Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) – When American actress Jennifer Aniston raised the question of her struggles with IVF treatments as she tried to start a family, she gave a voice to those who have gone through a difficult journey with the ‘infertility that did not end with biological children.
In vitro fertilization, or IVF, is an assisted reproduction method in which eggs are removed from the ovaries and fertilized outside the body. The resulting embryos were then placed back into the woman’s uterus in the hope that they would induce a pregnancy.
This mechanism is very expensive. Each round of treatment can cost between $12,000 and $17,000, according to one estimate, although it may be covered by insurance in some places.
CNN spoke to four women who have tried IVF without having children. They describe the agony of daily injections, ultrasounds and lab work, as well as the long wait, hope and disappointment, and end with financial pressures and heartbreaking questions from loved ones and strangers as to why they aren’t. having children.
Katie Sippy, 40, said: ‘Success stories dominate the current infertility narrative, as people seem to be more willing to talk about their experiences as parents. For those who have closed the chapter on infertility without a son, they always get unsolicited advice. This reinforces the narrative that we gave up early.”
Aniston’s story of unwittingly putting a face on childless people has helped overcome the deep personal suffering that many say they face in silence.
Here is a summary of their experience:
She was overcome with grief after giving up trying for a baby
Sippy has suffered from infertility for four years. In April 2017, she resorted to artificial insemination.
She chose her children’s names and birth center. She furnished a room in her home in Salt Lake City. But after one round of IVF, her embryos weren’t viable.
The treatment exacerbated her fibroids, which are non-cancerous growths in the uterus, and endometriosis, a condition in which the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. Sippy then decided not to pursue the second cycle after being warned by a reproductive endocrinologist that it would likely lead to a similar result to the first cycle.
For Sebi, the detailed ovulation schedule, the obsession with trying to conceive and the desperation of negative pregnancy tests have become unbearable. After weighing all of her reproductive health issues, she decided to end her motherhood journey and have a hysterectomy in 2017, a decision that initially overwhelmed her with pain that she described as global.
“I’m one of the lucky few to have IVF covered by my business, so it wasn’t a financial sacrifice for me,” she told CNN. But I quit for the sake of my physical, psychological and mental health. My heart almost exploded every time I got my period and I didn’t know how long I could take it.”
She started seeing a therapist who told her it was good to put herself first and helped her deal with the impact of not having a child on her future.
She explained, “I dreamed of motherhood from an early age. I stayed at my job to take maternity leave. I’ve always made room for a baby in my life.” She continued, “Through psychotherapy, grieving and connecting with others in a childless community, I slowly began to create a vision.” new to my life. I chose myself and the luxury of my life rather than clinging to the hope of having a child.”
The negative impact of the many decisions associated with artificial insemination
When Sherry Lacho decided to have IVF, he bought her and her husband a pregnancy magazine, maternity clothes, and egg retrieval T-shirts.
Lacho, who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, had a positive impression about it. She bought a dozen white and gray baby dresses and two more pink, hoping to have a baby girl.
But the two rounds of IVF she underwent were unsuccessful. The first test resulted in a positive pregnancy test in February, followed by bleeding and a miscarriage about six weeks later. The second vaccination was done last month and was unsuccessful.
Lacho said pursuing a lifelong dream comes with frequent disappointments and requires tremendous strength.
She explained that each stage of her journey involved many decisions, including which embryo to test and how many eggs to implant.
“The hardest part was the decision-making process. There are so many decisions you have to make, starting with the decision to go on this journey when you’re old,” said Lacho, 45. therapy.
Elcho has three children with her husband, but says she has moments of pain when she thinks about what she has lost. She says she and her husband hope to continue trying for children, but their financial options are limited. Her husband’s job pays for two IVF cycles, but they run out of opportunities.
She stressed that her husband would either have to find another job that would give him this chance again to try again, or they would have to raise the donations themselves.
Lacho said sometimes people ask her if she’s chosen not to have children of her own.
“Most of them probably don’t realize that infertility is more common than you think,” she added.
Her fetus did not survive…but she is owed a $17,000 payment
Megan Hamm, 35, underwent egg retrieval and fertilization in August.
Doctors harvested seven mature eggs and, after fertilization, ended up with five embryos. But not a single fetus survived.
It was emotional and financial trauma for Hamm, a customer service agent at a bank in Ontario, Canada. He paid for this process by giving my husband and I our vacations and receiving money from his family.
“The hardest part was feeling like I had five embryos, only to have none and no real chance of fertilization,” she says. “It was a huge financial blow because we still had to pay for everything,” she continued.
Hamm noted that stories of failed IVF are not told enough, and as a result, most people don’t understand what the process involves and how difficult it is. She added that Aniston’s story sheds light on these struggles and can help reduce the stigma of people who feel judged for not having children.
“There are many people who are unaware of infertility problems and believe that IVF will cure them,” she continued, noting that “the concept of IVF for infertility treatment has to end. People who share Their stories of unsuccessful IVF will help others understand that this is not their fault. They can help others not feel alone.”
I felt like a failure when IVF didn’t work
April Brisby, 32, had an IVF cycle in September of last year. She says her only mature egg got a C, but it was the only one she had and she hoped it would help her dream of motherhood come true.
Barsby, who lives in Norman, Oklahoma, suffered from endometriosis and a low egg count, so she pinned her dreams to an egg.
“The hardest part was that all my hopes were finally dashed, my sweet egg didn’t stick and my period failed,” she said.
Barsby doesn’t work. So her friends and family donated items to fund her treatment, which she then sold at a yard sale.
This process drained her and her husband’s finances and left her struggling to accept her body. The couple have put their IVF on hold and she admits she’s not sure what to do next.
She stressed that “my husband is my biggest supporter, and that hasn’t affected our marriage in any way.” She added, “I went through very difficult times for months where I lost the sense of being a woman because of my physical failure.”
Barsby said Aniston’s story would raise awareness of the downsides of IVF and the costs to potential parents who go through the experience without having a child. “I’m not sure what the right way to normalize infertility is, but talking about it and letting women and men share their stories is a good start,” she added.
