Photo by Rachael Wooten Photography
Many people dream of starting a family, but the road to parenthood isn’t always simple. In fact, nearly a third (27%) of Twin Cities respondents trying to conceive admit to having struggled with infertility, according to the 2021 State of Fertility survey conducted by Minneapolis fertility center CCRM Fertility.
Lindsay Lewis, a Minneapolis resident, was once a member of that struggling group. She wanted a family but did not have a partner. She was 38 years old, so the clock was ticking. On top of that, her OBGYN detected uterine fibroids—often asymptomatic growths in the uterus—of which causes are unknown. She turned to CCRM Fertility and Dr. April Batcheller, co-founder of CCRM Minneapolis, who is board-certified in both reproductive endocrinology and infertility, as well as obstetrics and gynecology, for help. As a patient of Dr. Batcheller, Lewis knew she was in good hands and they devised a custom-tailored plan forward.
“It’s worth being aware and having conversations and tests to just figure out where you’re at,” Lewis says. “I always knew [the CCRM Fertility staffers were] looking out for me.”
Dr. Batcheller approached Lewis’ circumstances with optimism and assured her that she had multiple options. First, they did four intrauterine inseminations (IUIs), but none resulted in pregnancy. Then, Dr. Batcheller recommended that Lewis harvest her eggs and pursue using a surrogate. Lewis’ lifelong best friend readily volunteered and CCRM Fertility carefully vetted her to make sure she was a good fit. In February 2021, Lewis finally became a mom.
“When friends of mine tell me they’re interested in having children, I encourage them to talk to their doctor and consider seeing a fertility specialist,” Lewis says.
According to CCRM’s State of Fertility Survey which surveyed 1,000 Minneapolis residents, less than a quarter (22%) of people find themselves to be “very informed” about their fertility health, with 23% never having thought to get checked by a doctor regarding their fertility.
Compassionate fertility care
Mary Kole and her husband knew they were ready to become parents but had difficulty conceiving. When they tried in vitro fertilization (IVF), it was a success for their first child. But when it came time to try for another, it resulted in a wave of trauma. The second IVF process left Kole feeling out of control and emotionally and physically drained. They lost their new baby girl, Ella, from a rare brain disorder just two weeks after her birth.
Kole and her husband were in a tough place but made an appointment at the recently opened CCRM Fertility clinic in Minneapolis when they felt ready again. Despite being new to the area, Kole and her husband knew that CCRM Fertility is a global pioneer in fertility science, research and treatment, and knew this would be their best chance of success.
Their CCRM Fertility experience with IVF—unlike a previous one at a different clinic—was professional and empathetic. It was clear to the couple that CCRM Fertility was “so committed to helping us and supporting us the whole way through.” Kole and her husband welcomed a new daughter on Halloween in 2020.
Photo by Davin Lindwall, Childe Production
Reflecting on her fertility experience, Kole says that one of one of the hardest things about it is how isolating it can feel.
“You think you’re the only person in the world going through this. It’s more common than you understand, but it can be the loneliest experience,” she says. “Dr. Batcheller immediately took me in. She treated me with such dignity, grace, and understanding. I knew she was the doctor for us.”
For more information about CCRM Fertility Minneapolis or to inquire about fertility treatment options, visit ccrmivf.com/minneapolis.
