Today we’d like to introduce you to Disha Mistri.
Hi Disha, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I originally started out as a middle school science teacher. I LOVED teaching and loved my students, but the education system is difficult to stay in for the long term. While teaching, I realized that I loved educating, but I also loved science and medicine. Coincidentally that’s around the same time I learned what a Nurse Practitioner’s role is and I thought it was a perfect fit.
I went on to study at MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston, Massachusetts. I am a Boston native, and I love my hometown, but I am highly allergic to the cold- can’t stand it! So, when I graduated from the Nursing Master’s Program, I moved to San Diego to pursue a position at Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood was an excellent company to work for. I was driven by the mission to help provide access to reproductive health. I learned so much from the company and my peers.
After Planned Parenthood I went on to work at Hanabusa IVF, a fertility clinic that specializes in minimal stimulation IVF. I love my team at Hanabusa and I still work with them as a per diem provider, but I realized while working at Hanabusa that the problems with the fertility world were bigger than what I could solve at my role in my center. That’s when I decided to establish my own clinic.
OM Fertility was established in December of 2021.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Overall, the universe has been very kind to me. I believe in synchronicity and in my life, it has proven to be true.
While working at Planned Parenthood, I had gotten married and then was trying to get pregnant. While being an abortion provider was incredibly rewarding and women need and deserve the right to choose, at the time while I was struggling to conceive, I was also having an internal battle with my line of work and grieving my inability to conceive naturally.
It was right around that time when I was offered the position at Hanabusa IVF. I wanted to learn more about women’s health, every aspect of it, so fertility seemed like a perfect next step.
After some time at Hanabusa, I wanted to know what IVF felt like, the scientist in me wanted to know so that I could explain to my patients. It also was for personal reasons. Infertility was eating at my emotional reserve and my marriage. No one talks about the emotional toll of infertility. Even in the months that I was not attempting to conceive, just seeing my monthly cycle was reminder enough that I still was not pregnant.
When I originally sought the help of a medical provider, I left my OBGYN’s office in tears. I was not ready to reach out again. At Hanabusa IVF, I felt comfortable with my doctor, who was also my teacher and my mentor, so it was a safe step in the right direction.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about OM Fertility?
OM Fertility was an idea that has been brewing in my mind for many years. Was brought to reality due to the kindness and generosity of Nikki Helms, the owner of the San Diego Community Birth Center.
Nikki offered to share her space and allowed me to open up my practice within her birth center. That’s the first thing that makes OM Fertility unique- its location.
Almost all of the other fertility centers in San Diego are located in North County, which for some folk’s geography alone makes them inaccessible. OM Fertility is conveniently located downtown, right outside of Balboa Park on the corner of Fourth Street and Olive Street.
Within the birth center, Nikki has also welcomed 2 other providers- an Acupuncturist and a lactation consultant. Within this birth center, we are a one-stop-shop for a person’s fertility journey.
At OM Fertility we acknowledge that the other major barrier to fertility treatment is time. Most fertility centers operate from 8 to 5, typically the same hours when their clients are working. At OM Fertility we offer weekend and evening hours at no additional cost.
The other key item that sets us apart is our approach to medical treatment. Our clients always speak directly with the provider. Communication can be via text message, email, phone call, in person, or video chat, but always directly with the provider. This helps foster a trusting relationship and helps folks fully understand their fertility process.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Obviously, the #1 goal of a practice like mine is getting the patient pregnant. However, even if they do not get pregnant, my goal is to teach them and empower them so that they feel prepared to either continue their fertility journey with me or independently or with another provider. My goal is for my patients to not need me.
Bad for business of course, but ultimately my goal is to make this process for them as least traumatic as possible.
Pricing:
- Initial Consultation is FREE
- IUI packages start at $500
- Diagnostic ultrasound $200
- Fertility treatments start at $200
Contact Info:
- Website: www.omfertility.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omfertility/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fertilityplanning/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/om-fertility-san-diego
