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Seeds of Success: The Oliphant Family

Like many young families in their 30’s, Beth Ann and her husband Joe found themselves eager to start their family. While Beth Ann knew how infertility had impacted friends, her own story of parenthood was just beginning.

A smiling family of five poses outdoors. The mother holds a young daughter in a pink dress, the father sits beside them with their young son on his lap, and an older boy in a blue shirt sits at the edge, all surrounded by greenery.

Please note: Since this patient story was originally published, Dr. McGuirk has retired from CCRM Fertility of Delaware and the Endometriosis & Pelvic Pain Center has closed. CCRM Fertility still effectively treats patients with endometriosis by helping to manage pain and overcome endo-related infertility. Learn more about endometriosis treatment at CCRM here.

When the couple noticed difficulty getting pregnant, and eventually experienced a loss, they decided to follow the advice of a friend and made an appointment at CCRM Fertility of Delaware.

Reflecting on making the decision to move forward with the appointment, Beth Ann remembers thinking of her parents’ mindset about infertility. “What is meant to be, is meant to be,” they would say. But that wouldn’t be her story. She was determined to dig deeper, and through years of highs and lows, her family would not only write their own story, but also help others going through infertility write theirs too.

The First Step

Beth Ann and Joe started their journey with CCRM in 2010. Beth Ann, already in her early 30’s, was growing increasingly anxious knowing that as women get older their chances of getting pregnant steadily decline. But her first visit with CCRM gave her the hope she needed.

Dr. Barbara McGuirk discussed the next steps to find out what was going on and the pair talked about the importance of a healthy diet.

“I got the impression that Dr. McGuirk was a firm believer that what you put in your body affects everything in your body.”
– Beth Ann Oliphant
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Following Dr. McGuirk’s instructions, Beth Ann went on a healthy diet and did the recommended tests. Joe also underwent testing.

Beth Ann was diagnosed with having mild endometriosis and polyps through hysteroscopy and underwent laparoscopic surgery to correct the issue.

A Spontaneous Miracle

After the surgery, Beth Ann went on medication to increase ovulation, but when her husband got deployed, she decided to stop all the medication. Upon Joe’s return, Beth Ann became pregnant spontaneously and nine months later, in February of 2012, a healthy boy, Briton, was born.

Hoping to add to their family, the Oliphants tried to get pregnant once again. “We tried to get pregnant pretty soon after Briton and nothing was happening,” Beth Ann recalled.

A young girl gently kisses a sleeping baby wrapped in a blue blanket, while an older boy in a white shirt sits beside them on a couch, smiling and watching the baby.
Briton and Amelia with their younger brother, Judah

Back To CCRM

Around Briton’s first birthday, Joe Oliphant was away again but this time for a two-year pilot training. Beth Ann went on Clomid and scheduled visits with Joe around ovulation. However, after three rounds of the medication, the couple found themselves unable to conceive again. Remembering what had worked with Briton, the Oliphants decided to return to CCRM.

At that appointment, an IUI cycle was suggested, but it ultimately didn’t result in a pregnancy. The next step was IVF.

For most, making the decision to undergo a more advanced treatment such as IVF is considerable, but Beth Ann and Joe tried to remain positive and excited as they moved forward.

Sadly, their first embryo transfer did not take. A light at the end of the tunnel came during the couple’s second embryo transfer, when they became pregnant with Amelia, and welcomed her to the world on November 25, 2016.

Support Through a Fertility Support Group on Facebook

When an invitation to join an online fertility support group arrived in her Facebook notifications one day, Beth Ann found herself intrigued. For years, she had faced infertility, but found it difficult to find other women to connect with over some of the most difficult parts of her journey. This new Facebook group, was a growing network for women to discuss infertility openly, and share their stories in the hope of providing support for each other. Beth Ann accepted!

“Facebook support groups are phenomenal and I feel like a lot of the women on them are in the early stages – some are just getting ready for transfers or just had a transfer, or they just started their fertility journey. It’s kind of neat because I get to relive it a little bit and think about my own journey and share with them encouraging thoughts or my own experiences.”
– Beth Ann Oliphant
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A Family of Five, Hoping To Help Others

Beth Ann reminisced about the birth of her third child, Judah. “I was a little hesitant before Judah because I had two losses before two pregnancies so I thought this was a pattern my body was on.” But this time proved to be different and Beth Ann’s embryo transfer was successful.

A newborn baby wearing a knitted hat with blue and white stripes and blue suspenders yawns while lying on a white blanket.
Judah Oliphant, born January 24, 2019. Photography provided by Bella Baby Photography.
“Judah was born January 24, 2019. My husband was away at military training. I got to pull him out and cut the cord!”
– Beth Ann Oliphant
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After Judah, Beth Ann and Joe were faced with the difficult decision of what to do with extra embryos in storage from their IVF cycle. It was a lot to consider, but the couple was leaning towards donation.

Beth Ann acknowledges, “It’s kind of weird when you think your biological children could be out there somewhere.” However, when the time came, she explained to Joe that she had come to terms with making the donations because it would give other couples suffering with infertility the chance to create life. The chance to at least carry a child. Beth Ann appreciates that science has made it amazingly possible for her to have the option to carry her own child, but also to offer that same experience to another woman.

The Oliphants donated a total of 11 embryos that went to three different families.

“The greatest thing we could do for somebody is to give them a baby.”
– Beth Ann Oliphant
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Phenomenal Staff

Reflecting on the CCRM Fertility team that supported her during her journey, Beth Ann describes everyone as being “phenomenal.” She stated that staff acted like family who are happy to see you, listen to what you have to say, and keep in touch.

“They are the ones that understand completely what you are going through. They explain things in layman’s terms. It’s a big group, but it doesn’t feel like a big group. Everybody that works there is passionate about what they do.”
– Beth Ann Oliphant
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For women who are facing fertility challenges but don’t know where to start, Beth Ann recommends CCRM Delaware because of their professionalism and personalized treatment of each woman.

Beth Ann tells women to “Just go and listen, bring your questions, be patient and trust the process.”

A young boy sits holding a newborn baby dressed in a white onesie, while a little girl with a blue bow in her hair gently touches the babys head. All three children are wearing white.
A smiling family of five poses indoors. The father holds a young girl, and the mother holds a baby dressed in white. A young boy in a blue shirt and vest stands in front of them. Everyone is dressed formally.
Three young children sit on a porch. The boy on the left has an excited expression, the girl in the center holds a First day of second grade! sign, and the younger boy on the right holds a toy.
Three young children sit together, smiling. The older boy wears a green Eagles football jersey and necklace. A toddler girl with a white bow hugs a baby boy, both wearing Eagles shirts, sitting in front of a fireplace.
A family sits on grass in a sunlit park. A woman in a blue dress and a man in a white shirt are in the foreground, while three smiling children run and play behind them among trees.
Three young children sit outdoors on a wooden bench. Two boys in blue shirts flank a girl in a light pink dress. Trees and a lake are visible in the soft-focused background.
A family of five sits together on grass in a sunlit park. Two young boys and a girl sit with their parents, all smiling and relaxed under tall trees with green leaves.

Photography provided by Christopher Ginn Photography, www.christopherginn.com

A woman in a green dress sits and talks with a smiling doctor holding a tablet. The doctor wears a white coat and a stethoscope, and they are seated across a small round table in a bright room.

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