I’ve always known since I was little, I wanted a family of my own. Growing up as one of four children, I saw how hard my mom worked, and the idea of having only two kids always felt a bit too quiet to me. So I decided very early on that three children would be the perfect number for my future family.
Once I grew up and the time was right for my husband and I, we started trying for a baby. I had just turned 35 when we first started trying and by the time I was about to turn 36, we still hadn’t gotten pregnant. This is when we realized there might be a problem so we started looking into fertility treatments.
In May of 2015, my husband and I began our fertility journey.
Where we started
Where we started wasn’t where we ended up, but it was a significant part of our journey.
Before RFC, we started at another fertility clinic. There, we were diagnosed with unexplained infertility and underwent three intrauterine inseminations (IUIs). Unfortunately, none were successful, so it was clear it was time to try a different treatment option: in vitro fertilization (IVF).
My doctor at that time recommended a plan to do embryo banking. Because I knew I wanted to have three kids and was already older, the best strategy for us was to complete multiple egg retrievals before doing any embryo transfers. By retrieving eggs at the age I started at and using those eggs to create embryos for freezing, we could preserve better-quality embryos than if we spaced out retrievals over time when my egg quality would naturally decline. This approach allowed us to create embryos and preserve them for future use, maximizing our chances for success.
But before we started with embryo banking, I had to listen to the doubts that were creeping in. At this clinic, I felt pressured to start my IVF cycle right away, even though it was a stressful and difficult period of my life and generally not a good idea to start something like IVF right at that moment. They ultimately didn’t seem to have my best interests in mind so my husband and I decided we weren’t going to move forward with this clinic.
After that, in hopes of having a better experience somewhere else, a work friend of mine referred me to see Dr. Lin at Reproductive Fertility Center. From there, the pieces finally started falling into place, putting me one step closer to my goal of having three children of my own.
My egg retrieval process
When we were ready to get started, I told Dr. Lin about my previous fertility doctor’s embryo banking plan. By this time, I knew exactly what needed to be done.
I needed to do multiple egg retrievals to create as many healthy embryos as possible. I wanted three embryos for each child to give us the best chance of success, knowing that not every embryo would lead to a pregnancy.
We got started right away with my injections to stimulate my ovaries. This was in November of 2015. I’d say I didn’t really have any bad side effects from the medications. I was fatigued, a bit forgetful, and developed a slight skin rash but nothing that I felt was too intense.
After completing three egg retrievals, I was able to yield 65 eggs. Out of those 65 eggs, the embryologist was able to make 15 embryos. And after genetically testing the embryos, we were left with 9 healthy embryos.
It was perfect—9 embryos, 3 chances for each child I dreamed of having.
Now that we had all our embryos, it was finally time to move on to the next step in our plan. Our first frozen embryo transfer (FET).
My first embryo transfer
My first embryo transfer was in March of 2016, and to our surprise, it was a success!
I was worried because, during that time, my mother was undergoing cancer treatments, making it an emotionally challenging time for me. I wasn’t sure how that stress might affect my results, but I strongly believe that doing acupuncture helped me manage my stress and ultimately contributed to the success of the transfer.
When we got the news that confirmed I was really pregnant, I was so happy and felt such a relief. It felt like I was finally reaching my family goals.
In December of 2016, I delivered a healthy and beautiful baby girl.
My husband and I knew the genders of each embryo prior to the transfer. We discussed which embryos to transfer first because we knew we wanted our firstborn to be a girl. And now we had a daughter; it was a huge blessing.
Embracing in the new joys of parenthood, we waited a year and a half before coming back to RFC and doing my second transfer. With one baby now in our growing family, we were eager for the other two we dreamed of having.
My second embryo transfer
In June of 2018, I was 39 and underwent my second embryo transfer, but something happened. Emotionally, I was under a lot of stress and maybe that contributed to why my second FET was unsuccessful. It was a huge disappointment that we didn’t expect, given the fact that our first FET was such a smooth process.
I didn’t understand why, and even Dr. Lin was shocked that it was unsuccessful. But I was determined. My husband was determined, and Dr. Lin wasn’t giving up either. Dr. Lin reviewed my treatment protocol and adjusted my medications for my third transfer.
