Kristyn Hodgdon

Nassau County, NY

Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Rescripted | IVF Mom of Twins | Podcast Host of Dear (In)Fertility | Writer | Reader | Women's Health Advocate

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Articles

The more you understand during your family-planning journey, the easier it is to decide between two seemingly similar processes. Enter: egg freezing and embryo...

April 17, 2024

In the past five years, I have been to more doctor’s appointments than I can count. From multiple rounds of IVF to being diagnosed...

March 29, 2024

The loss of a baby during pregnancy is traumatic. It doesn’t matter when or how it happens. In my experience, an early loss is...

March 12, 2024

The world of assisted reproductive technology has seen remarkable advancements over the past few decades. From the inception of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in...

January 14, 2024

The menstrual cycle is made up of four phases and 28-35 days that are each unique and bring with them their own ups and...

November 21, 2023

If you're dealing with unpleasant symptoms like fatigue, weight changes, irregular menstrual cycles, and more, a thyroid condition could be to blame. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis...

November 9, 2023

A fertility journey can involve many steps between you and your future baby. Some are in your control, some aren’t, but all usually provide...

October 31, 2023

If you’ve been trying to get pregnant for a while, or if you’re a single parent or same-sex couple who wishes to conceive, you...

October 12, 2023

It’s no secret that the world of reproductive health has been rocked recently, Most notably, when Roe vs. Wade was officially overturned, leaving countless...

July 15, 2023

Medical gaslighting is unfortunately something that many women have experienced, especially when it comes to their reproductive health. About two years ago, I started...

July 12, 2023

Hearing your baby’s heartbeat for the first time is an exciting milestone — and not just because it’s proof of a future life, but...

June 23, 2023

One night at dinner, a conversation came up with my 13-year-old son that reminded me of a moment I had when I was just...

May 31, 2023

If you’re anything like us, you might find yourself learning something new on TikTok every day. Whether it’s a life hack that, as the...

May 5, 2023

Navigating a pregnancy loss can be difficult, no matter how early in the pregnancy it has occurred. Chemical pregnancies are miscarriages that occur...

May 3, 2023

For many people, diving into the world of infertility or fertility preservation comes with a lot of realizations about their own bodies and...

April 26, 2023

Many of us are familiar with abdominal ultrasounds: the cold gel, the wand being rubbed around on our torso, and the blurry images projected...

April 24, 2023

If you’ve ever tried to complete a high-intensity workout while fighting menstrual cramps, you’ve probably noticed that your body simply feels different — and...

April 17, 2023

There’s no denying that women have more frequent and complex health needs than men. From PCOS and endometriosis to gynecological cancers and UTIs,...

April 11, 2023

If you're considering surrogacy as a way to grow your family, then you know you have a lot of big decisions ahead. One...

March 18, 2023

If you’re at all familiar with the world of fertility treatments, chances are good that you’ve heard of IUI and IVF. While they are...

March 16, 2023

If you’re considering undergoing IVF or egg freezing, you’re likely nervous about so many aspects of the process. The financial toll, the time...

March 15, 2023

Ten years ago, miscarriages were largely suffered in silence. People carried on in the wake of heartbreaking losses, often not sharing their stories...

March 1, 2023

Good sleep is essential for our physical, emotional, and mental well-being. While adults require about 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night,...

February 19, 2023

Sometimes it can feel like information overload when it comes to everything you need to know while trying to conceive — and we...

February 14, 2023

Core Memory: The school nurse held a meeting with all of the 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade girls and asked, “Who has gotten their...

February 13, 2023

It's so satisfying to have one of those questions about fertility that includes very little guesswork. Finally, we actually have definite answers! And...

February 10, 2023

Fertility treatments are expensive and stressful, and for many of us, we only have a window of a few cycles to get it right. That...

January 17, 2023

Sponsored by Organon.  Photo not of a real patient. Angeline N. Beltsos, MD, is the CEO, Clinical at Kindbody and is board certified in...

January 17, 2023

It’s no secret that kids are expensive. From providing for their basic needs to the exorbitant cost of childcare, they tend to soak up...

January 11, 2023

Here’s the thing about infertility: It isn’t just about the painful, physically draining tests and treatments. It isn’t even just about the emotional...

January 5, 2023

We’ve all been there, whether we’d like to admit it or not: finding yourself frantically Googling “how soon can I get a positive...

December 23, 2022

You may have heard the saying that a “cold uterus” can cause infertility. This dates all the way back to Traditional Chinese Medicine...

December 19, 2022

In the aftermath of the Dobbs decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the worry surrounding state anti-abortion laws — and their potential impact...

December 15, 2022

It’s no secret that IVF is time-consuming, physically and emotionally draining, and expensive. The average cost for one IVF cycle ranges from $15,000...

December 5, 2022

  As much joy as the holiday season never fails to bring, it is often simultaneously stressful. It takes a lot out of you:...

November 22, 2022

The world of fertility meds can be a confusing and overwhelming place. With so many different treatment protocols and pharmaceutical options available, it’s...

November 16, 2022

If there’s one thing you get familiarized with very quickly during fertility treatments, it’s hormones. How much you have, what you’re lacking, what you...

