CS, 40, TUBAL BLOCKAGE
I came to New Hope Fertility Center for IVF treatment because it was my only option due to tubal blockage. Trying to conceive was a long hard battle for me and this was my last hope. After seeing an ad in the newspaper for the New Hope Fertility Center I thought my prayers were finally being answered.
A day later I made the call to set up an appointment and got one right away. I had just turned 39 four days prior to my consultation with Dr. Zhang. After sitting down and talking with him, he did not make me feel like my age was any issue at all. Dr. Zhang explained the different IVF options and he chose the one he felt was best for my situation. A week later I was officially a patient and preparing myself for egg retrieval.
I was scared and happy at the same time. Dr. Zhang, Dr. Yang, and the nurses at the center made me feel positive about the outcome of this journey. They explained things well and when I had questions, they gave me answers. My 1st cycle did not take. The doctor said not to worry and that we would try again with a more aggressive approach. For the next cycle, Dr. Zhang wanted to use a 5-day blastocyst, and fortunately, all 3 eggs retrieved successfully made it to that stage. My 2nd cycle failed and by the time of my 3rd cycle I started getting worried and losing hope. I was determined to be positive and move forward. On my 3rd cycle I was told there were signs of a pregnancy but that it ended in a chemical miscarriage.
Once again, the doctors said we will try again. In my mind I knew this would be my 4th and final cycle, so if this didn’t work it would be the end of my journey. Before my 4th transfer, Dr. Yang performed surgery to ensure that everything was fine with my uterus. Dr. Zhang put me on more aggressive medications. It included injections of medication via a needle into my stomach everyday while at home. This was hard for me to do, but I did what I had to do.
On my 4th and final cycle, Dr. Yang was so positive with me during the transfer and talked me through everything that was done. It was something I needed to hear. I went home, kept that positive energy from the center, kept my faith, and just prayed. On a Sunday afternoon in June of 2010, I received the call that I was pregnant. It was the beginning of a miracle and pure joy!
I have nothing but praise for New Hope Fertility Center and I can’t wait until my daughter is old enough for me to tell her all that I went through and all that the center did to allow me her. My pregnancy was great and I am extremely happy. I had just turned 40 two months prior to giving birth to my daughter in 2011, she was the best gift ever. Her birth went well and she is perfect. If I could do it again for another little miracle, I would.
To Dr. Zhang and all the incredible doctors at New Hope Fertility Center, please keep doing what you do for women like me who actually do go to your center with the HOPE of being a Mom….it’s the BEST feeling in the world!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
DB, ECTOPIC PREGNANCY & TUBE REMOVAL
In 2001, I became pregnant with my first child. Unfortunately, the timing was not right. The man I was with was much older with several children already, and he convinced me to have an abortion.
When we went to the clinic, the nurse explained that we could not go through with the procedure because it was too early; she couldn’t see anything in my uterus when she conducted the ultrasound.
The very next day I ended up in the emergency room with severe cramping and bleeding. I was having a miscarriage. After another day of pain and a return visit to the emergency room, the doctors discovered I was having an ectopic pregnancy. The baby had started developing in my right tube, which had to be removed, along with the baby.
In 2006, my current husband and I started trying to get pregnant. We were having difficulty at first, but I finally became pregnant a year later. To our dismay, the pregnancy ended up developing in my remaining left tube. Once again, I had to go through the emotionally and physically painful experience of having another miscarriage due to a tubal pregnancy. Both the baby and my left tube had to be removed. We were devastated, but our faith to have a family continued to guide us.
After my second miscarriage, we began to look into in vitro fertilization as an option. The costs associated with the procedure were discouraging; I found most medication regimens and IVF procedures to be way out of our price range, costing anywhere from $12,000 to $20,000. Then I stumbled across New Hope Fertility Center.
My husband and I were thrilled to start conventional IVF treatment. The staff who helped us throughout our journey were extremely supportive the entire time. When my first two IVF cycles were canceled and I experienced yet another miscarriage after my third cycle, the New Hope team never spoke a discouraging word, and continued to encourage us as we decided to keep trying. We always felt the New Hope Fertility Center staff was truly dedicated to helping us conceive.
We finally got pregnant in 2010 and gave birth to twins – a beautiful boy and girl – in 2011, after over a year with IVF and New Hope. I continue to believe without my husband, our faith, and the New Hope Fertility Center team, our dream of having a family would not have been possible. New Hope never gave up on us, and I continue to recommend the fertility center to my friends who have trouble conceiving.
SK, OVARY REMOVAL
My husband and I had been trying to conceive for 2 1/2 years when we found New Hope Fertility Center. We had attempted 3 IUI’s and were unsuccessful. We were told by our local RE (reproductive endocrinologist) that IVF was probably our only chance to conceive; however, like many infertile couples, we were unable to afford the procedure. In researching our options online, I came across New Hope’s site and discovered “their Mini-IVF™” treatment. It was quite a commitment for us, as we lived in Western PA, and drove 300 miles each way for each appointment.
From the beginning, I was told that mine would likely not be an easy case; I have only one ovary – one was removed due to a large cyst – so I would only be producing 1/2 the typical number of eggs during treatment. I was excited to discover that 5 eggs had been retrieved during my egg retrieval procedure, and even more excited to find that all five eggs had fertilized; however, only one embryo survived and made it to the blastocyst stage.
At this point, I was devastated. I knew we now only had one chance of achieving a pregnancy. To complicate matters, I was told that due to my hormone levels, this was not an “ideal cycle” to implant our lone embryo; but per the treatment protocol, I could not wait for another cycle and had to proceed with the transfer at that time. The transfer took place in February 2010 and eight days later, I received the news that I was pregnant! Against all odds it had worked! I attribute this to the incredible care and state-of-the-art treatment I received at New Hope Fertility Center. Throughout the entire treatment process, the doctors and staff treated me and my husband with respect and compassion. Every aspect of the care we received was explained to us and everyone we came into contact with, from lab techs to office staff to the doctors, helped make us feel comfortable and genuinely cared about during a very stressful time. I had a normal, healthy pregnancy and my healthy 8 lb. 13 oz. son was born on October 21, 2010. He is now a happy 5 month old and is an absolute joy. He has hit every developmental milestone early and is absolutely thriving.
If it were not for the talented doctors and staff at New Hope, my beautiful son would not be here today. For this, I am beyond grateful and would highly recommend New Hope Fertility Center to anyone needing help to conceive. My experience with New Hope has truly been a blessing.