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Try a Minute of Gratitude! With St. Patrick’s Day in just a few days and everyone talking about “luck”, you may be feeling less than lucky with your own life situation. You might see pregnancy announcements everywhere and wondering, “Why are they so lucky and I’m not?” While these thoughts and feelings are 100% valid, sometimes we can get stuck in these thoughts and before we know it, we are experiencing feelings of hopelessness that can be hard to get out of. So, our tip for this week is to give yourself one minute of mindful gratitude. It may look like this (but do what works for you): Set aside a minute (or more) that you can devote to gratitude when you are feeling overwhelmed Set a timer During this minute, notice the little things around you that maybe you don’t always think about. How do they make you feel? Do they add joy to your life (even just a little)? Maybe it’s the soft blanket on your chair or the tree in your front yard. If your mind wanders, just bring yourself gently back to the moment. That’s all there is to it! If you have other ways of expressing gratitude, what are they? We’d love to hear about them. Thanks for reading! -Annie Hamilton, CSW

“Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.” - Brené Brown When struggling with infertility, we can be really hard on ourselves. We often blame ourselves for the situation we are in and wonder what we did wrong. You may have thought more than once: “Why me? There must be something really wrong with me if I can’t conceive.” This week, make a commitment to be compassionate with yourself. Think of what a trusted friend or family member would say to you to offer encouragement and compassion, rather than put you down. Whenever you hear a nasty thought about yourself creep into your mind, take a deep breath and remember what this person would say to you. And, above all else, remember the situation you are in is NOT your fault, you ARE enough and you are worthy of love. Annie Hamilton, CSW

As soap is to the body, so laughter is to the soul. JEWISH PROVERB For this week’s Mental Health Monday post, we want to remind you to take some time to laugh. Infertility can be something that consumes our minds 24/7 and we often forget to step back and find joy around us. Laughter can be one useful way to tap into that joy maybe we haven’t felt in a while. Whether by watching a funny show, reading a funny book, or talking to someone who you think is hilarious, laughter can have many mental health benefits. Studies show that laughter can help relax the body and decrease your heart rate, reducing some of the physical symptoms of stress (mayoclinic.org). So, if you’re feeling extra stressed about your family building situation, be sure to give yourself a break and laugh! Sources: https://www.mayoclinic.org/stress-relief/art-20044456/in-depth/art-20044456 https://www.verywellmind.com/the-stress-management-and-health-benefits-of-laughter-3145084

With all the extra snow we got this week, you may be feeling the winter blues a little more. If you’re feeling extra down, try incorporating a little hygge (hoo-gah) into your life. The hygge lifestyle originates in Denmark. A hygge lifestyle incorporates feelings of togetherness, comfort, wellness, and being cozy. Meik Wiking, the CEO of The Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen claims hygge-living is the secret to the Danish art of happiness. He discusses the concept of hygge in his book, The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living. In “The Hygge Manifesto,” Wiking introduces 10 ideas to incorporate hygge into our lives: 1. Atmosphere - Turn down the lights. 2. Presence - Be here now. Put away your phone. 3. Pleasure - Coffee, chocolate, cookies, cake, candy.... Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! 4. Equality - ‘We’ over ‘me’. Share the tasks and the airtime. 5. Gratitude - Take it in. This might be as good as it gets. 6. Harmony - It’s not a competition. We already like you. There is no need to brag about your achievements. 7. Comfort - Get comfy. Take a break. It’s all about relaxation. 8. Truce - No drama. Let’s discuss politics another day. 9. Togetherness - Build relationships and narratives. ‘Do you remember the time we…?’ 10. Shelter - This is your tribe. This is a place of peace and security (Wiking, p. 30-31).” For more detail on these ideas, check out the resources below. How do you like to hygge? Sources: https://thehyggeplanner.com/essentials/ Wiking, Meik. 2017. The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living. Harper Collins Publishers. New York, New York.

