Claire shares how she beat 1-2% odds to conceive naturally at 44 with PCOS and endometriosis. After meeting her partner at 41 and facing devastating statistics from doctors, she transformed her mindset and got pregnant on her first IVF transfer.
ClaireAge 44· IVF· Baby girlBefore
Felt like a complete failure as a woman, believed her body was letting her down, consumed by negative statistics and fear
Key Shift
Realized what child wants to come to a mother who feels like a failure, decided to focus on being in the 1-2% who succeed
After
Confident in her body and decisions, advocating for herself medically, living joyfully while pursuing treatment
Claire had suspected PCOS and endometriosis for years but was consistently dismissed by doctors who made her feel like she was exaggerating her symptoms. It wasn't until she was 43 that she finally received proper diagnosis and validation of what her body had been telling her all along.
When doctors told Claire she had only a 1-2% chance of IVF success at 44, she had a choice: be defeated by the statistics or decide to be in that small percentage that succeeds. Her response - 'somebody's gotta be in that one to two percent, so it might as well be me' - became the foundation of her success.
Claire's egg retrieval results spoke louder than any statistic: 18 eggs collected at 44, with 14 fertilizing and making it to day 5. Her experience directly contradicts the narrative that fertility 'falls off a cliff' at 40 and proves that individual results can exceed statistical predictions.
Rather than putting life on hold during IVF, Claire and her partner did more activities than they'd ever done before. She grew her business, took holidays, and maintained joy throughout the process, proving that fertility treatment doesn't require sacrificing happiness or normal living.
“eighteen eggs collected and I was forty four at this point”
— Claire▶ 17:03
Yes, it's absolutely possible. Claire got pregnant at 44 with both PCOS and endometriosis after being told she had only 1-2% odds of success.
“somebody's gotta be in that one to two percent, so it might as well be me”
— Claire▶ 13:35
Focus on being in the percentage that succeeds rather than the percentage that fails. Someone has to be in that small success percentage - it might as well be you.
“I felt that they were possibly gonna transfer too early because I know you're on all the drugs and everything to kind of, you know, get everything in sync, but I just still felt my body needed an extra day or two”
— Claire▶ 21:21
An ERA test determines your optimal embryo transfer timing. If you feel your body needs different timing than standard protocol, advocate for this test - it can be crucial for success.
“I finished your course, I think it was the the January of twenty two, And it really took me probably another six months after that to really you know, and kind of just doing the work every day, really working on your mindset to get to a point where I knew this was gonna work”
— Claire▶ 31:02
Building true belief takes consistent daily work over months. Claire worked on her mindset daily for 6 months after finishing her program before reaching unshakeable belief.
“we did more in that year than we'd ever done”
— Claire▶ 18:18
Yes, you can and should maintain joy and live fully during treatment. Claire went on holidays, grew her business, and refused to put life on hold while going through IVF.
“they'd always kind of been dismissed. I'd had various investigations. It was just kind of made to feel that I was kind of almost like making it up”
— Claire▶ 7:04
Trust your body's signals and speak up when something doesn't feel right. Ask for tests you think you need and don't accept dismissive treatment of your symptoms.
Age-related fertility decline is largely a myth perpetuated by fear-mongering statistics
Claire collected 18 eggs at 44 years old, with 14 fertilizing and making it to day 5, directly contradicting the narrative that fertility 'falls off a cliff' at 40.
When facing single-digit odds, you can choose to focus on being in the percentage that succeeds rather than the percentage that fails
Claire was told she had a 1-2% chance of success and responded 'somebody's gotta be in that one to two percent, so it might as well be me,' leading to pregnancy on her first transfer.
Your body knows its own timing better than medical protocols, and advocating for that knowing can be crucial for success
Claire insisted on doing an ERA test because she felt her body needed extra time, which showed she needed the transfer 2 days later than protocol suggested, leading to her successful pregnancy.
Success on this journey doesn't require perfection - it requires showing up with resilience despite imperfect circumstances
Claire ate fast food for breakfast on transfer day, arrived late due to clinic confusion, and still got pregnant, proving that rigid control and perfection aren't necessary for success.
You can maintain joy and live fully while going through fertility treatment instead of putting life on hold
Claire and her partner did more activities in the year of treatment than they'd ever done before, went on holiday during the process, and she grew her business to reach income goals in less than a year.
