Real Patient Stories

Audrey & Stacia

My name is Audrey and my wife’s name is Stacia - we’ve been together for 10 years married for three. We had always discussed how we would love to be parents but thought it was such an expensive, out-of-reach dream for us. I also had an unexplained infertility diagnosis that followed me from a previous relationship where we had tried to conceive for three years. I recently started a new career at New Balance manufacturing and the winter of 2019. During my orientation when my HR manager was discussing the health benefits infertility coverage was brought up. This surely caught my attention and I questioned her about the coverage. She didn’t have all the details but could tell me just enough to give us some hope.

From that moment on we set our eyes forward that we were going to do this, that we were going to try to have a child. The first thing that I had to do was get my body healthy, I had a very high BMI, so I needed to get that right first. I joined a gym and started eating healthier, I focused all my energy on that for about a year. I lost about 30 pounds which got me to a lower BMI that would make for a more successful chance of conceiving! I also joined a TTC support group for the LGBTQ community, reached out to a lesbian couple that conceived via IUI at my company. I also contacted several people who left reviews on the Boston IVF’s website. I was taking in as much information as I could about our upcoming journey. Our trying to conceive journey was put on hold for a short time while we bought our house. After we were all settled we finally did it, we made the call to Boston IVF the Portland center, and set up our first consultation. We went for our first consultation in January 2020, and we saw Dr. Ben Lannon. He was so comforting and reassuring to speak with. We found out my insurance would cover IUI 100% We set up an unmedicated and unmonitored cycle for our first round. I was so nervous but he reassured us we needed to start somewhere. I contacted my local OB and set up baseline cycle bloodwork and an HSG scan before we started our first cycle. We skipped my February cycle due to us not feeling quite ready then we started cycle day one in March. We chose our anonymous no option ID donor sperm From New England cryo-genic and had it sent to Boston IVF. They gave us free storage for 90 days. I had gotten my positive ovulation test on a weekend after work hours.

I was nervous that we wouldn’t be able to try this cycle, but I reached out to Boston IVF and they got me right and the next morning. We had our first intrauterine insemination on March 19 of 2020. Two days prior to this my work had furloughed me and the country went into quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic. Our emotions were all over the place trying to be so excited for our first chance at having a child but also so scared and nervous at the same time to see what was happening to the world. Two weeks later I took a pregnancy test and to our disbelief it was positive! We were ecstatic and overjoyed but trying not to celebrate too soon. We called Boston IVF to let them know of our positive pregnancy test and set up our first ultrasound. Our first ultrasound was on April 12, 2020. I had to go in alone, masked, and afraid of what would or wouldn’t be. Boston IVF was gracious enough to let us live video chat during this ultrasound where we saw one perfectly healthy little heartbeat at 171bpm. From this moment forward I had a very healthy pregnancy and birth. It was nerve-racking for a while going into appointments alone and not having my wife there experiencing many first moments of our daughter’s life. Pregnancy during a pandemic was hard and lonely but I was so fortunate that I was able to have my wife there during the birth.

Our baby girl Andersyn Rae Evangeline was born December 9th, 2020 at 10:48 pm 6lbs2oz 20 inches long. Healthy as can be and 1 day before her due date. I am so grateful for the entire Boston IVF team because without them we wouldn’t have our little girl!

Megan & Cait

We were engaged to be married in December of 2018. We knew we wanted children and that it wouldn’t happen "naturally" on our own, so we decided to start building our family the October before we got married. We went to a different fertility center, and we did all of the pre-screening testing that needed to happen before starting IUI treatment, and we picked a sperm donor. Selecting sperm was a wild process, and honestly, one that both my wife and I loved because it felt like our future baby was getting closer to being a reality but also found very stressful because we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to pick the "right" donor- whatever that even means! What we wanted in a donor evolved, and we ended up with who we thought would be perfect. But, how much to buy?? If you've never bought sperm before, well, it sells like hotcakes if you choose specific donors, and we felt like we had to buy enough for all the "what ifs.” So, we purchased what we thought would certainly be enough, and we were ready to go!

