.
Despite her careful preparation, their first egg retrieval was heartbreaking. “There were a lot of eggs, but none were normal and couldn’t be fertilized. I found out in June. It was heartbreaking to go through all of that and not have anything to show for it,” she says.
With renewed determination
After a month break to regroup, she approached the second cycle with renewed determination. She changed her diet, focused on exercising like hiking and yoga, and adjusted her mindset. “I followed a very clean diet. No meat, only fish, minimal sugar and gluten. I exercised, hiked, and did yoga to keep my body in optimal performance for getting pregnant,” she explains.
After another round of shots and medications, the couple underwent their second egg retrieval. “The second egg retrieval was last August. In the end, only one embryo was normal,” she explains. Mary was asked if they wanted to do another egg retrieval, but she wanted to keep moving forward. The decision to do the transfer with just one embryo was a leap of faith, but Mary remained hopeful.
The day of the embryo transfer, Mary was both nervous and excited. She had prepared her body and mind. She was ready.
The two-week wait
With their one and only normal embryo transferred, the couple patiently waited to hear from RFC to see if it had been a success. After two long weeks, the eager couple got a call. “Paula called us in the afternoon. We were sitting in the living room, and I didn’t want to answer the phone, but I did. I put it on speaker, and it was just great news. I was pregnant! Both of us were ecstatic. We had the biggest smiles on our faces. It was a very surreal experience,” Mary shares.
Mary was pregnant and she couldn’t believe it. Nervous but excited, she had regular weekly follow-up appointments that reassured her along the way. “Everyone was so attentive and detail-oriented. I was never pushed off and was always treated like a priority, and timing is so important when it comes to fertility treatment,” she adds.
Mary credits her coordinator, Paula, and Rachel at the front desk for making the process smoother. “They made my appointments easier and gave me the energy and courage to keep going,” she says. Paula was especially supportive, always available to answer questions, provide results, and guide Mary through medications. “She was on it. I never had to wait long for a response. Even if Paula was out, her substitute was really great too. I never had to worry about not getting a response,” she recalls.
“It didn’t feel real until…”
Mary’s pregnancy required extra care due to her age and IVF, but she embraced it fully. “I was high risk because of my age and IVF, so I had more appointments than normal. But I was happy to get more care and felt reassured. I had never been pregnant before, so I was so worried,” she says.
Her pregnancy itself was smooth, with few symptoms, thanks in part to the lifestyle changes she had made. When the day came to deliver, Mary experienced an unplanned C-section after her water broke, but the birth went smoothly.
The couple finally met their baby, whose gender was a surprise at birth. “We didn’t want to know the gender while I was pregnant, so it was a surprise at birth,” Mary shares. Mary and her husband now had a beautiful baby boy and were overwhelmed with joy and relief. She describes the moment of holding him for the first time as surreal.
“He came out perfect. Recovery was really easy because my activity level during pregnancy helped a lot. Walking and stretching made for an easy labor and delivery and recovery,” she recalls.
The challenges of fertility treatment
The journey was not without emotional challenges. “Shots can feel isolating because you don’t know anyone who is doing it at the same time as you. My husband was really supportive, but he didn’t fully understand the bloating and all that,” Mary shares. Despite these moments, Mary was able to find comfort in the RFC staff. “It was an isolating experience, but coming to the office, the nurses and doctors made me feel so reassured and less scared of the unknown,” she says.
Mary emphasizes the importance of trusting the process. “You have to trust the journey and just keep going. You don’t even know your own strength until you go through it. You’re stronger than you know,” she says. She admits she was skeptical at first, but the journey strengthened her faith and resilience. “I didn’t have the faith at first, but after a while, I did, and it was worth it,” she says.
Mary shares her advice for others navigating fertility treatments: “It can be a scary experience and is definitely outside your comfort zone. There is no guarantee. But trust the process, and keep going. Something special will be at the end.”
Filled with gratitude and optimism
Today, Mary and her family are thriving. “Even with just one embryo, it was awesome. It was a tough journey, but RFC made it manageable. We still can’t believe it. My husband has been so amazing and helpful. We are both so in love with our baby boy, especially after all it took to get him here. It’s a miracle and just meant to be,” she says.
Mary concludes her story with gratitude and optimism. “We’ll be back again,” she says, smiling, knowing the RFC team will always be part of their journey. Her story is a testament to perseverance, the power of dedication, and the compassionate care she received at RFC.
