First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby...right? Well, not always! Most people expect that when they're ready to have their first child, they will be able to conceive relatively easily. But what happens when a PCOS diagnosis complicates that journey?

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.

Trying to conceive brings with it a whole host of emotions and challenges, particularly when you need the help of fertility treatment. New parents Andrea and Ralph share how infertility changed them - and whether they wish they'd done anything differently on their journey.

Discovering you need the help of a fertility specialist to successfully conceive can be overwhelming to anyone - but throw in a global pandemic and the experience becomes even more stressful. Illume Fertility patient Alicia shares her and her husband's journey through four IUI cycles while navigating some unexpected challenges.

If you need to pursue fertility treatment, your next question is likely “How in the world am I going to pay for this?” Hopefully, your answer is your insurance provider! The first step is to figure out if your insurance policy includes fertility coverage and will help pay for the infertility treatments, tests, or other procedures your doctor may recommend. Learn how to explore your plan's coverage and get the most out of your insurance with our detailed guide below.

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.

For the 1 out of 8 couples struggling with family building, the costs associated with fertility treatments can be staggering. However, if you live in one of the nineteen states that mandate fertility coverage, the costs can become much more manageable. Even if you live in a state that doesn’t provide extended coverage, many insurance policies will cover some testing or medications if you have met your annual deductible. If you’re paying out-of-pocket, it’s important to understand the investment you might have to make in order to complete your treatment and the many grants, scholarships, and loans that are available to you. When pursuing fertility assistance, it is very difficult to pinpoint a precise cost for your particular treatment until you and your partner, if applicable, have both undergone a complete assessment. This includes confirmation of ovulation, a sperm analysis, and an examination of reproductive organs. At that point, your fertility specialist, or Reproductive Endocrinologist (REI), can determine a treatment path according to your diagnosis, narrowing the scope of your estimated costs. Let's break down some of the most common infertility treatments, and talk about the average associated costs of each.

Over the past few years, fertility treatment has gained some much-needed visibility. As public figures and celebrities share their stories of IVF treatment, surrogacy, PCOS struggles, and more, we see that willingness to share mirrored in our own community. Not only do patients seem to be more willing to open up to friends, family, and social media about their fertility or family-building journeys, but they are sharing the physical, mental, and emotional toll that may accompany these reproductive challenges.