After four failed IVF cycles at another fertility clinic and almost ready to give up their hope of ever having children, Chris and Desiree decided to reach out to the team at Illume Fertility to see if they could help. This is their story. Want to jump to a specific section? Meet Chris and Desiree A New Start Navigating the Highs and Lows Finding Success After Failed IVF Reflections on Their Fertility Journey Advice to Other Fertility Patients Desiree's Top Tips Want to Share Your Story? More IVF Resources

Infertility and fertility treatment are often compared to either a roller coaster or a Ferris wheel, and for good reason. Throughout your journey, there are many twists and turns, ups and downs - and it often feels like the entire thing is out of your control. That got us wondering, “If all the pieces of fertility treatment were like rides at an amusement park, which ones would they be?”

In honor of Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month, we asked one of our patients to share her and her husband's journey through fertility struggles, multiple rounds of IUI, how they coped with the heartbreak of losing a pregnancy and where they are now. Note: This story includes mentions of pregnancy loss (miscarriage) that may be difficult for some to read. Please take care of yourself and skip this post if this topic is too tough to revisit right now.

All families should have access to fertility care, but unfortunately, many still end up paying out of pocket or delaying treatment (sometimes indefinitely) due to the overwhelming financial burden.

For the last 32 years, when I find something interesting or intriguing, I take it straight to the people I care for the most: those that need help building their family. More specifically, those faced with infertility or those in the LGBTQ+ community who need reproductive health services.

Some people dream of having twins. Some even enter into the fertility treatment process hoping for twins. But no matter what, finding out that you're pregnant with multiples is a shock! In this special Illume Fertility family story, Stephanie shares her journey through unexplained infertility, a high-risk pregnancy, and creating her family of four.

One of our favorite things about helping families grow is witnessing the diversity - both in what each patient's version of success looks like, and what each family looks like. No two families are exactly the same, and we believe that uniqueness is part of what makes each story so beautiful. In this blog, former Illume Fertility patient and single mom by choice Alison shares her journey through fertility struggles, an unexpected divorce, and choosing to add another baby to her family as a newly solo parent.

When you experience difficulty conceiving Baby #2 after having a relatively easy time getting pregnant with Baby #1, it can be shocking, confusing, and heartbreaking. There might even be a lingering sense of guilt: "Well, I already have a child, so I should just be happy."