Fast forward to after our wedding in December 2018 and honeymoon in February 2019; we were ready to start our first IUI in March 2019! We were ecstatic (and also naive), thinking that we would get pregnant in the first or second round of IUI. Not the case. After two rounds with our first fertility clinic and not feeling optimistic about how the treatment plan was executed, we sought out Boston IVF. This was the best decision we made during our fertility journey. We met with Dr. Cardone in Stoneham, and he immediately put our minds at ease. He added some medication to my cycles and some additional tracking to ensure we were catching my surge at the correct times. His experience, expertise, and kind manner were such a welcome change from our previous doctor, and we felt like this was the place we needed to be. We completed four additional rounds of IUI with Dr. Cardone, none of which were successful. The nurses in Waltham were extraordinary during my IUIs- so supportive, kind, and upbeat each time I went in for yet another IUI. After completing six IUIs total (and yes, paying for them all out of pocket because we hadn't yet "proved" infertility for insurance purposes), we moved on to IVF.

During our meeting with Dr. Cardone about IVF, he couldn't have been more positive. He was so sure that it would work and that nothing was telling him that we didn't have a great chance of getting pregnant. His line was something like- "you have to play the percentages." It wasn't necessarily going to happen the first time, but over each round, the odds got better we'd have success. My first round of IVF was in October 2019. We successfully harvested five eggs, and three fertilized them. It was decided to transfer two day five embryos. We waited (im)patiently for the two-week wait window, and then I went in for my blood test, and… nothing. Another unsuccessful round (in my mind). But, good ol’ Dr. Cardone was the voice of optimism once again. He said, “We now know that we can get your eggs to fertilize. And, we still have one that is frozen that looks ‘beautiful’”. He suggested trying to do another fresh IVF cycle and, trusting him completely, we went for it! My second round of IVF was in December 2019. We successfully harvested four eggs and two fertilized them. So, once again, we went with transferring two days five embryos. My transfer was on Christmas Eve. Dr. Kim Thornton was the doctor who did my transfer that day. I remember being SO grateful that Dr. Thornton and her team were working on Christmas Eve, helping us to grow our family potentially. We thanked them all profusely for being there on a day that they easily could have been with their own families. The IVF team is just so wonderful, and I was acutely reminded of this fact during this transfer.

We, once again, waited the two weeks and- AHHH!! PREGNANT! My HCG came back at 50, and I couldn’t believe it. It worked- our very own Christmas Miracle! I just thought that it would be smooth sailing from there on out. I had my positive pregnancy test. It worked! But now, as I quickly found out, we had to make sure it “stuck.” I returned for my next blood test a few days later and found out that my HCG didn’t multiply the way that they like to see, and I had to come back in a few days for another test. Subsequent blood tests didn’t bring better news, and I was scheduled to go in for an ultrasound to see what was going on. It could have been everything from a miscarriage to an ectopic pregnancy to a very slow developer… only an ultrasound would give us more information. We were nervous and sad going into the ultrasound. But, my favorite ultrasound tech at Dr. Cardone’s office made our ultrasound (side note- I forget her name, but she is seriously amazing, and if you need her name, I’ll call the office and find it out for you!). She told me that both embryos implanted and were in my uterus, but she couldn’t find a heartbeat in either. I was both shocked and devastated. Of all the scenarios I had imagined, miscarrying twins was not one of them. I needed a D&C to remove the embryos and ensure that my uterus was clear to try again.

After all of this, Dr. Cardone was, once again, the picture of optimism. “Well, now we know you can get pregnant. We just need a healthy embryo to implant.” He also said that, given my profile, he expected it to take anywhere from 5-7 embryos for it to work, and we had tried 4. We had one frozen embryo left. He strongly urged us to use it for this round. During my third round of IVF, it was different. We used different medications, and it was much less invasive because we didn’t need to stimulate my follicles for an egg retrieval. No shots in the tummy or rear end. It felt like a much more relaxed cycle until...the coronavirus. On March 13th, our workplace closed, people were being told to stay home, and the world was seemingly shutting down around us. We were worried I wasn’t going to be able to get in for my next transfer, which was due to take place any day. On March 19, 2020, I was lucky enough to get in for my third embryo transfer. We had one frozen embryo left, and it was our last chance before having to start all over again. Dr. Thornton performed this transfer as well, and I felt like it was good luck that we had her again as our doctor for this procedure. Two weeks after my transfer, I took a blood test, and I literally couldn’t believe my ears when the nurse, Maryanne, called me and told me I was pregnant again! My HCG was much higher than the last time, and it felt like she was just as excited to tell me the news as I was to hear it. By that point, the Stoneham office was closed, and I was going to Waltham for all my follow up blood tests and my ultrasound.

