Before Caitlin became a fertility nurse at Fertility Centers of Illinois and a mother to two daughters, she was just a newlywed, in love and dreaming of the future with her husband, Chris. Married in their early 20s, they shared a clear vision of starting a family. But their journey to parenthood wasn’t as smooth as they had imagined. It was filled with emotional highs, heartbreaking lows, and unexpected detours. Through it all, they leaned on each other, trusted in science, and held on to hope until their dream of becoming parents finally came true.
Growing Their Family
Caitlin and her husband didn’t wait long after saying, “I do,” to start building their family. Even before trying to conceive, Caitlin knew that getting pregnant wasn’t always easy because her own mother had faced fertility challenges. With that understanding, Caitlin and Chris were determined to take action early and knew they could seek help if needed.
To their relief and joy, Caitlin got pregnant right away. Her pregnancy was mostly smooth, but in the final weeks, she was diagnosed with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR)—a condition that can limit a baby’s growth in the womb thought to be caused by a small blood clots found on the placenta. Receiving a diagnosis so close to delivery was unsettling, but Caitlin and Chris remained optimistic and focused on the arrival of their baby.
In 2018, they welcomed a healthy baby girl, Riley, into the world.Caitlin embraced motherhood with gratitude and wonder, cherishing ever y moment with her little girl. She didn’t give her diagnosis much thought until they started trying for baby number two, and the path forward proved far more complicated.
Baby Number Two
When they began trying for a second child, things took an unexpected turn. Caitlin experienced multiple pregnancy losses, each time getting pregnant with ease but losing the pregnancy shortly after. Each one was devastating and disorienting, especially after having had a healthy pregnancy before. Determined to find answers, she reached out to her OB/GYN who suggested she see Dr. Allsion Rodgers at Fertility Centers of Illinois (FCI). Before even meeting her, Caitlin felt reassured thanks to Dr. Rodgers’ approachable presence on social media. “You feel like you know her before you walk into the room,” Caitlin laughed.
A Diagnosis and a Treatment Plan
That first consultation with Dr. Rodgers made a lasting impression. “I wasn’t even a fertility nurse yet,” Caitlin recalled. “I was still in the ICU. But I remember meeting with Dr. Rodgers, and she immediately took the time to listen to my story and put together a plan.”
As part of her recurrent pregnancy loss workup, Caitlin tested positive for anticardiolipin antibody elevation—a clotting disorder that can increase the risk of miscarriage. “It made sense,” Caitlin said, “from Riley’s IUGR to the losses.”
Dr. Rodgers prescribed baby aspirin and Lovenox, a blood thinner Caitlin would need to inject daily. She also started Letrozole, estrogen, progesterone, and a trigger shot before her IUI to support ovulation and endometrial lining growth. Although timed intercourse was an option, Caitlin and Chris opted for an intrauterine insemination (IUI) to reduce the pressure and boost their chances.
Still, the process wasn’t easy. “Even being a nurse, the medication was a lot,” Caitlin said. “The Lovenox burned so badly. Even more than I expected. I knew from giving it to others that icing might help the sting, but it didn’t help me AT ALL. My advice? Do whatever little rituals you need to get through it. I did a little dance before every injection,” she said, laughing. “Just know it’s okay to struggle. You’re not alone, and your feelings are valid.”
She vividly remembers going through treatment, especially the moments leading up to her IUI. “I remember Cristina , one of the ultrasound techs, noticing I had a large follicle and asking if I had my trigger shot ready,” Caitlin said. “And between juggling everything I had absolutely forgotten about it. so I ran over to Village Pharmacy and got it.”
Amber, a nurse who would later become Caitlin’s coworker (and friend! 😊 ), assisted with her the IUI. About two weeks after the procedure, she received a welcome phone call from Dr. Rodgers herself. Caitlin was pregnant again!
From Patient to Provider
After her successful pregnancy, Caitlin gave birth to her second daughter, Rowan—a lively, fearless little girl who’s now a boisterous toddler in gymnastics class.
That experience, combined with her time at FCI, ultimately changed her career path. “It was Angel, a phlebotomist here at FCI, who first suggested I apply. It was tough balancing weekends in the ICU with raising a young family, and I felt called to guide others emotionally and medically through a process that I felt was particularly challenging.Caitlin shared her passion for helping others on their fertility journeys by joining the team at Fertility Centers of Illinois, working alongside (I was on Dr Burks team and worked with Dr Matevossian) Dr. Rodgers and the team who once cared for her. She brings more than clinical skill to her patients—she brings lived experience, empathy, and the unshakeable belief that hope is always worth holding onto.
“I know what it’s like to be on the other side,” Caitlin says. ” My story’s a little different from many of my patients. I didn’t struggle to get pregnant. I struggled to stay pregnant. But I always tell people: your pain is valid, no matter where you are on the spectrum. It’s all hard, I’ve cried in those same rooms. I’ve waited for those same calls. And now I get to be part of someone else’s story and that’s incredibly meaningful.”
Words of Wisdom
Caitlin’s journey reminds us that the path to parenthood is rarely straightforward, but it can lead to places we never imagined. “Be kind to yourself,” Caitlin advises others still on their journey. “If you’re going through recurrent loss, or you’re just feeling stuck, don’t wait to ask for help. Infertility is a medical diagnosis, and getting an answer—even a partial one—can change everything. And if you’re lucky, you might just meet a team that feels like family.”
She added, “You’re going through something really difficult, and it’s OK to be scared, angry, frustrated,” she added. “Don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s. Find a community. Lean on your partner, your friends, your nurses (trust me we really care!). And if you’re on Lovenox, yes, it really does burn! Most importantly, you can do hard things.”
Today, Caitlin’s story comes full circle. As she supports patients through their own challenges, she brings a depth of understanding that is invaluable in the infertility community. She is a beacon of hope, not just as a nurse, but as someone who has walked the path and found her way to the other side.