November 14, 2022

Not everyone decides to pursue parenthood in their 20s or 30s. Some may be focused on their careers or haven’t yet found the...

November 9, 2022

Navigating infertility is a layered experience that stretches you and a partner pretty thin. On the same day that you could be processing...

November 6, 2022

Update: Ferring resumed shipments of Menopur® (menotropins for injection) to wholesalers and pharmacies in the United States beginning on November 22, 2022 in accordance...

November 3, 2022

Reproductive diseases like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), interstitial cystitis, and endometriosis can make family planning more challenging. Another lesser-known condition many women face...

October 27, 2022

After spending a good chunk of my adult life trying to get pregnant and failing, I was incredulous when I got pregnant from...

October 22, 2022

Up until last year, I considered myself one of the lucky ones. Despite going through several failed IUIs and a round of IVF...

October 19, 2022

If you’ve considered pursuing surrogacy — either as an intended parent or as a gestational carrier — you may have no idea where...

October 12, 2022

Entering the world of TTC, or trying to conceive, can lead to a whole new spin on sex. If you’ve been trying for...

October 6, 2022

If you have been diagnosed with PCOS, it’s likely you have also heard some diet advice (perhaps unsolicited). PCOS can not only be...

September 28, 2022

The IVF process can be a time filled with difficult decisions, and trying to work with your doctor to figure out the “right”...

September 27, 2022

When you’re trying to get pregnant, your whole life can feel consumed by questions. Even if you have access to amazing care, doctors...

September 14, 2022

Sponsored by Organon. Photo not of a real patient. Kristyn Hodgdon is an IVF mom, proud fertility advocate, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer...

September 7, 2022

I’ve always been a relatively confident, self-possessed person. I was the first to raise my hand in school. First to ask the kids...

September 1, 2022

“Loss is a unique experience.”  We hear this said often when comforting those who have lost a loved one they knew and grew...

August 31, 2022

There are many instances in life when we are left speechless. Some of those moments are rooted in immense joy and others in...

August 22, 2022

When thinking about your fertility and the many, many parts that play a role in it, sometimes we overlook certain aspects of our...

August 15, 2022

A job I do not covet from my freakishly fertile friends is having to break the news to me or other TTC warriors that...

August 14, 2022

Most people grow up wanting to eventually become parents. While many do so through traditional partnerships, more and more are separating their romantic...

August 11, 2022

Big feelings abound whenever the “maybe, next month” turns into conversations with doctors and an official diagnosis you maybe weren’t expecting. While any...

August 8, 2022

Two hearts become one and then two people become three. The fairy tale makes it all sound so effortless. Real life often has...

August 2, 2022

If you’re dealing with infertility, chances are good that you’ve paid a visit (or two or three) to Dr. Google to see if...

July 27, 2022

Women are born with all of the eggs they will ever have, which makes maintaining egg quality and healthy ovulation incredibly important for...

July 18, 2022

Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) has been used in the United States since 1981 to help individuals and couples grow their families. During the...

July 12, 2022

Going through in vitro fertilization (IVF)  – or any infertility process – can feel like an endless cycle of waiting. You try unassisted –...

July 11, 2022

Whether you’re scrolling through TikTok or Instagram these days, you’re bound to come across the “mental health walk” trend. A time when people...

July 7, 2022

I’m currently in the two-week wait following my fourth frozen embryo transfer, and honestly, it feels like the stakes couldn’t be any higher...

June 27, 2022

For many, the right to an abortion is believed to be a black and white issue: you either support it, or you don’t....

June 24, 2022

Nationally celebrated holidays can feel isolating when your personal story doesn’t fit into the narrative of those days. For instance, Father’s Day can...

June 14, 2022

Sponsored by Organon Kristyn Hodgdon is an IVF mom, current fertility patient, Co-founder and Chief Community Officer of Rescripted. This article is the opinion of the...

June 13, 2022

When you have been trying to conceive for a while without any luck, it can be difficult to know what your next steps should...

June 1, 2022

I am a clinical embryologist, a position that has held the highest place of honor among the many accomplishments I have achieved throughout...

May 31, 2022

As a Reproductive Urologist, I specialize in treating male patients who want to get their partner pregnant or preserve their fertility. Even though...

May 16, 2022

In May of 2015, I married the love of my life. It was a whirlwind romance that took my breath away. I had...

May 11, 2022

Maybe you’ve decided that your family is complete or have opted to stop pursuing treatments. Perhaps you’ve chosen not to transfer certain embryos...

May 9, 2022

Fertility seems like it should focus solely on the reproductive system, but it can be impacted by our other bodily systems and functions. For...

May 2, 2022

Sponsored by Organon Dr. Alice Domar is a health psychologist with over 34 years of experience as a fertility therapist and has conducted...

April 25, 2022

You get another negative pregnancy test, grab your phone, and head straight to Google. You start searching for fast ways to get pregnant...

April 18, 2022

There are many different paths that a fertility journey can take, and sometimes one of the biggest hurdles is figuring out the right...

April 11, 2022

When you’re trying to get pregnant, everything else in your life gets put on hold. This lack of control and structure is tough...

April 11, 2022

You've been trying to conceive for a long time. Perhaps it's only been a year, but that year has felt like an eternity....

