The heartbreak that comes from suffering a miscarriage is immense, especially for women who have been trying to conceive for a while. It can be feel terribly isolating, but the experience is not all uncommon; according to the American Pregnancy Association, about 10-25 percent of all clinically recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage. Although pregnancy loss is fairly common, but it’s not a topic openly discussed; because of that, there is often a lack of support for patients, women, or couples who experience pregnancy loss.

At Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, we’re with you for every step of your pregnancy journey—that includes pregnancy loss, if it occurs. Here’s what we want you to understand about miscarriage.

You’re not alone; it’s not your fault.

Pregnancy loss can be a very isolating experience. Because there is a stigma around miscarriage, many women do not feel comfortable opening up and sharing their stories. In the absence of other women saying, “I’ve been there too,” it may seem like you’re the only one who’s gone through this. These may lead to feelings of shame or guilt, like something you did was wrong; but that’s nowhere near the case, and while you may feel alone, it’s important to remind yourself, pregnancy loss is an experience shared by many. You are not alone.

You are allowed to set boundaries.

This is all to say that you have every right to ask for space at work, with friends, with family, and from social media. If it feels helpful for you to talk about you’re going through, sharing might feel right for you. However, you also have the right to set boundaries; you don’t owe anyone an update, explanation, or story. Give yourself space to grieve and heal, for however long feels right for you.

There’s no wrong way to feel or react.

Every person’s experience with pregnancy loss is unique; there is no correct way to feel. You will likely experience a lot of different emotions after a miscarriage—shock, grief, fear, guilt, emptiness, jealousy, loneliness, confusion—and you are entitled to all these. It’s important to note, your body will react in different ways too, from the physical intensity you experience to the amount of time it takes your body to realize it’s no longer pregnant. It’ll take some time to recover, both physically and emotionally. In time, you may start thinking about the possibility of trying again, and if that’s what you want to do, our team is here to help you take the next steps.

Support looks different for everyone.

How you choose to take care of yourself and seek support will be extremely personal and specific as well. It may be difficult to understand what you need for yourself or from others, or what would be most helpful. You may find that sharing your story with supportive friends and family will help you feel validated and empowered, or you may feel that it’s too painful to open up about. You might want to be distracted, find a relaxing physical activity to enjoy, or meet a friend for coffee—while you’re healing, do whatever feels right to you. And, keep in mind, some people will want to help and support you, but may not know how to, so keep communication open and give them guidance in what you feel you need.

Miscarriage isn’t the end.

A pregnancy loss can feel disheartening, but most women who have suffered a miscarriage have gone on to carry a pregnancy on to full term and give birth to a healthy baby. In fact, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) estimates that about 65 percent of women who experience unexplained miscarriages go on to have a successful pregnancy. There are a variety of medical treatments available to help you successfully carry a baby to term, such as surgery, ovulation induction, progesterone therapy, in vitro fertilization, preimplantation genetic screening (PGS), and even the use of sperm or egg donors and surrogacy.

The most important thing we want you to know about pregnancy loss is that you’re never alone. Our team at AZCREI wants to be there for you and offer you support throughout your entire pregnancy journey, and help you have a healthy baby. To find out more about our treatment process or to schedule a visit, call us at (520) 326-0001 or visit us online.

Future parents have a lot to prepare for during pregnancy. When you’re expecting a baby, a lot of questions might come up. When you’re expecting a baby via surrogacy, those questions more than double. Surrogacy can bring in a few additional emotional challenges to couples as they prepare for parenthood.

It can be overwhelming to navigate the journey of becoming a parent through surrogacy. There are several things to take into consideration when planning for your baby, including mentally and emotionally preparing to connect with your future little one. As your baby’s due date approaches, here are some ways to help you ease into your new roles as intended parents.

1. Have patience.

If you’re worried about bonding with your baby, it’s because you care. You wouldn’t be going through the surrogacy process if you didn’t care. You already have the compassion and strength to make a connection with your baby, but it won’t happen immediately, so have patience—and be kind to yourself during the process.

