Infertility

What it Feels Like


This material was prepared by Ferre Institute, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the health of individuals and families by providing information and education on genetics, infertility, environmental exposures, and family health history.

I want to share my feelings about infertility with you, because I want you to understand my struggle.
I know that understanding infertility is difficult; there are times when it seems even I don’t understand. This struggle has provoked intense and unfamiliar feelings in me and I fear that my reactions to these feelings might be misunderstood. I hope my ability to cope and your ability to understand will improve as I share my feelings with you. I want you to understand.

You may describe me this way: obsessed, moody, helpless, depressed, envious, too serious, obnoxious, aggressive, antagonistic, and cynical. These aren't very admirable traits; no wonder your understanding of my infertility is difficult. I prefer to describe me this way: confused, rushed and impatient, afraid, isolated and alone, guilty and ashamed, angry, sad and hopeless, and unsettled.

My Infertility makes me feel confused. I always assumed I was fertile. I’ve spent years avoiding pregnancy and now it seems ironic that I can’t conceive. I hope this will be a brief difficulty with a simple solution such as poor timing. I feel confused about whether I want to be pregnant or whether I want to be a parent. Surely if I try harder, try longer, try better and smarter, I will have a baby.

My infertility makes me feel rushed and impatient. I learned of my infertility only after I’d been trying to become pregnant for some time. My life-plan suddenly is behind schedule. I waited to become a parent and now I must wait again.  I wait for medical appointments, wait for tests, wait for treatments, wait for other treatments, wait for my period not to come, wait for my partner not to be out of town, and wait for pregnancy. At best, I have only twelve opportunities each year. How old will I be when I finish having my family?

My Infertility makes me feel afraid. Infertility is full of unknowns, and I’m frightened because I need some definite answers. How long will this last? What if I’m never a parent? What humiliation must I endure? What pain must I suffer? Why do the drugs I take to help me, make me feel worse? Why can’t my body do the things that my mind wants it to do? Why do I hurt so much? I’m afraid of my feelings, afraid of my undependable body, and afraid of my future.

My infertility makes me feel isolated and alone. Reminders of babies are everywhere. I must be the only one enduring this invisible curse. I stay away from others, because everything makes me hurt. No one knows how horrible my pain is. Even though I’m usually a clear thinker, I find myself being lured by superstitions and promises. I think I’m losing perspective. I feel so alone and I wonder if I’ll survive this.

My infertility makes me feel guilty and ashamed. Frequently I forget that infertility is a medical problem and should be treated as one. Infertility destroys my self esteem and I feel like a failure.Why am I being punished? What did I do to deserve this? Am I not worthy of a baby? Am I not a good sexual partner? Will my partner want to remain with me? Is this the end of my family lineage? Will my family be ashamed of me? It is easy to lose self-confidence and feel ashamed.

My infertility makes me feel angry. Everything makes me angry, and I know much of my anger is misdirected. I’m angry at my body because it has betrayed me even thought I’ve always taken care of it. I’m angry at my partner because we can’t seem to feel the same about infertility at the same time. I want and need an advocate to help me.

I’m angry at my family because they’ve always sheltered and protected me from terrible pain. My younger sibling is pregnant; my mother wants a family reunion to show off her grandchildren and my grandparents want to pass down family heirlooms. I’m angry at my medical caregivers, because it seems that they control my future. They humiliate me, inflict pain on me, pry into my privacy, patronize me, and sometimes forget who I am. How can I impress on them how important parenting is to me?

I’m angry at my expenses; infertility treatment is extremely expensive. My financial resources may determine my family size. My insurance company isn’t cooperative , and I must make so many sacrifices to pay the medical bills. I can’t go to a specialist, because it means more travel time, more missed work, and greater expenses. Finally, I’m angry at everyone else. Everyone has opinions about my inability to become a parent. Everyone has easy solutions. Everyone seems to know too little and say too much.

My Infertility makes me feel sad and hopeless. Infertility feels like I’ve lost my future, and no one knows of my sadness. I feel hopeless; infertility robs me of my energy. I’ve never cried so much nor so easily. I’m sad that my infertility places my marriage under so much strain. I’m sad that my infertility requires me to be so self-centered. I’m sad that I've ignored any friendships because this struggle hurts so much and demands so much energy. Friends with children prefer the company of other families with children. I’m surrounded by babies, pregnant women, playgrounds, baby showers, birth stories, kids’ movies, birthday parties, and much more. I feel so sad and hopeless.

My infertility makes me feel unsettled. My life is on hold. Making decisions about my immediate and my long-term future seems impossible. I can’t decide about education, career, purchasing a home, pursuing a hobby, getting a pet, vacations, business trips and house guests. The more I struggle with my infertility, the less control I have. This struggle has no timetable; the treatments have no guarantees. The only sure things are that I need to be near my partner at fertile times and near my doctor at treatment times. Should I pursue adoption? Should I take expensive drugs? Should I pursue more specialized and costly medical intervention? It feels unsettling to have no clear, easy answers or guarantees.

Occasionally I feel my panic subside. I’m learning some helpful ways to cope; I’m now convinced I’m not crazy, and I believe I’ll survive. I’m learning to listen to my body and be assertive, not aggressive, about my needs. I’m realizing that good medical care and good emotional care are not necessarily found in the same place. I’m trying to be more than an infertile person gaining enthusiasm, joyfulness, and zest for life.


Ferre Institute, Inc.
124 Front Street
Binghamton, NY 13905
Phone: 607-724-4308
Fax: 607-724-8290
www.ferre.org

Why Do Fertility Treatments Cost So Much???

An average fresh IVF cycle using your
own eggs and your husband's sperm
costs $14,000 - $17,000! Each time
you do it!
Some insurances cover it and some
do not.

If you need donor "anything",
your insurance may cover
it or they may not cover
a thing and then you are
expected to pay out of pocket!

Isn't it bad enough that you are
having so many problems getting
pregnant?  And then to top it off,
you finally go for fertility
treatments and find out it will cost
you an arm and a leg (not that you
wouldn't give a limb to get
pregnant!)

How the hell is that fair?
Is it fair that you have no eggs
or your eggs are too old
or your husband has no sperm?
Is it fair that you physically cannot
carry a pregnancy?

Isn't enough that you have been
on the "trying to make a baby"
merry-go-round with countless
months and years of
disappointment?

How are people supposed
to come up with that kind
of money?

Yeah, celebrities do it (and
pretend they don't)
but they make ridiculous
salaries.

Instead of happily shopping for
baby clothes, nursery furniture,
awesome toys and signing up for
all those "wish list" items on
your baby registry you have to make
a freaking decision such as "should I buy
a house or should I 'buy'
a pregnancy????

No one should have to make a
decision like that..............

If insurance pays for birth control,
abortions, Viagra, difficult pregnancies
and neonatal care, they should have
to pay for reproductive technology.
Otherwise that is discrimination
against women who cannot get
pregnant in the conventional way.

Excellent Article To Help Parents Explain the Story of their Donor Conception


PEDIATRIC NURSING/May-June 2012/Vol. 38/No. 3 

 The Child’s Advocate in Donor
Conceptions: The Telling of the Story
by Kris A. Probasco


Traditionally, to create a child, there is a joining of
a woman’s egg and a man’s sperm via sexual intercourse.
When, by choice or by happenstance, this
process is not available, modern persons have
access to additional methods. These methods stem from the
donation of materials originating in others, a donated egg,
donated sperm, or more recently, a donated fertilized
frozen embryo. The donations range from easily obtained
material (sperm) to complexly obtained material (eggs) to
material created via a large sum of money and effort by the
donors (embryo) (see Figure 1).  As in traditional adoption,
the donor procedure of creating a child involves a minimum
of two parties, one in whom the gamete material was
created and one who accepts this material to obtain a child.


Figure 1.
Definitions
Donated Egg: Transfer of preovulatory oocytes from voluntary
donor to a suitable host. Oocytes are collected through an invasive
procedure, fertilized in vitro, and transferred to the host.
Donated Sperm: Collection of ejaculated sperm from voluntary
donor used to fertilize egg in human host or in vitro.
Donated Embryo: Embryo that has been created through in
vitro fertilization in excess of what was used by the gestating
woman. Often frozen for further use, recent trend to donate for
adoption by others.

