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In This Issue:
Joe and Annemarie Tesora and their daughter Annamae Rose.
Annemarie RN, of Tower 11BD, and her husband Joe always wanted to start a family. Shortly after their wedding in 2002, the couple realized that would be a challenge because Joe was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
“One of Joe’s treatment options for MS was chemotherapy. We knew that could pose problems with our plans in terms of a family,” said Annemarie, who used her health care knowledge and did her own research to make sure they could still have the family they always wanted.
Before starting his chemotherapy treatments, Joe underwent sperm cryopreservation (freezing), and when the time was right, Annemarie became pregnant through in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. Annamae Rose was born February 20.
Now, Annemarie wants others facing the challenge of a newly diagnosed disease to explore avenues to preserve fertility.
“When couples with illnesses don’t know that freezing sperm is an option, it limits their options later on,” said Anne Geoghegan, LICSW, reproductive social worker at BWH’s Center for Reproductive Medicine, who worked with the Tesoras through the process. “I would encourage everyone to bring it up with a doctor and assume that you will want to have children. You can always decide not to.”
Annemarie urges health care practitioners to give patients information about reproductive options.
“Annemarie requested that we bring someone in to talk about the experience and treatment for patients with diseases such as MS,” said Maria Houtchens, MD, a neurologist who specializes in MS.
Houtchens did just that, and arranged for David Ryley, MD, of the Boston IVF Center, to discuss fertility preservation for men and women undergoing treatment for degenerative diseases at Partners MS Center. His lecture earlier this month gave clinicians more insight into this issue.
“A child has been more beneficial than any medicine,” said Joe. “We are very lucky that our IVF was so successful.”
To learn more about IVF and reproductive medicine, visit http://www.brighamandwomens.org/reproductivemedicine/ or to learn about information when facing the risk of infertility from medical treatments visit www.fertileHOPE.org