2. Be as involved as possible with your surrogate’s pregnancy.

As an intended parent, it’s important to be involved in the pregnancy. If possible, attend your surrogate’s doctor appointments. If you can be in the office with her doctor, you’ll be able to ask questions and know what’s going on every step of the way.

3. Start reading.

Most new parents will do some sort of research—usually reading—before their baby arrives. There are millions of pages on the internet and in books that are dedicated to parenting, and a good fraction of those focus on surrogacy. With so much information available, it can be a little overwhelming but start somewhere—that way you know what to expect.

4. Connect with others.

You’re not alone in the surrogate pregnancy process. At Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, we’re here to answer your questions and lend an ear whenever you need us, and we know that meeting with other future parents in your shoes can be extremely helpful as you’re on this journey. You’ll find additional support, and maybe even creative ideas for connecting with your baby, within a community of other intended parents.

5. Celebrate your baby’s upcoming arrival.

Just because you’re not carrying your baby, doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate their arrival. The steps you’re taking to become a parent should be celebrated and honored. Allow your friends and family to throw you a baby shower, it’ll help you develop a sense of attachment to your baby, and it’ll get them excited for the birth of your little one as well.

6. Nest.

Since you’re not seeing your own (or your partner’s) belly growing, the birth of your baby may not seem as imminent. We’ve seen surrogate parents wait to the last minute to put together their nursery and baby-proof their home. Nesting early on in your surrogate’s pregnancy can help you bond with your baby because it makes their arrival more real.

7. Talk to your baby.

Because your baby is inside your surrogate’s womb, they’re going to hear her voice all the time. That doesn’t mean they can’t become familiar with your voice too. If possible, talk to the baby during in-person meetings with your surrogate. You can even record yourself reading a book, talking, or even singing, and send them to your surrogate for her to play.

8. Prepare a hospital kit.

You’ve probably pictured the day you bring your baby home for months now, so make sure you’re prepared for when the big day arrives. Gather all the items you’ll need to bring baby home safely, like car seat, blanket, and going-home outfit. You may also want to bring a few items for yourself as well, in case your surrogate is in labor for more than a couple hours. Getting these things together helps you physically provide for your new baby and get into the mindset of being a parent.

9. Be flexible.

No matter how much you’ve planned for the day you bring your baby home, it might not go exactly as you pictured. Be flexible during the pregnancy, and keep in mind that your baby is your baby, even if your journey is a little different from others. You very well might face emotional challenges during the pregnancy, but being able to hold your baby once they’re born will solidify all the decisions you’ve made to get you there.

10. Enjoy the journey.

While you may not get to experience the pregnancy firsthand, you do get to be involved in a special way. Everything changes once you bring home your baby, so enjoy the nine months you have until then. Enjoy and appreciate every minute of your unique journey, and remember our team at AZCREI is here for you every step of the way.

 

Remember, every parenting experience is different, and ultimately, you’ll never be fully prepared for the joys and challenges of having a baby. If you have any questions about surrogacy or your other pregnancy options, contact us online or call (520) 326-0001.

Whether it’s your first fertility treatment cycle or you’ve been at it for a year, it’s heartbreaking when a procedure doesn’t work. With October being National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, we wanted to take the time to remind you that an unsuccessful cycle does not need to end your pregnancy journey. At the Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, we’re here for you every step of the way, even when the road gets difficult.

 

You’ve invested your time, money, emotional energy, and hope into the treatment—when the result is a failed cycle it does not mean you should give up. If you’re in the midst of dealing with infertility, here are five things we want you to remember if a treatment isn’t successful.

 

Getting Pregnant on Your First Try Isn’t Likely

 

The odds of pregnancy are stacked against even the most “normal” or healthiest of couples. The natural rate of fertility is just one in five. There’s only about a 20-25 percent probability of achieving a pregnancy for couples who are not facing any fertility issues. While procedures can potentially triple or quadruple your chances of getting pregnant, a treatment will not be 100 percent successful every time we perform it. However, the more we continue to try, the higher the likelihood that you will become pregnant.

