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Deborah Howell (Host): You know, we usually speak with physicians and staff at Deaconess on this podcast. But this month we are grateful to hear stories and experiences from some of our Deaconess patients Today, we'll go behind the scenes with one member of our Boston IVF family, and hear about her journey as a gestational carrier for another couple. This is the Podcast Series from Deaconess, the Women's Hospital, a place for all your life. I'm Deborah Howell and our guest today is Amber Santana, a patient of Boston IVF at the Women's Hospital and a gestational carrier. Welcome Amber.

Amber Santana: Hi, Deborah. Thank you for having me.

Deborah Howell (Host): I love that you're here with us today and you have a beautiful, beautiful story to tell us. Let's start from the beginning. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you fit into the picture at Boston IVF?

Amber Santana: Absolutely. So, my wife and I decided, at the beginning of our marriage that we definitely wanted to have a family. And so obviously being in a same sex couple, we knew that we were going to need, some medical help with that and a little help from science. So, we became patients of Boston IVF ourselves, probably around 2015 and through the amazing, team at Boston IVF. We are blessed with, our twins who are getting ready to turn six on August 1st. And then our youngest, who just turned three on June 27th.

So we got to kind of experience firsthand, what that experience looked like through the team at Boston IVF and went through, the process ourselves and, kind of lived through itand knew what to expect going forward. And yeah, just decided that we wanted to help make another couple's dream of becoming a family come true. the way ours did.

Deborah Howell (Host): That's so lovely. And what brought you specifically to Boston IVF at the Women's Hospital?

Amber Santana: So we are native to Evansville. so we actually were working with a different doctor, before Boston IVF. I hadn't really heard of Boston IVF, and just some different things happening at our other clinic. And then once we made the actual decision to move directly to IVF, a friend of mine recommende d Dr. Griffin and his team. And so we, had a, orientation and met the team and went through all of the financial things like that. And next thing we knew we were on track to have twins.

Deborah Howell (Host): Oh, my goodness. So exciting. All right. I'm really, really, really interested in hearing your experience. Can you describe your fertility journey as a gestational carrier? Tell us a little bit about your story.

Amber Santana: Absolutely. So I shared with my OB GYN here in Evansville, that I was interested in being a gestational carrier. And so actually through her, we were able to meet, our couple that we're working with and she asked if it was okay to share information. So, the intended mother and I met, for coffee one day and we just immediately clicked, I met her husband and they met my wife. And since then, we've become our own little family together, as we embark on this journey to make them parents. We did then get hit with COVID. And so that kind of slowed things down a little bit. But, since then have kind of gotten back on the train and still wanting to fulfill this dream for them. We've kind of treated as everybody on the same page to make them parents.

Deborah Howell (Host): So when COVID hit, what happened to the procedure?

Amber Santana: So we actually were in between cycles, for COVID we hadn't really started an actual cycle yet. We were just kind of in the process of contracts and things like that. So, COVID just put a stop to what needed to kind of move us forward. So they weren't doing transfers. They weren't doing things like that. Obviously for the safety of everybody. So we just took some time to just get to know each other a little bit better during that time, which I think, in some ways was really awesome. And so we just did that and then since then, we've just picked back.

Deborah Howell (Host): So what are you looking forward to most?

Amber Santana: Oh man, that's so hard. There's so many steps of the process that I'm looking forward to. But I think probably first and foremost, just that moment of them having their baby. I know what it felt like for me to want to be a mother, and I see that so much in my intended mother and also in the intended father. I mean, they are definitely parents who are just waiting on their baby and are absolutely meant to be wonderful parents. So I just can't stop envisioning that moment of them getting their baby.

Deborah Howell (Host): It's such a beautiful thing to be a gestational carrier. And how recent is that phenomenon? How long has this been going on that people have been doing this for other couples?

Amber Santana: I will be honest. I probably heard about something like this when I was like 10 years old. And I remember watching this TV show called a Baby Story on TLC. And that was actually, kind of their story. it was a same sex male couple that I was watching and his sister was having their baby. And I just thought like, oh my gosh, this was like the first time I'd ever thought about the fact that there are people who can't have children for themselves. And it just has like stuck in my heart.

And so then as I kind of worked through what the legalities and the logistics are, I thought, oh, I can do that. Just being able to give someone that gift has just been something that has stayed with a passion in my heart and some things you get ideas in your head and they go away and this is just something for me that has never gone away.

Deborah Howell (Host): Oh, I love that. What a gift you're giving. So will you be involved with the babies life?

Amber Santana: So we've talked about that, like what it looks like to be kind of like an aunt. we definitely feel like we're family at this point, when you share a journey like this, you get close at a level that's very unique, to friendships and things like that. So, absolutely, through pictures and we are all local to Evansville, so, as much as we can stay in touch and be involved. Absolutely. We'll share from the beginning of the child's life, how loved they were by so many people and the magic of science that helped them to be.

Deborah Howell (Host): I just can't imagine any greater gift. You can give another human being and another couple. If you could describe Amber, your experiences with the services provided by the Women's Hospital in one word, or maybe you need a few words, what would you say?

Amber Santana: Oh, my goodness. so it's funny. My friends know that when I'm really stressed, I always say, I just wish I could go check into the Women's Hospital for like three nights. It was just topnotch care. I mean, in care, not just medical care, but true. Just emotional and physical care for mothers and for babies. Our twins were born at 35 and a half weeks, so we did spend some time there in the NICU as well. And so just, experiencing the different levels of services that we did at the women's hospital. I cannot say enough about the amazing staff in the way that they just wrap around their patient. and just make it a tremendous experience.

Deborah Howell (Host): So I'm guessing you would definitely suggest it for anyone thinking about this journey?

Amber Santana: Absolutely. Hands down. I could not suggest it enough.

Deborah Howell (Host): Anything you'd like to add, or maybe some shout outs?

Amber Santana: Oh my goodness. I mean, at Boston IVF, their team from everybody from the front desk to the ultrasound text, I felt like when we were going through our journey to have our own children just, I felt like they wanted me to be successful as much as I did. They truly just become like sisters alongside you. And Dr. Griffin is just phenomenal. I always felt his care and I never felt like just a patient there. I always felt like a member of a family who was loved and cared about for far more than just our fertility needs.

Deborah Howell (Host): Oh, Amber, you had me tearing up. I mean, really? I mean, the way you paint the picture, it's like we're in that hospital with these women, with Dr. Griffin. Can't thank you enough for that picture.

Amber Santana: Well, I can't thank them enough for everything they made our dreams come true with our family and we are hopeful that we're gonna do the same thing for another wonderful couple.

Deborah Howell (Host): I got both my fingers crossed, make that four or five fingers crossed here, for a great outcome. Such wonderful information. And Amber's such a beautiful story. Thank you so much for being with us today to talk about your journey as a gestational carrier.

Amber Santana: Absolutely. Thank you for having me.

Deborah Howell (Host): For more information about Boston IVF at the Women's Hospital visit www.deacons.com/bivf. And that wraps up this episode of the Podcast Series from Deaconess, The Women's Hospital, a place for all your life. Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast and all the other deacons women hospital podcasts for more health tips and updates. Follow us on your social channels. This is the Women's Hospital, a place for all your life. I'm Deborah Howell. Thanks for listening and have yourself a great day.