Strong mindset work provides resilience that extends beyond fertility into all areas of life
Claire achieved her business income goals in less than a year and maintains confidence in medical advocacy during her pregnancy, showing how fertility mindset work transforms overall life approach.
Medical gaslighting of women's symptoms is real, and you must advocate for proper diagnosis and treatment
Claire had PCOS and endometriosis symptoms for years but was dismissed by doctors who made her feel like she was 'making it up' until she finally got proper diagnosis and treatment at 43.
Having the right mindset foundation allows you to wait for optimal timing rather than acting from desperation
At 44, Claire confidently said they could wait another month for transfer to go on holiday first, and when ERA test results were delayed 6 weeks, she saw it as giving her body time to recover.
Building belief in yourself and your outcome takes consistent daily work over months, not overnight transformation
Claire worked on her mindset daily for 6 months after finishing the program in January 2022 before reaching the point where she knew it would work, leading to pregnancy in October 2022.
What child wants to come to a mother who feels like a failure - your emotional state matters for conception
Claire had her breakthrough moment when she realized 'what child wants to come to a mother who feels like this about themselves?' and immediately sought help, leading to her transformation and pregnancy.
Age-related fertility decline is largely a myth perpetuated by fear-mongering statistics
▶ 17:03When facing single-digit odds, you can choose to focus on being in the percentage that succeeds rather than the percentage that fails
▶ 13:35Your body knows its own timing better than medical protocols, and advocating for that knowing can be crucial for success
▶ 21:21Success on this journey doesn't require perfection - it requires showing up with resilience despite imperfect circumstances
▶ 22:58You can maintain joy and live fully while going through fertility treatment instead of putting life on hold
▶ 18:18Strong mindset work provides resilience that extends beyond fertility into all areas of life
▶ 16:01Medical gaslighting of women's symptoms is real, and you must advocate for proper diagnosis and treatment
▶ 7:04Having the right mindset foundation allows you to wait for optimal timing rather than acting from desperation
▶ 18:16Building belief in yourself and your outcome takes consistent daily work over months, not overnight transformation
▶ 31:02What child wants to come to a mother who feels like a failure - your emotional state matters for conception
▶ 10:29“Fertility drops off a cliff at 40 and women over 40 have poor egg quality”
CONSIDER: Age is just a number - your body's capability depends on your individual health and mindset, not arbitrary age cutoffs
“Single-digit success odds mean you should give up or lower expectations”
CONSIDER: Someone has to be in that small percentage of success - it might as well be you if you're willing to do the work
“You must follow medical protocols exactly and can't question timing”
CONSIDER: Your body knows its own timing and you should advocate for what feels right, even if it differs from standard protocol
“somebody's gotta be in that one to two percent, so it might as well be me”
“what child wants to come to a mother who feels like this about themselves?”
“eighteen eggs collected and I was forty four at this point”
“it's a myth that your fertility drops off the cliff at forty. It's absolute nonsense”
“we can wait another month”
“if I can do it, then you can do it. I don't have any superpowers”
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Conditions
Frameworks & Methods
Statistics are not your destiny - you can choose to be an outlier rather than a statistic
Erika overcame stage 4 endometriosis, multiple failed IVF cycles, and a 0% chance of natural conception to conceive naturally at 31 after 9 years of trying.
Fertility challenges transcend age - you can have the diagnosis of someone in their fifties while in your twenties
Erika was told at 29 that her AMH and egg counts were like those of a 50-year-old, yet she still conceived naturally at 31.
Conventional IVF protocols haven't changed in 46 years and fail 50% of patients because they use the same approach for everyone instead of individualized treatment
Dr. Merhi notes that nationwide IVF pregnancy rates are only 50%, with conventional protocols unchanged since IVF began 46 years ago, leading him to create individualized treatment plans at Rejuvenating Fertility Center.
PRP (platelet rich plasma) ovarian rejuvenation can temporarily restore ovarian function for several months by injecting concentrated platelets directly into the ovaries
Dr. Merhi explains PRP uses the same technology as hair restoration and athletic injury recovery, with Greek researchers pioneering its use in ovaries to grow ovarian follicles like hair follicles in the scalp.
