Premier Physicians Women’s Health is offering hope to women trying to conceive
By Laura Briedis
For those suffering from infertility, the holidays are often especially hard times. To shed more light on this condition and offer hope, we turned to Dr. Kimberly Kraus, a leading area obstetrician-gynecologist who is part of Premier Physicians Women’s Health practice in Middleburg Heights.
“I am not only experienced treating infertility, but also understand the emotional aspect, as I have personal experience,” Dr. Kraus says. “It took my sister eight years to get pregnant and after multiple IVF failures, I donated my eggs to her. While the donation did not succeed, my sister persevered, continued on with IVF and I now have a miracle nephew. I want my patients to know that there is hope.”
Dr. Kraus has pictures of hundreds of babies she has delivered in a collage in her office, which stands as a testament to the miracle of birth, as some of those parents also struggled with infertility at some point.
Q: What is infertility?
A: Infertility is defined as failure to achieve successful pregnancy after one year of trying to conceive.
Q: When should someone get evaluated?
A: As women age, the chances of getting pregnant decrease. If a woman is 40 years old or more, she should make an appointment right away. Those 35 and older, who have been trying for six months with no success, should seek treatment. And if she is younger than 35 and healthy, she should make an appointment after a year of trying to conceive. If either partner has medical issues, they may want to consider getting evaluated sooner.
Q: How common is infertility and what causes it?
A: Between 12 percent and 15 percent of couples have trouble getting pregnant. There are female causes (ovulation issues, tubal factors, uterine factors, endometriosis), as well as male causes (low sperm count, a blockage in the tubes that carry sperm).
Oftentimes there can be a combination of factors, and sometimes there is unexplained infertility.
Q: Do I have to see a specialist?
A: If you believe you may be struggling with becoming pregnant, we are a worthwhile place to start. You can see any of us—Dr. Kraus, Dr. Cardona and certified nurse midwife Sue Krieger and we will be here for you. We are all very passionate about what we do, intimately familiar with the struggles, and want to ensure you have the best resources possible, including prayer.
“I would not be here if I hadn’t accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior,” Dr. Kraus says. “God deserves all the credit for gifting me with who I am and guiding me with how to provide the best care to my patients.”
“I have always had a deep desire to help others,” she adds. “My goal is to provide kind and compassionate care throughout a woman’s life, and I am blessed to be present in so many important events.”
Premier Physicians Women’s Health is located at the Southwest General Main Campus, Building C, at 7255 Old Oak Boulevard, Suite C112, in Middleburg Heights. Call 440-816-5517 for an appointment.