Dan and Natalie never thought they would need fertility treatment to welcome a baby

For most couples experiencing infertility, there can be a lot of twists and turns on the path to parenthood. This was especially true for Dan and Natalie. However, it all paid off when the couple welcomed their beautiful son.

When Dan and Natalie got married, they were in their mid-30s. Before they started trying for a baby, they decided to spend the first year of their marriage traveling. Once the couple was ready to become parents, they assumed they wouldn’t have any problems. “I come from a large, fertile family, so I didn’t think infertility was a concern,” Natalie recalls.

After a year of trying, Natalie went to see a fertility doctor. “We were living overseas at the time,” she explains. “The doctor I saw ran some tests but said everything looked great, so I was diagnosed with unexplained infertility.”

Around this time, Natalie and Dan moved back to the United States. When they changed jobs, their health insurance did not include fertility coverage. As a result, they decided to try on their own again for a while. After another year of negative pregnancy tests, Natalie was 37 years old, so she decided to reach out for fertility care.

Starting treatment with IUI and eventually welcoming a baby using IVF

The couple’s fertility journey in the United States started with two rounds of intrauterine insemination (IUI). When this route was unsuccessful, a family member referred Natalie and Dan to Kaylen Silverberg MD at Texas Fertility Center.

Dr. Silverberg started by reviewing the couple’s previous test results and then ordered some additional testing. The new tests revealed that Natalie had a blocked fallopian tube. To treat the problem, he recommended that they try to address the blockage with surgery so that Dan and Natalie could try to conceive naturally.

The couple tried to conceive on their own again for a few months. “We ended up having a chemical pregnancy, and when a few more months went by, we decided it was now or never. That’s when we decided to commit to IVF,” Natalie says. “We knew there were no guarantees, but we were hopeful.”

It turns out that the couple was hopeful for a good reason. Their first and only cycle of in vitro fertilization (IVF) resulted in 11 eggs and one viable embryo. “When we did the embryo transfer, it worked. We were among the fortunate couples where it only took one embryo for it to work,” Natalie says. “We attribute a lot of this success to Dr. Silverberg’s knowledge and willingness to listen to me. He did a good job of making sure we did what worked for my body.”

After seeing a positive pregnancy test, Natalie received monitoring at Texas Fertility Center for the first trimester of her pregnancy. After that, she transitioned to her OBGYN and eventually gave birth to a healthy baby boy who the couple named Levi. “We knew the odds we were facing, and we feel so thankful to have Levi in our lives,” Natalie says.

Natalie shares her thoughts and advice for other hopeful parents

As Natalie and Dan went through their fertility journey, they were surprised to learn that they knew several people who had also experienced infertility. “It made me sad to learn that some of my relatives went through infertility treatment, but I had no idea. People often feel ashamed of infertility but that shouldn’t be the case,” Natalie explains.

After having Levi, Natalie has been much more vocal about facing infertility and using fertility treatments to become a mother. “I want to show people that infertility isn’t rare or shameful. I also want to be someone that other people come to for support and answers.”

When asked what advice she would give to other people, Natalie mentioned the importance of fertility testing and staying calm. “Fertility testing lets you know where you stand, so I’d say at least start the testing process and learn about your chances of conceiving. Also, try not to stress about treatment. It can be a lot, but just take one step at a time. The result is so worth it.”

Natalie also mentioned the value in visiting Texas Fertility Center. “I had a great experience. Everyone was so helpful, responsive and genuine. I felt supported throughout the process.”