Forbes Article on Entrepreneurship in Fertility
Since going through IUI, IVF, and FET myself, I have always wanted to move into a future where I could support parents on their fertility journeys. I remember feeling sort of alone during my time of popping Clomid and Femara, transitioning to the harder stuff of Gonal F and Lovenox injections. I created an instagram soley for the purpose of searching the hashtags of #ttc (trying to concieve) #infertility, #ivf, and later on unfortunately #ttcaftermiscarriage. I would have loved to talk to the other people in the waiting room at my fertility clinic, but you know the unspoken rule there. WE DONT SPEAK OR MAKE EYE CONTACT AT THE FERTILITY CLINIC.
So I did my creeping in the Gram. Found a bunch of people I connected with all over the country and many in the UK. Some of these women are my closest friends now. We cheered for each others success and grieved each others losses.
But as I moved past that part of my life, I had two kids, I won right? Yes and no. Yes, because I finally had the babies I desperately wanted. No, because I still felt for all the people who were going on this journey, seemingly alone. If no one talks about infertility outright, we have to start the conversation in a safe way. In a way that is private for the person experiencing it, if that is what they need.
So, I became a Fertility Support Practitioner. I track cycles with clients, I help translate the medical jargon from the doctor that they may be scared to ask for clarification, I design and teach yoga sequences to where they are at in their cycle or treatment, I go through all their medication with them when the box box of needles on ice comes. What I do is going to be huge this year in regards to up and coming industries.
The article in Forbes discusses “How Entrepreneurs Will Move Into IVF in the Future”. This is 10000% accurate. This is an absolutely growing industry. Why? More and more people are looking for MORE in regards to sharing their experience and needing support through the process. The technology itself for conception has changed. We are moving beyond a flashing smiley, solid smiley, whatever smiley on a ClearBlue Ovulation Predictor. There is tech being developed now that actually MEASURES LH surges (hormone levels that peak just before ovulation). I can not tell you how much I would have preferred a number to a frustratingly confusing smiley on a pee stick. Or worse, watching obsessively as a line darkens, then lightens, then darkens again on a Wondfo.
In the very same way where pumping and breastfeeding are having their technological moments (hands and wire free pumping with the Willow or Elvie), Infertility tech and support are about to have theirs. I am so excited to be in this field now. I want to bring my experience to the table when it comes to talking about “how it used to be” not only to say that we have come so far, but to say “how can we make this easier?”