I’ll never forget the first time I saw my baby on the ultrasound screen. Her heart beating, her little body developing. It was a miracle. A miracle that Boston IVF helped create. A miracle my wife and I will always be eternally grateful for. Throughout our entire fertility journey, we were never a novelty being the same sex couple. Everyone from the phlebotomist Claudine to Colleen in accounting, Dr. Cardone, Dr. Thornton, and all the nurses we met with always treated us with respect. We felt like our fertility struggle was just as valid as anyone else’s, regardless of why we needed reproductive medicine. We would recommend Boston IVF wholeheartedly to anyone looking to grow their family and needing medical intervention, especially those in same-sex couples. It was a safe and supportive experience from start to finish.

Alyson

In September 2016 my brother said to me, “What do you want out of life?” I remember replying so quickly with, “I want a baby!” The next day we talked to my mom and the journey to become a single mom by choice began! I had my first IUI in December 2016. Which unfortunately resulted in a chemical pregnancy. My 4th IUI was medicated in March of 2017 and I found out I was pregnant with twins! It ended up being a super rare heterotopic pregnancy. A baby in the tube and one in the uterus. I went through a D & E and 2 methotrexate injections. Plus consistent monitoring of my HGC until my levels went to zero. I also had to take a 3 month hiatus because of the injections. I was beyond devasted, but my family and the nurses at Boston IVF made me feel like I could absolutely go on.

The support they gave me was beyond anything I’ve ever seen. I was so lucky to have them! After that, I had 3 failed IUI’s until moving forward with IVF. My second and final round of IVF had 3 embryos make it to blastocysts and we were able to get them genetically tested. I ended up with one normal embryo which was a healthy baby girl!! In May 2, 2018 my daughter was transferred and the pregnancy journey began! I enjoyed every single second of my pregnancy!! I absolutely loved it. My support system was amazing! Then after 2 years and 29 days of fertility treatments- on January 15, 2019, I had my beautiful daughter! My life is now complete!! Although, the journey alone to become a single mom by choice wasn’t always easy, I had the best support system anyone could ask for!

Boston IVF Nurse Sees Life Come Full Circle

Jessica & David

I first came to see Dr. Sonia Elguero at Boston IVF's IVF fertility center in Albany after my OB/GYN said she was the best! So, l knew I needed to get in for a consult with her before I gave up hope. I thank God everyday for getting me in to see her. My back story is that at a young age I was diagnosed with a bicornuate uterus, also known as a heart shaped uterus. Because of the shape, it lessens the room a baby has to grow. The dip in the heart is known as a septum. Sometimes it is vascular tissue and sometimes avascular, making it dangerous for the placenta to attach to. When my husband and I were ready to start a family, I was told I didn’t need to worry about getting pregnant with this type of uterus. After about 6 months of trying, I got pregnant but I sadly had a miscarriage at about 6 weeks. Although this wasn’t thought to be related to my uterus I still wanted some answers.

The fertility doctor I saw (not Boston IVF just yet) did an MRI and said yes, I had a bicornuate uterus and no - it could not be repaired. I was told to go ahead and try again. We got pregnant pretty quickly but sadly my daughter was born sleeping at 24 weeks due to a placental abruption. This was caused by the placenta attaching to the septum where there wasn’t enough blood flow to survive. The heartbreak and devastation we endured was indescribable and something we will deal with everyday for the rest of our lives.  It was these high risk doctors that referred me to Dr. Elguero specifically. I was anxious and wanted answers.