The history of donor conception dates back to 1884,
when the first case of donor insemination was documented.
At that time, physicians were using their own sperm for
conception (Snowden, 1983). The first documented case of
egg donation was in 1983 (Buster et al., 1983), and embryo
placement and adoption began in 1997 (“Embryo adoption
becoming the rage,” 2009). Donor conceptions are provided
for couples with male or female infertility, individuals
who have a genetic disorder they do not want to pass on to
a child, second marriages where there was a vasectomy in
the first marriage, single women, and the lesbian and gay
population. Estimates are that thousands of children are
born by donor conception each year in the United States,
more than the number of infants placed in traditional
adoptions.
This article suggests the assistance families will need in
sharing the stories of their children’s beginnings with
them. This author believes that keeping origins secret can
be detrimental to a child’s mental health, and that open
donation, similar to open adoption, is most helpful in the
healthy family system.                                                                                                                          

Preparing for Parenthood
Unlike the traditional method of pregnancy in which
one-third of all pregnancies are unplanned, using donor
material takes some intention. An essential step in the
process is coming to terms with the choice to use donor
material. Parents must accept that this chosen alternative is
different. Grieving the loss of personal ability to create the
genetic offspring, the loss of the biological child or a marriage
or relationship that would create a genetic child is an
important factor in being prepared to parent children
through a donor conception. Mental health therapists have
found through experience as counselors to families that
without preparation of the parents through education and
courses, the losses tend to become the responsibility and
burden of the child. Mental health therapists believe a child
should be born into a family without having to cure the situation
that brought donor conception to the family. For
many, a history of infertility has preceded the decision for
a donor conception. Acknowledgement and acceptance of
all losses connected to the infertility struggle is a part of
parenting preparation.
     For couples planning to parent a child by donor conception,
it is vital that both individuals emotionally accept the
decision for a donor. The infertile couple needs assistance
from others to make the conception medically possible.
The nature vs. nurture debate has been illuminated by years
of adoption research (Bouchard, Lykken, McGue, Segal, &
Tellegan, 1989) that who we become is approximately 50%
nature and 50% nurture. Those who choose sperm or egg
donation must accept the significance of the genetic component                                                           in their child’s life. For an embryo placement, the
child’s complete genetics are connected to another family.
Thus, it is important that parents learn as much as they can
about the donors they are ‘inviting into their home,’ accept
that another person or family is helping to conceive the
child, and that the child may have life-long genetic, social,
and emotional connections to that family.
     Earlier in my career as a social worker in the infertility
and donor world, there was very little information, if any,
provided regarding the anonymous donors. Sperm and eggs
came privately or with very basic medical information. This
has now changed. Resources are now available to select a
donor’s genetic material based on social, psychological, and
medical information, including pictures, videos, and audio
tapes, and identified donors who can be available for medical
emergency and as social contacts at a later date. In
embryo placement, there are open arrangements so the
genetic family and prospective adoptive family know about
each other and continue to be a resource for both families
as their children grow in understanding their particular stories.


Education
Whether traditional adoption, donor conception, or
embryo placement, education of prospective parents is
mandatory. Educational resources are increasingly available,
including books, children’s books, the Infertility
Network from Canada, and the Donor Sibling Registry (see
Figures 2 and 3). All of these resources have Internet connections
for those in the decision-making process and families
who are parenting children, and also include messages
from those who came to a family by donor conception. It
is important to learn from those who have come before us
so parents can become effective advocates for their children.
     In adoption, it is positive for families to announce their
decision to their family and friends to gain their support.
Because a donor conception includes a pregnancy in the
family, the question of whether to go public is more difficult.
While families deserve some privacy regarding personal
decisions, it is well known from family systems theory
that secrets cause problems. From my clinical experience, it
is generally best that couples who are successful with a
donor conception share with family and friends. It benefits
the family to celebrate the unique arrival of this child and
to share in the celebration because this will be a very important
part in the child’s story.

Figure 2.
Readings

Young Children (Ages 3 to 10)
How I Began: The Story of Donor Insemination, by N.S.W.
Infertility Social Workers Group, J. Paul, (Ed.), 1988, Port
Melbourne, Australia: The Fertility Society of Australia.

Let Me Explain: A Story About Donor Insemination, by J.
Schnitter, 1995, Indianapolis, IN: Perspectives Press.

Mommy, Did I Grow in Your Tummy? Where Some Babies
Come From, by E. Gordon, 1992, California: E.M.
Greenberg Press, Inc.

My Story/Our Story, by Donor Conception Network, 2002,
London: Donor Conception Network.

Phoebe’s Family: A Story about Egg Donation, by L. Stamm,
2010, Niskayuna, NY: Graphite Press.

Sometimes It Takes 3 to Make a Baby: Explaining Egg
Donation to Young Children, by K. Bourne, 2002,
Melbourne, Australia: Melbourne IVF.

The Family Book, by T. Parr, 2003, New York: Little, Brown &
Co.

Before You Were Born, Our Wish for a Baby, by J. Grimes,
2004, Webster, IA: X, Y, and Me.
 
Older Children (12 and Older)

Behind Closed Doors: Moving Beyond Secrecy and Shame,
by M. Marrissette, 2006, New York: Be-Mondo Publishing
Inc.

Who Am I? Experiences of Donor Conception, by A.
McWhinnie, 2006, Warwickshire, UK: Idreos Education
Trust.
 
Nurses and Parents

Building a Family with the Assistance of Donor Insemination,
by K. Daniels, 2004, Wellington, New Zealand: Dunmore
Press.

Choosing to be Open about Donor Conception: Experiences
of Parents, by S. Pettle and J. Burns, 2002, London: Donor Conception Network.

Experience of Donor Conception: Parents, Offspring &
Donors through the Years, by C. Lorbach, 2003, London:
Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Families Following Assisted Conception: What Do We Tell our
Child? by A. McWhinnie, 1996, Dundee, UK: University
of Dundee.

Telling and Talking About Donor Conception: A Guide for
Parents, by Donor Conception Network, 2006. London:
Donor Conception Network.

Third Party Assisted Conception Across Cultures: Social,
Legal & Ethical Perspectives, by E. Blyth and R. Landau,
2003, London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Truth & the Child 10 Years On: Information Exchange in
Donor Assisted Conception, edited by E. Blyth, M.
Crawshaw, and J. Speirs, 1998, Birmingham, UK: British
Association of Social Workers.

Lethal Secrets, The Psychology of Donor Insemination
Problems and Solutions, by A. Baron and R. Pannor,
2008, Las Vegas, NV: Triadoption Publications .

Mommies, Daddies, Donors, Surrogates: Answering Tough
Questions and Building Strong Families, by D. Ehrensaft,
2005, New York: Guilford Press.

Note: Many of these publications are available through the
Infertility Network (www.InfertilityNetwork.org).


Figure 3.
Web Sites of Interest


The Donor Sibling Registry
www.donorsiblingregistry.com

Infertility Network
www.InfertilityNetwork.org

Embryo Adoption Awareness Center
www.embryoadoption.org

Adoptive Families (magazine)
www.adoptivefamilies.com

American Society for Reproductive Medicine
www.asrm.org

Legal Issues

Legal issues with donor conception are evolving. Many
states have legislation regarding sperm donor insemination,
few states have legislation regarding egg donation,
and only one state has legislation regarding embryo placement.
In the Kansas City area, both Kansas and Missouri
have legislation for sperm donation. There is no legislation
for egg donation or embryo placement. In my practice, we
recommend a stepparent adoption in egg donation and a
full adoption for embryo placement with an adoption
decree. Recognizing what legal liabilities are present for a
child born by donor conception in the state of residency
provides for the child’s security.
 
The Child’s Story

Beginning the Story
The basic need of a child brought to any family is a positive
attitude about his or her conception, birth, and family.
Accepting the child as an individual with a unique,
genetic history is a crucial factor for donor conceptions.
The parents’ decision to bring a child into their family by
donor represents the first step for creating a positive story.
As in traditional adoption, it is the parents’ job to tell all
they know regarding their donor conception to help the
child understand. There is an attachment process during
the child’s growing years, which is enhanced by honest stories
about how the child came to be. We want a child/adult
to say they do not remember being told because they
always knew how they came into the family.

