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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Every day of every year, fertility clinic laboratories are monitoring, observing and essentially “babysitting” patients' embryos, sperm and eggs. Their security systems are always active to keep these precious materials safe and protocols are strictly followed with every movement.

After struggling to conceive on their own, Danielle and Rob began a path to parenthood that would lead them through ICSI and IVF to a huge surprise they never could have anticipated. Read about their journey through infertility, a complex and challenging pregnancy and their advice to fellow fertility warriors in this honest account of how they grew their family. Skip to a specific section: Meet Danielle & Rob The First Step: Seeking Out Help Uncovering Male Factor Fertility Issues Leaning on Their Care Team for Support The Challenges of the IVF Process Remaining Hopeful & Preparing for Transfer #2 The Shock of a Lifetime Becoming Parents x 2 Advice for Other Fertility Patients Staying Connected to the Fertility Community More Resources