Taking a break during fertility treatment can be a real gift to yourself (if you can bring yourself to actually take the time off). One might even think of "time off" as, gasp, a vacation! A vacation from the doctor's appointments, monitoring, testing, procedures, blood draws, and more.

About a month ago, we posted on Instagram, asking for a favor.

As little children, the holiday season is a time of wonder. Gifts, twinkling lights, and tons of holiday sweets and treats - who could ask for more? However, once we grow up, that childlike wonder is often replaced with financial woes, stress about sourcing the perfect present, and dealing with distant relatives asking far too many personal questions. Aunt Muriel, please stop asking when we're going to have kids!

1 in 8 couples experience infertility, which likely means you or someone you know has gone through or is currently navigating this experience. It can be a short journey for some, long for others, but at some point, it's mentally and physically draining for almost everyone going through the process.

Type A personalities have a well-deserved reputation for a penchant to control. Whether in their personal or professional lives, they can be picked out pretty easily. They’re the ones asking specific and detailed questions, tapping their smart watches, picking up any slack, and providing information that wasn’t even apparent to others that it was needed.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we've had to adapt to "new normals" like wearing masks in public, forgoing large family gatherings and not blowing out birthday candles. It often feels like many memories from the past few years just aren't the same as they once were. When you add infertility struggles to that already overwhelming mental load, well - it's a lot to manage.

One woman with PCOS is about to receive a FREE IVF cycle from RMA of Connecticut. Dr. Ilana Ressler explains the grant, how you can apply, and when it will be announced in the video below. What is The PCOS Challenge Family Building Grant? RMA of Connecticut has teamed up with The PCOS Challenge Family Building Grant to help patients with infertility caused by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) build their families and includes a free IVF cycle. RMA of Connecticut is one of only four fertility clinics across the country participating in The PCOS Challenge Family Building Grant. The deadline to apply is November 16th and the grant recipient will be announced December 15th. Grants are awarded once per year. RMA of Connecticut continues to bring awareness to PCOS sufferers. Last year, during PCOS month in September, RMA of Connecticut created special programming via social media, geared toward college-aged students, and they teamed up with PCOS influencers to spread the word about how to manage symptoms associated with PCOS. Dr. Ilana Ressler, a reproductive endocrinologist with RMA of Connecticut, conducted an Instagram Live to help spread the word about The PCOS Challenge Family Building Grant.

Infertility can be a stressful and challenging experience even in “normal” times, let alone during a global pandemic. As a reproductive endocrinologist, I spend my days working with individuals and couples to help them achieve their dream of building a family. During this challenging year, I have watched many of my patients grapple with questions about how to reconcile their concerns about COVID-19 with their desire to have a baby.