Infancy
During the child’s infancy is a time for parents to practice
talking to their child with positive language and feelings.
“We so wanted to be parents. We were meant to be
your parents. We are so happy that we got help. Many people
assisted us in your coming to our family, especially our
donor.” Tone of voice communicates pride, love, and celebration,
explaining, “We have so much to tell you and we
are so excited for you to understand how you came into our
family.” Continue the positive language and talk basically
throughout the child’s growing years.

Early Childhood
Some details can be helpful in the understanding process
for the child in early childhood. Children in this stage are
more aware of the world around them and basically understand
the concept of “family.” By this age, children will be
able to tell you who their family members are and how they
are related to each other. They do this by family experiences
and being exposed to different families.
This is a great time to start reading storybooks, and
many are available. The Web site www.XYandMe.com contains
a series of 16 books that begin and end the same, with
not being able to have a biological child, to the joy of having
a child. The middle section describes the child’s particular
reproduction method for coming to the family.
It is also a good idea to put a beginning book together of
pictures of the child coming home. These pictures should
include parents wanting a child, waiting for a positive pregnancy
test, the clinic where the parents received assistance
or picture of the sperm bank and/or egg facility, the doctor’s
office, pictures of the donor and/or genetic family, and pictures
throughout the pregnancy and birth. This book will
start the child from his or her beginning, which includes
the parents’ decision, individuals from whom they received
assistance, and the helper/donor who gave his or her genetics
for the child’s life. For a known donor situation, actual
pictures of the family member, friend, or extended family
can also be provided in the book. The message is clear, that
“we wanted to have children in our family, we worked really
hard for our children to arrive, and we accepted and celebrated
the assistance of many people.”
     This is also a time to look for opportunities to point
things out to children as they learn about the world around
them. For example, “This is a fire station, where firemen
help people when they are in an emergency.” “This is
where we went when we needed help for you to come into
our family.” “This is the hospital where you were born.”
Showing the child these places provides images and concrete
facts along the way. This is also an excellent time to
be talking to the child about the many ways that children
come into a family. Todd Parr (2003) has authored many
books about families and the importance of the love they
share with each other.

Middle Childhood
During the middle years, as in adoptions, children have
many questions. These can occur when driving the car, seeing
a pregnant woman, or standing in line at a grocery
store. Parents are wise to “go with the flow” in terms of
these questions. Parents do well to keep the conversations
active in bringing up the subject from time to time. The
healthy message is that this is a comfortable subject to talk
about, and it is okay to ask questions. Girls tend to ask questions
earlier than boys. As children move into the questions
of how babies are made, more factual information can be
shared. Generally during this time, the “ah-ha” moments
will occur, and children will figure out what “donor” actually
means and then understand this genetic connection to
another.
Sex education received from parents and schools is now
starting to make more sense: They have inherited genes
from the donor and may now begin to question who their
‘real” parent(s) are. The questions “What is real?” and
“Who is real?” come into their thoughts. The realization of
who they are and who their identity is to become is not a
shock because of all the early telling. However, there is
some sadness when children actually understand that one
or both of their parents is not genetically connected to
them.
During this time, the child will ask lots of questions, and
the parents will provide them with information. It is best to
share most of this information before the adolescent years.
In this way, children can put the puzzle pieces together as
they work on identify formation. In our experience, girls
are more likely to ask lots of questions; boys tend not to
want to be different and may not display curiosity. All
extremes are possible from not wanting to talk about it to
talking about it frequently.
The best parental stance is to keep the communication
lines open and answer questions with as much factual
information as possible. If the child asks a question about
the donor, and the parent does not have the information,
it is best to have empathy for the child and say, “I wish I
could answer that question. If I were you, I would want to
know, too.” In an open, identified donor or a known donor
situation, it may be helpful to write the questions down so
the value of the child’s curiosity is validated. The parent can
assure the children these questions can be asked of the
donor.

Adolescence
As children move into their teenage years, they will
learn about science, reproduction, and deoxyribonucleic
acid (DNA) in school. For some children, this will simply be
academic information. However, donor children will identify
these scientific concepts with themselves. In teenage
years, everything is fair game for challenges and questions.
Most adults remember when, as adolescents, they thought,
“Parents don’t really know anything. I am so different from
them.” The psychological task in adolescent years, as discussed
by Erikson (1968), is to individuate, to become a person
with individualized needs, tasks, and freedoms. Teens
want to find out how they are similar and different from
their parents and how they became a unique individual.
Donor-conceived children also have to figure out how they
are similar and different from the genetic donor. These
questions will often challenge the non-genetic parents’
authority, which may produce anxiety for parents. The adolescent
may say things like “You are not my real parents.”
It is best for parents to understand the teenager’s quest for
identity without becoming defensive. Parents need to continue
to distinguish between the facts of the teen’s conception
from the normal responsibilities of parenting.
A teenager who now chooses to share information with
his or her peers may cause concern for parents because not
everyone will understand (or approve of) how the child
came to their family. This is a very fine detail because parents
want to ensure their teen has pride in him or herself.
Some parents might have chosen to maintain more privacy
about the methods used for conception. The child, however,
is really in charge of who is told, and there may be some
surprises along the way.

Summary

Parents who use donor gametes should feel firm and
entitled to say they are this child’s parents. Health care
providers (doctors, nurses, and social workers) must help
these parents. Their decision to bring a child into the world
creates continuous consequences for the whole family. The
parents’ responsibility is to attach, parent, and educate, and
the child’s responsibility is to ask questions to form an
identity and find ways to feel secure about the individual
he or she is becoming. Participating as the child’s advocate
presents many joys and celebrations, as well as many challenges.
Pediatric nurses can help families resolve infertility
issues and obtain education about donor conception. This
advocacy provides the freedom for parents to be proud of
their decision, attach to the process, and rejoice for the
child who comes to their family. This is a true blessing for
everyone.





Kris A. Probasco. LSCSW, LCSW is Executive Director,
Adoption & Fertility Resources, A Division of Clinical Counseling Associates, Inc.,
Liberty, MO, and Overland Park, KS.
Author’s Note: I would like to dedicate this article to my mentors,
Annette Baron (author of The Adoption Triangle and Lethal Secrets)
and Sharon Kaplan Rozia (author of The Open Adoption Experience).
Annette and Sharon have taught me to speak the truth and to encourage
parents to speak the truth to their children for the benefit of their
children.

References
Bouchard, T.J., Jr., Lykken, D.T., McGue, M., Segal, N.L., & Tellegan, A.
(1990). Sources of human psycological differences: The
Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart. Science 250(4978), 223-
228.
Buster, J.E., Bustillo, M., Thorneycroft, I.H., Simon, J.A., Boyers, S.P.,
Marshall, J.R., ... Louw, J.A. (1983) Non-surgical transfer of an invivo
fertilized donated ovum to an infertility patient. The Lancet,
1(8328), 816-817.
“Embryo adoption becoming the rage.” (2009, April 19). The
Washington Times. Retrieved from http://www.washingtontimes.
com/news/2009/apr/19/embryo-adoption-becoming-rage/
Erikson, E. (1968). The stages of psychosocial development. New York:
Norton.
Parr, T. (2003). The family book. New York: Little, Brown & Co.
Snowden, R., Mitchell, G.D., & Snowden, E.M. (1983). Artificial reproduction:
A social investigation. London: George Allen & Unwin.

Even after all these years...........

It has been 15 (!!) years since I did IVF
and 12 years since my hysterectomy.

Quite frequently, even after all this time,
my husband will say, "If we would have
had a child........" and then go on to say
something about how we would have
raised him/her.

It is very annoying to me that I have
to be reminded over and over that we
did not have a child together.  When I
tell him it hurts me when he says that, he
apologizes and says he doesn't mean to
bring it up.

I guess I am just overly sensitive and feel
like I am still being blamed because we
didn't have a child, even after all I (we)
went through to make it happen.

