Do you dread monthly periods and seeing pregnancy announcements from friends? If you feel like a ticking time bomb losing hope month after month of negative tests, you are not alone. In fact, around 8-10 percent of the Philippine population have infertility issues, according to a report citing a 2013 survey.
But science, patience, and prayers pay off for some lucky parents like mama Shine Dizon, whose struggle with infertility involved multiple treatments, lots of heartaches, a drastic lifestyle change, and that tiny bit of magic called hope.
“During the first year of trying, my husband and I diligently tried month after month using the calendar method, since I have a regular period. It’s so frustrating every time my period comes,” Mama Shine shared with edamama. “In the second year, I became more emotional to the point of crying every time we got a negative result. I even felt ashamed to tell my husband that I had my period again.”
After waiting it out for two years, she and her husband consulted an OB-Gyn, who diagnosed Mama Shine with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a condition that often results in irregular periods and inconsistent ovulation.
“We did oral treatments, monitored my cycles, and scheduled contact to conceive. After a year of doing these routines, we still didn’t get any positive results. Then, we decided to see a fertility specialist,” she recalled.
Mama Shine underwent hysterosalpingography to determine if her fallopian tubes were partly or fully blocked. She also underwent fluoroscopy, which gave her unbearable cramps after the procedure. She was also simultaneously monitoring her PCOS.
“I got tested for having hormonal imbalance, particularly elevated androgens. This was managed by taking oral meds and having more balanced meals and cleaner lifestyle,” she said.
Her husband also took seminal fluid analysis and found that results were below the normal range, so he also needed to take some supplements.
Following these efforts, Mama Shine’s hormones stabilized and her body appeared ready for pregnancy. But their journey to conception continued to be unfruitful for more months and this made them resort to Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) at a top-notch hospital in Metro Manila.
“I had to inject Gonadotropin treatment to stimulate the ovary to produce multiple eggs and help them grow to a mature size,” she recalled. But this, too, was unsuccessful.
The husband and wife eventually traveled to the US, where all the tests were repeated. Surprisingly, before trying for another IUI procedure, Dizon got pregnant.
Now, Shine has two children, Elise and Ethan, who have become their source of inspiration. Looking back at all the treatments they went through, Dizon knew it all boiled down to healthy living and getting expert help.
Mama Shine shares this advice: “Clean living is the first treatment you must do. Clean your body to prepare for having healthy offspring. Seek professional help after a year of not conceiving naturally to detect the cause and have treatments.”
She also encouraged couples to be each other’s rock during this challenging journey. “Do this together with your husband, because it’s not a woman’s issue alone. Supporting and understanding each other is important to get through the process. Be there for each other.”
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Images courtesy of Shine Dizon.
