What would I do different if I could start again

I am writing this letter to encourage all the women out there, that just like me, have suffered and keep on suffering because they cannot achieve a pregnancy and are labelled as infertile.
What would I do different if I could start again? Without a doubt I would look for help much earlier. We started looking for help when I was 36 years old, and we had been together for 9 months (he’s my husband now). I had a strong believe that the miracle of conceiving would arrive and that we only needed to be patient… At that stage I was completely against doing any type of assisted reproduction treatment because it wasn’t my type of thing and I had my own theories. I was so wrong!
We were trying for two years when a friend of mine recommended a recognized private gynaecologist. I was diagnosed with Hydrosalpinx in my left tube, i.e. the tube was obstructed and an operation was necessary. After the surgery, I didn’t like the way in which the subject of starting an IVF treatment was brought up.

We decided to get a second opinion and we started the process of joining a waiting list of a public hospital. A decision that I would definitely change now.
After a failed attempt with long waits and poor communication, I looked for a good clinic. And today I can confirm that I found the best clinic of all: Institut Marquès. With excellent professionals, specially the director Marisa López-Teijón, but also Dr Anna Martí, Dr Priscila Andrade, Dr Hans Arce and Dr Jordi Suñol.

Dr López-Teijón quickly had the diagnoses: tubal factor (bilateral). During the first consultation she already gave us lots of information and on the second consultation, on the 5th of August, she was convinced that we could start an IVF when we wanted.

From the very first moment she made us feel confident and with lots of strength, which was what we needed the most after all the other experiences. “Nobody said that wars were won in the first battle” she would say. She was with us on this journey! Dr López-Teijón is an exceptional woman, as well as an excellent professional.
What I would really like to share, after having written the above, is that it’s essential to find a good clinic like Institut Marquès, where things are explained clearly. In other words, cheap turns out expensive. Why would you pay €6.000 for an IVF if then, it turns out that, they are transferring embryos that will not implant? As well as the most advanced scientific methods, emotional support is also needed.
It took me 5 years, but I’m happily pregnant now.

Thanks to Dr López-Teijón and all the Institut Marquès’ team for making my dream come true. Thanks to all women that don’t surrender. Thanks to my husband for being always beside me.

Montse,
(Barcelona, January 2016)