Will The Stigma Ever Go Away?
Posted on October 29, 2008
Do you agree with this woman – that infertility is stigmatized? Read the first few paragraphs of this (or the entire) article. I don’t understand why infertility is so secretive – can someone explain that to me? Is it because it’s about sex? We’ll sex is a very open topic. Everyone talks about sex. It’s on every TV show, in every movie, in music, etc.
Infertility is not about defining the masculinity of a man or the purpose of a woman. Yet, we keep it locked away. Yes, infertility is everywhere in the blogosphere. But are you talking about your diagnosis or struggles with your friends and family? Are you hoping they find your blog so they can learn about your feelings? Do you tell them what is and what isn’t appropriate to say to you? Do they know how to support you or are you protecting yourself from their harsh words or lack of compassion?
In less than two weeks I’ve seen notices about infertility consulting firms. The first is My Fertility Plan – the consultants have a book coming out in early 2009 that will be SO helpful to those navigating fertility treatments. The second is mentioned in the Chicago Tribune article. And I know of other too.
I wonder – will adding consulting services to this industry help remove the stigma associated with it? Will couples starting their infertility journey get the help they so desperately need from the very beginning thereby, reducing feelings of loneliness or shame? Will the addition of these businesses make the general public realize that infertility is really a medical condition and should be treated and approached as such? I don’t know. I do think that to some extent these consultants will help the lives of some couples as they navigate infertility. Coaches and consultants are not for everyone. Many people have recommended that I purse that idea, but it’s not for me. I don’t want to be a fertility coach because I think it would be too sad to process my feelings of those who don’t make it to the other side.
What do you think of fertility coaches? Will they help infertile community?
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2 Responses to “Will The Stigma Ever Go Away?”
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Mindy is so right when she is talking about how many “players” make up the team! It’s not only the usual front line up of Reproductive Endocrinologists and infertility nursing staff at the start of the family building process but when one partner can not add his or her own genetics then someone has to call in the agencies (Sperm and/or Egg Donation), psychologist and attorneys, and if one can’t carry a baby then they have to search for someone who can…the Surrogate. Then lets bring in the OBGYN and possibly the high risk DR. for a multiple pregnancy and toss in a doula or a midwife. The delivering hospital staff then needs to be briefed on the situation and the risk management team informed (and possibly taught the ins and outs of a surrogacy arrangement if the hospital has not had the experience of a surrogate birth in their facility before). It is a long journey and hiring a consultant to assist makes it less intimidating and, hopefully, a family has been made in the process!
Sharon LaMothe
Infertility Answers, Inc.
http://infertilityanswers.net/
http://infertilityanswers.typepad.com/surrogacy_101/
Kelly, we seem to think on the same page yet again! Guess who we interviewed on our 52nd episode – the consultants of My fertility Plan!
http://www.benedictfamily.org/episode-52-interview-with-my-fertility-plan-llc/
Check it out!