The Utah Center for Reproductive Medicine has over 30 years of expertise in reproductive medicine that helps to diagnose and help treat infertility. They have a wide range of treatments, treatments for women, men and LGTBQ. UCRM offers “advanced technology as well as a personalized approach for each patient. From simple hormonal treatment, ovulation induction, and intrauterine insemination (IUI) to more advanced technologies like in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), UCRM is helping more patients realize their hopes and dreams of achieving parenthood. We also offer third-party reproductive strategies like surrogacy, egg donation, and embryo donation.” For a list of over 20 of their specialized treatments click HERE. As we know, infertility is hard and sometimes we do not know why we cannot conceive. The UCRM will provide adequate testing to see if there are any conditions that might be hindering the process. They will help find these conditions ranging from Endometriosis to Varicocele. A complete list of all the conditions they test can be found HERE. Starting a family is stressful; starting a family with infertility issues is a thousand times more stressful. Deciding to see a fertility specialist is a big step on your journey to starting a family. That is why the UCRM has developed a 5-Step Guide to help ease your fertility journey and they are: 1. Schedule an Appointment 2. First Consultation with Your Fertility Specialist 3. Financial Advisement 4. Fertility Assessments 5. Follow-Up Appointment They at UCRM are committed in providing a caring, compassionate, and leading edge fertility facility to help all those struggling with infertility. To get started visit the Utah Center for Reproductive Medicine. We at UIRC are Thankful for all that UCRM does, for their continual support and being one of our Sponsors with our virtual conference held October 24th, from 9:00 to 3:00pm. Join us for a day of learning and support from medical professionals, mental health providers, vendors and the infertility community. Tickets can be purchased here and we look forward to seeing you!

The Reproductive Care Center is the first private practice fertility clinic here in Utah, and has helped couples with infertility for over 25 years. With three clinics in Utah, you can either visit one of their locations in Clearfield, Sandy or Pleasant Grove. They are also located in Idaho Falls, Idaho and Jackson, Wyoming. One of the many reasons why we love Reproductive Care Center is their use of the latest medical developments using the best that technology and research can offer. They begin with a variety of tests, tests that identify potential causes of infertility. They range from Clomid Challenge Test (CCCT) to Hormone Evaluation to Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) to Semen Analysis. For a complete list of different tests that Reproductive Care Center offers click here. A wonderful way that medical technology is being used is to provide Preimplentation Genetic Diagnosis and Screening (PGD) (PGS). This helps to prevent the transmission of genetic diseases and can help balance families through gender selection. Yes you read that right, Gender Selection! RCC is able to screen for more than “120 specific genetic diseases such as Tay Sachs, Cystic Fibrosis, Fanconi Anemia, Fragile X Syndrome, Hemophilia A, and others. As more genetic diseases are characterized, they are added to the list of those which can be screened. The risk of genetic disorders is directly related to the female’s age. Women over 35 are at a higher risk for chromosomal abnormalities which can lead to early miscarriage or conditions such as Down’s syndrome. PGD testing helps reduce these risks.” Amazing what Reproductive Care Center can do and what it can offer you! They have a wide range of financial assistance and will even refund 100% of their IVF fees if you do not have a baby. If you do not believe me, then read it for yourself here on their Managing Costs page and scroll down. Isn't that the BEST news that you have read in all of 2020!! Us here at UIRC are very THANKFUL for the staff and team at Reproductive Care Center and for being one of our Sponsors for our Infertility Virtual Conference being held on October 24th, 2020 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, you can purchase your tickets for this event and we look forward to helping you with your infertility journey.

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By: Annie Hamilton, CSW, UIRC Counselor We all know how stressful infertility and family building can be, so each week, one of our counselors will post a mental wellness tip to help you get through the stress of it all. Welcome to Mental Health Mondays! This week’s mental health tip: GIVE YOUR PARTNER (or anyone you care about) a 20-SECOND HUG. Once dubbed "the universal medicine," hugs convey both comfort and affection. Now research suggests that they may have additional health benefits. Valentine’s Day may be over, but there is always a reason to spread some love around! One way to spread the love is by giving your partner a 20-second hug. Not only is a 20-second hug good for your relationship, studies have shown that sharing a 20-second hug with your partner releases a hormone called oxytocin. Higher levels of oxytocin has been linked to lower stress levels. So, give it a try this week! Commit to giving each other a 20-second hug each day and see how it helps your stress. Stay tuned for more tips! Sources: https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article In_brief_Hugs_heartfelt_in_more_ways_than_one https://www.yourhormones.info/hormones/oxytocin/