From my first visit she was so warm and comforting and brought hope to such a devastating situation. She said there were several other tests we needed to run to determine if in fact my uterus was able to be repaired or not. After several months of testing and 2 surgeries later, Dr. Elguero was able to repair my uterus so that it was safe for me to try and conceive again. I ended up having what is called a septate uterus (one that could be fixed) - not a bicornuate uterus like I had been told for so long. The fact that she had such patience and took the time to explore every avenue to try and help me achieve my dream of being a mother is priceless and something I could never repay. Fast forward to August 20, 2019. I delivered a healthy baby girl!  I thank God everyday for her.  My husband and I are so blessed. This little girl brings so much joy and light into our lives and we love her with all of our hearts. None of this would be possible without Dr. Elguero and Boston IVF in Albany. My husband and I are forever grateful.

Anthony

Raised by a single mother, I was inspired by her strength and ability to be able to raise six of us on her own. She taught us that it is ok to be single and want to be a parent. That not everyone has to live the perfect fairy tale life. Being a single gay male, I once doubted being a parent. Not because I did not want it but I was not educated at the time on, ways I could make it happen. In my mid-twenties, a friend of mine became a surrogate for a gay couple. Being curious about the process, I asked many questions. She explained the IVF and surrogacy process to me and I immediately knew this was the process I wanted to go through some day. Once I turned thirty, I started researching clinics in my area that I could begin my journey.

During this research, I discovered that there was only one IVF clinic in my area but they did not offer me the support I wanted.Due to this reason, I continued my search and found Boston IVF, which is an hour and a half drive from where I am. Still determined to become a father I decided to contact them. I was scheduled for my first appointment and was super excited. During the first appointment, I met Dr. Samuel Pang.

He laid out everything for me, answered every question I had and made me feel confident that I could do this. He did not once make me feel judged for wanting a baby and being a single gay male. Shortly after the first appointment, I was connected with Ann Moegle, a nurse coordinator who was the absolute best. Communication with her was always easy, clear and punctual. She reinsured me that I made the right decision with choosing Boston IVF.

Luckily, prior to even contacting Boston IVF I was able to find a surrogate. Her name is Cindy, the parent of a former student of mine. Cindy was my biggest supporter throughout this process. Cindy handled everything so well and was just as determined to make this happen as I was. In October 2018, we were ready for the transfer. Sadly, that first transfer was not successful. Discouraged and saddened I decided to take a break. In March of 2020, I was ready to try again. I had the second transfer on April 20, 2019. This time it was successful and I was blessed with my baby girl, Ariella on December 26, 2019. She is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

I was very nervous being a single parent at first but after about the third month I was handling it like a pro. I feel so lucky and blessed to have been able to go through this process. I currently have two embryos frozen and am looking forward to trying again for my second baby soon. None of this would have been possible without the support that Boston IVF offers. They have changed my life and I am forever grateful.

April & Almino

Almino and I have been married since 2013 but we were in LDR until I migrated here in November of 2016 to be with him. Since then we've been trying to conceive with no success. One fine spring day, we made new friends who visited us in our house and casually discussed that their eldest son is a product of IVF since they had problems conceiving. That discussion actually gave us an idea to try reaching out to a Fertility Doctor.

In 2018 we scheduled our first consult with Dr. Kovalevsky. He was the one who diagnosed me with PCOS. We tried IUI 3x but all were unsuccessful. Right then, he suggested we do IVF. I think there were 18 or 19 eggs retrieved and finally 10 embryos were frozen. We had our transfer on a wonderful bright Sunday July 14t with Dr. Neuhausser. 2 weeks after, we found out that the pregnancy test came out positive. and the rest is history. :)

We love everyone in Boston IVF- the nurses were very polite, professional and friendly. Dr. Neuhausser was excellent with a very warm personality. Dr. Kovalevsky and all the staff were also very helpful. We can't thank you enough for all the help.

