For some, infertility is a brief, albeit powerful interlude on the way to becoming a parent. Once pregnant, it’s like glancing at something stationary in the rear-view mirror - it quickly fades and then disappears. For many others though, the time spent in fertility treatment cycles, the ups and downs of testing, results, disappointments, and ultimately the success of having a baby forever alters how they experience themselves in the world. They see themselves differently because they are different. They are permanently changed. There are the littler things, like they don’t sweat the small stuff as much. They often feel less frustrated by sleepless nights, colicky babies, or interruptions due to an infant. (However, they don’t turn into saints, by any stretch of the imagination! Sleep deprivation and postpartum depression are real concerns and having infertility doesn’t protect you against them, so please, no guilt for being exhausted and cranky about being a parent after infertility.) But there’s also the bigger stuff. Without any comparison to parents who achieve their baby goals easily, parents after infertility do often feel a deeper sense of appreciation than they themselves would have felt, had they not had the experience of infertility. The only comparison being noted here is how those with infertility might themselves have been if infertility hadn’t entered their lives to delay parenthood.

September – the month of back-to-school, bye-bye-summer, and hello-pumpkin-spice. It’s a time of transition, out from under the laid-back heat to the crisp chill that puts a pep in your step. While I’m all for 80-degree weather and some sand beneath my feet, I’m excited for the change in season. This time of year gives me a boost of energy – maybe it’s just my body’s primal way of hurling me into Autumn, so I can push through Winter, and emerge in the Spring as a functioning human. Otherwise, the odds of me hibernating like a grizzly bear are high. So this is a moment to take a deep breath and gear up for the season ahead. It’s also an opportunity for reflection on our mind and body. It’s a time to set new goals, address our struggles, and try new ways to fix them.

Laura Meyer, M.D. has joined our award-winning team of fertility specialists to deliver high quality care to patients in the region. Born and raised in Westchester County, Dr. Meyer graduated magna cum laude from Duke University, and earned her medical degree at the NYU School of Medicine. She continued her medical training at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center, where she completed both her residency in obstetrics and gynecology and fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. During residency, she was appointed Administrative Chief Resident and was the recipient of several honors, including the Distinguished Housestaff Award. Prior to joining RMA of Connecticut, Dr. Meyer was an Assistant Professor at NYU School of Medicine and practiced in Westchester and Fairfield Counties. “RMA of Connecticut is very proud to add Dr. Laura Meyer to our award-winning team,” says Dr. Mark Leondires, Medical Director and Founder of RMA of Connecticut. “Dr. Meyer’s experience, coupled with her notable achievements and deep connection to the Westchester and Fairfield County communities will add tremendous value to our RMA of Connecticut team. We are thrilled that she has joined our team to continue to help our patients grow their families.” Dr. Meyer is experienced in ovulation induction, in vitro fertilization, preimplantation genetic testing, egg freezing, fertility preservation for cancer patients, recurrent pregnancy loss, and third party reproduction. She is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and reproductive endocrinology and infertility, and is a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. She is fluent in Spanish. “I am honored to join the talented team at RMA of Connecticut, where I look forward to providing personalized, state-of-the-art care in a patient-centered environment,” says Dr. Laura Meyer. “RMA of Connecticut is renowned for its commitment to treating the “whole patient,” pairing world-class medical care with individualized emotional support and integrative programs such as nutrition, yoga and acupuncture. I am excited to offer all of these resources to my patients throughout their journeys to parenthood.”

You may have seen headlines about Kristen Wiig’s journey to motherhood. Kristen recently opened up about her surrogacy and IVF journey with InStyle Magazine. As more and more celebrities come forward with their fertility stories, and as these headlines continue to garner mainstream media attention, the stigma surrounding infertility continues to crumble. There is a growing awareness that infertility is a disease that affects 1 in 8 couples, and it is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, we should continue to celebrate those who bravely share their personal stories and struggles in hopes of helping others. And that is exactly what Kristen Wiig had in mind when she shared her story with InStyle's Laura Brown. More on that below.

Hannah Bronfman, DJ and founder of HBFIT, and husband, Brendan Fallis, have been open and honest about their pregnancy journey. After a miscarriage, multiple IUIs, and IVF, they give us an update on their family building story.

Infertility can seriously screw with friendships and family relationships.

In honor of July being Fibroid Awareness Month, we asked one of our experts and board-certified reproductive endocrinologists, Dr. Shaun Williams, some basic FAQs about fibroids; what they are, how common are they, how to know if you have one, treatment options, and whether or not they cause infertility. Check out responses to these questions and more below.

People faced with infertility currently in treatment have had the hardest decisions to make over the last several months, hinging on factors out of their control. Many fertility practices reduced scheduling to only Telehealth consults, others were closed entirely, and almost all had to delay and postpone fertility treatment cycles due to COVID-19. Those decisions posed limitations that were hard for many patients to accept, and sparked conversations on many levels about whether fertility treatment is considered an “essential service.”