Love is around the corner, literally. Love is around the corner, literally. Valentines Day is Tomorrow and are you ready? Do you prefer to receive gifts, words of affirmations or kind acts of service? What does your significant other desire? Everyone experiences love differently, and it’s easy to miss the mark when it comes to showing that you care. With a little help from The 5 Love Languages®, you can learn to identify the root of your conflicts, give and receive love in more meaningful ways, and grow closer than ever. The 5 Love Languages are: Words of Affirmation Acts of Service Receiving Gifts Quality Time Physical Touch The 5 Love Languages were designed by Dr. Gary Chapman. Dr. Gary Chapman is a well-known marriage counselor and director of marriage seminars The 5 Love Languages® is one of Chapman’s most popular titles, topping various bestseller charts for years, selling over twelve million copies and has been on the New York Times best-sellers list since 2007. More than 25 years later, this revolutionary concept has improved millions of relationships across the globe. The premise is simple: different people with different personalities express love in different ways. Gary called these ways of expressing and receiving love the “5 Love Languages.” Each individual has at least one language that they prefer above the other. And it's true, relationships grow and work better when we understand each other. Everyone gives and receives love differently, but with a little insight into these differences, we can be confidently equipped to communicate and love well. This works for all forms of relationships, for married or dating couples, for children and teenagers, for long-distance relationships, and for those brand-new romances, or the long lasting-older than the hills relationships. Do you honestly know what your love language is? IF not you can CLICK here to take a quiz to find out your love language. You can also take a quiz to learn about your significant other, your small children and your teens love language. We at UIRC are also trying to help you with your LOVE LANGUAGE. This month many of our different support groups are focusing on this specific topic, You can either check your email if your a subscriber, or check on the support groups Facebook page to access the Zoom meeting. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!! XOXO, UIRC

There are a lot of unknowns in today’s world of COVID and dealing with infertility can create more anxiety and fear. It is sometimes hard to know where to get accurate information for anything let alone new scientific data and information. Sometimes the news media can be daunting and it can be easier to believe your friends, friends, brothers, aunt's experience rather than the data. Reading scientific information can be confusing and overwhelming for those of us that are not scientists. One great resource for all things infertility is the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). This is a national organization created to provide research and information to reproductive endocrinologists and those dealing with infertility. ASRM has been providing updated information on COVID and possible issues for those dealing with infertility and nontraditional family building. The following is the most recent update from ASRM. General COVID Information Currently available mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have documented safety and efficacy in large randomized clinical trials, preventing up to 95% of severe disease. The known and potential benefits of these vaccines outweigh the known and potential harms of COVID-19 infection. Common side effects of vaccination include pain and swelling at the injection site, fever, chills, tiredness, and headache. These symptoms may persist for a few days. Side effects may be more significant following the second injection. Although COVID-19 variants demonstrate alterations in the spike proteins, early data suggest that mRNA vaccines may be effective against identified variants of COVID-19. There is a lag between vaccine administration and protection, a window during which infection can still occur, so mitigation strategies must be followed during this time. Those who have been vaccinated should continue to strictly adhere to mitigation strategies until data are available on the impact of vaccination on preventing asymptomatic and mild infection. COVID-19 vaccine truths for patients desiring conception or who are pregnant include: Available data indicate that COVID-19 vaccines do not cause infertility in women or men. In the randomized blinded Pfizer-BioNTech trial, a similar number of women conceived after receiving the vaccine as those who received the placebo. The coronavirus’s spike protein and syncytin-1 (protein that mediates placental cell fusion) share small stretches of the same genetic code but are otherwise completely different in structure. The vaccine does not induce an immune reaction against the syncytin-1 placental protein. mRNA vaccines are taken up rapidly by muscle cells at the injection site and the mRNA is degraded in the cell once the protein is made so it does not cross the placenta. COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for women who are contemplating pregnancy or who are pregnant in order to minimize risks to themselves and their pregnancy. UIRC always recommends discussing health issues with your medical care provider before making decisions but we can feel some sense of relief and comfort from this very reliable information from ASRM. Thank you to our sponsors: Conceptions Fertility Center Utah Fertility Center Reproductive Care Center

If you’re viewing this post, chances are you have already had some experience with struggling to build your family. Or, maybe you are just entering the world of infertility and have no idea where to go! Either way, this resource can be extremely informative and helpful. On Tuesday, the 8th, our counselor Annie Hamilton was a guest speaker with Hive Family Collective and talked about some of the basics of infertility. No one ever expects to struggle with building their family. When someone is faced with the reality of infertility, it can be extremely overwhelming. From infertility treatments to adoption, it can be confusing, stressful, and emotionally exhausting. If you find yourself trying to navigate where to go next on your journey through family building, this is a great chance to learn about the basics of infertility treatments and adoption. Please watch and enjoy this video as Annie shares her expertise and gives great advice with the different avenues that one can take to overcome infertility. We also offer individual and couples consultations for FREE. These consultations are similar to the video below, but can be more personalized to your own questions and interests regarding your journey through family building. If you are interested in scheduling one of these consultations with UIRC, click here. We hope that you enjoyed this video and learned something new to help you with your infertility journey. Again, we at UIRC are here for you and will gladly speak to anyone in need. We hope that 2021 will bring you much joy and happiness! Happy New Year's