Sometimes I think to myself,
"Doesn't this infertility issue EVER
go away??"

I guess not.

Once infertile, always infertile.
You would think that both he and
I would be over it by now. 

I have no words of wisdom on
how to"forget" the world of
infertility and the pain
and anguish it causes
couples.  Just shove
it down somewhere in your
brain and hope it doesn't
surface too often. 

They say that time lessens
the pain.  I am not so sure
about that. 

Ultrasounds and Sara

Anyone who has ever had
infertility treatments knows
the importance of ultrasounds.

These aren't the "usual"
ultrasounds with the gel and
full bladder.

Oh no...these have to be
just a little more uncomfortable
and embarassing.

These ultrasounds are done
with a vaginal probe.

Now, don't get me wrong.
As an IVF nurse, I know
how important they are.

Ultrasounds show many things:

antral follicle counts - which help to predict ovarian reserve
size of follicles - to determine when to go to retrieval or have an insemination
C-section scarring
empty gestational sac - HATE that ultrasound
ectopic pregnancy - HATE that one too!

And the best one....
growing little embryos :)   LOVE that ultrasound!

Sara is an excellent ultrasound technician.
She is one of the most compassionate people I know.
You will want her there whether it is good or bad because
she will give you the most hope and the most comfort.

Our clinic is great in that it allows the ultrasonographer
the liberty of telling the patient what is going on - good or bad - without
having to wait those few minutes for the physician.

I have seen Sara many times help couples cope through a bad
ultrasound.  She doesn't run out of the room to get the doctor.
She stays, she explains and she sends someone else to get the
doctor!  

Thank you Sara! 



Dr. "D"

Dr. "D" is a kind
and gentle doctor.
In fact, he always
says that "gentle" is his
middle name.
And he is right.

He looks like
Harry Potter, and
he loves to read.


I think that Dr. "D"
has been just about
everywhere and has
done everything!
If you've been
somewhere, he has
been there too or
he has a story about the
place.

He is a walking hormone
encyclopedia. And he
can quote just about every
study that's been published.

He served our country in
Vietnam. A flight surgeon.
I think the memories of that war
have scarred him.  He hates to fly
after all those years in a helicopter
and will drive whenever possible. 

Dr. D is the best when it comes to
IVF.  He is smart and gentle and
kind and if you ever have a chance
for him to be your physician, you will
be a lucky woman.

Mother's Day

One of the hardest days
of the year.

As far as I'm concerned,
it's all the "potential"
mothers who need the applause,
cards, gifts and flowers.

It's the women struggling
with infertility that deserve
a day, a week, a month dedicated
to their struggle.

Unfortunately, it's a topic
no one wants to talk about.

The fertile don't want to
know or hear about the plight
of the infertile.

It's one of the "unfairness
of life" ordeals that no one
can explain or find a reason
or purpose for...most of all the
couples going through it.

So to all those women who are
crying today and avoiding church
and wishing the day would go away..
I've thought about you today and
understand your pain and want you
to know that it's just a 24 hour
deal and tomorrow is another
day.

IVF and War

She came to the clinic
for her first appointment
along with her husband.

She cried and cried.

He was leaving for war
in a week.

He was macho and composed
as all men are when they are
going off to "fight."
OO-Rah

At the end of the appointment
the nurse didn't know what to say.

What can you say to someone
who is essentially a
stranger, but may never
return from war??
Take care? Good luck?
Hope you'll be OK?
See you later??
All she could manage
was "Be safe."

The wife was going to
do IVF without him.
Go through her first
cycle alone.

It's incredible that
she would want to get
pregnant and possibly
be a single parent.

Whenever she came to the clinic
the nurse gave her TLC.
The nurse went up to the procedure
area the morning of her
retrieval, so she would
see a familiar face.

She was tearful.
When she was waking up
she was crying. She
wanted her husband.
The staff wanted him to be
there too.

In spite of all
her effort,
she didn't get pregnant.
She suffered alone,
without him.

While he was fighting
a war, she was fighting
for her fertility.

What a terrible thing
war is.

What a terrible thing
infertility is.

She deserved a medal
for bravery and courage
to endure it.

The ending was happy.
Although the war
wasn't over,
her husband came home.
She got pregnant on her
own.

She won the fight..

In spite of a war and
IVF, she delivered a
healthy baby.

Thank you God.

The new Mothers in my life

I am now concentrating on a
different type of mother...

We bought 3 pregnant cows and
waiting for them to deliver is
driving me crazy!

They are supposed to deliver
in March / April
However, 3 weeks ago we had
a boy!!

Now there are two more to go.
I've been home the past 5
days. I am sitting in the sunroom
studying for my college classes and
looking out the window every 5
minutes.

I'm watching the little one like a
hawk, although so is his mother!
I'm constantly looking at the
other 2 mothers to see if I can
tell if they are going into labor.

I've never owned cows and
wouldn't know how to tell if
they are laboring except
for what I've read on the internet.

It's making me so nervous!

But even the birth of a calf is
such a miracle.

I wonder if cows are ever
infertile????

Behind Closed Doors

I just finished reading the new
book "Behind Closed Doors."
It was published by Mikki
Morrisette in cooperation
with the Donor Sibling Registry.

It is a book that tells the story
of donor conception from the
side of the donor, the donor conceived
child and the parents of those
children.

I read it in one sitting.
It was sad and insightful and
truthful.

Conceiving a child with the
use of donor gametes creates
so many feelings and touches
more than the parent and the
child.

The feelings range from joy,
excitement, fear, guilt, longing,
shame, love, understanding, anger,
jealousy, and acceptance.

If you know anyone that has
used donor gametes or third
party reproduction, this is an
excellent book for them to read.

I think it should also be a mandatory book
for health professionals involved in the
reproductive endocrinology field.

It really opened my eyes to all
the consequences that evolve from
these forms of assisted reproduction.

I appreciate all the people
who put their feelings out there
for the public to view.
Good job everyone!

go away guilt

I'm sick of it.
I'm sick of feeling
guilty for something
that is beyond my control.

Other people lay the
guilt on.
Like my FIL
who makes comments
about us not having
a baby.
He once was in a
baby store while
my MIL was buying
a gift for a friend.
The salesperson asked
if the gift was for their
grandchild.
My FIL said:
"I wish"

Oh the guilt
and the pain.
My DH is an
only child.
No child for him.
No grandchild for
them.

I tried. I suffered
through multiple
IUI's and IVF.
I was poked, prodded
and exposed to all
the mean things that
the GYN Dr. could offer.

And still it didn't happen.

Most of the time
I can blow the guilt away.
But some days, it hangs over
me like a dark cloud.

I want to be defined by
my other achievements,
not by whether I was
fertile.
Doesn't it matter that I
have a college education?
A good job? That I
wrote and published
children's books? That I ran
a 5K? That I serve on the
board of directors for an
infertility support organization?
That I was published in a
Canadian infertility magazine?
That I worked twenty years
in an Emergency Room and
helped save many lives?

How can all those things be
treated as trivial? Why is
"infertile" how I am
defined?

Guilt go away.
I have to study for
my college class, I have
to send out some books
I've sold, I have to go
to work in the IVF Clinic
and try and help someone else
achieve a pregnancy, so
they don't have to feel the
guilt that comes with the
failure to achieve a
pregnancy.
Go away guilt. I'm too busy
moving on with my life.

Two IS A Family

Sometimes, when we
are struggling with infertility
and under a mountain of pain,
it is hard to remember that we
have a partner. Someone we
promised to love, honor and
cherish.
Someone we married to become
a family.

When the holidays roll around,
so much of the world is focused on
toys and Santa and children.
It is then we need to get closer to
our partner and remember why
we fell in love and what the good
parts of our relationship are.

By remembering that "two is a
family" we will be able to cope better and
maybe., just next year, it will
be three.....

What to do if you find yourself infertile

I guess the title is a little
misleading.
This post isn't about medical treatments
or doctors.
It's about still feeling good about
yourself in spite of all the pain.

I decided to take some of my
anger and pain and go back
to school.

