Ingvild:
Hi everyone, I am Ingvild — from Oslo, Norway.
After nearly 20 IVF attempts in Norway and Denmark, I was fortunate enough that my gynecologist in Oslo told me: “You really need some help. The only one I trust to recommend to you is Dr. Olga. She has integrity, knowledge and if anyone can help you, it's her.”
After 12 years of wandering the halls of different clinics, sometimes happy, sometimes depressed, lonely, sad, — spending money, sacrificing time with friends and family as well as work opportunities, I was sceptical, but I trusted my gynecologist enough — so I decided to make a short trip to St. Petersburg to check out if this was another moneymaking clinic, that not really cared about their patients — or if it had some substance.
No treatment — just checking it out.. And I was reassured. I found an excellent modern high standard clinic, and even more important, amazing doctors.
I must admit I also had some worries about traveling to Eastern Europe and Russia, but that part was changed during my first visit. St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful European cities I have seen, a city to fall in love with during the winter, with ice on all the canals and rivers, Christmas lights far better than London or NY, — During the summer; Festivals, people and joy. A city more beautiful than Venice! I feel in love with it.
So I decided to go back and give it a shot — although I had nearly given up hope. During my consultations with Olga and her doctors, and their evaluation of my medical history, it became clear that something was not right. I had had nearly 20 failed IVF attempts with only 2-3 implementations, and they all ended up in early miscarriages. Olga recommended me to do a hysteroscopy at her clinic — a peeling of the lining in my uterus she explained — much like peeling your face to avoid wrinkles. You need a very skilled surgeon to perform this, then it increases the chances of implementation. I checked with some of my medical network that I had acquired during my 12 years of fertility treatments, and they confirmed that most doctors take too much lining during such a procedure, as they don’t have knowledge of how to prepare the lining for IVF. It's an art, like so much else.
While doing this Dr. Elena would also investigate my uterus to see if she found something else. And indeed, she did. Elena told me I had Adynomyosis. Eh? What?
I could not even pronounce it. So, I got a piece of paper, wrote it down, 3-4 times, still without being able to pronounce it. Later I got all the paperwork — excellent translated from the clinic, and was told that we needed to change strategy if I was to have any chance at all.
Adynomyosis is a common female medical challenge, similar to Endometriosis, but much less known. And as many female medical challenges, little researched.
Bottom line it makes the uterus an unfriendly environment for a fertilized egg, it makes it challenging for the egg to implement and challenging for the placenta to grow and feed the baby. And as the fetus grows it can hinder the uterus muscles to expand properly and thus create contractions and miscarriages during pregnancy.
Well — I went back to Norway, surprised by this news, a little sceptical, and determined to get a second opinion back home. I googled my way and found a doctor at Oslo’s most prestigious hospital that had done her doctorate on Adynomyosis, and got an appointment:
“The Russians says that I have Adynomyosis (with my little paper note in my hand — still having trouble pronouncing it), but I have been in and out of fertility clinics for 12 years, and no one has ever mentioned this — can it possibly be true?”
The doctor smiled and said; “Well, let´s see what we find.”: One ultrasound later, she confirmed Dr. Elena’s diagnosis. That’s when I nearly lost it. “But how can this be?” I said. “I have spent all my mental, physical and financial resources trying to get pregnant for the past 12 years — and no one has ever mentioned this???” “Well,” she said, “Probably because only 2-3 doctors in Norway will have the knowledge to diagnose this…”
So I went home and cried into my pillow for a few hours. Crying over the wasted years I had spent, wondering if I should dare to get my hopes up again, and even more — dare to go into another exhausting treatment process at my age. I was approaching 48.
And yes, I did. And yes — it was challenging with more medication, more plans, more uncertainty. But never have I felt so taken care of. So reassured by outstanding medical expertise, so seen and individually treated.
And almost 2 years ago I gave birth to Jenny — the most precious little miracle I have met. She smiles in the morning when she opens her eyes, she tumbles around outside as it now is getting towards spring, and if I knew what I know today, I would take on those 12 years again anytime. But — if I had found Dr. Olga and her team earlier, my endless desert walk through other fertility clinics would have been unnecessary.
Nearly fifty years of age, advanced adynomyosis, 12 years desert walking without success, I really was one of the patients clinics don’t want — as more often than not they can not help, and it messes up their successful statistics. But Olga and Elena took me on — and here I am 3 years later with the most beautiful daughter you can imagine — and with more bubbly happiness than I ever thought possible.
If there was hope for me, they most likely can help you. And you can rest assured that you have found the clinic with the best qualified expertise you can look for. They will do whatever is possible — within their power — to help you.
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