No matter who you are or what you’ve been through, the holidays can be a trying time. In our Christmas cards, we wish warm wishes and in gatherings, we express words of joy and happiness. But when it comes down to it, the season can actually be filled with stress, painful sadness and loneliness. It's a struggle to receive a handful of Christmas cards with happy families, the one thing you really want but can't have. Then you turn on social media and you're bombarded with matching pj's, Santa letters, kids making Christmas cookies and that darn Elf on the shelf! So what do we do? How do we survive this holiday season when it's all about families and little ones? Our cheery attitudes can quickly shift to bah humbugs. Finding peace of mind is possible if we take the right steps. Here Dr. Gollop-Brown lists five ways to help ease your holiday stress. 1. Think Differently. Focus On What Matters Most To You. Ask yourself these questions — what do you love about the holidays and what means the most to you during the holiday season? Are you passionate about family gatherings, do you enjoy shopping for gifts and the act of giving, or do you want to reconnect with certain people or your faith? Know what the holidays mean to you. If they don’t feed your heart and soul, redefine how you approach each one. Place your energy into what matters the most. 2. Plan Ahead. Set Realistic Expectations For You And Your Family. Now that you’ve made decisions about where to focus your efforts during the holidays take a moment to choose what activities lead you to the greatest joys, not the highest stresses. Write down your plans, establish a budget (and stick to it), be flexible and set attainable goals. 3. Be Aware. Understand How You Feel And Respond Appropriately. Be mindful of your feelings!! Take notice when you feel anxious or sad. Step back and determine what’s causing these shifts in mindset. If it’s in your control, remove those things that trigger the negativity. If you can’t shake the angst and continue to downward spiral, consider reaching out to a psychologist or psychiatrist (or a wonderful counselor here at UIRC) and work together to simplify and find ways to balance your life. 4. Eliminate The Stress. Learn To Take Care Of Yourself. There are ways to eliminate tension during the holidays. When you feel stress levels rise, take a moment of pause, breathe and relax. Ensure you are getting sufficient rest. The increased demands can wear you down and a good night’s rest can rejuvenate your mind and body. Build in time to engage yourself in activities that help you de-stress — get a massage, head to the gym, play a game with a loved one, go on a walk, journal or practice some type of meditation and yoga. 5. Celebrate. Remember To Be Present And Enjoy The Holidays. The holidays are a time to rejoice and spend quality time with the ones you love. When you create your plan, build in time during and after, to live in the moment. It’s been a long year, and you deserve a pat on the back. When the holidays are behind you find something you enjoy and make it happen. And, if you’ve avoided putting too much on your credit card, you definitely have a reason to jump for joy.

If you're looking for an outstanding printing service with a fast turnaround for your family or new born pics, look no further then the Nichols Photo Lab located in Salt Lake City, Utah. You can trust the team and their technology at Nichols Lab, with their professional photographic processing, that will bring your photos to life with stunning color and sharpness. They take pride in delivering remarkable prints and exceptional customer service. "We proudly provide our clients with clean colors and detailed images through the use of high-quality substrates. Our coated photo paper allows pigments that make up images to settle, dry, and lock into the surface, producing crisp imagery. Don’t settle for dull images with little contrast. Handling your photographic printing needs with our exceptional materials allows for a richer, fuller spectrum of color and gives you with a cleaner, more attractive end product." Their cleaner, attractive end product isn't just for photos, but their level of expertise ranges from enlargements to metal prints to canvas wraps and albums. To see a full list of all their specialties click here. It's easy to create the perfect print for any occasion with the Nichols custom photographic printing options. Whether you need an image blown up for any occasion, or you just simply wish to carry your favorite wallet-sized picture with you everywhere you go, their team is there to help. It doesn't matter which size you prefer, you are sure to receive a one-of-a-kind artistic print that you can enjoy with their custom photographic printing. We at UIRC are very Thankful for The Nichol's Photo Lab and for being one of our sponsors for our upcoming virtual conference held this Saturday, October 24th, 2020 from 9:00-3:00pm. Please join us for a day of learning and support from medical professionals, mental health providers, vendors and the infertility community. You can purchase your tickets here, and we look forward to helping you with your infertility journey.

