Louisiana
Louisiana fertility clinic selects patients for free IVF treatment to become parents
Alexia Carey, a 37-year-old social worker, spends her days being the “state mom” for many men, both young and old trying to find their way in the correctional setting.
Carey specializes in crisis and individual counseling at a corrections facility in Baton Rouge for 10 years. She views her patients as her family — her kids. But, she wants to start a family of her own.
Alexia Carey, a 37-year-old single aspiring parent in Baton Rouge, wins grant for free IVF treatment from Fertility Answers.
After years of failed relationships and missing “Mr. Right,” the Mandeville native decided she wanted to pursue single motherhood.
“I don’t know that it’s ever the goal to be alone in single parenting,” Carey said. “But as women, we are sometimes left with a choice: Do we decide we want kids, or do we continue to pursue a relationship with the potential of not having kids?”
In 2020, Carey decided to take her commitment to single parenthood seriously. She sought out a fertility clinic in Baton Rouge, found a sperm donor and scheduled an appointment for intrauterine insemination.
But, when the first session of insemination with a sperm donor did not result in pregnancy, then the next five attempts did not take either, Carey had to take a step back to review her options.
Her doctors recommended that she apply for a Louisiana-based IVF grant program.
Gift of Hope
Fertility Answers, a fertility clinic with full-service clinics in Baton Rouge and Lafayette, was founded in 2002.
The clinic was approached by a national fertility network after Hurricane Katrina to donate fertility treatments to those in need. However, the national service was going to take the donation patients outside of the state. Fertility Answers saw this as an opening to start something similar for Louisianans.
In 2006, Fertility Answers created the Gift of Hope IVF grant program to help infertile couples and hopeful parents overcome financial and emotional barriers to build their families.
The grant: a free in vitro fertilization cycle.
Unfortunately, many who struggle with infertility cannot afford IVF treatments as it is normally an out-of-pocket expense that insurance does not cover.
To apply for the free in vitro fertilization cycle grant, applicants must meet certain criteria — a specific financial status, IVF compatibility assessed by clinicians and access to prenatal care if pregnancy occurs.
Then, an independent board chooses the winners.
In 2024, Carey was announced as one of the 2024 grant recipients to receive IVF treatments.
Carey started her IVF cycle in August and will continue the steps toward single parenthood this year.
“It’s an exciting and also a nerve-wracking process,” Carey said. “It really is a privilege.”
How the treatment works
Infertility is a reproductive disease defined by the failure to get pregnant after a year of trying. According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 6 people globally suffer from infertility — about 6.7 million people. In the United States, according to research published by the National Institutes of Health, about 9% of men and about 11% of women of reproductive age have experienced fertility problems.
In the U.S., pinpointing the infertility issue is divided into three parts:
- In one-third of infertile couples, the problem is with the man.
- In one-third of infertile couples, the problem can’t be identified or is with both the man and woman.
- In one-third of infertile couples, the problem is with the woman.
Studies suggest that after one year of having unprotected sex, 12% to 15% of couples are unable to conceive, and after two years, 10% of couples still have not had a live-born baby. In couples younger than age 30 who are generally healthy, 40% to 60% can conceive in the first three months of trying.
In the IVF treatment, patients go through six steps:
- Ovulation induction. Patients start a daily injection of hormones that stimulate the growth of ovarian follicles — sacs in the ovaries that have the potential to release an egg. In a normal cycle, ovaries will “call-up recruits” each month and send hormones to those follicles to make them mature. Only one will become an egg each month. The additional prescribed hormones tell the ovaries to not only mature one, but a whole bunch of follicles.
- Egg retrieval. After the ovaries have produced several eggs, a doctor will perform an egg retrieval procedure. The patient is put to sleep, and the doctor retrieves the egg follicles through an ultrasound procedure.
- Fertilization. After egg retrieval, the mature eggs will be combined with a partner’s sperm — or in Alexia’s case, donor sperm — in the fertility lab. An embryologist then monitors the growing embryo for five to six days — not all embryos will make it.
- Genetic testing. The fertility clinic will take a few cells on the outside of the embryo (the outer cells that will become the placenta) and send them to a genetics lab. The test is to see if those cells contain the right number of chromosomes — the biggest cause of failure in insemination, according to Fertility Answers.
- Embryo transfer and preservation. After the embryo has been fertilized and tested, the embryo will be transferred back to the patient’s uterus. If the fertilization process yields more than one fertilized embryo, patients can freeze, or cryopreserve, additional embryos.
- Pregnancy test. The physician will order a pregnancy test about 2 weeks after the embryo transfer.
