Mercy dedicates new FertilityCare Services clinic

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
December15, 2005

Mercy Medical Center-Sioux City hosted a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony on Dec. 8 for the Mercy FertilityCare Services.

Mercy FertilityCare Services, a specialized clinic at Mercy Medical Center, is making use of revolutionary research to offer professional services to Siouxland couples hoping to achieve or avoid pregnancy.

During the ceremony, John Brehany, director of admission services and director of the FertilityCare Services Clinic at Mercy Medical Center, introduced Mari Kaptain-Dahlen, interim president of Mercy Medical Center. She offered a few words about the clinic.

She welcomed everyone present including staff, community guests and Msgr. Roger Augustine, diocesan administrator for the Diocese of Sioux City.

"This is a great occasion to be able to dedicate our new fertility clinic and also to talk about the services that we have," said Kaptain-Dahlen. "Mercy has long been recognized as a leader in health care and for providing innovative health care services in this community. It also has a long history of providing services associated with women's health."

She explained that the FertilityCare Clinic is a good example of access to a unique service, not only for women but also for families.

"We look forward to having an expanded space that will allow our community clients to come in and have new resources and new opportunities," said Kaptain-Dahlen.

Dr. Jonathan Taylor, the program's medical director, was then introduced. Kaptain-Dahlen noted that Mercy is privileged "to have him be a leader in this area for us."

"FertilityCare Services is a new service in that it takes research from the last three decades and uses it to help in women's and couples' understanding of fertility to either avoid pregnancy or achieve pregnancy," said Dr. Taylor. "It has an effectiveness rate of over 99 percent."

Certified as a "Center of Excellence" by the American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals, Mercy FertilityCare Services teaches an all-natural system of understanding and monitoring a woman's fertility and gynecological health using the Creighton Model FertilityCare System. Underlying health issues identified by the Creighton Model System can be addressed by NaProTechnology, a new science using natural procreative technologies.

Mary Egan and Donna Vondrak, certified FertilityCare practitioners, will serve in the clinic as teachers and instructors in helping women and couples understand and appreciate their fertility. A component of the services is an acronym called SPICE.

"It is an acronym for the words spiritual, personal, intellectual, creative/communicative and emotional aspects of all of us as human beings," said Vondrak. "In our office we provide a form called the SPICE index. A couple can use this form to figure out their levels in all of the areas. I view this as a bonus, in a way, to the wonderful health aspect this is for women."

Brehany then introduced Msgr. Augustine to give a blessing on the clinic. Brehany noted that whenever Mercy starts a new service or endeavor they try to have a blessing.

"We know that God is very much concerned with the lives and needs of all people," prayed Msgr. Augustine. "In a very special way this clinic provides care and concern, especially for women and couples. We ask God's blessing upon those gathered here, those who are instrumental in providing this facility, as well as those who will be working to assist people who come to receive this benefit, this concern, this care and this love for all of us."

Following the blessing, Dr. Taylor stepped forward to cut the ribbon, which officially ended the dedication ceremony.

The clinic's offices are located in Suite 340 on the third floor of the Central Medical Building in downtown Sioux City.

For more information about Mercy FertilityCare Services, call (712) 279-2048.