Infertility can be very VERY expensive; from multiple doctor's visits, blood work, tests to see why you or your spouse is infertile, to IUI's, hormone shots, IVF and/or adoption or surrogacy. Basically, we will do whatever it takes to make our family dreams come true. Struggling with infertility is stressful enough, so leave the financial stress to the experts at Albion Financial Group to help and assist you! The financial advisors at Albion will listen and work with you to understand your personal financial situation and your goals. Goals, timing, and risk tolerance are all different for each client. They believe in listening and doing the right thing for you. And if you think they won't understand my desire to have a family, the Albion Financial Group has a team of strong, compassionate and understanding women. Women helping women! Their website states, "We are a collaborative team of women with experience to help our female peers understand and manage their financial lives. The Women of Albion team ranges across all life stages contributing valuable financial knowledge for female professionals, mothers, grandmothers, divorcees, and widows who have outlived their partners." To learn more about the women who desire to help with your financial goals in achieving your family goals, you can learn more here. The team at Albion Financial Group, are guiding their clients to a lifetime of good decisions. They are there to help with Financial Advising, Investment Management and ESG Investing. To help you with your investment managements, their research process begins on the macroeconomic level. "We monitor changes in statistics such as GDP growth rates, inflation, interest rates, the business cycle, productivity, and employment in order to identify trends, both obvious and subtle, to find appropriate investment opportunities. Our understanding of these domestic and international economic indicators, as well as thoughtful analysis of world events, allow us to build client investment portfolios with a strong fundamental core." Visit their website to learn more about all their services and ways that they can help you in securing your future. Remember, you don't have to do this alone, let the experts help you!! We at UIRC are very Thankful for all that Albion Financial Group does for our community and for being one of our sponsors in our upcoming virtual conference this Saturday the 24th of October, 2020. It will begin at 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Please join us for a day of learning and support from medical professionals, mental health providers, vendors and the infertility community. You can purchase your tickets here, and we look forward to helping you with your infertility journey.

If you are looking for a team of specialists who are caseworkers, gurus if you want to call them, in the preparation of domestic and international adoption home studies, annual home studies, post-placement supervisions, and birth parent counseling, then look no further because those at Utah Adoption Specialists are here to help you! They have served numerous Utah communities for over 75 years. Those who are apart of the the Utah Adoption Specialists team have helped both Adoptive parents and Birth parents! Besides the home studies and the post-placements, they can help adoptive families with free casework services and adoption training. For birth parents they offer counseling to help you through your dedicated and loving choice. These specialists also provide help with expense management and relinquishment/consent for adoption. For a list of services and fees click here. The Utah Adoption Specialists supports both agency and independent adoptions. They can send your home study to any licensed adoption agency, or release it to your attorney. For international adoption home studies they can provide both the Hague and Non-Hague studies. They have proven to work closely with your chosen adoption agency to ensure that all requirements are met for the country from which you seek to adopt. To learn more about how they can help with international adoption click here, for domestic click here, and to learn more about the home study process click here. "We consider ourselves partners in your adoption story and take pride in offering you ongoing contact and support, even after your home study is completed. Never pay hourly for assistance after your study is completed!" We at UIRC would like to thank the Utah Adoption Specialists for being one of our main sponsors in our upcoming virtual conference, held on October 24th 2020. It will be from 9:00-3:00pm. Please join us for a day of learning and support from medical professionals, mental health providers, vendors and the infertility community. You can purchase your ticket here and we look forward to helping you with your infertility needs.

