Going through infertility treatment is not easy. I've spent some time speaking with couples undergoing treatment. Most of them battle with aspects other than the medical side of things. Being at the right clinic, can lower the patient's stress and help them cope with every aspect of their journey. Many couples decide to switch clinics and get different opinions. Due to the complexity of infertility, different specialists may have different treatment plans and it's important for the patient to feel comfortable with that plan. I reached out to Mrs. Stephanie Stamatakis on instagram (@fertility_journey_to_baby) and asked her to share her journey with me. She was happy for me to post her story to help other couples understand the importance of finding the right clinic.
They started trying in June of 2016 and after a year of trying naturally, they were unable to conceive. They visited a fertility clinic in 2017. Their Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) specialist started with 10 medicated cycles after which he diagnosed them with unexplained infertility. At this point, they realized that their goals were different from their REI and decided to switch clinics. This must have been very difficult emotionally. They took to the internet and searched the different doctors available and were able to choose a doctor that seemed a good fit for them. They started their new journey at this new clinic. After the tests were completed, she was diagnosed with PCOS and her husband was diagnosed with male factor infertility. The course of their treatment changed. She was very happy at the new clinic and seemed more at ease. The doctor started her on medication to try and control her PCO along with vitamins to increase chances of pregnancy. She started taking supplements such as pregvit5, Coenzyme Q 10, vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc, vitamin e, myo inositol, omega 3 and cysteine L carnitine. She also began focusing on methods to de-stress. She is currently meditating, going for acupuncture and getting massages. They chose to proceed with IUI and on the third try were able to become pregnant. Unfortunately, they lost the baby at under 6 weeks. They persisted through this and opted for another 3 rounds of IUI but were sadly not able to get pregnant. They have now chosen to undergo an IVF cycle and she is currently undergoing stimulation. From our conversation, I could tell that once they changed the clinic and course of treatment, they felt more in control. She seemed much happier with the current clinic.
I had never thought about this aspect of treatment. It was Stephanie's story that opened my eyes on the importance of a good match for patients and the REI. The specialist team that works in an infertility clinic must be a good match for the patient, it is very important for the patient to feel safe, comforted and able to trust the decisions made by their REI. A doctor that has been promoted by other patients may not necessarily be the right doctor for you. Just like the rest of us, doctors have different opinions and personalities. They all of course will do what they believe is best for the patient but this may not necessarily be what the patient is looking for. There is nothing wrong with getting second opinions and making sure the facility that you choose to continue your journey with is the right facility for you. However, it's important to not fall into the cycle of visiting every single doctor out there as this may take time, and we all know how important time is for infertility treatments. So, do your research and choose wisely but don't feel pressured to stick with the first doctor you visit. It may seem like an obvious thing but I think some patients feel obligated to stay with a clinic once they have had their first visit. This is not the case and it is perfectly acceptable to look elsewhere if you are not satisfied with the service. Once you feel like you have found the right doctor, trust their treatment plan and focus on yourself. Try to de-stress and make the journey as smooth as possible. It may not be successful right away but try to stay positive and follow all the advice given by your doctor. Couples who seek infertility are vulnerable and facing emotional stress. With the right doctor and team, the patient's journey can be made easier. Since my work is in the laboratory and we don't have a lot of interaction with patients, this was a topic that had not seemed that important to me. I wanted to thank Stephanie for sharing her journey with me and shinning light on this very important topic.
