Dr. Meyer said getting pregnant with Jena’s anti Müllerian hormone issues wouldn’t be easy, but it was possible
Jena’s life was going well: she got her law degree, met her husband around 30, and they started trying to get pregnant soon after getting married. But when she started tracking her period, she knew something was off. Her OB-GYN tested her AMH levels (anti Müllerian hormone), which indicates a woman’s ovarian reserve, and gave Jena the tough and unexpected news – that it was very low. That same day, she shared the devastating news with a friend while getting their nails done together. Luckily, her friend had been a successful Carolina Conceptions patient and recommended Jena make an appointment with them, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
DID YOU KNOW?
Women with endometriosis should get AMH testing
Learn more about anti Müllerian hormone.
Fertility testing confirms low anti Müllerian hormone, changing her plans to IVF
Dr. Bill Meyer’s fertility testing confirmed the AMH level but he told her getting pregnant may still be possible. After trying a few rounds of IUI (intrauterine insemination), Jena took ovulation stimulating oral meds for a few months to prepare for in vitro fertilization (IVF). After two egg retrievals and multiple failed embryo transfers, “It seemed like there was always something going wrong,” Jena said. “It’s tough to stay positive in the face of ongoing defeat and multiple failures, but Carolina Conceptions leads you through that and encourages patients without sugar coating it.”
Genetic testing leads to healthy baby #1
When IVF finally worked, and the clinic called to confirm she was pregnant, Jena ran to tell her husband, and there was elation, crying and relief. They had utilized preimplantation genetic testing to assess which of their embryos were healthy for implantation and pregnancy. Only one was perfect – the one that became their daughter, Novello, born in February 2021. Ten months later, Jena contacted Dr. Meyer about trying for a second baby. He noted age was the #1 cause of fertility issues, so she got back on the fertility treatment train right away.
Initial IUI treatments did not succeed. But the couple is hopeful of success on their own or with possible future treatments at Carolina Conceptions. “They are results-oriented and happy to give people a chance when there is one,” Jena says. “They provide data and science to back up their recommendations.”
Observations on the fertility process and parenthood
Jena feels it took a while for things to go right for her – but she’s also heard of people trying IVF for much longer. She believes that it is helpful to share the difficult process with friends and family. Jena now speaks to her friends’ friends who are struggling to conceive, hoping that she can help others make sense of it all. One silver lining she finds having gone through these challenges is that she’s a more grateful and happy parent.
It may have taken a lot of time and resources for Jena and her husband to bring their daughter into this world, and the toll of that can be difficult for everyone, but they believe the end result is worth it.
Jena’s thoughts on the fertility specialists at Carolina Conceptions
- Fertility clinics are in the business of making dreams come true, and Carolina Conceptions did that for her.
- All the nurses and doctors are great, and she saw all of the doctors through the course of her treatments.
- “Dr. Meyer can handle anything,” says Jena, “and Dr. Bowling has given me the worst news of my life multiple times and always does it gracefully.”
- There’s no amount of Thank yous that can truly thank the doctors for what they did.