Even after seeing nine fertility specialists, this couple still felt unheard, their dreams unfulfilled. Finding the right fertility center, the right lab for ICSI and PGT, and the right physician makes a world of difference. Lea gave birth to her adorable baby boy Chase without help and wonders: What if I had given up?
Video transcript
I remember a couple of years into this process. My husband called me at work after visiting one of his fertility doctors. He shared with me that the doctor told him that having our own children just was not part of our future.
My husband and I had seen nine different fertility doctors between the two of us over the years. We just never felt like anybody was really listening to our story.
What was my body saying to me?
About a year into the marriage, we decided to stop all of our birth control and start trying to conceive. We were just kind of having fun trying for a couple of years.
My OB-GYN came to talk to me and said, “How serious are you? Let’s start really trying to figure this out because you’re getting a little bit older.”
When we came to Dallas IVF, it was different. I was able to bring in all the test results and all of the things that I have been through over the years, as well as my husband.
We sat down and started talking about what had been going on, how old was I, what had I been through, what was my body saying to me, and what was it that I felt was going on. Not just, “Well, you know, this is what we’re going to do. This is the standard process and procedure for somebody your age.”
ICSI and PGT and a disappearing twin
Because of the male factor with my husband and my Hashimoto’s, which is a low thyroid disease – it’s an autoimmune disease – we decided that the best course of action was to go straight to IVF and to also perform ICSI and PGT as part of that process.
In my first round, we were able to do a fresh transfer. I got a high number of eggs on my retrieval. I only did one retrieval. I had 17 eggs that first time around. It was a really great cycle.
At the end, though, at the end of the five days, there were only two eggs that looked strong enough to go back in. I actually had two eggs take, and I was pregnant with twins. After eight weeks, I was only pregnant with one. They call it disappearing twin.
PGT (preimplantation genetic testing) helped us feel safe
We chose to do PGS [now called PGT] because of my advanced maternal age. I’m 39 years old. It was just very important to make sure that we went through this and had a healthy baby.
Chase is the most amazing person in the history of ever. I’m convinced. We have so much fun.
He definitely has only-child syndrome right now. If we have more, he’s going to be in for a rude awakening.
He’s just so cool, you know? It just makes all of this worth it.
Today, I mean, I look at my two-year-old and I think, Wow, what if I had given up? What if I had given up hope?
But something inside of me, inside of both of us, just said, No. We deserve better and we know that there’s another answer out there.