Journey Through the Trials of Infertility
Sarah always dreamed of the day she would hold her baby in her arms, feeling the indescribable bond of a mother and her child. In search of a partner who shared these aspirations, she turned to dating apps where she met her now-husband. Sarah divulged her dreams of motherhood on their very first date, and though she worried her openness would scare away her suitor, she instead found that her honesty laid the groundwork for a profound connection. He had recently undergone a significant change of heart about fatherhood and was eager to find a partner who shared the same desire to start a family. As they excitedly discussed what the future may hold, they never anticipated the infertility hurdles that lay ahead.
Beginning Fertility Treatment
Sarah and her husband married in 2020 and felt the time was ripe to begin trying for a baby. However, after six months went by without a positive pregnancy test, Sarah, now in her late 30s, began to question if she would be able to conceive.
The couple sought guidance from a fertility specialist who suspected that the quantity and quality of eggs could be a contributing factor given Sarah’s age but could not provide a definitive answer as to what caused their infertility. As a first step, they attempted four medicated intrauterine inseminations (IUIs), but none resulted in the joy of a pregnancy and Sarah’s confidence diminished with every attempt.
Ready to start anew, Sarah and her husband came to Fertility Centers of Illinois (FCI). It was there that they found hope, understanding, and the specialized support they needed to navigate the complex and emotional path of overcoming infertility. Dr. Jennifer Hirshfeld-Cytron was ultimately in control of their care, leading to a renewed sense of optimism regarding their future family.
Sarah and her husband were ready to jump straight into in vitro fertilization (IVF) with the hopes of increasing their chances of conceiving a child. Sarah recalled, “I was very pumped about starting IVF. I didn’t mind any of the shots. It was not daunting to me at all. I was like, let’s do this. This is how we’re going to get our baby.”
Despite her positive attitude, the IVF journey was like stepping onto a rollercoaster in the dark, not knowing what twists and turns lay ahead. Sarah learned terms she never knew before and became intimately familiar with medical protocols that seemed alien at first. Sarah remembered feeling a lack of control over the process, sharing, “It’s really stressful because I’m very type A, so I like a plan. But going into the first egg retrieval I was like, wow, this is a lot. Not only are you on timed medications, but you have to educate yourself and ask questions that you may not even know are going to come up because it’s your first time going through the process.”
The daily injections became a routine. To cope with this unfamiliar territory, Sarah revealed she took control of what she could throughout treatment, saying, “It can feel really overwhelming, especially if you’re type A and you don’t know how to plan for submitting to this process. I bought myself a little like tackle box and organized all of my meds and all my needles and gauze and alcohol pads. So many things were out of my control, which is okay, but organizing helped me feel a little bit more involved in the process and doing what I could to have a better understanding of it.”
Despite the strenuous process, Sarah expressed confidence in her care team, saying, “Dr. Hirshfeld-Cytron and her team were very communicative, on top of the details and very involved in the process. That made all the difference. I could always trust that her team would follow through in a timely manner with the help or guidance that we needed, or at least point us in the right direction.”
Coping Through Treatment
During her journey, Sarah discovered a community of infertility warriors who shared her experiences. Through social media, podcasts, and literature focused on infertility, she found solace and strength. She explained, “Hearing some sort of dialogue or conversation about other people’s experiences was helpful, even though the fact is that no two experiences are the same. But by hearing about other people’s experiences and sharing yours helps everybody, in my opinion.”
Sarah and her husband also made sure to take time for self-care, revealing, “We went for a lot of walks. At the direction of Dr. Hirshfeld-Cytron, I routinely incorporated acupuncture. I got myself a journal and tracked my thoughts like, what’s the best-case scenario, what’s the worst-case scenario. We tracked different ideas for how to move forward in any event. I think all those things helped.”
Unwavering in their commitment to their relationship and treatment, they sought professional support as well. Sarah and her husband saw a couple’s counselor to help with their communication strategy. Additionally, they met with FCI’s behavioral health specialist who offered coping mechanisms and made recommendations for how her husband could be more involved with treatment, such as managing medication orders and refills, because overcoming infertility was a team effort.
IVF Cycles and Embryo Transfers
Sarah underwent five egg retrievals before doing an embryo transfer. She explained, “The thought was to get out as many good eggs as we could, fertilize as many as we could, and then freeze the good embryos.” They chose to genetically test each embryo created to check for chromosomal abnormalities and to use the ones that were most likely to result in a successful pregnancy.
Throughout this time, adjustments to her medication protocol were frequent. Each change was a recalibration, a new strategy to inch closer to their dream. With every blood test, ultrasound, and doctor’s visit, Sarah became more knowledgeable, more attuned to the nuances of her body, and more determined to become a mother.
After a year and a half, they had three embryos to transfer. They transferred an embryo in December 2022, but were devastated to learn that Sarah wasn’t pregnant. She recalled receiving the crushing blow of disappointment during the holidays, saying, “It didn’t take, and we found out right after the New Year, which was heartbreaking.”
Yet, in the depths of despair, Sarah found strength and prepared to face another transfer. She remembered what was going through her mind at the time, saying, “I’m not going to let this go. As hard as it was to bounce back from an unsuccessful transfer, I craved being pregnant. I wanted to feel what it would be like to be pregnant, and we had the two other embryos. I needed to try.”
Balancing their goals with their wellbeing, the couple decided to take a long vacation in Hawaii to reset before continuing treatment. Feeling a sense of renewal after three weeks away, they prepared for their second transfer. At Dr. Hirshfeld-Cytron’s recommendation, they changed their protocol again from a medicated cycle to a frozen natural cycle and completed the transfer on Memorial Day in May 2023. This time, it was a success. The day Sarah received the news that she was pregnant remains etched in her memory as a moment of pure, unadulterated joy.
Pregnancy and Baby Eleanor
Being able to carry her baby was everything Sarah imagined, making the journey worth it in the end. As she reflected on her experience, Sarah shared, “I felt very natural and comfortable as a pregnant person. Everything that I had worked toward during IVF was coming to fruition.”
With the birth of their daughter, Eleanor, in January 2024, the couple’s joy surpassed their wildest expectations. Sarah shared “When I got to meet her, nurse her and hold her skin to skin, there’s not a word for it. My husband and I look at her all the time and can’t believe we made this little person. Being with her is the best part of every day.” She added, “It was sort of surreal that this little person grew inside of me for nine months and now was something I was holding. And she started in a Petri dish! It’s just wild to me.”
With one embryo still in storage, they hope to expand their family again in the future. “I hope that I will be able to carry that embryo to full term as well. Because I really enjoyed being pregnant. I felt very alive and like I was meant to carry a baby.” Sarah’s IVF journey is a testament to the power of hope, the strength of love, and the resilience of the human spirit. It was a journey marked by personal growth, deepened relationships, and the belief in the possibility of miracles. And as Sarah looked forward to the next chapter of her life, she did so with a heart full of gratit
