Valley is aware of the nationwide supply disruption of IV fluid solution due to Hurricane Helene, and wants to reassure the community that steps have been taken to ensure the situation will have no negative impact on our patients and the community.
Heather and her husband, Mike, married in 2010, and after 3 years of trying to start a family and exploring other options, which were unsuccessful, they realized it was time to inquire about in-vitro fertilization (IVF) – the process of placing fertilized eggs in the uterus.
In 2016, the then 36-year-old turned to The Valley Hospital Fertility Center for help.
Heather had a consultation with Ali Nasseri, MD, Medical Director of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility for Valley Medical Group. “Dr. Nasseri gave me an in-depth explanation of the IVF process, and I learned things I did not know about women’s fertility,” said Heather. “He was very thorough, and also very positive and encouraging the whole time.”
Heather’s fertility journey was not an easy one. After deciding to move forward with IVF, Heather became pregnant in 2019 but tragically lost the pregnancy unexpectedly at 5 months.
“After experiencing that loss, I wanted to get started again right away. I called Dr. Nasseri and he immediately knew something was wrong. We talked through what happened and discussed where to go from there,” said Heather. “Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic began soon after, causing my fertility treatments to pause.”
Once Heather was able to pick back up her IVF treatments in the summer of 2020, her next three IVF cycles were unsuccessful, including a chemical pregnancy, an early pregnancy loss that happens before the fifth week and is only detected in a hormone test; a miscarriage at 7 weeks; and a failed embryo transfer.
“Throughout my fertility journey with The Valley Hospital Fertility Center, the entire staff cared for me and encouraged me not to give up. The support, empathy, and encouragement they gave me is something that I will never forget and played a big role in helping me to get through the most difficult time in my life. The ups and downs of IVF can be very emotional, and it is so important to have a medical staff that isn’t just clinical but cares and empathizes with their patients,” said Heather.
In 2022, Heather became pregnant.
“I was scared because of all the losses but also so hopeful,” said Heather. “I then moved from the Fertility Center to work with Valley’s maternal-fetal medicine team and had an amazing experience there.”
Valley’s maternal-fetal medicine team specializes in the ongoing care of pregnant mothers and their unborn babies, particularly women with high-risk pregnancies.
On May 10, 2023, after over a decade, Heather and Mike started their family with the birth of their son, Cameron.
“Despite the length of time it took me to have my son, I never felt pressured to move in another direction or to give up,” the now 44-year-old said. “I made a deliberate decision to stay at Valley due to the relationships I built and the dedication of the staff. Valley is a part of my journey, and I am so thankful for everything they have done for me and my family.”
For more information about The Valley Hospital Fertility Center, please visit ValleyHealth.com/Fertility.