Reproductive Specialists of the Carolinas

Every year, 1 in 4 pregnancies in the U.S. ends in loss -- a difficult and often life-changing event that so many experience and yet rarely share. ? Loss comes in many forms and grief can come in waves. For those who have faced loss on the path to parenthood, the ache of what might have been can be profound. ? To all the individuals and families who are grieving, remembering, recognizing, and adjusting, we send you healing and love. We recognize your strength, your pain, and the courage it takes to share your journey. We are mourning with you and we are here for you. You are not alone. ??

????After two devastating years of miscarriages, Emily and Andrew decided to visit RSC. And now we are thrilled to announce the celebration of TWO new RSC babies! Read more about Emily and Andrew’s journey to twins below. ? “My husband Andrew and I knew we wanted kids and couldn’t wait to start trying after we got married in 2021. We had trouble getting pregnant so we tried all the routes my OB recommended which led to a pregnancy in 2022 that sadly ended in an early miscarriage. We were devastated but decided to try again using the medication that almost worked for us. We found out I was pregnant in March of 2023 and finally got to see a heartbeat at our first ultrasound. We were so excited. Unfortunately that pregnancy also ended in a miscarriage at 12 weeks due to Turners Syndrome. I knew I needed more help as my OB had exhausted every route she could take. My acupuncturist recommended RSC and I instantly felt so heard and taken care of at my first appointment meeting Allison. She was incredible and I looked forward to all my visits. We created a plan to do IVF but decided to try one IUI beforehand. It worked! I couldn’t believe it and then we found out there were two!! ? RSC made me feel confident and so comfortable and eased my mind so much. I can’t thank them all enough. Our twin girls, Charlie and June, were born and we are on cloud nine. We finally have a family that we dreamed of making together. ??” - Emily Cates ? ?? Join us in celebrating Emily, Andrew, Charlie, and June! ?? ???We love seeing (and meeting) your new additions and hearing about our time together. Please send us a DM with your news so we can catch up!

??It’s Advanced Practice Provider Week, which means we are celebrating Valerie Millwood, DNP and Allison Mihalkanin, PA-C. ? ????????????RSC wouldn’t be complete without Valerie and Allison. We’re so grateful for the care they provide our patients. We asked Allison about her motivation and advice for the next generation of APPs. She said: "I am motivated by YOU, all of our patients. Hearing their stories and given the opportunity to be a part of their journey is the biggest reward, no matter the outcome. The joy we get to bring these families is something that I'll always cherish and brings me in to work each day. My advice for the next generation of APPs is to find something you love! Don't settle. There is a job out there for you that makes it all worthwhile!” ? ?? Have you met with Valerie or Allison? If so, let them know how much you appreciate them in the comment! #advancedpracticeprovders #apps #fertility Valerie Millwood DNP, APRN, FNP-BC,NP-C

? Let’s take a moment to get to know our former medical assistant and new remote IUI/OI coordinator, Amelia! ? ?? Originally from New York City, Amelia once resided in the Charlotte region but has returned home. ?? She has a strong sweet tooth. ?? Amelia enjoys watching "Normal People" on Hulu. ??♀? Amelia's favorite activities include hiking, trying new foods, and exercising. ?? As for her musical taste, she enjoys listening to Chappell Roan and The Velvet Underground. ? ?? When asked about her favorite part of working at RSC, Amelia expressed that it's “getting to see patients every day at different parts of their journey and working with an amazing team to give them the best possible care.” ? ? Have you met Amelia recently? Show her some love in the comments!

???? Let’s talk ovulation for conception with PCOS. ? If pregnancy is your immediate goal, ovulation may be induced with clomiphene citrate or letrozole medication. These pills are simple to use and a good first step for many. ? But what is PCOS? PCOS is one of the most common causes of female infertility, affecting millions of U.S. women of reproductive age. ? PCOS affects everyone differently. Generally, the ovaries have several follicles but fail to regularly release eggs. ? Common symptoms include: ??Infrequent menstrual cycles: cycles more than 35 days apart ??An excess of male hormone levels by elevated male hormones levels or male pattern hair growth (upper lip, chin, or chest) ??Polycystic ovaries (greater than or equal to 12 follicles per ovary) ? PCOS can cause: ??Infertility ??Gestational diabetes or pregnancy-induced high blood pressure ??Miscarriage ??Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: a severe liver inflammation caused by fat accumulation in the liver ??High blood pressure ??Abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels ??Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes ??Sleep apnea ??Depression and anxiety ??Abnormal uterine bleeding ??Cancer of the uterine lining ??Obesity ? ???? Drop an ?? below if this was helpful!

