New Leaders In Fertility & Endocrinology

Mary & John's TwinsI want to give hope to other 40+ year old women who are trying to conceive!  My husband and I stopped using birth control when I was 34 years old.  I figured I'd get pregnant quickly and we'd be on our merry way!  Nothing happened!  We got busy..life..careers..etc.  We moved to Florida in 2004...I was 40 years old.  Once we got settled..my mission was to give in to science and actually SEEK medical help in getting pregnant.

After a month of intense testing everything looked good.  I had my tubes checked, John's sperm checked and many tests. When we met with Dr Ripps again, he told me that we were fine, with no health reasons for not getting pregnant!  Except “Diminished Ovarian Reserve,” that dreaded label that translates..I'm too old! Dr. Ripps wanted to be honest and said that I should consider egg donor or adoption as chances for conception were low and miscarriage were high.

When I asked him about IVF thinking that's what all my 40 yr old friends were doing, he said IVF could not make my eggs more plentiful or better quality.  Then I asked him if I could just TRY I.U.I. (Intra Uterine Insemination)  It wasn't as invasive or expensive as IVF and I figured I didn't have anything to lose.  In my heart, I HAD to try something MORE than what I had been doing. He agreed but cautioned me against becoming discouraged.  I continued treatments at the convenient office in Panama City.  I must tell you that his staff there...especially his Nurse Practitioner...is amazing. 

Friendly, funny, and serious about their work, they were by my side emotionally through the shots and monitoring.   This support may have been what made the difference for me, because after I had my first and only insemination of my husband's sperm 4 days after my 41st birthday.  For the first time in my life...I was pregnant!!!!! and...TWINS!  My pregnancy was wonderful and I carried my twins to 34 weeks.  They are healthy and fat and perfect and miraculous.  Not bad for an ol' momma!  Thank you Dr Ripps....I love my babies so much...thank you!"