I once had a counselor say to me
"Take all this angry energy and go
get your PhD."
(wise woman!)
Well, I'm not getting my PhD, but I am
going back to college.

Believe me, returning to college
after 20 years, takes your mind
TOTALLY off infertility!
In fact, your head is spinning so
fast, you won't even have a
moment to yourself!
You won't have one minute to
obsess, think about your period,
do any medical treatments,
or keep up with your blog
posts!

So, I haven't gone away,
I haven't forgotten
about my blog or any of you.
I'm just taking my angry energy
and going back to college!

I'll still be posting between
class, tests and breaks!

A way to provide comfort

I went to an infertility support meeting.
A new couple was there.
Their pain was palpable.
Us "old" timers told our story
and they briefly told theirs.

The wife cried and expressed
all the feelings we have had:
jealousy over others who can get
pregnant, fear that her husband will
leave her because she may not be able
to give him a child, mad at God,
feeling ashamed that she is so angry,
hating baby showers and Mother's
Day at church.

She wanted us to tell her when it
would be over. She wanted to know
if she remained childless, how long it
would take her to accept it.

We weren't able to answer her question.
We could only assure her it was normal
to feel all the things she was feeling.
It was acceptable to give herself permission
not to attend baby showers. It was OK
to skip church on Mother's Day. She was
not alone.

I don't know if it helped. I hope so.
The struggle with infertility is so
painful and unfair and emotional.
I hope she can find a little peace
as she continues on her journey.

Goodbye Dr. Craig


Dr. Craig is moving on to
bigger and better things.

A new and important
job. We will still see his
smiling face, but he will
no longer be running our
program.

He leaves behind an
ambivalent IVF staff.
We are happy and proud
of him. We wish him all the
best in his new position.
But we mourn the loss of his
friendship, medical expertise,
kindness, immense knowledge
of IVF and his humor.

He leaves behind a population
of happy patients. Patients
who never would have become
parents without him.

He started our IVF program in 1987.
Over the years, through
his leadership, we have grown
and progressed and created many
lives along the way.

He is our "Yoda."
In the Star Wars Universe,
Yoda is the wisest,
most revered
and the most powerful of the
Jedi Masters.
Dr. Craig is our wisest and most
revered master of IVF.

We are sad to see him go
but know he touched not
only the lives of his patients,
but also the staff who worked
with him.

How do you know when you've had enough?

How do you know when you're
through with infertility treatments?

How do you know when to stop?

When I first started on the
journey down infertility road,
I said "I will never do IVF. It's
too invasive."

Never say never!

Eight inseminations later and
at age 41, there I was in the
IVF clinic.

I only had a 10% chance of
conceiving.
10 % !!!

I thought I could beat the odds.
I kept thinking "If Christie Brinkley
can do it, so can I!"
(That's a whole other story now
isn't it?)

Anyway...........
I didn't beat the odds.
We were offered donor eggs.
We flatly refused.
Years later, I doubted whether
we had made the right decision
to stop.

Eventually, I had a hysterectomy,
thanks to the terrible monster
called endometriosis.
Even now, years later,
I still feel grief.
I still feel that yearning for the
little baby girl I just KNEW I
would have.
How do you know when you've
had enough?
I have no idea.
You may never know either.

Writing it all down....

Researchers have shown
that writing down your feelings
can help you move on and lay to
rest the upsets, fears and diappointments
in your life.

Some people write a journal.
Some people write poetry.
Some people blog.

I'm afraid to keep a journal.
It's not something I would
want anyone to read.
I'm not very good at
poetry (although I have never
really tried it.)
So I blog.

I blog to heal from my
own infertility.
I blog in hopes of
helping others.
I blog to put my thoughts
"on paper."

My friend writes poetry
about infertility.
I've read her poems. I feel
her pain and passion and
sense of freedom as she
takes control of her
own life.

Perhaps by writing it down,
we too, can heal, recover,
and regain
the control that infertility
takes from us.

Write On!!

Pets

I have a friend whose
pet lab has lung cancer.
A dog she has had for 15 years.
A dog that gave her comfort, licked her
tears and hovered over her when she
struggled with infertility and
miscarriage.

Somehow, pets know.

I'm so sad for her dog and
for her.
Grief is once again on the
horizen. A grief that she
knows is coming. There
is no hope.

At least with
infertility, there is always a
tiny bit of hope. Even if it
is the size of a grain of sand.

Life is full of sadness.

Tears well as I think of her.

I, too, have dogs that are labs.
Dogs who have licked my tears
and comforted me many times.
I kiss each one and tell them
that I love them.
One of the best things
God made.

After awhile....

After awhile, your quest
for a baby consumes you.
You're searching everywhere
for an answer....for hope....for
a sign that you will get pregnant
someday.

After awhile, you will reach a
point where you will know that
everything happens for a reason and
getting pregnant happens when it is
supposed to.

Try and remember that the sun does
come up every day and that Winter
does turn into Spring.
You can count on that.

Never give up your hope.
Because even though it is cold and
dreary and your period just came.....
Spring is around the corner.

Hold on to the hope that your
period is NOT around the corner
and with Spring
comes new life.

It's almost over

Today is Christmas Day.
In a few hours, the holidays
that you may have dreaded
will be over.

New Year's will be here
and with that, comes the promise
of "out with the old, in with the
new."

The year will be gone and
perhaps will take your
infertility with it!

With the New year, comes the
hope of a new baby, and as
long as you have hope, you
can make it through anything.

Happy New Year to everyone
and may the year bring you the
peace and joy you are looking for.

"Oh the weather outside is frightful" (Not really, but the Holidays are)

It's coming.
That dreaded time of year
for people who are stressed
and angry and sad from the toll that
infertility is taking.

What is a person supposed
to do during this time of
great cheer and Santa Claus?
 Get in bed, cover your head
and come out for the adult
holiday called New Year's Eve?

Sounds like a good idea huh?

Here are a few other, more
realistic things you can do.

*Take a break from treatment. A couple
of weeks or even a month free of
doctors, injections, planned intercourse,
pee sticks, temperature taking, marking
off your cycle days on a calendar, yada, yada,
yada, will not compromise your journey towards
pregnancy.
Give yourself permission to ditch all of
it...... just for a little while.

*Go ahead and go to the office
party, because no one will bring
their children to that!

*Skip the family get together and
go on a vacation to a warm sunny place
or a snowy ski lodge. (whichever is the
opposite of the weather you're having!)

*If you absolutely can't skip the family
stuff, be on your guard and have a few
rehearsed answers for the questions
you may be asked. Here is a really good
and simple one: if anyone mentions
anything about children, pregnancy, or
infertility, politely say:
"We aren't talking about that subject this month."
And don't allow them to make you answer their
questions. If they pry, just repeat it again:
"We aren't talking about that subject this
month."

*Try a few little romantic dinners at
restaurants that don't cater to children.
Go to the restaurant that serves French
cuisine and skip "Chucky Cheese."

* Stay out of the mall on weekends.

*Rent some funny movies. You need a
few laughs.

*Get a "his and her" massage.

*Now is a good time to visit your older relatives, such as
grandparents and great aunts and uncles. You can
take them dinner and there's a good possibility
there won't be any children around.

*Do not feel obligated to attend any function, even
on Christmas Day, if it will be too painful for you.
You are an adult, and you need to take care of you.
Tell everyone you don't feel well. (You probably won't
be lying!) Then stay home, wear your pajamas - since
you don't feel well :) Eat some comfort food and read a good
book.

*If you have a cat or dog, they are one of the
nicest things God has made. So love on them
and accept their unconditional love for you.

*Sometimes some of the best ways to help
yourself, is to help others. Go to a shelter and
serve Christmas dinner. Or invite an elderly person
with no family, to your house for Christmas Day.

*Most of all, remember that in the end, Christmas Day
is just another day in the year and you will get
through it and you will survive.

And after the holidays have passed, you can choose
to get back on that roller coaster and perhaps
you will have that little child you're yearning for
by the time next Christmas rolls around.

