Male Infertility | IVF | Patient Stories | Pregnancy & Infant Loss
By:
Sierra Dehmler
September 2nd, 2022
When Sarah and her husband began trying to conceive six years ago, they never imagined they'd end up needing the help of fertility treatment. After a long, winding road through multiple pregnancy losses, egg retrievals, embryo transfers, and countless tests and appointments, Sarah shares how this journey has shifted her perspective and turned her into a courageous fertility advocate - as well as what's next for their family.
Donor Conception | IVF | Egg Donor | Mental Health | Patient Stories
By:
Sierra Dehmler
June 8th, 2022
When most people decide they're ready to become a parent, they typically envision bringing a biologically-related child into the world - a little "mini me" to carry on certain physical and personality traits. But what happens when that vision is turned upside down by fertility challenges and you consider using an egg donor to grow your family? In this story, one Illume Fertility patient shares her and her partner's donor conception experience with honesty, exploring the raw emotions that surfaced when they were forced to reimagine their dreams for the future.
National Infertility Awareness Week | Advocacy | Community | Patient Stories
By:
Sierra Dehmler
April 29th, 2022
As awareness around infertility and fertility treatment grows, many people are becoming more familiar with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). But what about all the other ways to make a family? While IVF is a great pathway to parenthood for many parents, it's not the only one!
By:
Katie Cacchiani
March 21st, 2022
This is Part 3 of Katie's Story, a series where one fertility patient takes you through her entire IVF journey in real-time, from start to finish. To catch up, read Part 1 and Part 2 or follow along here.
IVF | Patient Stories | Pregnancy & Infant Loss
By:
Sierra Dehmler
February 7th, 2022
While every fertility patient's journey is different, there's one thing they all typically have in common: none of them expected to need the help of fertility treatments, doctors and an entire team of healthcare professionals in order to have a baby. In this story, Illume Fertility mom Azana shares the highs and lows of her experience and what she learned along her unique path to motherhood.
Pregnancy | IVF | Mental Health | Patient Stories
By:
Katie Cacchiani
January 28th, 2022
This is Part 2 of our Katie's Story series. Read Part 1 and Part 3. After a long journey involving multiple pregnancy losses, three rounds of IVF and lots of waiting, we finally welcomed our daughter Nora in 2020. But we were anxious about what it would take for us to try and give Nora a little brother or sister. This is Part 2 of my story, which includes some updates about whether our fourth frozen embryo transfer was successful, the emotional roller coaster of early pregnancy and what's next for our family. Skip to a specific section: July 2021: Planning for Baby #2 Navigating Insurance & the Emotions of Starting Again My Second Egg Retrieval December 2021: Frozen Embryo Transfer January 2022: Am I Pregnant? Pregnancy Ultrasound #1 Pregnancy Ultrasound #2 Where Am I Now? More Infertility Resources
Twins | IVF | Genetic Testing | Patient Stories | Pregnancy & Infant Loss
By:
Sierra Dehmler
January 10th, 2022
After years of wondering if she would ever become a mother, Nicole and her husband Scott decided to seek guidance from the fertility experts at Illume Fertility to see if it was possible for her to conceive with her diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis. This is their journey through IVF, a multiple pregnancy, heartbreaking loss and finding light on the other side. ⚠️ Content Warning: This story includes discussion of pregnancy loss and stillbirth. If you're in a vulnerable place, please protect your mental wellbeing by skipping this post for now.
PCOS | IVF | Patient Stories | Pregnancy & Infant Loss
By:
Katie Cacchiani
December 14th, 2021
This is Part 1 of our Katie's Story series. Read Part 2 and Part 3. After coming to terms with the fact that my husband and I likely wouldn't be able to conceive on our own, we decided to seek out the help of a fertility specialist. What followed was a long journey through fertility testing, procedures, multiple pregnancy losses, three rounds of IVF, and finally meeting our rainbow baby girl. Skip to a specific section: The First Step: Fertility Testing Understanding the World of Fertility Our First IVF Cycle Trying Again: Our Second Embryo Transfer Experiencing a New Kind of Loss Getting More Answers with an ERA Cycle Giving It One More Try: Our Third Transfer Overcoming Loss & Grief A High-Risk Pregnancy & The Greatest Reward Preview: The Journey to Baby #2 More IVF Resources