LaTeisha Young had always dreamed of becoming a mother, and thanks to a medical team devoted to helping her navigate her pregnancy, she and her husband, Jeromey, finally welcomed their first child last November.
The couple had struggled with fertility issues for eight years before LaTeisha was able to deliver a healthy baby boy named Mason at Methodist Midlothian Medical Center. The Waxahachie mother described the continuous care she received at Methodist Midlothian as seamless.
“Being a first-time mom, I wanted to make sure I picked the place where I knew the process was going to be calming, somewhere that would make me feel at peace,” she says. “And I had never been to a hospital so peaceful. Everybody we saw was just so helpful. That’s my go-to hospital now.”
MANAGING RISKS
LaTeisha says she had been considering in vitro fertilization (IVF) since 2020 when her first pregnancy ended in miscarriage. But it wasn’t until she found an employer with health insurance that covered fertility treatments that she was able to begin that journey.
“I started that process in January 2023, and I was pregnant by March,” she recalls. “It was all a blur.”
To help her navigate the path to parenthood, LaTeisha sought advice and resources online. These recommendations led her to make an appointment with Gregory Kroeger, MD, OB-GYN on the medical staff at Methodist Midlothian.
“That was the best decision I ever made,” LaTeisha says.
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Dr. Kroeger had to monitor LaTeisha’s progress closely because she had a few more risk factors than some of his other patients.
“She was 35 at the time, which is considered an advanced maternal age, and she had a previous miscarriage,” Dr. Kroeger says. “She also developed gestational diabetes.”
It’s a disorder that affects 2%-10% of pregnant women in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It happens when their bodies cannot produce enough insulin to process glucose into energy. A family history of diabetes or being prediabetic can heighten your risk of developing it, but a lot of times, it can happen because of natural biology, Dr. Kroeger says.
“The placenta itself produces a hormone called human placental lactogen, and that hormone actually interferes with the body’s sensitivity to insulin,” he explains.
For most of her pregnancy, LaTeisha was able to manage her health by sticking to a doctor-approved diet, going to extra prenatal appointments, and pricking her finger three times a day to measure her blood sugar levels. It was decided that an induced birth would be best in case LaTeisha’s diabetes worsened, especially as Dr. Kroeger began to detect a slight buildup of amniotic fluid surrounding baby Mason toward the end of her last trimester.
EMERGENCY C-SECTION
While Dr. Kroeger watched over her, LaTeisha scheduled her induction at Methodist Midlothian, where she was able to take a virtual tour. Hospital staff, including a social worker, helped her prepare by directing her to resources for new moms and detailing what she should bring to the hospital once it was time to deliver.
“It was all new to me,” Lateisha says. “I actually called the hospital and asked to speak to a nurse. She ran down a whole list of stuff that I would get as a patient. She pretty much just said, ‘Bring yourself and some clothes, but we got everything else for you here.'”
When the big day arrived, LaTeisha says, both she and her husband were impressed from the moment they parked the car and stepped inside.
“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s so clean,'” LaTeisha remembers. “Everybody we came in contact with was so nice and personable.”
Once settled in her room, Dr. Kroeger gave her the medications to begin the induction process, but when progress stalled and Mason’s heart rate began dropping, LaTeisha and her medical team had to pivot to an emergency cesarean section.
‘IT WAS SO SPECIAL’
LaTeisha says the whole thing “happened very fast.” At 11:59 p.m., little Mason was born, weighing 8 pounds, 5 ounces. Although he had to remain in the round-the-clock care of nurses for a couple of days due to concerns about his blood sugar, he was soon able to go home with his excited parents — just in time for his first Thanksgiving.
“It was so special,” LaTeisha recalls as Mason approaches 4 months old. “He definitely has a personality. He loves to talk and play, and he likes to sing. We sing a lot together.”
She says the experience taught her to never give up, and she encouraged other women experiencing fertility issues to speak to an expert and explore their options.
“It’s not something to be ashamed of,” she adds. “And don’t compare yourself to others. If you want to be a mom, there are resources out there, and maybe it’ll just take a little longer than you thought.”
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