Single Mothers by Choice

When I initially created the
"Before You Were Born...Our
Wish For A Baby" storybooks
for specially conceived children,
I published ten different versions.
I thought that I had covered the most
common forms of assisted reproduction.
I was wrong.
I promptly received about 50 emails
from single mothers who
wanted a version for their
children.
I had no idea there was such a
huge community of single mothers
by choice.
I began to research this and my eyes
were opened to a whole different
world of children conceived by
assisted reproduction.
(The IVF clinic, where I worked did not
treat single women at the time.)

Nevertheless, this community of
single women, who choose to become
mothers, had a need that I felt
obligated to help with.
Therefore, versions for single parents
were published. They were so
popular that they are now out of
print and I am working on a solution
for a reprint.  (I use my own personal
money to print the books and it costs
thousands of dollars.)

Since that time, I have received many
kind emails from parents,
authors, journalists and advocates
for single mothers.
One of those emails was from
Mikki Morrissette.
She is an advocate for SMC as well as
being a "Choice Mom" herself.
(I really like that phrase!)
The word "choice" is defined as the
"power, right or liberty to choose."
It is also defined as the "best or most
preferable; of very fine quality."
Both definitions apply to this group of women.
Not only do they choose to be a mother,
but they also choose to be a SINGLE PARENT,
which can be pretty tough sometimes.
So, if you are already a choice mom
or a single woman
contemplating whether being
a choice mom is for you, please
visit Mikki's website.
You can purchase her book:
"Choosing Single Motherhood...The
Thinking Woman's Guide."
This book covers many important topics
such as: typical everyday concerns,
children growing up in single parent
homes, methods of becoming a single
mom, day to day parenting, resources,
and how the children of single moms
are doing.
Her website also provides information,
resources, networking and support.
Thank you Mikki, for the important
work you are doing for choice moms.

http://www.choosingsinglemotherhood.com

Empty Stroller Rally

Today is the first day of
National Infertility Awareness Week.
Kind of ironic.
The people that know about this
are already aware of infertility.
The people that never experienced
infertilty, don't know and probably don't
really care about it.
It's not exactly a Hallmark Card
inspired day.
Although it should be.

We all met up at Cathy Boyes'
house for introductions and
instructions.
She had everything ready for
the rally. It was very
successful. She made the
evening news.

People walked past the information
tables and a few stopped. But not many.
There we were, a group of people
in all phases of the journey.
Some starting treatment, some moving
on and some finished.
There was an emotional bond of
pain, grief, and anger.
We were kindred spirits.
All on the same page.
We understood perfectly the
twists and turns in the road.

I don't know why I think that
life is supposed to be fair.
It isn't.
I saw the unfairness of life
throughout my ER career.
And now I see it with infertility.

The couples who endure fertility
treatments
should be rewarded.
If medals were given
for enduring infertility
treatments, we would each
have a purple heart, and a
medal for valor
and one for bravery.

But it's not medals we're looking
for. It's that tiny little
baby to place in a stroller
and push around the mall.
So we can walk past displays
that don't affect us or apply to
our lives...and head straight
for the toy store.


Counseling helps

Infertility can drive you crazy....

Not all at once...but slow... and subtle...
and insidiously.....it sneaks up.

You start off trying to get pregnant
just like everyone else.
And you and your partner are having
fun!
You have a special little smile on
your faces, because you two have a
"secret." And you're just waiting
to be able to burst out in song
to everyone that you're pregnant.

And gosh, a couple of months go by
and your period keeps coming on time.
It starts to get a little annoying.
So you try harder. And you know
exactly when the right moment is.
and sex becomes a "must" and
maybe you just don't feel like having
sex tonight or this minute. But you have
too, because if you don't, then you'll miss
a whole month.

And now, you're getting worried and feeling
a little stressed and sex becomes not so much
fun. And the smile on your face has been
wiped right off.

You're off to the doctor now and being
poked, prodded, questioned,
examined and they're testing your blood
and your private parts, and your cervical
mucus and your husband's sperm...

Congratulations...instead of bursting
out in song, you're bursting into tears.
You have now joined the 6 million other
poor people who have infertility.
Welcome to a club you had no wish
to join.

There is help out there. FIND IT!
Every good clinic should have a
counselor that is specially trained
to help you. If the clinic doesn't have
one, start asking around.

Do Not Be Ashamed.
Counselors are good.

Seeing a counselor doesn't mean you
are crazy (but infertility will make you
feel crazy!)

Counselors are your lifeline. They are
someone who is objective and non-judgmental,
someone you can freely talk to, someone to vent to,
someone who can answer your questions,
someone who can help you keep
your self esteem, when you feel like a
failure.

They will be there to help you when
your journey with infertility ends and you're
finally pregnant and they will also
be there to help you with your grief and loss
if your journey ends without a pregnancy.

Don't go it alone, it's too tough to do.
Visit this blog for information
on how to find a good counselor.
http://drdeborahserani.blogspot.com/

Fears about assisted reproduction

I might pick the wrong doctor.

I may have waited too long.

It is my fault that my husband and
I can't conceive.

It is my husband's fault we can't
have a child.

They won't let me try IVF at all.

I won't be able to stand all the shots
and blood draws.

The retrieval may hurt too much.

I might not have any eggs.
 
My eggs might not fertilize.

They might mix the sperm up.

They might mix the embryos up.

They might give our embryos to
someone else without our permission.

I might have twins, one black and one
white, just like that couple in Europe.

If I use donor sperm, my husband
won't be able to handle it and we
will divorce.

If I use donor eggs, will I feel like a
"real" mother?

I'm afraid if I have too many
embryos, I will not know what to do
with them later.

I don't want to discard or "kill" our
potential child.

I don't want to give them up to
research. What kind of parent does
that make me???

I don't want to donate my embryos
because I am afraid that the recipient
parents won't be good parents.

If I donate them, will those children
look for me later?

Will I look for them later?

Will I be walking down the street and
see "my child."

What do I tell the children that I have?

Do I tell them that they have siblings
somewhere and I don't know where?

When they fall in love and get married,
will I be sure that they aren't marrying their
sibling (however remote that possibility is.)

If my "donated" children look me up
later, how do I explain that I got pregnant and kept
some of my embryos, but not them? 

If I used donor eggs or sperm, will
my family or friends judge me?

Does that mean I'm inferior?

Will my family accept my children?

Will I tell my children they were donor-conceived?

When will I tell them?

How will I tell them?

If I don't tell them, will they
find out anyway?

What happens if they accidentally
find out?

Will they reject my husband or I?

Will they want to look for the donor?

Will they think I was selfish to use
assisted reproduction to conceive them?

Will they feel different?

If I can't carry a child, what happens
if the surrogate doesn't want to give
the baby up?

I'm afraid, afraid, afraid.
I've heard the horror stories.

There is one thing to help me.
Knowledge is power. I will
learn everything there is to learn
and I will make sure that what I
learn is true information. Then I can make
correct decisions and I will be less afraid.
And I am not alone.

Thousands of others have done
this before me. I will learn from
them and lean on them.

Attention: Single Mothers and Dads by Choice

X,Y, and Me proudly
announces that the
single parent versions
of the "Before You Were
Born...Our Wish For A Baby"
will be available soon!
The title will be "Before You
Were Born...A Wish For A
Baby."
We are hoping these new books
will be available by the
end of October.
Keep checking our website
for availability.
www.xyandme.com

DI Dad

Women readily talk about
their infertility.....men usually
do not.
It's commonly believed that
infertility is due to a medical
condition involving the
female. Actually, 50 % of the time it is
a female issue and 50 % of the time,
infertility is due to a male factor.

I found this blog on the Donor
Sibling Registry website.
It is very educational and
helpful to hear about this topic
from the Dad's point of view.
I know that infertility can cause
pain and emotional frustration
for a couple. Thank goodness that
science and technology are allowing parents
to conceive in alternative ways.

Thank you DI Dad for sharing
your story. I look forward
to reading your blog as it
progresses.


Inconceivable

Definitions of the word inconceivable:

impossible to comprehend
cannot grasp fully
improbable
incomprehensible
mind-boggling
unbelievable
no way
no-go
reachy
totally unlikely
unheard of
unimaginable
unlikely
unthinkable
out of the question

yes that pretty well
sums up what it feels
like when you cannot
get pregnant like
everyone else.

