Infertility Struggles

Mike and Tara Shane, a couple in the Diocese of Rockford, have struggled with infertility. Married for three years, they conceived their child with the assistance of NaPro Technology, currently available through the FertilityCare clinic at OSF Saint Anthony in Rockford. So moved by her experience with Natural Family Planning, Tara Shane trained to become an instructor of the Creighton model of Natural Family Planning.

The following: article was printed in the October 9, 2009 edition of The Observer.

DeKalb Couple Gets Help To Start Family

By Lynne Conner
For The Observer
How did you and your husband find out about NaProTechnology?
Mike and I learned about the Creighton Model FertilityCare System from my future sister-in-law Meredith Shane during our engagement. As I began charting, I discovered my cycles were pointing toward some reproductive (problems). I got in contact with the Pope Paul VI Institute and Dr. Thomas Hilgers' office; they advised me that NaProTechnology was available to help improve my reproductive health.

How did NaProTechnology help you start a family?
After a year of marriage, Mike and I decided it was the perfect time in our lives to have a baby. Because my cycles were already indicating low progesterone, and some other possible (problems), I knew that we would need assistance in conceiving. Over several months, Dr. Hilgers ordered a series of blood tests and scheduled me for an ultrasound series and laparoscopy. He discovered from the blood (tests) that I had an insufficient thyroid function. This decreased thyroid function explained many other minor symptoms I had just attributed to aging and lowered activity. As I was preparing to travel to Omaha for my laparoscopy, I discovered that I was pregnant. Immediately, Dr. Hilgers ordered progesterone injections to ensure I didn't miscarry. If it weren't for charting with the Creighton Model, I wouldn't even have known I was pregnant. In the first month of my pregnancy, I experienced some bleeding; however, the Creighton Model helped me better understand what was happening with my body. After 13 weeks of progesterone support, the rest of my pregnancy went by with few complications.

What would you like to tell other married couples struggling with fertility problems?
First of all, NaProTechnology is a natural way to discover and deal with reproductive problems of all kinds. Secondly, for those who are struggling with infertility, there is an alternative to IVF (in vitro fertilization) which is approximately 50 percent more effective and morally acceptable. NaProTechnology searches for the (problems) which are causing the infertility and fixes them - instead of just skipping over the problem to get an outcome. For many couples, not only is the result a baby, but a healthier reproductive system. Plus, NaProTechnology is much cheaper. I also found it easy to convince my insurance company to cover the medical costs because I was taking care of health problems.

How has this changed your life?
The biggest impact is the expansion of our family. We would not have Felicity without the use of NaProTechnology and the Creighton Model Fertility-Care System. It has impacted our marriage through improving our communication and teaching us to truly appreciate our fertility. I believe in the system so much that I have recently become a Fertility-Care practitioner intern. I am now teaching the Creighton Model FertilityCare System to other couples in the DeKalb, Sycamore area. I want every couple to experience the many benefits that we have discovered from this system. The Creighton Model allows couples to live healthier, more natural lives, and begin planning their families God's way.

For the entire Observer article, click here.