Megan's Case Study
Fertility, PostPartum Support
Megan came to Phoenix Rising after a failed round of IVF.
At age 33, Megan was told she should freeze her eggs because she was getting to the point of diminished supply and lower egg quality; however, no labs were ever done to confirm this. She decided not to move forward with freezing her eggs. By 38, she and her new husband were ready to have a baby. Her husband, who’d had a vasectomy, went to a fertility clinic, and due to her age, IVF was recommended, again without lab work, but this time, she moved forward with IVF.
She took daily shots and had daily doctor visits. She received conflicting information throughout the process, including whether or not her husband’s sperm was viable. The process took a physical, mental and financial toll, paying $25,000 out of pocket for the first IVF procedure. In the end, the single embryo did not survive. They were left with more questions than answers; they felt like they had been scammed.
Confused and exhausted, they decided to try conceiving naturally. Her husband reversed his vasectomy, and per a referral, they visited the Phoenix Rising clinic for fertility support. After learning more about Megan and her health history, we offered her a custom protocol that included weekly acupuncture, tailored herbal formulas and supplements to support each stage of her cycle and to boost egg quality and supply. She began tracking her cycle more closely, and her husband started recommended herbs and supplements to improve his sperm quality.
However, with the stress of COVID in 2020 and hyper focus on fertility and fertile windows, Megan was feeling overwhelmed. Dr. Lori advised her to drop the planning, and instead focus on optimizing her health and allow the recent modifications outlined in her treatment plan to work.
In Megan's words:
"I had been told since I was 33 I would have a hard time getting pregnant due to my age. That my egg count was diminishing and insinuating that the quality was also affected as I age. All the doctors brought me was more stress, more frustration, and more uncertainty. I believed them and doubted myself and my body. It wasn’t until I started acupuncture with Dr. Lori that I thought it was even possible. She saw me as a person. She saw what I needed and didn’t need. What stressed me out and when it was time to change direction.
I waited a long time for my baby boy and know that the support of Dr. Lori and Dr. Jordan helped make it possible. Dr. Lori implemented a treatment that worked for me physically and emotionally. They made me realize I wasn’t a broken over the hill woman who would only be so lucky if I got pregnant. "
The Results
Within a few months, Megan was pregnant. It ended in miscarriage, unfortunately, as many first pregnancies do, she didn’t give up because she knew that natural pregnancy was now possible. In 2021, she made one last visit to a reproductive endocrinologist, only to find out that her egg supply and quality was above average for a 41 year old woman.
The reproductive endocrinologist recommended IUI and the Phoenix Rising practitioners designed a new plan to fit the couple's needs. However, they never proceeded with the IUI. Megan was pregnant just one month after learning everything was healthy and optimal. She carried a healthy baby boy to full term. She delivered in March 2022 at the age of 42, and she continues to receive support at Phoenix Rising for postpartum care and hormonal support.
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