 

What Works for One Couple Might Not Work for Another

 

Maybe you had a friend who began taking hormone injections and got pregnant within two months without any procedures. That’s great! However, that doesn’t mean that’s what your fertility path will look like.

 

There are many underlying causes of infertility, and treatments will vary for a variety of reasons. For instance, not every couple will start with hormone medication; some might be better suited for in vitro fertilization as the initial treatment. Trying something just because it worked for someone you know might end up wasting time (and money). At AZCREI, we first test for the possible causes of infertility, so we know the most efficient treatments to begin with that are best for your individual situation.

 

There’s Always a Plan B—or Plan C or Plan D

 

With this method for testing and treating infertility, we always try to start with the least invasive options. We tailor treatments to each individual’s needs, but we tend to begin with the simplest procedures to increase fertility and then go from there. There are times when we’re successful in achieving a pregnancy after a single treatment, but when that isn’t the case, we simply move on to the next level of testing and procedures. When we first meet with a patient, we map out a plan that involves several avenues of treatment. Of course, we start with Plan A, but there’s always a Plan B, C, D, and so on, until you do achieve a pregnancy. Since there are multiple options, eventually, almost every couple we work with can get pregnant.

 

Our Office is Here to Support You

 

Even though we discuss treatment plans at the beginning, and do our best to educate you on the probability of achieving a pregnancy at each stage, we know a failed treatment can still feel like a devastating blow. We want you to be able to trust our team and trust the process that gets you there. We’ve seen the defeat couples feel when things don’t go their way, but we’ve also seen the sheer joy they experience when they finally conceive and deliver a healthy, happy baby. If you’re ever feeling frustrated or hopeless in your journey, we are here to support you, answer your questions, and help you find hope.

 

You’re Not Alone

 

In our more than 20 years of experience, we’ve seen many couples and women overcome the obstacles and have a beautiful baby. They’ve gone through many of the same ups and downs that you might be experiencing. When we talk to them after the fact, they always share that a solid support system helped them get through the really difficult times. Whether it’s your partner, family, friends, or a therapy group, you don’t have to go through this journey alone. We can also help you find the resources—like an infertility counselor or support group—to help you when you need it.

 

No matter where you are in your pregnancy journey or what obstacles seem to be in your way, we want you to have hope, even when a procedure doesn’t work. To find out more about our treatment process or to schedule a visit, contact us online or by calling (520) 326-0001.

 

At the Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, we are intently attuned to our patients’ wishes and comfort levels throughout the entire treatment process. We let them know upfront, during our very first appointment, all the options that are available to them as we work to solve their infertility.

It’s important to us that our patients are fully on board with every test and procedure, and for this to happen, they need to know they have a say in the treatment options they choose to move forward with; they are actually in control of their treatment plan.

Understanding the Reasons Behind Infertility

Typically, the causes of infertility can be categorized into areas.

• Ovulation—A lack of ovulation or irregular ovulation can increase the difficulty a woman faces getting pregnant.
• Sperm quality and motility—Sperm must be able to adequately “swim” to the egg in order to fertilize it.
• Age of conception attempts—Fertility naturally decreases with age, so the longer a couple waits to have children, the more complications and obstacles they may face in becoming pregnant. For example, two common problems that increase with age are uterine fibroids or pelvic endometriosis.

Once we complete the tests to identify the potential cause of infertility we can create a treatment plan with several options to resolve the issue.

Knowing Your Treatment Options

Typically, no matter the root cause of infertility, we are able to offer couples several options for treating the problem. We’ll usually try the simplest, most low-tech options to increase fertility first, based on the results of their tests. Often, couples are able to achieve a successful pregnancy before we even complete testing, because every month we try to increase fertility is a month with an increased chance of a pregnancy. So if those initial attempts are successful, we don’t need to proceed with more extensive testing or treatments.

