Ann Gemberling of Springfield always wanted children. “I wanted to get pregnant,” she said. “I talked about it all the time.”
She and her husband, Jay, knew they would be great parents and would be able to provide a good life for a child. Both in their late 20s, the couple knew it was going to be harder to have a child. After a year of trying unsuccessfully to conceive, Ann saw her ob/gyn, Dr. Kristina Ericsson at SIU School of Medicine, to learn why she couldn’t get pregnant.
“I never thought I had a problem,” said Ann. Her intuition told her something wasn’t right. “My friends were getting pregnant,” she said. “If I wasn’t able to do it on my own, something was wrong.”
At the time, it was considered taboo to talk about infertility. “It meant something was wrong with you,” said Ann.
Dr. Ericsson referred the couple to the SIU Fertility and IVF Center, where they met with Dr. J. Ricardo Loret de Mola, chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and director of the center, in August 2011. “We didn’t know there was a fertility clinic,” said Ann.
The couple learned they were not the only ones struggling to get pregnant. “We learned it’s OK,” said Ann. “A lot of couples go through it.”
Dr. Loret de Mola explained that in vitro fertilization was their best option. He sat down with them and explained the process. “They don’t take it lightly,” said Ann. “They completely prepare you for what your body is going to go through.”
Over the next several months, the couple underwent numerous tests, including lab work, blood work and ultrasounds. Every person they encountered was very comforting. “They don’t just produce babies,” said Ann. The medical team wants to ensure this is the right option and that both partners are ready for the journey.
Every couple gets individualized attention. “You knew they were on your side,” said Ann. “They want the same outcome. You felt like family. You were there almost every day.”
Ann chose not to disclose the reason why the couple couldn’t conceive naturally. “We’re a unit,” she said. “It didn’t matter. The end result would be we would be parents. Whatever the issue was, either of us would do what needed to be done to have a child.”
Their family and friends were aware of what the couple was going through. “We both felt it was important to have a good support system,” said Ann. “We didn’t know how the journey would end.”
The egg retrieval and embryo transfer took place the week of March 14, 2012. “It was rough going through the retrieval process,” said Ann. “I was bloated. There was a lot of fluid.” She had taken a lot of hormones in order to produce a lot of follicles, or eggs. She ended up producing 29 follicles, which developed into four viable embryos. The couple chose to transfer one embryo and freeze the remaining three, should they chose to have another child. “It was something to pursue,” said Ann. “We knew we wanted another child.”
Ann was conscious throughout the transfer process. “It was the coolest thing I ever saw,” she said. While she admitted she was scared, she said the staff was very accommodating and created a relaxing environment. “It was kind of laid back,” she said.
She found out she was pregnant the end of March 2012. “We were successful on our first attempt with one embryo,” said Ann. “We were beyond surprised. We were blessed we were that lucky.” Their daughter, Maycee, was born on Nov. 15, 2012. She turned 17 months old on April 15.
“She’s our miracle baby,” said Ann. “She’s a healthy, rambunctious little redhead. She’s normal and healthy. You can’t tell she was a fertility baby.”
The couple kept a video journal throughout their journey. “We want to let her know the problems I had getting pregnant. It’s important for her to see the emotional ups and downs we went through to get her here,” said Ann. The couple plan to talk with her when the time is right.
They can’t speak highly enough of the staff and the care they provide. “It’s an emotional journey for everyone involved,” said Ann. The staff stays in touch and always asks how they’re doing. It’s so important for a couple going through this.
Ann said if she and Jay had not been able to have a baby, they would have adopted. “We wanted to be parents so bad,” she said.
“Our journey was not easy,” said Ann. “We can’t describe how lucky we are to be her parents. We wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Freelance writer Roberta Codemo lives in Springfield with her cat, Coal. She is a great-aunt and aunt to three nieces and one nephew. She can be reached at rcodemo@hotmail.com.
This article appears in Capital City Parent July 2014.
