Conway Couple Expecting First Child After Fertility Treatments
| July 1, 2015 | Hannah Riley and her husband, Josh, spent years trying to start a family. After many disappointments, including two miscarriages, the couple was unsuccessful.
“We finally decided to make a phone call to the fertility clinic at UAMS to get some help,” Hannah said.
The Riley’s situation is not uncommon. Gloria Richard-Davis, M.D. is the director for the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and 
Infertility at UAMS. She says 10 percent of couples in America who try to get pregnant have problems conceiving or sustaining a pregnancy.
When it comes to infertility, Richard-Davis says many times the issue can come from one of three areas: ovulation, tubal problem or male factor.
“The most common is polycystic ovarian syndrome,” said Richard-Davis. “It’s a condition you’re born with and it’s typically associated with irregular menstrual cycles, being overweight and having excess hair growth.”
Also for women, age is becoming more of an issue as more people delay childbearing to later in life.
Dealing with infertility can be emotional for couples. Richard-Davis says the struggle is comparable to losing a loved one. For Hannah, it was sometimes frustrating to hope to be pregnant each month only to find that she was not.
“I kept putting off seeing a fertility doctor,” Hannah said. “I didn’t want to admit that I had to go.”
“The feelings came and went,” she said. “I was positive at times. There would be months where I’d have the signs and symptoms, but the test would be negative. My husband was always confident that we’d have a family. I’m thankful for his support.”
After a consultation with Dr. Richard-Davis, Hannah began taking clomiphene, an oral drug used to stimulate ovulation, along with artificial insemination. Eight months later, Hannah got some good news.
“I went into a convenience store with my mom and bought a test,” she said. “I didn’t even wait until I got home. I took the test there. It was positive! I danced the whole way out.”
The Rileys are expecting their baby girl, Ireland Rose, in early July.