\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMikaela MacKenzie \/ Winnipeg Free Press<\/p>\n
Dr. Gordon McTavish, medical director at Heartland Fertility, is pictured in the hysteroscopy of the clinic’s new facility.<\/p><\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n
Westwood residents Brianna Orchard Sa, 39, and her husband, Paulo, 46, will be forever grateful to Heartland Fertility for the birth of their two “miracle babies” — Annie and Archie.<\/p>\n
In short, the couple’s journey has included surgery, treatments including intrauterine insemination (IUI) and then IVF treatments. Orchard Sa also miscarried six different embryos.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, the couple became pregnant with Archie — who was born on Dec. 14, 2022 — and Annie was born on Sept. 11, 2023 after being carried by surrogate Mary Horbas.<\/p>\n
“We would 100 per cent not have our family without the clinic,” Orchard Sa said.<\/p>\n
“The doctors and nurses become like a family, and when our kids came, there were tears shed. We couldn’t have done this without them. We really appreciate the staff and what they did to help our family.”<\/p>\n
Orchard Sa added that having a facility like this in Winnipeg, and not having to travel to Toronto or Vancouver for treatment, has been a great comfort.<\/p>\n
Fertility specialist Dr. Stephanie Appleby, a Heartland staffer, said infertility can affect anyone.<\/p>\n
“We’re really happy to now offer streamlined access to treatment,” Appleby said, noting the clinic has provided support for more than 15,000 individuals. “We can offer shorter wait times and treatments, and… we offer full-service care, which is special.”<\/p>\n
According to a Hearland press release, the Public Health Agency of Canada reports one in six people deal with infertility, a number that has doubled since the 1980s.<\/p>\n