GARNER, N.C. — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that nearly 2,300 babies were born in North Carolina in 2021 thanks to in vitro fertilization.

What You Need To Know

  • A same-sex couple conceived through IVF

  • Chelsea and L.E. are mothers to Ezra

  • Dr. Jennifer Mersereau helped the couple conceive their son at the Shady Grove Fertility clinic

One baby conceived by IVF is Ezra, the son of a same-sex couple, Chelsea and L.E., who asked their last name be kept private. 

“We don’t usually get any negative reactions. I would say more than anything, it’s curiosity,” Chelsea said.

The mother said people mainly ask how their 7-month-old became the star of their show.

“Our only chance of getting pregnant was to do it through IVF,” Chelsea said.

Dr. Jennifer Mersereau, a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist, was their guide at the Shady Grove Fertility clinic. 

“This is where the magic happens,” Mersereau said as she pointed to the embryology lab.

Mersereau explained how a temperature-regulated incubator is where embryos are stored on a small petri dish.

“It’s pretty easy to keep it right, at the right parameters, to have the best embryo development,” Mersereau said.

Mersereau said this is why practicing in the reproductive endocrinology and infertility subspecialty as an OBGYN for more than 17 years is worth it.

“Treat all the patients the same. So anyone walking through the door is treated with respect, compassion and support,” she said.

She said IVF typically occurs in three stages, including ovarian stimulation using medicated injectables to help a woman grow as many eggs in a month as possible, surgically retrieving those eggs and later fertilizing those eggs in a lab to become embryos.

“It's complicated, right?” Mersereau said.

Chelsea said over time she learned how scientific the process is as they relied on donor sperm to become pregnant.

“It’s really our goal to be upfront with him and others about his conception,” Chelsea said.

The couple’s dreams came true. They confirmed they conceived Ezra with the help of IVF treatment last year.

“We want to raise him to be proud of it, and it’s absolutely something that’s not a secret to us,” Chelsea said. “It’s really been a surreal and amazing experience that I would have never imagined until we had him.”

Mersereau said it’s an honor to be part of their pregnancy journey.

"It’s such a joy to see that part of it. I mean, this is a real roller coaster, the ups and downs of fertility care,” Mersereau said.

The couple said Mersereau and her staff were helpful in their navigation of IVF. 

Chelsea and L.E. said insurance roughly covered $5,000 out of the $45,000 to $50,000 IVF treatment cost.