My third embryo transfer
A month later, in July 2018, I returned for my third FET.
The changes Dr. Lin made to my medication protocol worked—this transfer was another success! My husband and I were overjoyed. We felt like we were getting even closer to achieving our family goals.
Early in the pregnancy, I developed a subchorionic hematoma, a condition where blood collects between the uterine wall and the sac surrounding the embryo. Thankfully, it resolved on its own during my 13th week of pregnancy.
During my third trimester, my baby was breech, and I had to undergo a c-section. While the procedure was tough on my body, I recovered more quickly than I had anticipated. I largely credit my faster recovery to the weekly acupuncture sessions I continued throughout both my transfer and pregnancy.
In April 2019, my husband and I joyfully welcomed our second child—a healthy baby boy.
Maybe two kids were enough
After the birth of my second child, we were eager to have our third and final child. But, the world was hit with a pandemic and it didn’t seem like the right or safe time for my fourth transfer.
With the COVID-19 virus spreading around, it was too scary for me to be pregnant. I decided then, in 2020, that I was done. I already had two beautiful children in my life and thought a third just wasn’t in the cards for us. I knew that a third child at that point in my life was going to be a lot of work so my husband and I asked ourselves, “Do we really need to do this”?
A couple of years passed, and I could never shake the feeling that I wanted three children.
With COVID eventually slowing down, I thought to myself that I had to at least give it a try.
My final embryo transfer
In November of 2022, I returned to RFC at the age of 44 for my fourth and final embryo transfer.
I had a consultation with Dr. Lin and decided to have some fertility testing done to asses where my reproductive health was at. Given my age and my blood disorder, I knew I would be at high risk if I got pregnant again.
I got everything checked out and I was in the clear for my last embryo transfer.
I decided to do the transfer on May 25th, 2023. I chose the 25th of May because I had become a little superstitious with my transfer dates. My first and third transfers both happened on the 25th of their respective months, while my second transfer—the only one that wasn’t on the 25th—was the only one that wasn’t successful.
Turns out, I was right to be superstitious because my fourth and final transfer was a success.
I was pregnant with my third child, my youngest daughter.
My pregnancy wasn’t as smooth as I’d hoped. I developed a complication called complete placenta previa, where the placenta blocks the cervix opening. Luckily, the condition resolved about five weeks before my delivery.
My OB/GYN advised having another c-section was the safest way to deliver. At the end of it all, I delivered a healthy baby girl at the age of 45.
My husband and I finally had the family we’d always dreamed of. We now had three amazing children.
I couldn’t have done it without RFC
I started my fertility journey at the age of 35, an age that is considered high-risk due to declining egg quality and pregnancy complications that can occur. 9 years later, I now have the three happy and healthy children I’ve always wanted, and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without RFC.
I absolutely love the staff at RFC. Jennifer was my coordinator early on and she was amazing. She was so soothing and helpful in calming my nerves. Having someone like that address all my concerns and worries made things easier. I also want to express my gratitude to my embryologist. I was able to meet with them after meeting with Dr. Lin and they answered all my questions, addressed all my concerns, and, of course, made my embryos!
We are so glad we stuck with Dr. Lin throughout our fertility journey. My husband and I are so grateful to him. As busy as he is, Dr. Lin always made himself available to us when we needed him. It truly felt like he had our best interests in mind. Choosing RFC was the right choice for us and we are so thankful to everyone at RFC.
For others on their fertility journey
I want others who are going through something similar to me to know that I have no regrets about doing what I did to achieve my dreams of family. For those who may think you’re too old, know that you shouldn’t be discouraged by a number. It can be possible.
I attribute much of my fertility journey’s success to acupuncture. I attended weekly acupuncture sessions throughout my retrievals, transfers, and pregnancies. The experience was incredibly therapeutic and healing for my body. I want others to know that acupuncture can be a valuable complement to fertility treatments, helping to support successful pregnancies and faster recovery.
My fertility journey was over the span of 8 years and it was overall a positive experience for me.
With my third child, my husband and I are super busy and my house is always messy, but it was all worth it to have my dreams of family finally achieved. The siblings are so in love with their new baby sister and we are just overjoyed with the family we now have.
