Faced with unexplained infertility, Prairieville couple used advanced fertility treatments to build their family

Kayla and her husband Ainsley’s journey to becoming parents to baby Arya was overwhelming at first, especially after being diagnosed with unexplained infertility. “It was not an easy route to get pregnant, but each attempt got us a little closer than we were before,” says new mom Kayla of her recent experience with fertility treatment.

She admits that getting married later in life, they were both around 30 at the time, may have posed some additional difficulties in getting pregnant. While they both weren’t worried about not being able to get pregnant, the thought did cross Kayla’s mind. But they did know they were ready to welcome a baby into their house and they immediately started trying.

As a nurse practitioner at a busy family practice office in Port Allen, Kayla was familiar with possible problems that might arise, so after 6 months of trying with no positive pregnancy test, they sought advice from her gynecologist. As part of a fertility screening, Kayla ended up at Fertility Answers for a hysterosalpingogram, HSG, a common x-ray test that checks if the fallopian tubes are open.

On that visit, she met with Dr. John Storment who performed the HSG and they immediately established a rapport that Kayla felt comfortable with. “Dr. Storment made me feel so comfortable as I was asking all of my questions. He brought everything down to a level that made perfect sense,” recalled Kayla. After this visit she and Ainsley decided to make an infertility consultation appointment with Dr. Storment.

Deciding to pursue advanced fertility treatment can often seem overwhelming in the beginning

Kayla admits that beginning fertility treatment was overwhelming at first. “The thought of doing fertility treatment was very scary and ominous in the beginning especially with a diagnosis of unexplained infertility, but everyone at Fertility Answers made me feel very comfortable and supported throughout this journey,” she says.

After several months of timed intercourse and intrauterine insemination, IUI, cycles with no positive pregnancy test, Kayla and Ainsley were ready to move on to more aggressive treatment. After regrouping with Dr. Storment after these early negatives, they decided to move forward with IVF using preimplantation genetic testing, which tests the embryos for chromosomal abnormalities.

The couple was elated when they ended up with five normal embryos after genetic testing. However, their first embryo transfer failed to produce a pregnancy and their second embryo transfer attempt was cancelled when her uterus lining failed to thicken as needed. With this development, they regrouped again and opted to do endometrial receptivity analysis to provide more information on the perfect timing of a transfer. ERA test results indicated Kayla needed an additional 12 hours on progesterone before a transfer.

Her next embryo transfer resulted in a positive pregnancy test, but Kayla miscarried a short time later. “We were truly disappointed,” says Kayla, “but I appreciated that Dr. Storment really took the time to look at and adjust my case and treatment each time. The Fertility Answers team even came in on an off day for a transfer because my uterus needed a few extra days to get a little thicker and be more optimal for success.”

Kayla remembers their third and final embryo transfer well. “Dr. Storment played ‘We are the Champions’ by Queen in the operating room which was also one of the songs at our wedding. I knew then that this transfer was going to work,” says Kayla. She also had on a necklace with a St. Anne medallion given to her by one of her patients who was also seeing the doctors at Fertility Answers. “I’m not a very superstitious person and I didn’t even know this patient well,” says Kayla about the necklace, “but I haven’t taken it off since she gave it to me. Who knows?”

Baby Arya was born in April 2020 a few weeks early at 35 weeks. “I love being a mom,” says Kayla. “She looks just like Ainsley who is absolutely obsessed with her. We will always be thankful to Dr. Storment and everyone at Fertility Answers for our most precious gift, sweet baby Arya!”