“We are so happy to have chosen RSC as our clinic and to have met Dr. Reid and her team. They made an overwhelming and emotional experience feel positive and supported at every step.”
Written by Maggie, RSC patient
My husband and I met in college 15 years ago and married in 2022. We were never in any rush to have kids — we thought, let’s get a dog, get married someday, and see where life leads us.
In 2020, I was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure after switching from birth control pills to an IUD.I knew right away after the quick onset of hot flashes that something wasn’t right. My doctor ordered some tests and we found out I was not producing estrogen or progesterone on my own, which was always hidden by the pills for years. After numerous tests and ultrasounds, my FSH/AMH levels and a zero follicle count confirmed I would need to consider other methods of having children, one of which was donor eggs.
Finding fertility care at RSC
I made an appointment with Reproductive Science Center (RSC), and living in San Mateo I scheduled one with Dr. Sara Reid. She was so kind and acknowledged the grief and confusion we were feeling over the loss of genetics and the challenges we had ahead. But then she put a fan in front of me — the hot flashes were real at that point — and said, “We will get you your baby someday when you are ready.”
The next couple of years I was on hormone replacement, got married, had an amazing honeymoon, and we jumped right into choosing a donor. Fortunately, my husband was ready for anything to build our family. It was an awkward process for us to choose, but we found the perfect match and started the genetic testing and selection process.
The process moved quickly. The communication between our donor agency and RSC went well, and the donor came from out of state to RSC for her retrieval in 2023, giving us so many eggs — which resulted in nine PGT-tested embryos.
In February 2024 we transferred our top tested embryo, keeping the gender a secret. The transfer process went well. Although my lining was on the thinner side, Dr. Reid liked how it looked and had a good feeling it would take. I trusted her judgment — and it worked. My protocol involved birth control pills to start a period, progesterone pills, progesterone in oil (PIO) injections, and estrogen patches.
I delivered my baby boy in August at 30 weeks due to pre-eclampsia. He was in the NICU for a while but is now a thriving, wild almost two-year-old.
Round two
I am now halfway through my second pregnancy. Dr. Reid was supportive and ready to get me pregnant this second time. My first transfer this time in January was cancelled due to some random fluid in my uterus but was cleared up with Mucinex for the second transfer in February! Crazy right?! She also changed my protocol to add some more estrogen for a thicker lining, and it worked well!
Although Dr. Reid monitored me, Dr. Hariton was the doctor for my transfer in San Ramon, and he made my husband and I feel so comfortable and relaxed. I also did acupuncture next door in San Ramon before and after the transfer for both pregnancies, which helped relax me more. I am taking double baby aspirin and keeping an eye on my blood pressure while being monitored by high-risk doctors through my regular health plan, hoping to bake this one a lot longer than the first. RSC made sure that prior to my transfer I was cleared by a MFM and completed all necessary checks before transferring, especially due to the high-risk nature of my previous pregnancy.
We are so happy to have chosen RSC as our clinic and to have met Dr. Reid and her team. They made an overwhelming and emotional experience feel positive and supported at every step.
If anyone is questioning the path of donor eggs, please consider it. Take time to research and process. For those on the donor egg path, look into epigenetics and how remarkable the science is. Reach out to infertility support groups and talk to parents of donor-conceived children for reassurance. My baby boy is mine, no doubt about it. He and his sister will grow up knowing how they came to be, and how much they are wanted and loved!
