Heather & Zack

Heather & Zack's Story:

When I met my husband, I already had one child (that I conceived naturally and without any difficulty). We knew quickly we wanted more children and for my son to grow up with a sibling.

I stopped all birth control, and we started trying right before our wedding in May 2017. Since I got pregnant in 2008 without even trying, we thought for sure we wouldn't have any difficulty.

At the end of July 2017, my husband Zack was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer, and August had his right testicle removed. After he was cleared to resume trying to conceive, his Urologist instructed us to try to conceive on our own for 6 months prior to them doing any fertility testing.

Six months later, we still could not become pregnant. We did a sperm analysis that just showed his sperm count was low but not impossible for us to conceive. We were then directed to see my OBGYN. He immediately started me on medicated cycles of Clomid.

After 3 rounds of Clomid and negative pregnancy tests, another provider in that office did my first HSG. That found both my fallopian tubes were open. At that time, I started on Letrozole and prepared to do my first IUI. The first round of Letrozole I peaked, and we opted for timed intercourse since, again, we thought we would have no difficulty.

After that negative pregnancy test, we did another round and were going to do an IUI this time. However, based on my lab work, we missed my ovulation and could not do an IUI at that time.

From there, we were referred to an Infertility clinic local to us. After consultation with them, we did some more lab work, and everyone sounded very hopeful we could get pregnant with IUI at this facility. They started me on Gonal F, letrazole, and a trigger shot. My husband gave fresh semen each time, and we did have some frozen from prior to his surgery as well. His counts fluctuated from 2 million to 12 million. We ended up from 2018 until 2020 doing 10 IUI medicated rounds.

We decided after the last one we were going to proceed with IVF. In March 2020, Covid happened, and we took a pause. In March 2020, I had a scare that slowed us even more due to a breast lump that required a lumpectomy. Thankfully the biopsy came back negative. During COVID-19, as many people discovered TikTok, I was one of them. Shortly after, I came across a page for CNY fertility. We looked into them and booked a consultation in 2021.

We decided to proceed with IVF but first had to update testing. At that time, they found during another HSG and saline sonogram that I had a fibroid, and my left tube was blocked.

They recommended I have the fibroid removed prior to implant. Due to insurance reasons, I had to go back to my local OBGYN for the procedure. Sept 2021, I had a hysteroscopy, and she could not find a fibroid and stated my left tube looked good from what she could see. Again, frustrated at an unknown problem and also working in a stressful time with COVID-19, my husband and I decided to put IVF on hold.

We continued to naturally try to conceive, and month after month of tracking cycles and having negative tests, we knew we would do IVF in the future.

In 2023, life had settled down some, and I had a low-stress nursing job. My husband and I decided we were ready to do IVF. In May 2023 we did another consultation and another HSG and Saline sonogram. This time, I found my left tube was completely blocked, and there was fluid in there that was making my uterus not a good habitat for implantation.

I also found another large fibroid. CNY recommended I have a retrieval first, then go for surgery to remove my tube and the fibroid. We did an egg retrieval and retrieved 18 eggs and fertilized 4 and ended up with 3, 3-day embryos. Then proceeded to have surgery prior to transfer.

This time, I went to a different OBGYN and had a laparoscopy for my left tube to be removed and fibroid removal. 2 fibroids were removed, and my left tube was removed as well with no complications. We were cleared for a frozen transfer after my next cycle.

September 2023 was transfer month. We decided to transfer one day-3 embryo, which was thankfully successful. We carried a healthy, beautiful little girl named Paisley full term. The birth of my sweet little baby made that journey from 2017 until 2024 all worth it. 

(Photos by 84Photography)

Favorite Team Member at CNY:

Dr. Chang was very calming and compassionate. He made us feel very comfortable with the process.

The Moment:

When we got our first elevated beta HCG test, we could not believe it. I was scared it was a false read, or it would not stay elevated. We were so excited on the outside, but I was very scared on the inside that something was going to happen. Then we had our first ultrasound, which found the fetal sack but was too early for a heartbeat. After hearing the heartbeat on the next ultrasound, I felt like that was when it all started to feel real, and anxiety lifted a little.

Hope, Inspiration and Advice:

My advice is do all the testing, don’t skip any. Look for all the answers to your issues. I feel I would not have been able to conceive without that HSG and saline sonogram and the surgery to remove my left tube and fibroids.