However, the patients who don’t get pregnant immediately know they have several other treatment options we can move onto to ultimately achieve a pregnancy. Since there are multiple options, eventually, almost every couple we work with can get pregnant.

A classic example of the importance of choice can be seen in a woman diagnosed with pelvic endometriosis. Many times with that diagnosis, everything else—ovulation, fallopian tubes, and the male component—is normal, yet the patient still has difficulty achieving a pregnancy.

When this is the case, there are several reasonable options for treatment.

• The first is as simple as fertility enhancing treatments and hormones to make the woman more fertile.
• Surgical treatment, to directly treat the pelvic endometriosis, is another option to correct the problem and increase fertility.
• Finally, a woman has the choice to move forward with in vitro fertilization, which tends to be very successful in achieving a pregnancy.

When we present these options to our patients, we never push one procedure over another; we simply give them all the information they would need and help guide their decision based on what’s best for them.

Why Having a Choice Matters

At AZCREI, we meet with many couples who have previously sought treatment at other centers where they were not given a choice. Those procedures may be what are best for the clinic, but not necessarily what’s best for the patient.

If one treatment option is potentially more successful, we’re certainly not going to withhold that information from patients or pressure them into undergoing the most basic treatment first. Some patients may want to start with the simpler option, while others might want to jump straight into in vitro, so it’s important to listen to their wishes and present them with all the available options.

We know there are several factors—religious beliefs, age, time spent trying to conceive, etc.—that affect a patient or couple’s comfort and acceptance of the procedures. That’s why having options is very helpful; if a patient doesn’t want to move forward with a particular treatment, we can choose to proceed in a different direction.

You are always in control of your treatment plan at AZCREI. To learn more about your options and make an appointment, contact our office by calling (520) 326-0001 or visiting us online.

Couples come into the Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility after they experience difficulty conceiving. For women younger than 35, it’s appropriate to start testing for the reasons behind their infertility if they’ve had trouble achieving pregnancy for longer than a year; for women over the age of 35, we recommend beginning testing after six months of trying.

There are many reasons a couple may not be conceiving, so it’s important to determine what the cause of infertility is so that we can properly begin treating the problem.

At AZCREI, we go about testing in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible. For example, we don’t perform every test on every patient; we start with one test at a time, and will move on if we cannot yet determine the cause of infertility at that stage. Most of the tests are covered by insurance, and we’re able to assess the results and pinpoint treatment options almost immediately. This saves our patients on the overall cost of infertility evaluation.

Because the idea of infertility treatment can seem daunting, here is a breakdown of our testing process that will ultimately help you determine and remedy the issues causing your infertility.

Medical History

We start by asking both partners about their medical history, including any medical problems, previous surgical procedures, and if either of them has ever had children before. Once we have a thorough history, we can establish the next steps—starting with three basic tests—to determine where the fertility problem might lie.

Test 1

The first test we conduct is on the woman. The goal is to determine her ovulation patterns. If we find that she isn’t ovulating regularly, we’ll perform blood tests to find out if there are hormonal problems, such as thyroid issues, that are interfering with ovulation and cycle. Then we can set out to correct those problems.

Test 2

The second test is to determine if the man has normal sperm production, count, and motility. The test involves acquiring a semen specimen—sometimes more than one—so we can perform a semen analysis. If we find any abnormalities within the specimen, that will trigger more testing, such as blood test, to discover what the problem may be. Once we figure out the problem—whether it be medical or hormonal—we can often correct it, which allows them to successfully fertilize their partner’s egg.

Test 3

The final set of tests helps determine if the woman’s uterus and fallopian tubes are normal. We start with an ultrasound, which is very simple and straightforward, to help us deduce if there are any abnormalities with the uterus.

We may also perform a hysterosalpingogram (HSG) to check the fallopian tubes. For the HSG, we insert a catheter into the cervix and inject contrast material into the uterus, then we use an x-ray to see whether the fallopian tubes are open or if there are any blockages preventing the egg from descending. The test itself isn’t very difficult or invasive; it’s a lot like having a pap smear, and it’s often covered by insurance.

