Never Say Never

After Overcoming Infertility, the Sia Family Adds a New Member

When Bernard Sia was in first grade, he faced one of the scariest diagnoses a person can have. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor in the pituitary gland.

It was determined to be non-cancerous, and he underwent treatment from first through ninth grade, but the tumor was causing precocious puberty, which is a condition in which a child's body begins puberty too early.

By the time he was in ninth grade, the tumor was showing signs of growth and doctors determined it needed to be removed surgically.

The surgery was successful, despite one significant side effect: his pituitary gland was no longer producing testosterone.

Because he was 15 years old, his body needed testosterone to continue maturing. He began receiving testosterone replacement therapy, which lasted until the end of puberty. The years following seemed completely normal, and Bernard went about his day-to-day life as an adult male.

Along the way, he fell in love with a woman who would later become his wife. Bernard and Lulu Sia married in 2013, and not long afterward, decided they would like to expand their family. After trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant for a several years, Bernard and Lulu underwent fertility testing.

Lulu’s tests came back normal. Bernard’s were a different story.

A Side Effect Discovered Years Later

Because of the condition with his pituitary gland, his body was not producing the hormones necessary to produce sperm cells.

“My wife and I were excited to become parents,” Bernard said. “When we realized there was a fertility issue, we were both heartbroken because we weren’t sure whether it would be possible.”

Becoming a father was important to them, and that’s when they sought the help of urologist and reproductive medicine specialist Ali Dabaja, M.D. Dr. Dabaja met with Bernard and Lulu to discuss treatment options.

“After learning about the available options, Bernard decided to proceed with hormonal treatment to help kick start sperm production, which was dormant all those years,” Dr. Dabaja said. “As many men who struggle with infertility have experienced, the treatment was very effective for him.”

A Dream Come True

In the late spring of 2017, Bernard and Lulu were ecstatic to learn some incredible news: Lulu was pregnant. In December 2017, their daughter, Luna Sia, was born. To Bernard and Lulu, the birth of their daughter was truly a miracle.

“Luna being born was the happiest moment of our lives,” Bernard said. “We are so thankful to have our family. We can’t thank Dr. Dabaja enough for his help and making this possible.”

To learn more about the Sia family’s story, check out the video below