April 7, 2022

There’s no sugarcoating it: a failed IVF cycle is devastating. Whether your egg retrieval ended with no viable embryos or the embryo you transferred...

April 3, 2022

Picture this: you have been trying to conceive for a while without success. You finally make an appointment with a fertility clinic in...

March 28, 2022

If you’re considering using frozen donor eggs to help grow your family, you might also be wondering what sort of biological impact, if...

March 22, 2022

When you have been trying to conceive for a while, the two-week wait can be a highly anticipated time filled with feelings of fear,...

March 20, 2022

Going through fertility treatments can be filled with many seemingly impossible decisions. Should I alter my diet to improve my chances of getting...

March 18, 2022

When you’re new to IVF, it can be difficult to wrap your mind around all of the different medications involved and the role...

March 13, 2022

When I was going through fertility treatments for the first time, I was 27 years young. I was newly married, recently diagnosed with...

March 10, 2022

  If you’re trying to conceive, knowing when you ovulate is incredibly important. After all, contrary to what Sex Ed taught us in middle...

March 6, 2022

Sex is one of the most intimate experiences a couple can share. Likewise, the decision to have a child. In both, two individuals decide...

February 28, 2022

I took sex-ed in Northwest Arkansas in what was, at the time, a small town. I consider myself fortunate that I come from a...

February 27, 2022

As an embryologist, by far one of my most frequently asked questions is about IVF embryo grading. Breaking down that embryo report can...

February 16, 2022

Lie with your feet up in the air after sex.  Have an orgasm.  Eat pineapple core. Pick up McDonald’s fries after an embryo...

February 14, 2022

While trying to conceive and holding out hope for that BFP (Big Fat Positive) test result, you will be inundated with so many terms...

February 14, 2022

My husband Nic and I fell in love quickly. Our relationship has always been full of spontaneity and big plans. We travel, we...

February 3, 2022

The only thing most people know about IVF is that it involves needles. Lots of needles. And they’re not wrong; injections, unfortunately, play a...

January 31, 2022

When you think about it, infertility is really just one long waiting game. And unless you’re a monk, the waiting game sucks. It’s arguably one...

January 25, 2022

Since the beginning of time, women and couples struggling to conceive have been subject to a litany of ”well-meaning” but hurtful comments suggesting...

January 18, 2022

When I started my IVF cycle, I had heard of the “IVF funnel,” or how the number of eggs retrieved can whittle down...

January 13, 2022

Let me tell you a little story about my first round of IVF. Spoiler alert: it was a big fat failure. When we...

January 10, 2022

Staring down the long road of infertility is massively intimidating for many reasons. First of all, there’s the whole you-have-no-control-over-your-life-and-everything-you-thought-you’d-have-and-would-come-easily-is-nowhere-to-be-found thing. Second of all,...

January 6, 2022

The holidays can be a bittersweet time of year, especially for those of us whose journey to parenthood hasn’t been a smooth one....

December 21, 2021

When I think about the different “fertility types,” my mind immediately jumps to the various personalities in our community and the ways in...

December 15, 2021

In 2008, I discovered To Write Love on Her Arms after a close friend died by suicide. When I learned about their flagship...

December 8, 2021

Our story begins like so many. We were married on a beautiful October day. We waited a year before deciding to start a...

December 2, 2021

You're sitting in the parking lot of a fertility specialist's office, and your chest feels a little tight. You know that this is...

November 30, 2021

Pregnancy loss is a deeply painful, and unfortunately, all-too-common experience. I know this firsthand, after recently experiencing a missed miscarriage with my second...

November 16, 2021

Rescripted Rx is a full-service online fertility pharmacy! If you're looking for a med that's not on this list, we almost certainly have...

November 9, 2021

We all know that what we put into our bodies affects our health in many ways. So if you are trying to conceive,...

November 8, 2021

Something happens after you’ve been trying to conceive for a few years. You get tired of keeping the whole thing a secret. Not...

November 3, 2021

Recently, I had a realization. My Co-Founders and I were attending the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Conference (ASRM), and while we were...

October 26, 2021

A lot of people sense that they will have trouble conceiving, but I actually did not have that innate fear. Despite all of...

October 25, 2021

Nearly three-quarters of men who are trying to conceive or thinking about starting a family have no knowledge of their sperm quality, according...

October 21, 2021

When you are in the middle of infertility, there is so much that is out of your control. In my opinion, that’s the...

October 14, 2021

It was over two years ago when we found ourselves at a crossroads on our journey to parenthood. After exhausting our insurance-covered intrauterine...

October 11, 2021

There is no one-size-fits-all way to make a baby. Whether you’re in a heterosexual relationship, have a same-sex partner, or are a solo...

October 6, 2021

I will never forget the day I was sitting in my therapist's office, telling her how poorly my relationship with my husband was...

September 27, 2021

  Mucus. Not a particularly pretty word, is it? Certainly not the type of thing you’d want to discuss with just anyone. But alas,...

September 23, 2021

Beta day. A day filled with so much hope, and yet so much anxiety. A day when you find out that either you’re pregnant,...

September 14, 2021

Fertility medications can be one of the most confusing and frustrating parts of the IVF process. In fact, 22% of patients don’t comply with...