Not all IVF treatments, even the IVF grants, result in pregnancy. Since its launch, the Gift of Hope grant program has awarded 29 couples and patients with IVF treatment — and 13 babies.
Happy results
Sarah and David Basham met at Central Private School in Central, when they were 14 and 15 years old. They have been together ever since.
When the pair got married, they started to try for a baby. In that process, Sarah learned that she had PCOS — an ovarian condition that interferes with normal ovulation and increases the difficulty in achieving pregnancy.
After insemination did not work for the couple, they began to save up for IVF treatment. In 2023, on Sarah Basham’s birthday, the couple received the call that they were awarded the Gift of Hope IVF grant.
Sarah and Daniel Basham with their twins, Audrey and Eloise, after their birth in June of 2024 in Baton Rouge, La.
“I literally just went around the house crying,” she said of the moment they got the grant. “It has definitely been the best birthday present I’ve ever received.”
Sarah Basham’s IVF cycle resulted in 57 fertilized eggs with 23 of them passing genetic testing. When the embryo was transferred to her in December 2023, it split into two — twins.
The Bashams gave birth to two baby girls in June, Audrey and Eloise.
Josh Hoover passed for four touchdowns to help TCU beat Louisiana-Lafayette 34-3 on Saturday in the New Mexico Bowl.
Hoover was 20 for 32 for 252 yards with an interception. Eric McAlister had eight catches for 87 yards and a TD for the Horned Frogs (9-4).
TCU’s defense also had a solid day, holding Louisiana-Lafayette (10-4) to 209 yards, including 61 on the game’s final possession.
Ben Wooldridge was 7-for-20 passing for 61 yards for the Ragin’ Cajuns. He also threw an interception.
The Horned Frogs put together a fast start. Hoover found DJ Rogers for a 3-yard TD pass, capping an 11-play, 75-yard drive on the game’s opening possession.
After Lou Groza Award winner Kenneth Almendares missed a 54-yard field goal for Louisiana-Lafayette, TCU went right back to work.
McAlister’s 1-yard touchdown reception finished a 10-play, 63-yard drive and gave the Horned Frogs a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
Kyle Lemmermann kicked two field goals and JP Richardson added a 20-yard touchdown reception as TCU opened a 27-0 halftime lead.
Takeaways
TCU: Two years removed from an appearance in the national championship game, the Horned Frogs turned in a strong performance after going 5-7 last season. They scored on their first four possessions against the Cajuns. and held a 27-0 halftime lead.
Louisiana-Lafayette: It was a rough afternoon for the Cajuns. Almendares made a 24-yarder in the fourth quarter to account for their only points.
UP NEXT
TCU opens the 2025 season Aug. 30 at North Carolina in coach Bill Belichick’s debut with the Tar Heels.
Louisiana-Lafayette opens at home against Rice on Aug. 30.
Louisiana
Why did Marshall opt out of bowl game? Explaining Louisiana Tech’s Independence Bowl berth
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Army football is set to face Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl on Saturday night. It’s the second team the Black Knights have been slated to play this bowl season.
No. 18 Army (11-2) was originally slated to play Marshall after winning the American Athletic Conference, however, the Thundering Herd opted out of the bowl game, allowing for the Bulldogs (5-7) to reach the postseason despite not reaching the typical 6-win threshold.
Army, coming off a loss to arch-rival Navy, is looking to reach 12 wins for the first time in program history. Quarterback Bryson Daily, who finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting, had one of the best seasons ever for the Black Knights, scoring 38 total touchdowns with a team-leading 1,532 rushing yards.
There are numerous reasons as to why Army won’t be taking on Marshall, who went 10-3 this season and won the Sun Belt championship.
Here’s an explanation of Army’s opponent in the Independence Bowl on Saturday:
Why is Army playing Louisiana Tech instead of Marshall?
Marshall backed out of the Independence Bowl in wake of coach Charles Huff leaving for the Southern Miss job, which resulted in numerous Thundering Herd players entering the transfer portal.
Marshall simply was left with hardly a roster and no head coach, resulting in the opt out.
Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported Louisiana Tech was selected as the replacement due to its Academic Progress Rate despite not reaching the 6-win bowl eligibility threshold. Dellenger added multiple 5-win teams had better APR than Louisiana Tech, however, were unable to commit to the game based on the short turnaround of the matchup after Marshall’s opt out.
Why did Marshall opt out of bowl game?
Marshall opted out of the game due to having a substantial number of players enter the transfer portal following Huff’s departure to Southern Miss.
The Thundering Herd had over 25 players enter the transfer portal, including all three of their scholarship quarterbacks.
