As a fertility specialist, I never expected to encounter my own roadblocks when my wife and I decided to grow our family. While it wasn't an easy journey, it allowed me to gain a new perspective on infertility that has given me even more compassion for my patients.

For those who struggle to grow their families, it's hard to imagine ever being able to conceive without the help of fertility treatment. But for some, a spontaneous, surprise pregnancy comes after infertility. Mayra shares her journey through infertility and what happened next.

Endometriosis can be a challenging condition to navigate, and it's often difficult to find the answers you need. Let's explore the most common endometriosis symptoms, treatment options and the emotional impact of living with this often painful disease.

As a reproductive endocrinologist who works with fertility patients every day, I hear about a lot of the insensitive “tips” given to them. Patients will tell me they've heard that if they just stop worrying, they will magically get pregnant, or that a specific diet will help.

Every person deserves to have the opportunity to build a family. Infertility is a reproductive disease, and like any other disease, it should be covered by insurance. While there are an increasing number of grants out there, providing funds for the people in 31 states that have no state-mandated coverage (19 states do have limited mandated coverage, including Connecticut), would we expect someone with cardiac or pulmonary disease to apply and hope for a grant for medical treatment? Or would we expect that the medical coverage that we pay for would instead provide coverage for our medical problem? With 1 in 8 people affected by fertility issues (similar numbers to those who are challenged by breast cancer), we do not have to face these discriminatory exclusions by ourselves. When asked, many legislators will tell you that their families are among the most important aspects of their lives. We stand together, to tell our legislators that our families are as important to us as theirs are to them.

When journalist Amy Klein got married and started trying to get pregnant, it was 2011. She was 41, and she was met with a distinct lack of fertility support. While patients struggling with fertility today have the benefit of online communities on Facebook and Instagram, the best that Amy could find were “mommy boards” - chat forums where women would talk about fertility treatment secretly, using initials rather than names.