September 13, 2021

The only time I cried on my wedding day was during my best friend Hailey’s Maid of Honor speech. The way she summarized...

September 9, 2021

While there’s no hack or trick that is guaranteed to get you pregnant, if you’re still trying to conceive ‘the old-fashioned way,’ there...

September 2, 2021

These are things I hear every day from my patients: “I have never felt this sad and anxious," “If I see another pregnancy...

August 30, 2021

If it feels like going through infertility is a full-time job, well that’s because it kind of is. Except instead of getting paid...

August 24, 2021

Miscarriage and infertility don’t just bring on another set of medical bills and doctor's appointments. For those of us struggling to conceive, we...

August 19, 2021

Taking a pregnancy test can trigger some big feelings. Excitement. Anxiety. Fear. There’s a lot on the line when it comes to waiting...

August 13, 2021

It took my husband Brad and me two years to get on the same page when it came to our fertility treatment. Again…it...

August 11, 2021

Welcome to Rescripted! We’re changing the narrative around fertility and burning the word ‘normal’ when it comes to what a family is and...

August 9, 2021

When I was going through fertility treatments the first time around, I was blissfully unaware that there were so many things that were...

July 22, 2021

Dear friends, I am so incredibly excited to finally share that The Fertility Tribe is joining what was previously Best Shot to form...

July 11, 2021

In 1978, the idea of creating human life outside of the human body was out of this world. But that was also the...

June 30, 2021

Infertility is not just a women’s issue. In fact, infertility affects men and women equally. In couples experiencing infertility, approximately 35% is due...

June 30, 2021

When I met my husband Tristan in 2019, it was one of those I've-found-the-one moments. I know that sounds so cheesy, but it...

June 22, 2021

For heterosexual couples, being told by a doctor that you need to use donor eggs to have a baby can be incredibly emotional...

June 15, 2021

It was four years ago when I found myself right smack in the middle of my worst nightmare. I was preparing for my...

June 9, 2021

I met my husband the old-fashioned way—on the internet! We got married in 2012 and traveled the world: Europe, the British Virgin Islands,...

June 7, 2021

Male factor infertility is not something I ever thought I would experience. I’m young, healthy, and no one else in my family has...

June 1, 2021

When my husband and I got married in 2015, our wedding party placed a bet that we would have kids within two years....

May 24, 2021

You never expect it will be you. Even if there is a family history—an aunt who had trouble conceiving—you never really think it...

May 17, 2021

Sustainable. Inexpensive. Totally effective. These are my goals when I create self-care content. Because, for the last decade, I have tried an actual...

May 10, 2021

The decision to move to IVF likely isn’t one you made quickly or easily. There are a lot of factors to consider: finances,...

May 3, 2021

Mother’s Day is a tough holiday. After the launch of our Mother's Day collaboration with Greetabl, the members of our community reached out to...

April 29, 2021

“I’m grateful this is happening to me.” These are words I never thought I would say while reflecting on my fertility journey thus...

April 27, 2021

Confession: For most of my adult life, I proclaimed that I did not want children. Ironically enough, one of the major things that...

April 14, 2021

  Catherine (Cath) Lee and Lauren (Lar) Lee-Crane, here! We’re identical twin sisters that both suffer from endometriosis. We live in Atlanta, Georgia, and...

April 8, 2021

“The strongest people are not those who show strength in front of the world, but those who fight and win battles that others...

March 31, 2021

Some experiences in life stay with you and teach you lessons long after people think you should have moved past them. That’s what...

March 25, 2021

Here at The Yinova Center, we are dedicated to providing complementary care with meaningful results by using an integrative Eastern Medicine approach. We...

March 23, 2021

Hello, warriors! I’m taking a moment to add another acronym to your TTC library and explain how I prepared for, coped with, and...

March 22, 2021

Before I delve into the inevitable, let me take you back in time—way, way back. I spent my childhood believing that magic was...

March 18, 2021

Prior to life with COVID, my husband and I loved to travel. Whether it was a weekend getaway road trip or an international...

March 16, 2021

There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to cope when it comes to trying--and struggling--to conceive. Many, when faced with an infertility diagnosis,...

March 9, 2021

The deep desire to have a baby and being unable to conceive naturally once took over my entire life. The impact of infertility...

March 8, 2021

If you’ve met with a fertility specialist or you’re going through treatments, you may feel like you’ve had every test in the book....

March 2, 2021

It was 2015 when my best friend and I decided to Emigrate to Mallorca at age 19 in hopes of finding ourselves and...

March 1, 2021

“Trauma will age you more than time ever could.” I recently came across this quote, which couldn’t more accurately describe the emotions behind...

February 25, 2021

Let’s face it: shopping for a prenatal vitamin can be overwhelming. There are a ton of different brands on the market, each one...

February 22, 2021

When you think of the typical situations that lead people to turn to lawyers, you may think of getting into a car accident,...

February 18, 2021

“Infertility, sadly, does not care about timing or schedules,” my therapist said to me as I cried through another session with her. I...

February 16, 2021

I was honestly very naïve about the odds of getting and staying pregnant over 40 when I began my fertility journey. I thought...

