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Fertility Blog by Illume Fertility

Everything you need to know about reproductive health, fertility testing, fertility treatment (like IUI and IVF) and how to navigate fertility challenges.

Fertility Treatment | Our Doctors | TTC | Advocacy | Affording Treatment

By: Illume Fertility Care Team
December 5th, 2018

One infertility patient shares her story about insurance, the open enrollment time period, and being her own advocate. A story of success, hope and empowerment.

Infertility | Male Infertility | Support | Semen Analysis | Fertility Treatment | TTC

By: Kyle Tzanetis
November 30th, 2018

I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Kyle Tzanetis and I’m here to represent and support you; all the men involved in the fertility treatment journey. I feel honored to have 2 very special roles at RMA of Connecticut, I am both the Team Lead of Andrology and the Andrology Patient Liaison. Andrology is a field of medicine that is specific to male fertility and reproduction; a field in which I have been in for over 4 years now. As a firm believer that no person should be alone in infertility and family building process, these roles are a very good fit for me. Here’s what you should know...

Infertility | Fertility | Health | Wellness | Support | IVF | IUI | TTC | Fertility Testing | Mental Health | Community

By: Dr. Amy Matton, DACM, L.Ac
September 21st, 2018

My observation is that we have gotten away from the natural order of things. With the advent of modern technology, many of us are less in touch with nature than ever before. Days can go by without our feet ever touching the earth, even during the hot summer months. This is especially true for someone challenged by the rigors of infertility. It’s hard for our feet to touch the ground when we’re so caught up in the everyday hormone injections and necessary fertility treatment procedures. The process becomes so all-consuming that we can forget the simple beauty that comes with each day. How long has it been since you have walked in the woods, stood by the ocean, or marveled at the full moon? With the start of fall, this is a good time to offer ourselves yet another chance to truly enjoy the beauty of the season by reconnecting with the universe as well as reconnecting with ourselves. I have always found comfort in the understanding that the laws of the universe apply to all.

Wellness | Support | TTC | Reproductive Health

By: Lisa Rosenthal
September 15th, 2018

There are topics that are deeply uncomfortable to talk about and yet it’s only through open and honest conversation that a deeper understanding will come about.

Infertility | Fertility | Support | Infertility Coverage | Fertility Treatment | IVF | TTC | Affording Treatment

One of the hardest decisions Dan and I faced during fertility treatment was making the transition from IUI (intrauterine insemination) to IVF (in vitro fertilization). I remember after failing our third round of IUI treatment (yes, I know, the politically correct way of putting this is, “after my third failed cycle”, but let’s face it, it felt like a personal failure when there was no positive pregnancy test!), my husband and I came face to face with a decision making moment: to pursue another round of IUI or bust out the big guns, moving ahead with IVF. There was a lot of time discussing this potentially life changing decision. We made tons of pros and cons lists because we wanted to ensure we were choosing the best option for the two of us and our situation. We considered lots of factors, but two kept rising to the top of importance: financial cost and our emotional sanity.

Infertility | Male Infertility | Support | Fertility Treatment | Men's Health | TTC | Mental Health

By: Lisa Schuman, LCSW
August 30th, 2018

Grief is all too familiar to patients going through fertility treatment. Whether it is grief over not getting pregnant naturally, not getting pregnant through treatment or the loss of a pregnancy, the loss felt by people going through assisted technology to conceive is very real. Unfortunately, this is not widely understood by many for whom getting pregnant naturally is simple. As a result, infertility feels isolating and patients often internalize other’s comments about needing to feel grateful for the good things they have in their lives, leaving them even more upset. To compound matters further, infertility is unique in that it can create sadness and effect a woman’s self-esteem. Many women feel that their bodies are not doing what they always expected they would do and these women can feel broken and lost.