With these tests, we’re often able to determine where the problem lies and what the appropriate treatment is to remedy the issue and help the couple achieve pregnancy.

After we correct the problem, the chance of pregnancy is the same as anyone else given their age. We’ve removed the obstacle, and from here on out, they should expect the same success rate as natural conception. So while couples shouldn’t expect to get pregnant on their first try, almost 90% of patients do get pregnant within 6 months.

To schedule your appointment at AZCREI and start your testing and evaluation, call our office at (520) 326-0001 or visit us online.

There is often a lot of confusion and misconceptions around the idea of surrogacy. Many women believe it is the only solution to their fertility issues, but the truth is that it’s a highly specialized treatment method that isn’t as commonly used as they may think.

For certain women, it can be the solution; the best way to decide if it’s right for you is to visit the Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility for an evaluation. If you’re looking into surrogacy as a viable option, asking these questions might give you some of the answers you’re looking for.

Will a surrogate be more successful?

When a woman or couple has gone through several failed IVF cycles, they start to think that if someone else were to carry the baby, the pregnancy would be successful. In reality, the age of the woman and the quality of her eggs are what determine a pregnancy’s success; so whether the patient or a surrogate carries the baby, the chances of pregnancy remain the same (assuming those two factors are equal). There are actually very few factors that would prevent a woman from carrying a baby herself, and at AZCREI, we are typically able to correct many of those issues so the woman can get pregnant.

Is a surrogate right for me?

Many women hear about surrogacy, and after failed pregnancy attempts, think it will be the most appropriate treatment for their fertility issues. But it’s only in very rare situations where a surrogate is absolutely necessary:

• When there’s something dramatically wrong with the uterus,
• If a woman no longer has a uterus, or
• When the woman is not physically capable of carrying the baby because of a medical illness that would put her life in danger

Certain medical conditions that would prevent a woman from carrying her own baby are very rare and would have to be very severe. For example, end-stage renal disease or end-stage heart disease would both make carrying a baby extremely dangerous; in both situations, we’d be worried about her surviving the pregnancy.

In other situations, surrogacy is the solution for women how have had their uterus removed but still have their ovaries. Using a surrogate in this situation would still allow her to have a child with her husband.

Where do we find a surrogate?

If surrogacy is the answer for you, the next question becomes, “Who can we use as a surrogate?” This comes down to two options.

Your first option would be to use a family member or someone you know. The surrogate should be someone you know and can trust, who has already had children of her own. You want to make sure the woman is someone who will take care of herself and make health-conscious choices during the pregnancy.

The other avenue would be to hire an anonymous surrogate. These women are already evaluated by a surrogacy agency and deemed capable of carrying a healthy baby to term.

With either situation, the surrogate is tested and screened to make sure they’re healthy enough to carry the baby and wouldn’t have any medical conditions that could possibly be transferred to the baby while in utero.

What are the costs involved?

If a patient chooses a family member as her surrogate, she can save a lot of money, since the family member is volunteering to carry the baby. However, when that’s not the case, the cost of hiring a surrogate is dependent upon price determined by the agency. Unfortunately, it can be very expensive to compensate someone adequately for carrying a baby for nine months.

The good news is that regardless of the cost of a surrogate, we keep the cost of our fertility services affordable. Our team works with you to find the lowest priced medicine and hormones (needed for egg retrieval), and offer payment plans and packages as well.

How does AZCREI help in the process?

At AZCREI, we are by your side through the entire surrogacy process. We’ll help you screen your surrogate if necessary, prepare them for pregnancy, implant the fertilized egg, and then monitor them through the first trimester before they begin visiting their OB-GYN.

We can also advise you in legal issues (such as birth certificate concerns) and offer resources to you once the baby is born. Our role is to make it as easy as possible for our patients to go through the process, achieve a pregnancy, and have a baby.

To get all your surrogacy questions answered, contact AZCREI by calling (520) 326-0001 or visiting us online. We look forward to meeting you and helping you grow your family.