February 15, 2021

I have never been one of those women who felt like motherhood would define me. I always wanted to have an established career,...

February 11, 2021

For IVF patients, having a doctor suggest donor eggs as a next step in the process can be an incredibly daunting and emotional...

February 9, 2021

I can still vividly remember the day my doctor called and said, “I think you need to consider IVF." At that point, I...

February 8, 2021

Words can be powerful. Coming from a book publishing background, I truly believe in the power of words to heal and inspire. Whether...

February 4, 2021

Celebrities, they’re just like us. Right?! Well, actually, it’s complicated.  While on the surface it might seem like celebrities bringing attention to IVF...

January 28, 2021

I'm occupying space between two worlds. The first is a place that only consistently left me feeling disappointed, heartbroken, and devastated. The second...

January 26, 2021

Infertility requires the ultimate acceptance that there are some things we simply cannot control. When Dustin and I saw two pink lines in our...

January 19, 2021

I never thought I would deal with infertility. My earliest memories are of me playing with my dolls and dreaming of the day...

January 18, 2021

Infertility affects 1 out of 8 couples in the U.S. alone. Roughly 10% of men and women face infertility challenges based on separate factors. Below are 7...

January 14, 2021

As a labor and delivery nurse, the better half of my twenties were spent bringing babies into the world. I watched as couples...

January 11, 2021

I love sharing the story of the creation of my modern-day family because I want to open up the conversation on the different...

January 4, 2021

My husband and I met in 2011. It’s funny because when I first met him I remember thinking, “He is so cute and...

December 21, 2020

With both COVID-19 vaccines now approved by the FDA to be delivered and administered across the country, there are still many people with...

December 19, 2020

When my husband Brian and I decided it was time to start trying for a baby, we never imagined infertility would be a...

December 16, 2020

So often in the world of infertility, those suffering seek out support, love, and comfort from family and friends, only to find that...

December 14, 2020

To Lena, Your Harper’s article caused quite the stir within the vast infertility community. There were varying perspectives and responses, and we’d like to...

December 10, 2020

So, you just received some news: you’ve been diagnosed with Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR). The combination of these three words can be terrifying...

December 10, 2020

I am an infertility warrior, but not in the traditional sense. I would say I won the battle, but not in the typical...

December 8, 2020

It’s no secret that many couples struggle to conceive. While this used to be a topic barely anyone discussed, thanks to the incredible...

December 3, 2020

When my husband and I first started our IVF journey, peoples’ response was often, “That’s so exciting; you’re going to have twins!” I...

December 1, 2020

One of the first things I will ask a patient in our first session is “What percent of your time would you estimate...

November 30, 2020

Earlier this week, Harper’s Magazine published an essay written by actress, writer, and producer Lena Dunham, best known for her role in the...

November 18, 2020

My husband and I were diagnosed with unexplained infertility when we were both 27. We went through five IUIs and three rounds of...

November 17, 2020

Our fertility journey began in 2015, not long after we were married. Soon after that, in April of 2016, our lives were instantly...

November 16, 2020

Secondary infertility is a condition that occurs when an individual is unable to become pregnant or carry a child after previously giving birth....

November 12, 2020

This is the part I never share, but here goes. I believed I caused my infertility. My brain needed a story for it...

November 10, 2020

As you can probably imagine, an IVF laboratory is a very busy environment. Some clinics are much busier than others based on their...

November 9, 2020

So you have already faced months of infertility, maybe even years. You feel exhausted, and the thought of financing another dollar to help...

November 4, 2020

I was 26 the first time I noticed it. I was watching a movie and relaxing when I happened to run my hand...

November 2, 2020

Earlier this month, model and cookbook author Chrissy Teigen shared the heartbreaking news that due to a pregnancy complication called placental abruption, she...

October 29, 2020

You probably know that male fertility issues, also known as “male-factor” infertility, contribute to at least 30% of diagnosed infertility cases. But did...

October 27, 2020

While our struggles with infertility only go back two years, it feels like they are ingrained in our four-year marriage as solidly as...

October 26, 2020

When my mother brought me to the United States, her goal was to make sure I was treated fairly regardless of my race,...

October 22, 2020

We all go through life with expectations. We expect that if we work hard, educate ourselves, and make the right decisions, that we...

October 20, 2020

When my husband and I decided in 2018 that it was time to grow our family, I was worried it was going to...

October 15, 2020

Hedi Rappard is an IVF warrior and the founder of JUNE, a female-founded e-commerce company striving to improve the health of menstruators by...

October 13, 2020

Being a mother has been my number one goal in life since I was about 3 years old. Growing up, I never thought...

October 12, 2020

I have always considered myself an advocate for my reproductive health. I’ve tracked my cycles on a mobile app since I was 17,...

October 7, 2020

I thought the journey to having a baby would be easy, but I was wrong. I knew being a parent would be hard,...

October 7, 2020

When we started trying for a baby, I had no idea what infertility really was. I was coming from the mindset of, “I’ve...

October 4, 2020

I’ve never considered myself a runner. I’m that chick who listens in awe when others describe a running high (I still think this...

September 30, 2020

It is no surprise that I have a Type A personality. I grew up with some pretty awesome role models (thanks, Mom and...

