Over 40 with a history of PCOS and failed IVFs I decided to finally give Siobhan a ring. After a lengthy, understanding and informative telephone conversation with Siobhan, my first meeting with her was in May 2006 when she felt I had a good chance of conceiving naturally. This gave me hope as we had spent the previous two and a half years visiting two separate fertility clinics without a successful outcome.
Our ‘ journey’ began in 2004 with three unsuccessful IUI procedures followed by IVF which had to be abandoned due to overstimulation of the ovaries. This had involved many trips from Kilkenny to Dublin and a final prognosis of ‘unexplained infertility’.
In January 2005 we changed to another Fertility Clinic. The consultant, who following a laparoscopy ( which I had never had before ) advised me that I have polycystic ovaries. Ovulation induction treatment involving clomid, pregyl and glucophage followed to no avail and in October/November 2005 we embarked on another IVF cycle. A total of 15 eggs were collected and two embryos transferred with no success. A further two were transferred in March/April 2006 again with no success. I couldn’t praise the staff enough at the Clinic however at this stage I was weary and began to eventually accept that I would never get pregnant. While many have successful pregnancies as a result of IVF and other treatments I must admit to having concerns about the amount of drugs that had to be taken.
A chance sight of an article in a magazine about Traditional Chinese Medicine and infertility which mentioned a Midwife Siobhan led me to phone her and eventually meet her in May 2006. She was our last hope and at this stage I was almost 40 years old. Siobhan, a trained nurse and midwife who herself had worked in a fertility clinic before embarking on acupuncture and herbal treatment asked a lot of questions, was understanding and yet practical at the same time. She advised that I would have to cut out all dairy, yeast and sugar in addition to taking herbs and receiving treatment. She laid particular emphasis on producing healthy eggs, achieving clear eggwhite mucus at ovulation and having bright red blood at menstruation. I have recurring sinus and this was linked back to my diet.
I visited Siobhan on a monthly basis, continued to take glucophage, improved my diet, tried to reduce stress and took the herbs she prescribed and other supplements to improve my immune and digestive systems. In april 2007 and over 40 I became pregnant and in January 2008 our healthy baby boy , who has brought us such joy, was born. After immediate family, Siobhan would have been the first I contacted to thank her for our little miracle which would not have happened without her and there is no doubt that this is the case. We had come a long, sometimes painful journey and through her dedication and the use of Traditional Chinese Medicine had a very happy ending. Many people embark on lenghty, expensive drug based fertility treatment and I would recommend that they first consider attending Siobhan for fertility treatment. It was as a result of ignorance that we hadn’t and I feel blessed to have met and been treated by Siobhan. I continued to attend Siobhan throughout the pregnancy and am convinced that our baby benefited too. I felt reassured that she is a registered midwife and gave me invaluable advice before and during the pregnancy.
Siobhan has and I hope will continue to successfully treat other women like myself who fortunately didn’t need other treatment but also women who have had IVF in conjunction with acupuncture and herbs. More recognition must be given to this either as an alternative or as a complementary medicine and also to Siobhan’s professionalism and dedication to the whole area of fertility. Like so many others we would not have our little miracle without Siobhan and we will be eternally grateful to her for that.
Marina, Kilkenny.