[:en]IVF Makes Mother’s Day Dream Come True for Navy Wife[:]

[:en]Infertility is on the rise in the United States and across the globe. As a result, more and more couples are turning to In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) to start their families. Physicians at Reproductive Partners – UCSD Regional Fertility Center say medical advances and new technologies are dramatically improving IVF success rates.

After three frustrating years of trying to get pregnant, Amy Stringer, the wife of a Navy helicopter pilot, turned to Reproductive Partners for help. On May 11, she will celebrate her first Mother’s Day.

“I love every minute of motherhood,” says Stringer, the mother of six-month old Ruby. “My daughter has the best temperament. People who meet her say she’s happy, fun and full of smiles. Literally, she is our little miracle baby.”

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show infertility is a challenge for more than seven million Americans– or one in eight couples of childbearing age. IVF is a viable option for many of them.

“Mother’s Day can be a very emotional time for women struggling with infertility,” notes a fertility specialist with Reproductive Partners. “But with advancing technology and research leading to new treatments and protocols, we are now able to offer hope to so many couples.”

Reproductive Partners-UCSD is recognized for its pioneering work in reproductive science. Two of its patients were the first in the region to give birth to babies using a new egg preservation technique known as vitrification or “flash freezing.”

“Infertility impacts so many people,” says IVF patient Stringer. “I wish everyone would talk about it more often and more openly. The best advice I can offer other women is to stay positive. We feel blessed every single day. Ruby is our everything.”

Our fertility specialist adds, “I cannot tell you how rewarding it is to watch the reaction of a couple who thought they would never have a child, see their baby’s heartbeat for the first time during an ultrasound. To me, those moments are overwhelming. Knowing there is a successful pregnancy—that’s the best part of my job.”[:]