September 28, 2020

When Eran Amir started building his family, he decided he wanted to pursue surrogacy. But when he started the process of finding an...

September 25, 2020

It’s funny how a picture can take you right back to a particular moment, reminding you of the exact emotions you were feeling...

September 23, 2020

My husband and I started trying to conceive 19 months ago. We were hopeful, excited, and thankful for our health. After 6 months...

September 16, 2020

After a year of trying to conceive with no success, an infertility diagnosis of male factor plus low AMH, the promise that we...

September 14, 2020

I remember growing up thinking I would be a young mom, married with a white picket fence, three children, two dogs, and live...

September 9, 2020

What if I told you that it was possible to be present, be positive, and be calm even during some of the toughest...

September 8, 2020

I began dating my husband in middle school. He has been my one and only boyfriend since we were 12 years old. We...

September 2, 2020

Dear Kristyn,  When you’re 16 years old, your gynecologist will prescribe you a birth control pill due to irregular periods. You won’t think...

September 1, 2020

Did you know that what you put in your body when trying to conceive is the single most important thing you can do...

August 31, 2020

When I was diagnosed with Secondary Infertility, I was overwhelmed. Between being educated on how my reproductive system actually works (or how it...

August 24, 2020

When we first started trying to conceive, I went from 0 to batty real quick. I will admit, I am incredibly type-A, a...

August 19, 2020

I met my husband in the 6th grade. We had been best friends for years and got married in 2018. Coming from a...

August 12, 2020

No one wants to talk about death. No one wants to think about death. Especially when you are starting to create life. When...

August 10, 2020

People assume that once a fertility struggle is ‘over’, all is perfect. But, do infertility scars ever fully heal? "But I just don't...

August 7, 2020

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 16. At the time, I had no idea what that would mean for my future....

August 5, 2020

Many of us know all too well that infertility can be a long, difficult road with lots of ups and downs. The longer...

August 2, 2020

Like many of you, my journey to motherhood was not at all what I expected it to be. Navigating the world of infertility...

August 1, 2020

If you’ve been trying to get pregnant, and haven’t been able to yet, going in to see a specialist for your first fertility...

July 27, 2020

I can vividly remember the exact day and moment when that beast, infertility, started chipping away at my self-love. I was sitting in...

July 22, 2020

Bilateral Tubal Blockage with Hydrosalpinx: the words that would bring my journey to motherhood to a screeching halt. After a year of believing...

July 20, 2020

Our story began in 2016. We stepped off the plane from our honeymoon, and we were informed of bad news about my grandfather....

July 13, 2020

The idea that the modern woman can have it all — a career and a family, a fulfilling professional and personal life —...

July 10, 2020

“The biggest problem in life is the image in our heads of how it should be.” -Unknown If you’re reading this, chances are...

July 8, 2020

NOTE: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified...

July 6, 2020

I always told my husband it would take a while for us to get pregnant, but I never thought recurrent pregnancy loss would...

July 1, 2020

Figuring out how to pay for costly fertility treatments like IUI and IVF can be incredibly stressful. In fact, for the vast majority of...

June 29, 2020

Unique fertility journeys more often than not begin when an individual or couple decides to start a family. But what about when the...

June 26, 2020

Are you starting the planning process to begin the family of your dreams? Choosing home insemination for your path to parenthood can give...

June 24, 2020

We had two of the biggest grins on our faces, walking through the two glass doors of our fertility clinic on a cold...

June 22, 2020

Prenatal vitamins can help improve fertility outcomes for future fathers, too. Thanks to decades of deep research and public health information campaigns, we...

June 17, 2020

The holiday season is a time of joy, laughter, and the gathering of family and friends. It's a time to be thankful for...

June 15, 2020

What happens when you're eager to conceive, a black woman, and you're diagnosed with infertility? Not only are you facing a journey of...

June 9, 2020

Going through infertility is something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. You watch your partner being poked, prodded, pumped with hormones, and...

June 5, 2020

I have always been a POAS addict (pee-on-a-stick addict). From the moment we decided we were trying, I bought pregnancy tests and ovulation...

June 3, 2020

Have you ever wanted something, dreamed and hoped for years that it would happen, and then one day found out that it might...

May 25, 2020

My husband and I knew we were ready for children a good year before we started actively trying to get pregnant. We had...

May 20, 2020

After almost three years of trying to conceive and over 30 two-week waits under my belt, I am an expert on how to...

May 18, 2020

Even though I'm not on the other side of infertility, I still like to regularly check in with myself about what I've been...

May 13, 2020

Seven years ago, life dealt me the biggest blow when my mother passed away. After rising up out of that despair, I thought...

May 11, 2020

‘Did you know that when we’re born, we’re born with all our eggs? Already. Every last one is there from the very start....

May 8, 2020

Like the majority of people in the infertility community, my journey to parenthood didn't exactly go how I had imagined it would. That's actually...

April 29, 2020

No one told me infertility would impact my career. Or how much fertility treatment would feel like another full-time job. Or how it could...

April 23, 2020

“Control what you can control.”  “You can’t control the wind, but you can control your sails.” These mantras are burned in my brain...

