Caysie & Kevin

By Caysie & Kevin

Kevin and I were married in October of 2019 and knew that starting a family was incredibly important to the both of us. Throughout our relationship, we would dream up names for our future children and discuss all the experiences we hoped to create for our family. After trying for about a year on our own, we realized that we would need some assistance as my monthly cycle was incredibly irregular (and sometimes nonexistent) after I stopped taking birth control.

Among a constellation of other factors, I was diagnosed with PCOS in late 2020. Of course, when receiving new health-related information, my first instinct was to search the internet for stories and statistics like mine, hoping that a PCOS diagnoses wasn’t the end of our parenting dreams. Because of Boston IVF, this diagnosis was only the start of our journey to parenthood. What I appreciated most about working with Dr. Alper is how much he allowed for hope and positive thinking to be part of our treatment. I am not sure what I was expecting, but the fact that he continued to point out the positive aspects of each step and allow a little room for hope within the science, meant the world to us.

We first met Dr. Alper in January of 2021. Throughout the Spring and Summer of that year, we prepped for and engaged in our first round of IVF. Our Egg Retrieval procedure yielded 9 eggs which allowed for the creation of 5 embryos. After testing and waiting to see how many embryos matured, we ended up with 1 healthy embryo. I remember feeling incredibly nervous and a little dejected that after countless injections, a range of emotions, and all those months, that we only had one opportunity for our first cycle. I remember clearly during our appointment to discuss next steps, Dr. Alper said, “It only takes one”. With science and hope (it is difficult to even find the words to properly express) that our Max is our miracle, ONE embryo. We had our Embryo Transfer on August 4th, 2021 and a week or so later we received our first positive pregnancy test.

What were some highs or lows of your treatment(s)? What is unique/different about your story?

The lowest moment was discovering we only had one healthy embryo after all the work it took to get to that point of the process. Of course, this moment turned into the highest of highs once we received the phone call from the amazing nursing team that my hcg levels indicated that I was, in fact, pregnant with our miracle boy. Another “high” that is worth mentioning is how incredibly caring the Boston IVF team was throughout the process. Whether a sonogram technician, a phlebotomists, a receptionist, or our RE doctor, we always felt like the singular focus for that individual. I always felt heard and cared for and this is important for all patients, but especially for a Black woman engaging in a vulnerable and arduous medical treatment plan. Our Boston IVF experience was respectful and inclusive, and exemplified how all medical facilities should strive to treat their patients.

What advice do you have for other struggling with infertility?

The best advice I can give is to keep the faith and to find community. Both partners are engaging in this process and are hit with a range of emotions at every turn. Whether it’s returning to this page to read the stories of other couples or being open with your journey and finding couples you may know who have experienced this process for themselves, it is critical to have community in order to myth bust, set expectations, and simply know that joy is eventually possible.