Did the stork forget your address??

There is a new book out:
IVF: The Wayward Stork.

It's a book about "what to
expect, who to expect it from
and surviving it all"

The book is written by
Sarah Turci and Lea
McCarthy.

These two women
understand what you
are going through.

They have walked down the
path of infertility and
now have provided you
with a roadmap.
(And unlike men,
women like roadmaps!)

They have a great
website where you
can order the book.
You can also visit their
message boards.

So, if the stork has
forgotten your
home address,
follow the path that
Sarah and Lea have
paved and leave him
a trail of crumbs so he
can find you!

Cindy Margolis: Thank You & Congratulations!

Cindy Margolis

A Superstar that
isn't afraid to admit
her difficulty with
infertility
Isn't ashamed of her
infertility
Isn't afraid to talk about
infertility
Isn't afraid to make the
public aware of
infertility
Isn't afraid to be a
spokeswoman for
infertility

Isn't afraid to announce to
the world, the birth of her
daughters using the help of
a gestational carrier

Bless you Cindy
and thank you for
speaking for all
of us.

Cindy Margolis is the
new spokeswoman for
RESOLVE.
Visit her website:
www.cindymargolis.com
to read her story.

Best Friends

There's nothing better than
having a best friend.

If you are lucky, you will
have a best friend throughout
your entire life.

I have a best friend that I met
when I was 15.

We both worked at a fast food
restaurant.

We've been together
through thick and thin.
Even though we live a thousand
miles apart, we are still close
in our hearts.

My best friend has helped
me stand back up every time
life has kicked me to the floor.

We have marathon phone calls
where we talk for 2 or 3 hours.
I know she's there for me
night or day and I'm there
for her.

If you're ever lucky enough to
have a true best friend,
hang on to her.

A best friend is more valuable and
precious than anything else
in the world.

Thank you dear "Wag" for
always being there in my life.

"Embryos Alive" Gives Hope

Sometimes infertility
can make you feel hopeless.

You practice birth control
for years. Then you finally
decide to have a child.
And you try and you try and
you try.

Eventually, you start to ask questions
of your physician and then the
roller coaster ride begins.

There are so many ways to
conceive a child:
clomid
clomid with inseminations
injectable meds with inseminations
inseminations using donor sperm
traditional IVF
IVF with donor eggs
IVF with donor sperm
Traditional Surrogate
Gestational Carrier using your own gametes
Gestational Carrier using a donor egg & the husband's sperm
and finally Embryo Donation or adoption.

Embryo adoption involves the
thaw and transfer of an embryo
created by another couple and
donated to the intended
parents.

Embryos Alive is an adoption
agency that matches donor embryos
with intended parents.
It was started by Bonnie Bernard.
Bonnie and her husband suffered
through infertility treatments for
five years without success.
They are the proud parents of
an adopted son from Bulgaria.

Bonnie uses her own experience with
adoption to help intended parents
through the process.
Embryos Alive has an extensive web site
which explains how embryo adoption works, provides
information, and answers many questions.

They provide hope during the difficult
journey to parenthood.
Please visit them at www.embryosalive.com

See? You are not suffering alone.

Key facts and figures about fertility.

19 Jun 2005 08:01:49 GMTSource: ReutersCOPENHAGEN, June 19 (Reuters) -

One in six couples worldwide has some type of infertility problem. Leading scientists and fertility doctors are meeting here this week to discuss the latest research and advances in treatment.

Following are key facts and figures about infertility.

- Forty percent of infertility cases are linked to men and an equal share are due to a female problem. In 20 percent of cases there is a joint problem.

- Fertility decreases as a woman ages and approaches the menopause. Women are generally thought to be at their most fertile between 20-25 years old.

- Hormonal disorders, damaged or blocked fallopian tubes and endometriosis, a condition in which tissue that normally lines the uterus is found elsewhere in the body, are common causes of female infertility.

- Low sperm count or poor sperm shape or swimming ability are the major problems in male infertility. A fertile male produces at least 20 million sperm per millilitre of semen. Fewer than that amount is considered infertile.

- Women are born with more than a million eggs that diminish as they age but men produce sperm daily.

- A normal couple in their mid-20s having regular sex have a one in four chance of conceiving each month.

- Infertility is defined as the inability of a couple to conceive after a year of trying.

- Louise Brown, the world's first test tube baby, was born 27 years ago in Britain. Since her birth, nearly 2 million children worldwide have been conceived with the aid of fertility treatments.

- Most fertility treatments take place in women between 30-39 years old.

- Europe leads the world in assisted reproductive technology (ART). In 2001, more than 289,690 ART treatments, resulting in an estimated 55,000 births, were reported in 23 European countries. This compares to 99,989 in the United States in 2000, according to the European Society of Human Reproduction & Embryology (ESHRE).
In Denmark, 3.9 percent of all children are born with the help of fertility techniques, compared to 3.2 percent in Slovenia, 2.8 percent in Iceland and Sweden and 1.3 percent in Britain.

- More than half of all ART treatments in Europe are done in France, Britain and Germany.


Is Anyone Listening?

Infertility can be a lonely
road.

It feels like you are the only
one in the world that can't
get pregnant.

You husband is going
through the same thing,
but men see things differently.

You either talk about it too
much to all your friends,
or you keep it a secret.
Either way, you still feel
alone.

It disrupts your whole life.

Your job and your relationships
revolve around clinic appointments,
injections, hormonal raging,
and bloating!

The process can go on and
on, year after year, cycle after
cycle, until you are absolutely
exhausted.

You wonder: Is anyone
listening?

Does anyone else know how
draining this process is?

Yes, someone is listening.
You are not the only one.

Reach out to others who
understand your pain.

I understand your pain.
You are not alone.

Infertility: shameful?

Why do people who suffer
from infertility feel ashamed?
If you can't conceive without help
or even with help, is that your fault?
Does anyone have control over
their eggs, sperm, periods, ovulation,
or hormones?
NO!!!!!!!!!

If you were a diabetic,
would you keep it a secret
and not get help, because that
somehow means you are less of
a person?

If you have heart disease, high
blood pressure, or cancer,
is that shameful?
Absolutely not.

And so be it with infertility.
You can't control it, it wasn't your fault,
you didn't ask for it, you don't want
to have it.

Infertility does not define who you are.

Although it can wreak havoc on your life,
and cause you much stress and emotional
pain, you are not inferior because of it.
And don't let anyone make you feel that
you are............

AAAAHHHHHH Summer

Although it is not
quite "officially" summer,
You know it really is.
School is out.

It's warmer now.

It stays lighter in
the evening.

Summer is a time
of healing and
resting.

Stand outside and
let the sun
shine on your face.

Listen to the wind
blow.

Watch for the
thunder clouds to
roll in.

Listen to the
bumblebee as it
hovers around the
flowers.

Watch the bunny
rabbits as they move
from place to place.

Sit in a rocking chair
and just rock, don't
think.

Rest from wishing
for a baby.

Rest is good.
Let the summer
be a healing time
for you.

Rest and then
you'll have the strength
to begin your journey
again.......

An IVF cycle is like a "crap shoot"

"It's a crap shoot" is said, usually with a sense of mild scorn
(if it's somebody else) or resignation (if it's yourself)
about the chances of success of a given activity or venture.
It says the end result is out of one's hands, that it's left
up to chance, and that the odds are probably slightly
against you.*

Yes, that says it exactly. The
whole reason a patient needs IVF to
begin with is because the odds of conceiving a
pregnancy are already against you.

And then the torture of a possible cancellation
begins.
   You can be cancelled at any step along the way.
   You can be cancelled before you even begin.
   You can come for your first appointment and
          be told you're not even a candidate for IVF.
   You can be cancelled at your cycle start if
          your body over-rides the medicines.
   You can be cancelled because you don't
         stimulate.
   You can be cancelled because you stimulate
         too well and are at risk for hyperstimulation
         syndrome.
You can be cancelled if they can't find
         any eggs to retrieve.
You can have your transfer cancelled if
        your eggs didn't fertilize.
You can have your transfer cancelled
        if all your embryos need to be frozen
        (because of hyperstimulation
        syndrome.)