April 22, 2020

Being a mom is hard. But becoming one, that was even harder. Cankles, hemorrhoids, fear-factor-type cravings at weird hours of the night, I...

April 20, 2020

1 in 8 couples either have trouble getting pregnant or sustaining a pregnancy. That means that out of a group of you and...

April 19, 2020

There is so much I wish I knew before entering the world of infertility. How nice it would have been to have someone...

April 13, 2020

I am a planner. I always have been. I have backup plans for my backup plans. No one would ever describe me as...

April 8, 2020

At the start of 2020, anything and everything seemed possible. Maybe not a worldwide pandemic...but we’ll get to that later. At the start...

April 6, 2020

I never thought I would be writing out my infertility story or that I would even be in this place. Our journey started...

April 1, 2020

When my husband and I started IVF, we thought for sure that we would be successful right away. We were both 32 with...

March 30, 2020

You would be hard-pressed to find anyone whose “normal” life hasn’t been affected by the Coronavirus outbreak. People are losing their jobs. Doctors...

March 27, 2020

“As someone rejoices over a new chapter in their life, I mourn over a loss in mine. It's twisted and confuses my mind...

March 25, 2020

I stood in the middle of our kitchen, hands clenched at my side, tears running down my face. “I just can’t do it...

March 23, 2020

I watched my best friend struggle with infertility for years before experiencing it myself. I thought I knew what she was going through...

March 16, 2020

I’ve been sitting here trying to think of a different word for infertile. I even googled its synonyms: barren, unfruitful, impotent, sterile, depleted....

March 11, 2020

A little over two years ago, the only “lady” tests I was familiar with were the annual pap smear & HPV panel at...

March 9, 2020

In a very personal interview with the popular podcast Infertile AF, Samantha Busch, wife of NASCAR star Kyle Busch, Infertility Advocate, and star...

March 4, 2020

If you’re TTC, you know how psychologically challenging it can be. Emerging research is teaching us about the negative impact stress can have...

February 26, 2020

I always dreamed of being a mom. I imagined being done having babies by the time I was 25. I got married by...

February 24, 2020

I have two beautiful, healthy babies after infertility. They are boy/girl twins, and when I tell people that, they usually say, “you have...

February 21, 2020

When people ask me about my IVF experience, I always give the same answers: it wasn’t easy, but it was successful. What made...

February 19, 2020

Infertility doesn't happen to me - it happens to other people. I conceived my first child naturally within five months. Infertility isn't something...

February 17, 2020

I don’t remember the first time I held my babies. I don’t know who I held first. I don’t know if I immediately...

February 12, 2020

“What if it takes five years?” It’s ironic now because the five years in question were so arbitrary and also seemed impossible at...

February 10, 2020

My life was completely halted. I was stuck and grieving the loss of my own fertility on a daily basis. I knew I...

February 5, 2020

My husband and I felt excited to “pull out the goalie,” as he affectionately called taking out my IUD. None of our friends...

February 3, 2020

Let’s face it. Timed sex is annoying and often anything but sexy. It can also quickly turn depressing when a two-week wait ends...

January 29, 2020

September 2016—day one of our honeymoon. My wife and I decide to drive the Maui coast, along the Road to Hana.  A multi-hour...

January 27, 2020

Infertility and loss have single-handedly been the most isolating and lonely experiences of my life. The truth of the matter is, that you...

January 22, 2020

Unexpected memories can take you back to the happiest and saddest times in your life. Not too long ago, I was scrolling through...

January 20, 2020

“Hello from the other side. I must have tried a thousand times…. …to try and have a baby.” Okay, tell me you didn’t...

January 15, 2020

As a little girl, I loved playing with dolls. In fact, I kept several of my childhood dolls dreaming I would have a...

January 13, 2020

What you think your life will look like and what it actually is like are not necessarily the same, and how you relate...

January 8, 2020

Like depression, infertility was a label I had been convinced of identifying myself with. With both labels depression and infertility, I felt ashamed...

January 6, 2020

We all know good nutrition is important to our overall health, but many women are unaware of the connection between diet, lifestyle, and...

January 1, 2020

“What’s the point of my life if I can’t have children?” I asked my therapist this question a few weeks after I first...

December 30, 2019

Anyone who knows me knows that secrets are not my thing. In fact, I’m hard-pressed to think of anything in my life that...

December 26, 2019

Over the past few years, I have had the very best moments of my life and the very worst, all of which are centered...

December 23, 2019

Telling people what not to say can be a little bit problematic. I know this because I run a campaign called ‘Think! What...

December 18, 2019

It’s impossible to know what lies ahead on your journey to motherhood and, for me, I was blindsided. It was Spring of 2015....

December 16, 2019

In December of 2018, my husband and I were told we needed IVF to get pregnant. If you're reading this, you might have...

December 11, 2019

I have always been an anxious person. When you throw in a dash of infertility and a sprinkle of recurrent miscarriages, they were...

December 9, 2019

My daughter’s name would have been Mina. I see glimpses of her in my seven nieces and nephews—tiny flashes from the day they...

December 4, 2019

What do severe period pain, infertility, chronic pelvic pain, painful sex, nerve pain, and GI symptoms all have in common? They are all symptoms...