Who can name 3 RSC team members they recognize? ?? Go! ???????? #ourteam #fertility #infertility #womenshealth

???? What patient-centered care means for you: ? 1. You’re greeted by name. ? 2. You step into a warm and friendly environment that counterbalances the challenges you’re facing. ? 3. You enter a soft place to land when the path forward feels hard. ? 4. Your personal story drives your treatment plan. ? 5. You’re not just another fertility patient; we don’t want to be just another fertility clinic. ? 6. Infertility can be overwhelming. The place you receive your fertility care should be welcoming. ? 7. On a journey so complex and emotional, we focus on the additional guidance, comfort, and listening you need. ? Sounds pretty good, right? Drop a ?? below to let me know if this resonated. #patientcare #patientfirst #fertility

???? What patient-centered care means for you: ? 1. You’re greeted by name. ? 2. You step into a warm and friendly environment that counterbalances the challenges you’re facing. ? 3. You enter a soft place to land when the path forward feels hard. ? 4. Your personal story drives your treatment plan. ? 5. You’re not just another fertility patient; we don’t want to be just another fertility clinic. ? 6. Infertility can be overwhelming. The place you receive your fertility care should be welcoming. ? 7. On a journey so complex and emotional, we focus on the additional guidance, comfort, and listening you need. ? Sounds pretty good, right? Drop a ?? below to let me know if this resonated. #patientcare #patientfirst #fertility

Does this person look familiar? Reproductive Specialists of the Carolinas’ very own Allison Mihalkanin, PA-C recently welcomed her beautiful baby girl after years of struggling with infertility. Keep reading to discover more about Allie's infertility journey to become one of RSC’s patients and have her rainbow baby. ?? ? “After settling in Charlotte in 2021, my husband and I decided to start trying for a family in early 2022. To our surprise and excitement, we got a positive pregnancy test during our very first month of trying. Unfortunately, our joy was short-lived when this first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage in the first trimester. Being a medical provider in a fertility setting, I knew this was fairly common; so, we didn’t give up hope and quickly began trying again. Fear, doubt, anxiety and discouragement started to creep in when we experienced two more miscarriages over the course of the next six months. ? After long conversations and many tears, we paused and sat down with a provider at RSC (i.e., we became patients at my own office!) and began to undergo a slew of testing/imaging/screenings. After a frustrating diagnosis of unexplained infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss, we weighed all of our options and ultimately decided that I couldn’t physically and both of us couldn’t emotionally go through another miscarriage without trying everything we possibly could to avoid it. Ultimately, IVF seemed like the best course of action for our family. ? In February 2023, we went through a successful IVF retrieval and, following a cancelled cycle, a procedure, and two failed embryo transfers, we successfully got pregnant with our magical 3rd embryo and sweet girl in September. To our relief, Molly Elizabeth Mihalkanin was born happy and healthy in May 2024. ? Our experience with infertility and loss is sadly a story I hear every day at work. One in 6 couples experience infertility or loss at some point in their journey. I never expected to be a patient at my office, and during my fertility journey I was faced with a very unique and challenging environment where I needed to step in to work daily as a provider to women and couples going through the same thing as me. But, every hardship has a silver lining, and my fertility struggles have brought me closer to so many of the women I get to meet every day and have made me such a better provider, wife, mother and person. There isn’t a day that goes by that my husband and I aren’t grateful for the opportunities and knowledge RSC has given us and I am so thankful for each and every person that I get to engage with every day. ? P.S. I’m back in the office as of this week.” ? ?? Allie, we are so grateful for you. Thank you for sharing your story with us! ? ?? Join us in celebrating Allie and her new baby, Molly! ?? We love seeing and meeting your new additions. Please DM us so we can catch up! ? #rainbowbaby #infertiity #ivf #physicianassistant

We have been patients of Matrika Johnson, MD intermittently for over a decade, starting from when she was still at REACH. We did not care for how that establishment ran at all, so were thrilled to learn that Dr. Johnson was starting her own practice, Reproductive Specialists of the Carolinas. We transferred our case to her immediately. In fact, I think my patient number is 00008 lol. We loved her approach and the plan she'd developed for us from before, and it was especially gratifying to more directly support a fellow woman of color. I live in England now, so after our first IVF attempt resulted in an early miscarriage, I immediately flew back to Charlotte to try again. You can read about this part of our journey in Essence Communications Inc. (https://lnkd.in/ejdYKEvU). Happily, our second attempt was successful and I gave birth to our second daughter and first biological baby late last year! We owe Dr. Johnson and her incredible staff and team of doctors, including Dr. Luwam G., our entire world. The professionalism, elucidation, transparency, and care that everyone exhibited from start to finish were exemplary. If you are looking for an exceedingly competent, intelligent, and compassionate provider, look no further. And be sure to check out Dr. Johnson's own motherhood story. I promise you, she has been in your shoes.