For decades, patients have come to fertility clinics for help growing their families, whether it be their first child or their next child. The terms "primary infertility" and "secondary infertility" are often thrown around in the fertility world, but what do those with primary and secondary infertility have in common and where do the similarities end?

The RMA offices have been feeling a bit lonely without the constant greetings of our patients coming and going every day. Due to COVID protocols, more and more appointments are being held over Zoom in order to keep everyone safe, so we thought that for those of you who don't get to frequent our hallways as much anymore, we would bring the office to you! Karen Jeffries, aka Hilariously Infertile (@hilariouslyinfertile), is an infertility advocate and social influencer. She joined us at the beginning of 2020 (hence the lack of masks) for a behind the scenes look at our fertility practice. She takes the viewer everywhere - from the waiting room to exam room and even the "production room," all while dropping hilarious truths about the fertility process. As the tour progresses, Karen reflects on her abilities (and inabilities) to administer some of the necessary tasks of treatment. Join her and her laugh-out-loud one-liners on a grand tour of a fertility clinic!

Historically, the Black community has been underserved in the fertility world, even though married Black women deal with infertility at a rate two times that of white women and their partners.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we've had to adapt to "new normals" like wearing masks in public, forgoing large family gatherings and not blowing out birthday candles. It often feels like many memories from the past few years just aren't the same as they once were. When you add infertility struggles to that already overwhelming mental load, well - it's a lot to manage.

April 1st is fast approaching and I know you're probably thinking, who cares? We care! For many, a favorite April Fool’s Joke for people is to pretend they’re pregnant and then shout “April Fools”! So. Not. Funny. If you don't know about April Fool's day, here's a quick primer.

Meet a fertility superhero. Aprill Lane.

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.

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.