“It is unfortunate that Marshall determined they won’t be able to compete in the bowl in a couple of weeks,” Independence Bowl executive director Missy Setters said in a statement. “Our goal was to create the best matchup possible for our local fans and college football fans throughout the country, and we think we did that with two conference champions. Moving forward we are very excited to host Louisiana Tech and are thrilled we found an opponent for Army.”
According to On3’s transfer portal database, Marshall has lost 45 players to the transfer portal this offseason.
Why is Louisiana Tech in Independence Bowl?
Louisiana Tech was the replacement for Marshall, who opted out of the Independence Bowl due to losing a large group of players to the transfer portal.
Louisiana Tech was then selected due to its Academic Progress Rate, despite not having the highest among 5-win teams. The Bulldogs (5-7) didn’t reach the 6-win bowl threshold, but were picked since there were no 6-win teams left to choose from.
Louisiana Tech’s APR was also not the highest among 5-win teams, but was selected after multiple teams in front of it in the pecking order couldn’t commit to the game with the short turnaround after Marshall’s opt out.
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Sports Seriously
The college football bowl action continues with the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl featuring the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs facing off against the Army Black Knights.
Stepping in to replace Marshall after it pulled out due to outside factors, Louisiana Tech has shown remarkable resilience. Despite a tough season, finishing 5-7 and fifth in Conference USA, the Bulldogs have not backed down. They are led by freshman quarterback Evan Bullock, who boasted a 67.4% completion rate for 1,938 yards, 14 touchdowns, and only two interceptions. Bullock has a strong target in wide receiver Tru Edwards, who led CUSA in receptions (77) and recorded 897 receiving yards with six touchdowns.
Louisiana Tech is set to face a challenging opponent in Army, which recently made history by winning its first AAC championship game. This marks a significant milestone in the program’s 134-year history after an impressive 11-2 season. The Black Knights are guided by senior quarterback Bryson Daily, who is a formidable presence both on the ground and through the air. Last season, Daily passed for 942 yards and nine touchdowns, while also throwing four interceptions. Additionally, he rushed for an impressive 1,532 yards, scoring a remarkable 29 touchdowns.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the Independence Bowl.
Independence Bowl predictions: Louisiana Tech vs. Army
USA TODAY Sports: Army is unanimous pick
- Scooby Axson: Army
- Jordan Mendoza: Army
- Paul Myerberg: Army
- Erick Smith: Army
- Eddie Timanus: Army
- Dan Wolken: Army
ESPN: Army 23, Louisiana Tech 16
Adam Rittenberg writes: “The Independence Bowl has a new participant and a different/more local flavor, as Marshall opted out following its coaching change and portal exodus, and Louisiana Tech stepped in as the replacement, and will make the short drive from Ruston to Shreveport. The Bulldogs have half the number of wins as the Thundering Herd, but their defense can be very stingy at times, and will need to perform against Bryson Daily and the Black Knights. Although Louisiana Tech coach Sonny Cumbie said, “The band’s back together,” the Bulldogs will be without several defensive linemen who went into the transfer portal. Army is undoubtedly still smarting from the Navy loss, and top running back Kanye Udoh entered the portal. Louisiana Tech jumps ahead early behind quarterback Evan Bullock, but Army eventually takes control and grinds out a low-scoring win, its 12th on the season.”
College Football Network: Army 35, Louisiana Tech 13
James Fragoza writes: “The Black Knights’ 2024 campaign has been one for the books, highlighted by their physical dominance and a well-executed option attack. While a 49-14 rout at the hands of playoff-bound Notre Dame and a 31-13 upset loss to Navy stand out as blemishes, they’re hardly disqualifying. Navy, after all, is a nine-win squad with an efficient offense – a far cry from what Louisiana Tech brings to the table. The Black Knights, even after failing to cover as double-digit favorites in their last two outings, still present a clear mismatch for a Bulldogs team that managed just one win over an FBS opponent with a winning record this year. For Louisiana Tech, this matchup feels less like an opportunity and more like a buzzsaw, especially due to its transfer portal losses.”
Tickets to the Independence Bowl with StubHub
Independence Bowl odds, lines: Louisiana Tech vs. Army
The Army Black Knights are favorites to defeat the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, according to the BetMGM college football odds.
Odds as of Friday, Dec. 27.
- Spread: Army (-14)
- Moneylines: Army (-800); Louisiana Tech (+500)
- Over/under: 44.5
How to watch Louisiana Tech vs. Army in the Independence Bowl
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 28
- Time: 9:15 p.m. ET
- TV: ESPN
- Stream: Fubo
- Where: Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
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