Alyssa and Justin’s in vitro fertilization story
"My husband and I reached out to the University of Iowa Center for Advanced Reproductive Care in December 2018 after almost two years of trying to conceive a baby—naturally and with medical intervention.
Many amazing people were part of our journey, from the registration staff to the financial aid coordinator to the incredible ultrasound techs, lab techs, nurses, lab, and the entire IVF provider team. I specifically was under the care of Eyup Duran, MD, and Rachel Whynott, MD, as well as Rachel Mejia, DO.
From the minute we stepped into the clinic, we felt cared about and HEARD.
Unfortunately, in our infertility journey we encountered many people who made us feel like we were a bother or—worse—like we were overreacting to our situation. The staff in the reproductive endocrinology department couldn’t have been more understanding and supportive.
We were, of course, nervous and anxious on our first visit. We never dreamed we would have to go this far to have a baby. But we were met with a calming and knowledgeable team of miracle workers who took the time (literally almost four hours we spent with the team!) to educate, reassure, and counsel us on the best way forward.
Dr. Whynott spent a great deal of time making sure we knew what we were getting into and answered all of my many questions in simple terms.
We quickly learned the IVF process can easily become confusing and overwhelming. But the nurses we worked with were extremely helpful in teaching us how to inject the medication and created an easy-to-follow schedule to make my very stressful journey easier to handle. In fact, we were told—urged even—to call any time with questions. And when I did have a question and called, the nurse didn’t treat me like I was a nuisance. She eased my worries and walked me through the answer, making sure I was comforted before she hung up.
The ultrasound techs were also phenomenal. We were in that room multiple times, stressing over what the scans would show. All of the techs we had were patient, kind, and gentle—especially towards the end when the tests were pretty uncomfortable. Emotions can run high during the scans, and they were seriously amazing at comforting us when we were down and celebrating with us when there was good news. I wish I could give every single tech a hug!
Dr. Duran and Dr. Mejia were also wonderful. From the egg retrieval to the embryo transfer, I felt like they were the people I could count on for a successful outcome, and we weren’t disappointed!
We owe our happiness now to these brilliant souls! I’m currently 24 weeks pregnant and Justin and I can feel the kicks of our first child. The IVF clinic gave me the best gift I have ever received: The gift of motherhood. I know it's mushy, but it's true!
I can’t thank you all enough for giving my husband and I our miracle!"
Alyssa Boies