The mission at Intermountain FertilityCare Services, that is located in Salt Lake City, is to help women and couples to better understand their reproductive health through professional counseling, using the Creighton Model FertilityCare System. "The Creighton Model FertilityCare System is unique. Developed from the Ovulation Method of Natural Family Planning, after years of scientific research and standardization, this system has proven itself to be an excellent method of NFP, as well as having medical applications to women's health care." A more biological description of the Creighton Model can be read here on their website. This Creighton Model FertilityCare System is an outstanding method of monitoring gynecologic and reproductive health. "Recent scientific advances have shown this system to be of assistance in identifying sub-fertility states, ovarian cysts, hormone disorders, endometriosis and the possibility of miscarriage and high-risk pregnancy. It can also be very helpful in treating these conditions, and others, such as premenstrual syndrome. This new science is called Natural Procreative (NaPro) Technology and can be applied by trained NFP Medical Consultants." Those who work at Intermountain FertilityCare Services are trained with this approach and have helped others in achieving the family they have always desired. Learning how to use the Creighton Model FertilityCare system requires attending an introductory session, followed by a series of individual teaching sessions. These sessions are taught by trained FertilityCare practitioners or practitioner interns. To sign up for an introductory session and to see their schedule, click here to begin. The systems used by Intermountain FertilityCare Services, help assist women in recognizing what is normal for her body. This then helps her to easily identify when abnormalities occur. These systems provide valuable information to healthcare providers who can then interpret the results to provide holistic and restorative care to women throughout their lives. We at UIRC are very Thankful for all that Intermountain FertilityCare Services does for those who struggle with infertility. We are thankful for their help and their sponsorship in our upcoming virtual conference that will be held on October 24th, 2020 from 9:00am - 3:00 pm. Please join us for a day of learning and support from medical professionals, mental health providers, vendors and the infertility community. You can purchase your ticket here and we look forward to helping you!

Life looks very different for all of us right now. That's why the therapists at The Healing Group are ready and available to help you online through Telehealth. They specialize in Postpartum Depression, Sex Therapy, Marriage Counseling, Trauma, Reproductive Health & Online Therapy. This therapy has helped those with anxiety or sadness, basically any common feelings that come with dealing with the Coronavirus. The Healing Group was selected as the #2 Best Mental Health Clinic in Utah, by City Weekly’s Readers. They received a “gold star” on their efforts in being a group of professional therapists whose main goal is to provide the guidance, therapy and encouragement that their clients are looking for. "The Healing Group intentionally has a specialized and narrow focus in order to offer the highest caliber clinical services by providing team members with specialized monthly trainings, focused case consultation and supervision, and staying current on best treatment approaches and outcomes." Sometimes you feel like you’re the only one in the world dealing with certain issues. You can’t talk about them because nobody will understand. So you isolate yourself and suffer alone. You Do NOT have to go through this sorrow and struggle on your own. That is why The Healing Group was established, to Help & Support YOU!! Please contact them here and begin the healing process! We at UIRC and very Thankful for The Healing Group, and for being one of our sponsors at our upcoming virtual conference held October 24th, 2020 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Join us for a day of learning and support from medical professionals, mental health providers, vendors and the infertility community. You can purchase your tickets here and we look forward to helping you with your infertility journey.

The UtahValley Magazine has named Valley Women's Health as 2020's BEST OB/GYN clinic! With 10 locations starting from St. George to Salt Lake City, Utah; you'll be able to find the right location for you. They have a dedicated group of physicians, nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives trained in a variety of specialities focused on women’s health care. Valley Women's Health has a variety of obstetrics options for providing the best prenatal, labor & delivery and postpartum care. For gynecology, they also provide routine exams to surgical treatments. They provide care for every stage of life, not just physical but also mental. They have a variety of mental health services, and can help you with Anxiety to Eating disorders and more. That's why they are number one by going above and beyond, with complete physical and mental help. Your ob/gyn doctors are usually the first in diagnosing and treating your infertility. Through a variety of tests, they can help find answers or refer you to an infertility specialist. At Valley Women's Health they can test infertility, provide infertility medications, provide gynecologic procedures or if needed, help you contact one of their infertility specialists in their network. Visit Valley Women's Health to schedule your next appointment. We at UIRC are very Thankful for the support of Valley Women's Health and being on of our sponsors for our upcoming virtual conference on October 24th, 2020 from 9:00am to 3:00 pm. Join us for a day of learning and support from medical professionals, mental health providers, vendors and the infertility community. You can purchase your tickets here.

The Conceptions Fertility Center is a family building specialist located here in Provo, Utah. Their team starts with Dr. Andrew K Moore, M.D. Reproductive Endocrinologist, to an Embryologist to Andrologists. All are able to provide wonderful care in helping you start your family. They specialize in a array of fertility treatment options and services. The first step is to find out Why you are having difficulties getting pregnant. They will test every female condition and male infertility. Once you know the reason Why or What is causing infertility, they will then guide you to the best treatment plan specialized just for you. Their patient services include treatment options such as enhancing natural fertility, ovulation induction, intrauterine insemination (IUI), in-vitro fertilization (IVF), freezing technologies and more. They believe that fertility treatments should be affordable for any couple seeking to grow their family. It's wonderful that more and more insurers are covering fertility treatment costs, but regardless of coverage, Conceptions Fertility Center is committed to cost-effective treatments, financial transparency and shared financial decision making. They also offer easy-to-understand payment options. Over the course of a family’s lifetime, fertility treatments should be a tiny fraction of the cost of raising a family. That's why the team at Conceptions Fertility Center is here to help you with the right financial plan. You can learn more here. We at UIRC are very Thankful for Conceptions Fertility Center as they are one of our sponsors for our virtual conference coming up October 24th, 2020 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Please join us for a day of learning and support from medical professionals, mental health providers, vendors and the infertility community. You can purchase your tickets here as we try to help with your infertility journey.

