I have been diagnosed with PCOS for many years. With a history of infertility at age 39, we knew conceiving would be an uphill battle. We first switched to a plant-based diet which we continued through conception and tried naturally for a few months.
Next, we did a few rounds of Clomid through our OB along with Metformin. With no success and no ovulation whatsoever, she referred us to Brown Fertility and we had heard many great things about them. We met with Dr. Brown, who was kind, professional and very down to earth.
Because of my age (now 40) we agreed that a “compressed” fertility plan was the best option for us. We didn’t want to skip any of the options, we just didn’t want to waste too much time or money. We considered going straight to IVF, however, Dr. Brown suggested we try IUI first. This was the most economical technique, but the odds were against us. We’d seen the statistics but jumped right in to the nightly Ovidrel injections. When the time was right, we met with Emily for the IUI procedure and it was a success! We were overjoyed and completely shocked that it worked on the first try!!
As with the ups and downs of any infertility journey our elation didn’t last long. At the 6 weeks mark we lost the baby. This was our first experience with a miscarriage, and it was awful and devastating. We took some time to recover and decided to give it one more try at IUI. Another round of injections, blood samples and we were pregnant again! We were blessed to carry to term this time.
On December 29, 2017 we welcomed our 9lb 11oz little miracle baby, Isaac Gray, into the world. He is full of charm, personality and curiosity. He’s now 15 months old and fills our house with joy every day. He and his 9-year-old sister, Abby, have such an amazing bond already. She’s quite the helper! We know we are blessed to have such a short and extremely successful journey.
Infertility is a complex and emotional challenge. The ups and downs, tons of appointments, you feel like a pin cushion from all the injections and samples taken. But, it is worth it. You will see in the waiting rooms, you are not alone. There are many families going through this with you. Dr. Brown and everyone at Brown Fertility is compassionate and experienced and made the whole process seamless. If you are experiencing infertility, this is the place you want to go. Every journey is different, have faith and know that when it is your time, it will happen.
Rafael & Andrea Appe