Healthy Living

The Heartland Center for Reproductive Medicine

By Maria Harding

“A Compassionate Path to Fertility I think we’ve done really great work over the past 20 years,” shares Dr. Victoria Maclin, who will retire this month from her position as owner and medical director of the Heartland Center for Reproductive Medicine (HCRM). Dr. Maclin has specialized in reproductive endocrinology and infertility medicine for over 30 years, contributing to the field as a practitioner, researcher, educator, and author.

In creating HCRM, Dr. Maclin assembled an elite team of healthcare providers, laboratory scientists, and office staff to work collaboratively in a single facility. “I’m proud of what we’ve built here—but it’s not about the building. It’s about the people and about the impact in the community.” Each team member at HCRM has impressive credentials and, through slightly different areas of research and specialization, adds depth and dimension to the practice.

An OB-GYN can assess basic fertility issues, but couples should seek the assistance of a fertility clinic if they have tried to become pregnant for twelve months without success or if three or more pregnancies have ended in miscarriage. By the time patients make the decision to seek help with fertility, they are typically at a point of exhaustion and extreme stress. The compassionate approach at HCRM includes unhurried conversations with patients. “We pride ourselves on being good at what we do not only from a technical point of view, but also with a focus on empathy,” says Dr. Maclin.

The potential causes of infertility are dizzying in number, and they often occur in combination. Both male and female factor fertility issues are addressed at HCRM. About 40 percent of fertility issues are male factor, 40 percent are female factor, and 20 percent are due to both partners or to unknown causes. Being overweight is a prevalent issue. “Obesity can really interfere with ovarian function. There are also inflammatory factors associated with obesity that can affect uterine lining.”

Doctors at HCRM comprehensively assess anatomical function, hormone levels, sperm numbers—whatever appraisals lead to answers. Dr. Maclin highlights the advantage of having multiple services in a single facility. “When we were at a university, we were fragmented. The IVF lab was several floors away, and all of our testing went to the general laboratory,” she recalls. “One of the things we wanted when we came here was to have a practice that was all-inclusive.” Faster and more direct communication saves precious time and means that nothing gets lost in translation.

HCRM can be a wonderful resource for women who are approaching age 35 but do not yet want to have children or for anyone about to undergo cancer treatment, which may jeopardize future fertility. Harvested eggs, sperm, and embryonic blastocysts are preserved and stored on site.

Everyone is welcome here, including single mothers, lesbian and gay couples, and other non-traditional families. In fact, Dr. Maclin proudly shares that advancements and attitudes in reproductive medicine outpace some state laws. Eggs from one woman in a lesbian couple can be fertilized and then implanted into her partner, enriching their experience as parents. “Everybody should have the opportunity to build a family if they want to,” asserts Dr. Maclin.

As meaningful as the stories of successful pregnancies are, of equal importance to Dr. Maclin are the notes that represent positive closure, even when pregnancy is not attained. She says, “One couple wrote and said, ‘You made this experience as good as it could be.’ Our priority is to help people build families. If we can’t get them there, we want there to be a point of resolution.”

When asked about the most remarkable advancements she has seen in her 32-year career, she mentions the robot-assisted surgical procedures that reduce recovery time and scar tissue. “It gives us an extra edge, because we can do work laparoscopically that ordinarily we would have had to do with a large, open incision on the abdomen,” she says. She also marvels at how greatly improved the in vitro outcomes are. Newer techniques allow doctors to be highly selective with embryos, evaluating them for genetic imperfections. Sometimes, only single embryos need to be implanted in the womb, avoiding the risk of multiple gestations.

Years ago, Dr. Maclin wondered what would happen to the Heartland Center for Reproductive Medicine when she retired. She wanted it to continue with the same spirit of empathy. “I’m very excited about what I’ve set into motion,” expresses Dr. Maclin warmly. “I feel extremely blessed that I’ve been able to amass a group of physicians who maintain that culture.” She describes HCRM’s new director, her partner Dr. Stephanie Gustin, as a “brilliant, compassionate woman who is dedicated to excellence.” Dr. Victoria Maclin can retire with a tranquil heart, knowing that HCRM will continue in good hands. You can reach the team at 877-831-3227 or heartlandfertility.com.