Heather and Tyler Quirk of Lafayette are the recipients of a grant to be used for in vitro fertilization (IVF) from Louisiana fertility clinic Fertility Answers and lab partner Ovation Fertility.

Heather and Tyler Quirk of Lafayette are the recipients of a grant to be used for in vitro fertilization (IVF) from Louisiana fertility clinic Fertility Answers and lab partner Ovation Fertility. The couple has endured over five years of infertility on their quest to build a family.

Diagnosed with unexplained infertility, a condition in which the cause for infertility cannot be determined, the Quirks tried multiple treatments and saw multiple doctors over the years trying to conceive. Unexplained infertility occurs in approximately 15-20 percent of infertile couples and is challenging to treat. IVF is often used for couples with unexplained infertility, but the cost of the procedure was prohibitive to the Lafayette couple given their income.

One in eight American couples experience struggles with conceiving. However, few insurance companies provide coverage for fertility treatments, and, as a result, most fertility treatment costs are paid for out-of-pocket by the patient. But with a price tag of around $15,000 to $20,000 per standard IVF cycle, the treatment cost is often out of reach financially for many couples.

Created to ease the high costs of fertility treatment, both financially and emotionally, Fertility Answers launched the Gift of Hope program in 2006 to award fertility treatments to couples who demonstrate both financial and medical needs for the procedures. To date, there have been 22 Louisiana couples awarded the Gift of Hope treatment grants, resulting in the birth of seven babies with another due in August 2020.

“We started the program as a way to help Louisiana couples undergo IVF who could not otherwise afford it,” said Dr. John Storment, founder and medical director of Fertility Answers. “Our clinic has always been community-minded, and this is another example of our commitment to furthering access to fertility healthcare in our state.”

Fertility Answers is a regional fertility health system with statewide reach, serving more than two-thirds of Louisiana in over 40 parishes. It includes two main clinical offices and state-of-the-art laboratories in Lafayette and Baton Rouge. Fertility Answers has helped thousands of couples become parents since its inception in 2002.

For more information about the Gift of Hope along with the detailed story of our 2020 winners, please visit fertilityanswers.com/gift-hope-grant-program.