What if my infertility issues are not me.... what if it's him? What if I want to have children now, but I'm not married? What if a LGBQ couple wants to start a family? Well.... each group can with the help from California Cyrobank. For over 40 years their sperm donors have helped thousands in making their wishes come true, they have helped in creating loving families. No other sperm bank does more genetic testing than California Cryobank. The DNA Advantage donors are screened for more than 260 conditions. "All people carry mutations for autosomal recessive genetic conditions. (Believe it or not, it’s “normal” to carry mutations!) You’re not at risk to have a child with one of those conditions unless you and your donor both carry a mutation for the same condition." For example, if you were worried about a child having cycstic fibrosis, you wouldn't need to be with this technology. This technology expands from every genetic service to Cord Blood Banking. All California Cryobank families now receive the special perks of cord blood and cord tissue banking. You can learn more about Cord Blood Banking here. CCB provides a variety of reproductive services ranging from pre to post conception. Find a sperm donor for today, store your semen / eggs / embryos for tomorrow, or learn about all the future services for after your child is born here. All you need to do to start working with California Cyrobank, is to first open an account. Opening your CCB account only takes about 15 minutes and offers great benefits. Membership with California Cryobank makes available to you all of their many services including "genetic counseling, access to donor sperm, and post reproductive services such as discounted premium cord blood banking and the CCB Sibling Registry." The way to begin a family with California Cyrobank starts by clicking here. We hope you will take the time to read some stories from real clients on their website, talking about their hopes, fears, trials and successes. One story filled with love is from Stacy. She states "As a single mom I felt so blessed that I was able to have a little angel of my own using sperm donation. After he turned 2, I started thinking about the other vial I had and decided it was time to give him a sibling. Soon I got a positive home pregnancy test, and found out I was having a girl. I was so happy! I thought I would never get a chance to be a mother and now I have two little angels." That is one of many loving stories that we at UIRC love to hear and share. That is why we are very THANKFUL that California CryoBank is one of our sponsors for our upcoming virtual conference. Please join us for a day of learning and support from medical professionals, mental health providers, vendors and the infertility community. It will be held on October 24th, 2020 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. You can purchase your tickets here and we look forward to helping you through your infertility journey.

If you need personalized, individual care during your Infertility journey, you can find what you’re looking for with the Utah Fertility Center. Their team of professionals varies from endocrinologists to lawyers, financial experts to a list of specialized acupuncturists. Whatever your infertility goals may be, Utah Fertility Center is a great place to start. If you struggle to conceive, Utah Fertility Center can help with diagnosing infertility. With that diagnosis you can then be more informed and know which avenue to take that would be most beneficial with your infertility journey. The different treatments that they offer can range from IUI (Intrauterine Insemination) to IVF (In-Vitro Fertilization), FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer), and Genetic Testing to Gender Selection. And that’s not all; they also offer third party reproduction. That includes: egg and sperm donor or a gestational carrier. The Utah Fertility Center is committed to making your financial aspect of fertility treatments as stress-free as possible. They offer a free financial consultation! If you go to their website here you can see a list of different companies or avenues that can help with finances, for example “Military Discount.” We also love their website, if you haven’t visit their site, you can click here. We also strongly recommend that you check out their Patient Resources page as it has a very informative list that one may find very useful. It lists lawyers, health tips, and psychological resources to injection instructional videos. One of my favorite testimonials located on their website is from the Rees Family – Whales Utah “Thank You guys so much for doing such an amazing job at helping us grow our family. Thanks to you we have THREE amazing perfect people. Rylee who is now three years old, Kinsley who is now four months old and Kyle who is now four months old as well. We could not love them more. Thank you for making our dreams come true.” You can find the help that you need for your infertility journey at any of their locations. They have offices in Pleasant Grove, Murray, Ogden, St. George and Idaho. We would like to THANK Utah Fertility Center for being one of our main sponsors for the Utah Infertility Virtual Conference held October 24th, 2020 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. You can purchase tickets here https://www.accelevents.com/e/InfertilityConference.