You can pass all those hurdles and
still not get pregnant.

Yes, IVF is like a crap shoot.
A game of "chance"
that so many are willing
to play. And perhaps
if you're really lucky,
you'll beat the house,
and walk away with the
big prize.

*(posted by Bob 8/26/03 on The Phrase Finder

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome

The Risk of OHSS

Dr. Z. Ben-Rafael (Israel)[4] reviewed the risks of OHSS. Severe OHSS complicates only a few percent of IVF cycles. It is characterized by ovarian enlargement, gastrointestinal symptoms, fluid shift to the third space and therefore intravascular volume depletion. Thrombosis and oliguria are serious complications. Once OHSS develops, only supportive therapy can be offered. Studies have shown that high estradiol level and the simultaneous growth of a large number of follicles are associated with OHSS, but they have only a poor predictive value. Oocyte donors with high estradiol level and many follicles seldom develop OHSS. It is now understood that pregnancy, especially multiple gestation, is associated with the more severe form: late-onset OHSS.


Certain measures can be offered before the embryo transfer to reduce the risk of OHSS. The pre-stimulation identification of those at risk is probably the most important step. Once the stimulation is started and signs of OHSS are present, the gonadotropins can be withheld (coasting), the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to induce the final maturation of oocytes can be reduced, the embryos can be electively frozen, and the number of embryos transferred can be limited. Albumin infusion around the time of retrieval offers little benefit, but animal studies have shown that intravenous immunoglobulins reduce the risk, possibly via anticytokine mechanisms. Dr. Ben-Rafael emphasized that women with allergies are at higher risk (they probably have higher baseline cytokine levels and vascular permeability that predisposes them to fluid shifts). All those who prescribe gonadotropins should be aware of this potentially very serious side effect. The best approach is to identify those at risk and select an appropriate protocol for them. One should not be afraid of canceling high-responders or deciding to electively cryopreserve their embryos. Physicians seldom recommend this, however, as they also consider the financial burden the couple is taking on when entering an IVF cycle, given that the overall incidence of really severe OHSS is low.


From Medscape Ob/Gyn & Women's Health

How to survive your IVF Cycle - Tips from the "team"

Take one day at a time.

Simplify anything and everything in your life during this time period.

Have a good support system and USE them.

Listen to classical music or any kind of music that you love.

Take a few extra naps.

Watch a funny movie.

Buy yourself a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers. (and NO baby's breath!)

Have lunch with a friend, even if she doesn't know about your cycle.

Try and stay OFF the internet. You will become obsessed with every
little thing and it will stress you more. Remember, every clinic has their own
protocols, so just because one of your cycle buddies are doing something different,
it doesn't mean that you should be doing the same thing or that your clinic or
your physician doesn't know what they're doing. Tell your cycle buddies you'll
post after retrieval.

Go shopping, but stay out of baby stores! :)

Pamper yourself: get a facial or a massage.

Use your usual coping mechanisms: journaling, calling your best friend, going for a walk,
meditating or praying.

Read a good book that is not about: fertility, infertility, pregnancy, children, or families

Do anything that will distract you from focusing on: the cycle day, the next injection,
when you'll go to retrieval, how you'll decorate the nursery, when your due date is,
whether your ovaries are getting bigger, how big your follicles are, how many follicles
you have, what you will do if you are pregnant, what you will do if you are not
pregnant, blah, blah, blah!!! (You get the picture)

If you have a question, worry, or concern, call the nursing staff at your clinic. That's
what they are there for and should be helping you every step of the way, especially if
you are "stumbling" on the path.

Try and remember that everything right now is totally out of your control. You
cannot control your period, your ovaries, your follicles, your blood test levels, your
retrieval or transfer dates, fertilization of your embryos, implantation and whether or
not your cycle will be successful and you'll become pregnant. Try and let the control
go. Trust your doctor and the team. They are doing everything they can do to
make your cycle successful. They want you to get pregnant too!

Regret Nothing

Regret Nothing
Not even your sins or
failures.
When a man views
earth's wonders from
some mountain height, he
does not spend his
time in dwelling on
the stones and stumbles, the
faints and failures that
marked his upward path.

So with you.....
Breathe in the rich
blessings of each new
day.....

Forget all that lies
behind you.

Man is so made that he
can carry the weight
of 24 hours....no more.

As soon as he weighs
himself down with the
years behind and the
days ahead, his
back breaks.

I have promised to help
you with the burden of
only today. The past
I have taken from you.
And if you, foolish heart,
choose to gather again
that burden and bear it,
then indeed, you mock me
to expect me to share it.

For weal or woe, each day
is ended. What remains
to be lived, the coming
24 hours, you must face
as you awake.
A man on a march carries
only what he needs for
that march. Would you
pity him if you saw him
bearing too the overwhelming
weights of the worn out
shoes and uniforms of past
marches and years?
And yet, in the mental
and spiritual life,
man does these things.
Small wonder my poor
world is heartsick and
weary.
Not So Must You Act....

Do Lucky Charms really work???

I once thought
that Lucky Charms
would help me get pregnant.
(Not the cereal)

My massage therapist
used to dabble in
crystals.
She knew that I was
trying to get pregnant
by IUI.
She had these 2 crystal stones
that were for fertility.

So, when it was time
for my IUI, I wore my
"lucky" Iowa sweatshirt.
(Because I believed that
Iowa was Heaven.)
(And I was right about that!)

Anyway, I wore my Iowa
shirt,
put the 2 crystal stones
in my jeans pocket
and went for my IUI.

As I was getting undressed,
one of the stones fell out
of my pants pocket, onto
the floor and slid under
a chair in the exam room.
When I went to retrieve
it, it had broken in half.
I should have known then
that it was a bad sign.

I picked up the broken halves
and went home and had
to call my massage therapist
and tell her what happened.
She was very kind and said
not to worry.

Later that night, I threw my
jeans down the laundry shoot
and heard this funny noise.
I went down to the basement and
there was the OTHER crystal stone
on the floor. You guessed it:
broken in two pieces. I had
forgotten to take it out of my jeans.

Once again, I had to get on the phone
and tell my massage therapist that
I just broke the second stone.
Again, she was very sweet about
it.

Needless to say, they were not
lucky for me. I didn't get pregnant.

I never took the broken stones
with me again. But I always
wore my lucky Iowa shirt.

Although, my dream of having
a baby girl never came to pass,
my dream of moving to
Iowa did.
My Iowa shirt was lucky after
all.

And the moral of the story is:
you never know where life is
going to lead you and you
never know what is around the
corner, but some force takes
you to the place that you belong.
And here I am.

Who is Dr. Craig?

If you have seen any
of the "Before You Were
Born...Our Wish For A
Baby" books, you will
see a rabbit named Dr. Craig.

Dr. Craig is a "real" physician.
He has a great sense of humor,
a memory like an elephant and most
importantly, the sensitivity to
be a kind and caring doctor.

The patients love Dr. Craig
because he's smart, encouraging
and takes his time with them.

The nurses love Dr. Craig too,
except for when his "I'll be
there in 2 minutes" turns
into 2 hours!

Dr. Craig is the ultrasound "guru."
If you want to know about
your antral follicle counts and ovarian
volume (which help determine how
well you will stimulate), or your uterine
polyps, or c-section scarring,
he's your man.

Dr. "D" refers to him appropriately
as "Yoda."
"Yoda" is a Sanskrit word for "warrior."
In the Star Wars Universe,
Yoda is the wisest, most revered
and the most powerful of the
Jedi Masters.
When young Padawans begin their
Jedi training, they do so
under Yoda's guidance and many
go on to become the
Republic's greatest Jedi.

And so it is with Dr. Craig.
He is a warrior against infertility,
and he is wise and revered by
his peers. Many of the residents
that train with him, go on to
be excellent physicians.

And just as the "dark side"
feared the Jedi, so should
infertility fear Dr. Craig.

Because he is trying his
best to change infertility
into fertility. And he
is doing it with skill,
knowledge and empathy
for the patient.

Bless you Dr. Craig and
may the Force be with you.......