November 20, 2019

I never thought I would be someone who had to go through IVF. Real talk, and I’m not proud of this: for years, I...

November 18, 2019

When I first started fertility treatments, IVF was the furthest thing from my mind. I was only 28 years old, and my Reproductive...

November 13, 2019

The National Center for Health Statistics reported that the average age of first birth in the United States rose from 24.9 years in...

November 11, 2019

Acupuncture can help women through every stage of their lives, from PMS to menopause. Acupuncture not only helps with fertility, but it can help...

November 8, 2019

The path to parenthood is different for everyone. Donor egg IVF is specifically for those who are unable to use their own eggs....

November 6, 2019

I don’t think there is anything in this world that can prepare you for infertility. Infertility is the opposite of what our bodies...

November 4, 2019

When people find out that I have carried five children as a three-time surrogate (yes you counted right, two sets of twins plus...

October 31, 2019

Before I dive into my own experiences with stage 4 endometriosis, I think it’s important to start off by saying that everyone’s experience...

October 28, 2019

As someone who has spent the better half of the last decade advocating for others as a survivor of domestic violence who helps...

October 24, 2019

I’ve always been bossy, or as I like to call it, helpful. From as early on as I can remember, I have always...

October 21, 2019

Travel back with me if you will, all the way to the beginning of you. Well, almost. Picture this: little five-year-old you, sitting...

October 9, 2019

It seems like everybody knows somebody with an IVF baby, so when my husband Seth and I learned in June 2018 that IVF...

October 7, 2019

I never thought that I’d be forced into menopause twice before the age of 34.  I always thought that by the time I...

October 4, 2019

For my husband and me, our journey to parenthood has been nothing like what I imagined it would be. I always thought that...

October 2, 2019

I suffered from Hypothalamic Amenorrhea for 10 years without even knowing it. Like many women my age, I was on the birth control...

September 30, 2019

Love, marriage, a house, kids. That was the dream (mine, anyway). I was lucky enough to find true love and get married to...

September 23, 2019

Polycystic ovary syndrome, or more commonly, PCOS, is an incredibly common disorder that affects about 10% of women in the world, which equates...

September 17, 2019

For most of my adult life, I have struggled on-and-off with anxiety. In my 20s, I learned how to deal with it for...

September 11, 2019

I always knew I wanted my own biological children, but I had no idea it would happen through gestational surrogacy, not in a...

September 9, 2019

Did you know that Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine problem for women worldwide and the leading cause of infertility in...

September 2, 2019

How can acupuncture have a positive impact on my fertility? At WTHN, our mission is to empower our clients to achieve their best health...

August 28, 2019

My husband wasn’t home when I took my first pregnancy test, but we were able to FaceTime. We both held our breath as...

August 26, 2019

Mom guilt. Every mom has it. And yet, sometimes I feel like mine is amplified a bit since I fought so hard to...

August 23, 2019

I’m a rainbow mama.  This is a title I never asked to have, no one does, but it’s one that I have developed...

August 21, 2019

"I'm so sorry, but you're not pregnant." The same words I have heard many times before. The same feeling of the air being...

August 14, 2019

I remember the first time I felt jealous after hearing a friend was pregnant. I remember it because it was such a bizarre...

August 12, 2019

I always say that the scars of infertility don’t fade the minute you find out you’re pregnant. Even though my first reaction was...

August 7, 2019

It’s been almost a whole year that my sweet twin boys have been in our lives, and in some ways it feels like...

August 7, 2019

At the ripe old age of 28, I decided that becoming a mom was going to be my next big thing, which would...

July 31, 2019

“Here comes Baby A!” And then I heard the vibrant cries, our son Logan, being born into the world, his sister Kirsten, our...

July 24, 2019

There was a time when my gut reaction to a pregnancy announcement wasn’t to hurl myself into a sobbing heap on the floor....

July 3, 2019

Negative. My pregnancy test was negative. My first IVF cycle didn’t work. I have a beautiful three-year-old daughter. We got pregnant naturally so...

July 1, 2019

It was 2012. Girl meets girl through an online dating website. The first time we met was at a park by my house....

June 25, 2019

I am, by nature, a planner. I am extremely type-A, organized, a scheduler, and I leave little room for error in both my...

June 19, 2019

One year ago this week, I was in the two-week wait after my second frozen embryo transfer. My first one had failed, so...

February 6, 2019

I should preface this by saying, patience is not one of my virtues. I have become increasingly more patient after going through infertility,...

January 2, 2019

After undergoing a year of infertility treatments, including IVF, I thought a positive pregnancy test was going to be the answer to all...

November 20, 2018

Pregnancy after infertility can be scary. It is incredibly joyful, of course, but knowing that you now have what you worked so hard...

October 15, 2018

As a self-proclaimed workout fanatic, one of the biggest struggles for me during my TTC journey was whether or not to continue working...

August 22, 2018

You would think, after a year of infertility treatments, that finding out I was pregnant was the happiest day of my life. Not...

August 15, 2018

I have been feeling all of the feels lately, so I thought it would be a good idea to get my thoughts down...

August 11, 2018

I’m writing this in real-time as I sit in my hospital bed after being admitted for signs of pre-term labor. In an insane and...

August 9, 2018

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