Jullieanne & Seol

My wife and I knew we wanted to start our family directly after getting married. We wanted a "honeymoon baby" as they say. Being two brides in love, we needed just a touch, of help. We started the process at Boston IVF in the middle of wedding planning. To speak for the Boston IVF process - it was far less time consuming, less stressful, less expensive, and less overwhelming then wedding planning ever was. We got off the plane from our honeymoon and had our first cycle try shortly after. All of our tests came back normal, but we did find out my uterus is "t-shaped." Our doctor encouraged us to move forward with several rounds, and regroup after a specific number of failed cycles if need be.

Our treatment journey included three IUI rounds with donor sperm, including one medicated round. Our success story kicked off with a positive pregnancy test during our 3rd cycle, a few weeks before Christmas. I still have the saved voicemail from our Boston IVF nursing team sharing the good news, that our levels were increasing at a fast and wonderful rate. She outlined next steps and tests. She must make dozens of those calls each day - yet somehow, her voice was so filled with excitement and hope and care for our own journey.

The Boston IVF team made each step of the process clear, answering any nervous belly questions we had, truly making us feel like we were part of a larger family, picture, and plan for creating our own family. And with hopeful breath, our rainbow and glitter family would grow by one 9 months later. Our journey, was a success story. Boston IVF team & Dr. Pang's entire team, from front desk staff, to scheduling team, to nurses, to social media folks, they were all pieces of the pie that made our Boston IVF story, our success story. Now we have a bright, caring, fierce two and a half year old, who somehow wakes up each morning, with glitter in her hair. Ready to take on the world. Sending glitter, love and baby dust for your own journey.

Introducing Maine’s 1st baby (and Boston IVF graduate) born in 2021!

Marisa & Kyle

My husband and I had longed for children! Boston IVF helped us have our two boys, Kyle and Jaxson. With Kyle, who is three now we had him on our first IVF try. Two years later we decided we wanted another child. We had two failed cycles before I successfully become pregnant with Jaxson. We feel so lucky to have worked with IVF they helped give us the best gifts we could every have asked for!

Ashley & Justin

As I sit here writing this, I am still in shock that my dream of being a mother has finally come true thanks to Boston IVF. My husband and I could not have asked for a better experience with Boston IVF. We had been trying for a total of 6 years and truly started to lose hope by the sixth year, feeling hopeless and like we would never get our wish. During the 6 years of trying, we tried for 2 years on our own before we realized something was not right.

At this point, we went to our OB-GYN where we had some testing done, which all came back normal. We then moved on to medicated timed intercourse which was unsuccessful. After that, we went through 4 IUI cycles before finally transferring to Boston IVF. Once with Boston IVF, we had more hope after seeing all the success stories and success rates. We had some more testing done, which also came back normal then moved on to an egg retrieval which we used for a Fresh Egg Transfer that was not successful. We were lucky enough to freeze 5 embryos, we used one for a Frozen Egg Transfer and that was the lucky one!

We now have a beautiful baby girl who is now 3 weeks old. As stressful as the infertility process was, we wouldn’t change it for the world because it brought us to the love of our life Amelia Rose. We can’t thank Boston IVF enough for our amazing experience.

Barbara & Moises

For years I was never able to open up about the heartbreaks, loss and struggles we went through. Now, with my heart SO FULL of love and happiness it makes opening up a bit easier. I want to share just a tiny bit of my story to give other women hope and to let them know that they are not alone.

In August of 2015 and in January of 2017 I lost 2 babies due to ectopic pregnancies. Something I never even heard of before in my life. An ectopic pregnancy is when the baby grows outside the uterus. In my case, my first was in my left tube.. Which was "dissolved" by a chemotherapy drug called Methotrexate. My second loss was in my right tube, which they also tried Methotrexate but one day later my tube had ruptured, I was internally bleeding, at risk for my own life and had emergency surgery. Both my baby and my right tube were removed. Words will never do justice... All I can say is I have never in my life experienced such heartbreak and pain (emotional and physical). Pain inside and out, all over, for what seemed like an eternity.

When I finally built up the strength and courage to move forward with our journey, I made my first IVF call in July 2017. From that day forward we started making our most beautiful dream a reality. We feel so blessed, grateful and fortunate to have our little miracle. Again, words will never be enough... All I do know is that it CANNOT rain forever. The storm WILL pass and the rainbow will be that much sweeter.