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“I did a lot of research and when I found Tambre I knew it was going to be a very good option for us”
Many of our patients cross borders and even continents to achieve their dream. This is exactly what American couple Jennifer Frahm and her husband Walker did. Crossing the ocean in search of their dream was no obstacle for the couple as they traveled from the beautiful city of the American West, Salt Lake City, to Madrid to achieve the desired pregnancy. This is a IVF Abroad Success Story.
Reproductive Medicine in Spain
Parenthood is not new to the couple. They already have a son who is 14 years old, and the plan was always to try and give him a sibling. The couple began to try when their son was two but unfortunately things didn’t go as they wished and their plans to enlarge their family never materialised.
They realised they had fertility problems and did not hesitate to seek help. They pinned all their hopes and dreams with an American clinic in 2019, electing to go through IVF. However, things did not go as they expected and their treatment did not work. Something told them they had to look beyond the United States for a solution to their infertility.
Jennifer knew she needed a clinic with a lot of experience. After much research she learned about the extensive experience that European fertility clinics offered in terms of reproductive medicine and settled on Tambre,
“I did a lot of research and when I found Tambre I knew it was going to be a very good option for us”, Jennifer explains.
Fertility journey
The cost of fertility treatment and tests in the USA are very high in comparison to Europe. Tambre ticked all the right boxes for Jennifer and Walker, primarily because of the cost of treatment but also because of the success rates offered as well as the high level of patient centred care proved by the International Team at Tambre. Jennifer said this was apparent from the moment they spoke to Tambre.
A first online contact
“I sent an email to Tambre and they responded very quickly. They arranged a first consultation, it was a pleasant video call with Dr. Laura García de Miguel, who took the time to answer all our questions,” recalls Jennifer, who appreciated the empathetic and informed approach displayed by both Tambre’s medical director and the rest of the team. Jennifer said that at no time did she and Walker feel rushed or pressured into making a decision.
Jennifer with Tambre’s medical director, Laura García de Miguel, who was her doctor.
Tambre’s first impression
Jennifer said that she felt confident as soon as she walked into the Tambre clinic in Madrid. “I immediately noticed something that made me very happy when I arrived at Tambre, and that was that everyone worked together and communicated very well with each other. I’ve learned from my own experiences with medicine that people who work together and communicate very well make a big difference.”
“I immediately noticed something that made me very happy when I arrived at Tambre, and that was that everyone worked together and communicated very well with each other”
Accurate diagnosis
At Tambre we care about our patients and our goal is to provide an accurate diagnosis that will lead to a pregnancy. Jennifer’s case was complicated but our Doctors and Nurses used their vast experience to address it. Jennifer said, “I always felt that the people taking care of me knew what I was going through every moment of my IVF cycle.”
Tambre’s facilities: privacy and tranquility
Jennifer said that she was well aware that going through fertility treatment had its ups and downs and at times could be challenging, frustrating and extremely difficult. However, at the same time, she appreciated the tranquility and privacy afforded by Tambre, aspects which she believed were essential for her well-being. “When you try to have a baby and you can’t, it can be hard to see baby pictures everywhere, but Tambre doesn’t have them. Also, it’s nice to be in a quiet environment in your own private waiting room because seeing other nervous people makes you feel more nervous and stressed.”
One double IVF, one ICSI, a male test
The recommended treatment for Jennifer was to perform a double IVF in the same cycle to accumulate oocytes and be able to generate the embryos. “At first I was a little unsure, but now I’m very happy I did it,” she confesses. The treatment was performed by ICSI, where a sperm is introduced into the egg and our Doctor recommended genetic analysis of the embryos (PGD-PGT).
A beautiful photo of pregnant American patient Jennifer Frahm.
From one of the hardest moments to one of the happiest of her life
Jennifer also spoke about male infertility and the availability of tests which can ultimately help facilitate conception such as the sperm DNA fragmentation test which isn’t regularly performed in the USA, “I believe that this test helped us to have a better result”.
“Dr. Laura Garcia told me to keep having hope, that sometimes these things are a little random. I felt like I had to keep trying, and her confidence gave me strength”
There were moments of uncertainty, especially after the first round of IVF, when they discovered that they did not have genetically normal embryos. It was a hard blow, especially since they were already in the middle of the second cycle. “I thought, ‘what if this ends with no embryos, how would I feel?'” confesses Jennifer but Dr. Garcia was a pillar of support. “She told me to keep having hope, that sometimes these things are a little random. I felt like I had to keep trying, and her confidence gave me strength”. Finally, just before last Christmas, Jennifer received the news she had been waiting for: four genetically normal embryos, “It was an unforgettable moment. I went from feeling deep sadness to immense joy. That mix of emotions is something I will never forget,” she shares.
Jennifer can’t help but smile when she thinks about the whole process at Clinica Tambre. Although fertility treatments are always emotionally difficult but for her, the empathy and care shown by the team made all the difference, “I can’t recommend Clinica Tambre enough,” she concludes. “Really, they made me feel that my dream of becoming a mother was in the best hands.”
Update: Dr. Garcia de Miguel transferred an embryo and Jennifer is currently pregnant with a long-desired for baby and a sibling for her son.
