Filipino Couple Overcomes 8 Years of Infertility

"I thought it was impossible, but Dr. Lee made it possible," Imee recalled, reflecting on the challenging journey of trying to conceive.

Imee, a 28-year-old from the Philippines, got married and struggled with infertility for 8 years without success. Local examinations revealed bilateral tubal blockages, which led to surgical removal. In 2013, she underwent an IVF procedure in the Philippines, resulting in only one egg retrieved out of eight attempts. Unfortunately, none of the embryos successfully developed, marking the end of that treatment.

After hearing the success story of a friend who traveled to Lee Women's Hospital in Taiwan for IVF and gave birth to three babies, Imee and her supportive husband decided to pursue their dream of having a child abroad. Despite internal conflicts, they embarked on a year-long contemplation before making the decision.

In 2018, Imee and her husband traveled to Taiwan to seek treatment from Dr. Lee at Lee Women's Hospital. After initial consultations and blood tests, they retrieved four embryos from the first egg retrieval and fertilization. Due to Imee's advanced age, the embryos underwent PGT-A screening, identifying one healthy embryo, one abnormal embryo, and two mosaic embryos. Despite the successful implantation of a healthy embryo, pregnancy did not occur.

To identify the reason for implantation failure, Dr. Lee conducted comprehensive diagnostic assessments and discovered that Imee had immune system abnormalities contributing to her infertility. Adjusting the treatment plan, they underwent two more egg retrieval cycles, yielding a total of seven embryos, all of which underwent PGT-A screening. Among them, two were normal embryos, two were abnormal embryos, and three were mosaic embryos.

While considering embryo implantation, they were faced with the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020, forcing them to freeze the embryos and wait for better circumstances. After a wait of two and a half years, in May 2022, Imee decided to proceed with embryo implantation in Taiwan. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and Taiwan's quarantine regulations at the time, Imee had to undergo a 14-day home quarantine in a designated quarantine hotel before receiving treatment at Lee Women's Hospital. Despite her husband's inability to take extended leave from work, Imee courageously traveled to Taiwan alone for further treatment. She expressed gratitude for the English-speaking staff at Lee Women's Hospital who accompanied her throughout the process.

Prior to implanting the two embryos, Dr. Lee arranged immune therapy for Imee to enhance the chances of successful implantation. Two weeks after the procedure, Imee finally tested positive for pregnancy. The sound of the baby's heartbeat filled her with overwhelming joy, making the arduous journey worthwhile.

Imee's baby was born smoothly in January of this year and is incredibly adorable. She and her husband wish to inspire others with their story, encouraging those struggling with infertility:
"For people who are aiming to conceive, never give up on hope. Make an appointment with Dr. Lee at Lee Women's Hospital in Taiwan. He's the doctor who made my successful pregnancy possible after 8 years of trying."