Three Quad Cities women realize their dreams after finding compassionate, expert specialty care for infertility
Katy Miller was a self-described “crazy lady” for most of 2016.
At age 37, Katy, of Milan, Illinois, had decided the time was right to start a family. With endometriosis and one working ovary, Katy knew getting pregnant could be a challenge. Each monthly pregnancy test was a cruel confirmation of her fears.
Around that same time, Katy’s cousin Elizabeth VanCamp, of Davenport, Iowa, was in the middle of a nearly 18-month span in which the inability to conceive was a frequent source of sadness and loneliness.
Meanwhile, their friend Heidi Ridenour, of Davenport, was searching for answers after receiving a surprise diagnosis. She was told she had a double uterus, which she learned could result in a high-risk pregnancy. She needed to know more.
With the anxiety and desperation of infertility hanging over them, all three women turned to reproductive endocrinologist Jessica Kresowik, MD, at the University of Iowa Health Care Women’s Health Clinic in Davenport.
“People sometimes feel hopeless by the time they get here,” Kresowik says. “I have patients tell me all the time that somebody told them that they would never get pregnant.”
Kresowik says the pace of change in infertility care is too rapid for general practitioners, and even many obstetrical practices, to stay informed about all of the latest options available for women who feel as though they’ve reached a dead end in their infertility journey.
“Even in some of the most severe cases, we often have something, some type of treatment to offer them,” Kresowik says. “I review their whole history and get away from any preconceived notions about what they’ve been told somewhere else. My goal is to come up with a plan that is best for that person.”
In the summer of 2017, over the course of seven joyous weeks, Katy, Elizabeth, and Heidi each welcomed her first child into the world. Each woman took a different route, but working with Kresowik, they all finally achieved the happiness they thought they might never experience.
“Everyone comes with a different story,” Kresowik says. “We’re here to help and be supportive.”
Katy, Elizabeth, and Heidi have agreed to share their unique stories here. With honesty, openness, and even some humor, they’re aiming to offer support and hope to anyone going through the struggles they once faced.