My Purim Story
“Purim was always hard. I was sort of the aftermath of a tragedy. My father died when I was a year old. My mother never really recovered. But I didn't remember anything. “
Struggling With Personal Fertility Journey as an OBGYN
“The job of delivering healthy children to beaming parents all the while doing the herculean task of squashing your own bleeding internal wounds.”
Male Factor Infertility and Relationships
“After our diagnosis of severe MFI (male factor infertility), I told my husband the ball was in his court, and if he wanted kids he needed to take control and figure things out.”
Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
“Every baby I deliver with my enthusiastic and charismatic smile and congratulations is a drip in the bucket. Every patient I see in the office, every heart beat I elicit with the doppler, every ultrasound I perform”
Dear Infertility
Dear Infertility, You never even bothered to announce your presence. One day I just turned around and realized there you were. And you were everywhere!
SIDS Story 30 Years Later
Thirty years ago, if you lost a child you were treated like a pariah. No one wanted to talk to you. They crossed the street when they saw you coming, because they didn’t know what to say.
My Endometriosis Journey
“I first started having symptoms back when I got my first period at 13. Ever since then, I remember excruciating pain and my Dr telling me to take 2 days off from school.”
Personal Stillbirth Story
“But I won't stop growing. I now have three healthy living children. Each pregnancy came with its own problems and losses in between. Many nights in the labor and delivery triage room getting monitored”
Our Primary Infertility Story
“We started our fertility journey dreaming and wondering what it would be like to have a family, to have little ones bouncing around, so we started to make that dream happen.”
Neurofibromatosis and IVF
“Once I got to high school, it was probably about 11th or 12th grade where my parents told me I would have to go through IVF to have kids. In my mind I was like, ‘Okay- No big deal.”
Being a Carrier for a Genetic Disease
“People talk about infertility and pregnancy loss as reasons they don't have the family they dreamed of. I've never heard of anyone talk about the genetic carrier issue.”
PCOS Personal Story
“I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 13, and had to start taking birth control pill to regulate my periods. Even then, my gynecologist always reassured me that I would have no difficulty to get pregnant.”
I Lost A Baby, Too
I’ve been grieving My whole life So— There is some Parallel Grief taking over. The most immediate pain: I can’t Even Say The Word How can Someone Celebrate An abortion?
My Final Mikvah
This story gives an insight into one woman’s feelings as she prepares for her last visit to the mikvah (ritual bath), a necessity in orthodox communities before husband and wife reunite.
Story of Divorce & Miscarriage
I couldn't tell anyone that I was pregnant because I had just told them I was divorce. I thought my friends and family would judge me for having allowed myself to get pregnant.
Niddah & Separation Anxiety
“Let me start here. Niddah makes me want to die. I have separation anxiety. Something I’ve had all my life. I was treated for it once, but I hated the meds. They had horrible side effects.”
Ectopic Pregnancy Personal Story
How does one move on from here? While her story is unique, there are so many pieces that are not. The fear. The pain. The loss of control. Powerlessness. Feeling that your body betrayed you. The unknown.
Elisheva Levitt’s Personal Surrogacy Story
I will be honest and say that it took me a long time to be able to share my story without falling apart. But once I was able to, I have shared it so many times because I find that it gives people hope.
Secondary Infertility and Age
This poster wishes to remain anonymous, but I’ve had many conversations with her about trying to reconcile the despair of trying (and failing) to get pregnant with another child.
National Infertility Awareness Week
Reflections on National Infertility Awareness Week. “You crept up this year. I wasn't ready for you. I'm not ready for you. And I'm not entirely sure why.”