Becoming a single mom using IVF with donor eggs
Meghann knew she wanted to have children, but she never planned on being a single mom. However, when she turned 36 and still hadn’t found the right partner, she decided to start trying for a child “one way or another.”
When she went to her OB/GYN for testing, she received startling news. Her doctor said her hormone levels were low and recommended that she use an egg donor. “I just stared at him and couldn’t process what he was saying,” Meghann remembers. “I never had any issues and expected to hear I was fine.”
Thankfully, her doctor recommended that she come to our Las Vegas fertility center for IVF with donor eggs. According to Meghann, “My doctor knew Dr. [Bruce] Shapiro and they go way back. He said the team was great and he highly recommended them.”
Even though she felt anxious and overwhelmed, Meghann decided to make an appointment at The Fertility Center of Las Vegas (FCLV). She scheduled with Carrie Bedient MD and she couldn’t have been happier. “She was amazing and super calm. She started explaining all these terms I had never heard before and she walked me through everything. That’s when I decided to start my fertility blog,” Meghann says.
Deciding to move forward using IVF with donor eggs
Based on her test results, Meghann decided that she wanted to move forward with fertility treatments. “It was only going to get harder if I waited. I have an amazing support system of family and friends, so I knew I could do it,” she explains.
In addition to her loved ones, Meghann also relied on the team at our Las Vegas fertility center. “The ladies at the clinic knew my story and they treated me like family. They were very sweet, and everyone was amazing.”
Because Meghann was already using a sperm donor, she wanted to try to use her own eggs to conceive. However, it didn’t go as planned due to her fertility issues. “I would only get one good egg each time we tried. I did two and a half cycles of ovarian stimulation because I stopped in the middle of the third. It was difficult and it didn’t seem to be working for me. At that point, I was okay with finding an egg donor to make the process work,” she recalls.
Although it was difficult at first to make the decision about using IVF with donor eggs (a process Meghann discusses in her fertility blog), she was very happy with her decision to use an egg donor from The Donor Branch of our Las Vegas fertility center. “It was exponentially more affordable to do it in house. I lucked out and it worked out great,” she says.
Welcoming a beautiful baby boy with help from IVF with donor eggs
Dr. Bedient transferred a boy embryo in March 2018 and it was a success. Her beautiful son was born in November. Dr. Bedient even came to see Meghann and her baby in the hospital. “Dr. Bedient and I are friends now. I feel like I got adopted by her,” she says.
Although the journey wasn’t always easy, Meghann is glad she did it. “I’m so thankful it worked. He’s the cutest thing in the whole world. It’s fun to see his hair is turning red and learn about his temperament,” she gushes.
Advice for other women considering donor eggs or single motherhood
Meghann started her fertility blog to get the conversation going about IVF with donor eggs and single motherhood. “Nobody talks about it and it’s hard to find information on these topics. I realized we needed to start having these conversations,” she says.
As for her advice for single mothers, Meghann says, “Look at it as an adventure and remember to ask for help. People want to help you and you should let them.”
Meghann also recommends our Las Vegas fertility center to anyone who needs help conceiving. “I would highly recommend going to FCLV. They were so amazing with me and helped me handle everything that popped up with my special situation. It was so great and I’m very thankful for Dr. Bedient and the whole team.”
Contact us if you would like to learn more about IVF with donor eggs or how our Las Vegas fertility center can help make single motherhood possible.