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Fertility Blog

Fertility Blog by Illume Fertility

Everything you need to know about reproductive health, fertility testing, fertility treatment (like IUI and IVF) and how to navigate fertility challenges.

LGBTQ+ Family Building | Surrogacy | Egg Donor | Patient Stories

By: Sierra Dehmler
July 24th, 2024

One of the most beautiful parts about family building is that no two stories are exactly alike. There are so many different paths to parenthood: in vitro fertilization (IVF), surrogacy, adoption, donor conception, and others. In this story, two dads share the surrogacy experience from start to finish - in their own words.

PCOS | Fertility Preservation | Egg Freezing | Reproductive Health | Patient Stories

By: Alexandra Fontaine
July 24th, 2024

What happens when you're concerned about the dreaded "biological clock" but not ready to have children yet? Alex, a 27-year old medical student pursuing big career goals, shares why she made the decision to freeze her eggs while still in her twenties, plus the financial and physical challenges she faced along the way.

LGBTQ+ Family Building | Surrogacy | Donor Conception | Patient Stories

By: Sierra Dehmler
July 19th, 2024

After two Episcopal priests begin their journey to parenthood, they encounter unexpected roadblocks, including big financial hurdles and a global pandemic. This is the story of how they navigated surrogacy and what they learned along the way - in their own words.

LGBTQ+ Family Building | Donor Conception | IVF | Patient Stories | Secondary Infertility

By: Sierra Dehmler
June 4th, 2024

For hopeful parents-to-be in same-sex relationships, finding the right path to parenthood and ways to afford fertility treatment can create an added layer of difficulty. In this story, Stef and Denise share their four-year long journey to success, and what they've learned along the way.

National Infertility Awareness Week | Advocacy | Patient Stories

By: Sierra Dehmler
April 30th, 2024

Despite the prevalence of infertility (now impacting 1 in 6 people globally), many still feel they have to hide their struggles. In honor of National Infertility Awareness Week, former fertility patients choose to tell their stories - in the hopes of helping others feel less alone.

Surrogacy | Patient Stories

By: Sierra Dehmler
April 24th, 2024

The path to parenthood through gestational surrogacy is complex, requiring coordinated efforts from many different parties: the intended parent(s), a physician, fertility clinic team, surrogacy agency, legal experts, and sometimes donors. In this story, one woman shares how her experience working in a fertility clinic led her to become a surrogate herself.

LGBTQ+ Family Building | IVF | Patient Stories

By: Sierra Dehmler
April 22nd, 2024

When Alicia decided to pursue IVF with her partner Mary, she ended up carrying more than just a baby—she also carried the memory of her own mother. This two-mom family's story of loss, love, and late-in-life pregnancy redefines the fabric of hope and resilience.

IVF | Patient Stories | Pregnancy & Infant Loss

By: Sierra Dehmler
April 20th, 2024

Every couple dreaming of parenthood imagines the moment they'll finally hold their baby in their arms. But what happens when that dream is deferred by unexpected challenges and heartbreak? A mother through IVF shares how a shocking diagnosis led to her rainbow baby.