Caroline & Johannes

Caroline & Johannes's Story:

I wrote my story for cny

A baby after cervical cancer

In 2012 I’m ready for a baby
But I’m diagnosed with cervical cancer at age 34
“Adénocarcinoma “
I have a trachelectomy in July 2012 , it is the removal of the entire cervix and a portion of the upper vagina ,
A cerclage is placed at the same time .
We ‘re trying to conceive
But the stenosis and scar tissue prevent it from happening !
We ‘re in 2014
First iui is ridiculously painful, as no catheter can go through this tiny hole (pseudo cervix)
After trying many dilations
Cytotec , surgeries ,
I have a second , and third iui
Still BFN
Transfers are way too painful I passed out on my third iui .
In 2015 I have iui number 4
I’m pregnant ! finally !
unfortunately our daughter is stillborn in January 2016
After pprom and sepsis .
I delivered via classical c section (vertical ) and need to wait at least a year before trying again .
I am 38 completely devastated and heartbroken .
I found out later that my cerclage failed
And a great oncologist from Miami , Dr Estape
Removed it and placed a TAC (transabdominal cerclage )
We try to conceive again
A total of 13 iuis
Many pregnancies that result in early losses!
I’m emotionally and financially drained .
I had heard about a miracle ivf clinic called cny fertility in Syracuse .
I am ready to move forward .
I remember my first phone consultation with Dr Kiltz
At 6 am on a parking lot in my car (I had to be alone that day ) I’m concerned about my stenosis
And I keep asking him
If he had patients with trachelectomy before !
His answer was
We’ll get through this cervix Caroline.
I order some meds
I’m ready to start a new journey .

My amazing ob gyn , Dr Sevald supports me and allows me to perform all my ivf scans at her office with a great tech .
I am ready for my first retrieval
I’m already 39, and didn’t respond well
But after a first canceled ivf
I decide to retrieve whatever I have ! I got 2 eggs
One embryo and a short bfp
But it’s reassuring that dr Kiltz was able to do the transfer . A second ivf will fail
I’m almost 40
And I decide to try another ivf
I have 4 eggs 4 embryos on day 3
They are all fair or poor!
I’m so sad , that I almost forget about them , and decide to transfer an embryo from a donor , Here again BFN!
I emailed the embryologist and ask him to thaw my embryos and grow them to blast in order to do pgs !
At this point , I am not expecting anything .
Few days later I find out that one embryo made it to blast on day 6 and was biopsied !
When the report comes back . It says “aneuploid”
I’m ready to discard it
But I want to know the gender before I do it . I call the embryologist
He tells me it’s a male
I’m sitting outside under a coconut tree ,
And when I hear it’s a male
I shut my eyes and see my baby boy running everywhere.
This flash lasted less than a second
But I clearly saw it , “him”
I asked if the embryo was truly aneuploid or mosaic ?
He tells me “mosaic “.
I don’t remember anything from there .
I made some phone calls the following days ,weeks
Talked to genetic counselor who told me NOT to transfer it
I created a fb group called my perfect mosaic embryo
And as I learn about mosaicism,I decide to take the risk to transfer it along with a donor egg embryo !
The day has come
I’m ready for the transfer
When I come to the clinic
The embryos from the donors Didn’t grow to blast
My mosaic embryo thawed pretty well
But I am completely devastated !
The transfer is too painful
dr Kiltz decided to do it under anesthesia.
2

When I wake up, I’m still a little dizzy , and I hear, I’m sorry , we couldn’t pass a catheter through , too much scar tissue .
I leave Syracuse to go back home in Florida , crying and broken .
My embryo is back on ice again .
Well it’s called vitrification now !
The embryos from the donors died the next morning. Dr Kiltz is willing to help me no matter what !
We make a plan for next time
Try a transmyometrial transfer
It’s a transfer through the vaginal wall
So this time I’m doing a natural FET
And I’m ready to transfer after a positive opk
I’m here again
And I take another selfie few second before the transfer, this time , we are transferring one embryo
My mosaic deletion 6q23 male
A day 6 blast 4AB.
The transmyometrial was done within seconds .
3 days later , I see a faint line on a hpt
First beta is great
First ultrasound is overwhelming
I’m really pregnant !
Dr Kiltz made my dream come true
My TAC is not failing me thanks to dr Ricardo Estape
Dov was born 02/11/2019
I am almost 41
And I’m the happiest mom on earth

Caroline Bahadourian Jupiter Fl

Favorite Team Member at CNY:

I owe my baby to dr Kiltz
And the amazing staff
Greta my favorite nurse
Dr Corley who has done my retrievals

Helpful resources Caroline & Johannes found:

Keto and acupuncture
But I’m alrradu a healthy person

Unique Moments:

I got pregnant on a natural FET using opk while on vacation in the smoky mountains
I was done with labs and scans

Hope, Inspiration and Advice:

I didn’t know that it would take years and years ! I wish I had known
We always believe that we’ll bring a baby home after one ivf .