When we tried to get pregnant for many years and we used every method available; IUI, drugs, donors and In-Vitro Fertilization times four!! It was during my last IVF treatment that I only produced 5 eggs when we wanted at least 20. I cried! Out of the 5 only 2 were fertilized and placed. Two weeks later when I got my pregnancy results, we were pregnant the test was Positive! That was the happiest couple of months of my life. I was glowing!! Thomas and I would go baby shopping for clothes, cribs and strollers. I say that was the happiest months of my life because I was only pregnant for two months and then I had a miscarriage. There are no words that described my pain and heartache. With time I felt better, time was the only thing that could heal along with my faith. We then decided to move onto the next option, so Thomas and I started the adoption process. Background checks, finger prints, referrals, classes, home studies, financial reports and physical exams where some of the things that we had to do just to be approved for our home study. It's a very time consuming process. Finally our profile was complete. We then began the odd process of advertising for a baby. Websites, Facebook, Instagram and social- media helped get the word out to potential birth mothers. I was ecstatic when women contacted us. I knew our eternal family was close and I was ready. What I wasn’t ready for were the scammers. Women would call pretending to be pregnant hoping to get money from us. How could anyone be that cruel? Playing with our emotions, hopes and dreams! Eventually, we learned how to weed out girls looking for money. We went through two bad experiences involving women who wanted to trick us into believing they were pregnant. I was devastated that there were people like this in the world. The adoption process was moving along slowly and the one day I picked up the phone and heard a woman say something that changed our lives forever; “I choose you.” I couldn’t believe it!! I was finally going to be a mother!!! The first time we Skyped she had no hesitation in showing me her pregnant belly. Our birth mother was perfect! She followed through with everything we asked her to do. She talked to our lawyers and also went to counseling. We then decided to drive a few states away to meet her face to face. I was so excited and so nervous at the same time. Never in my life have I wanted someone to like and trust me more then I wanted her too. Thomas and I had a wonderful lunch with her. She then invited us to take a drive so she could show us around her town. Everything just felt comfortable. Our conversations were special and sacred and just too personal to share. As we were saying our goodbyes, she expressed her gratitude to us for driving to meet her and how she knew without a doubt that we were going to be the parents of this baby! As the birth date approached she asked us to be apart of his birth and I screamed with joy! To be there for our son’s birth was too much to ask for. Most of all, I’m glad that we were able to be there for her. She was strong and resilient and all I could do was hold her hand while she gave birth to our son. Thomas was able to cut the umbilical cord. Tears streamed down my face as I held my son for the first time and introduced myself to him as his mommy!!

When I met my husband in 2002 I already had a 4 year-old from a previous relationship. My husband was amazing and immediately stepped up and helped me raise my son into adulthood. When my son was in high school, we decided that we were FINALLY ready to have children of our own. We tried on our own for a year. When I was 36 we sought advice from my ob/gyn. There was about a 1 ½ year delay in treatment as I dealt with some medical issues. We proceeded to do timed/monitored cycles with Femara for another year. Around this time, we moved from Georgia to Utah. I consulted with an ob/gyn here who sent me to UFC for testing. They gave their recommendation for follow up tests and a hysteroscopy. I found the ob/gyn’s response to be noncommittal and made the decision to consult with UFC directly for further treatment. This was about the same time I found UIRC, which has been an amazing resource and source of support during our journey. After consulting with Dr. Conway, we were able to enroll in an IVF study. This resulted in a cancelled cycle but enabled us to do a second cycle. We had a successful retrieval in August 2019 and ended up with 4 embryos that we had PGS tested. The unfortunate outcome was multiple trisomy and deletions due to maternal age & amp; egg quality. I was absolutely gutted. I thought for sure my journey was over and that I would never be able to give my husband his own biological children. Dr. Conway, in her usual matter of fact way, gave me our options. My eggs were out of the question but donor eggs were not. This was a surprisingly easy decision for me. I had a biological child already; my greatest desire was to have my husband’s child. We opted for a frozen donor egg cycle. In October 2019 we chose our donor and fertilized 8 eggs and ended up with 5 beautiful embabies. We had our transfer in November 2019 and I am currently 34 weeks pregnant with our perfect miracle boy. In 18 months we went from consult to almost due, this is less than half the time I wasted pursuing other options. My only regret in our family building journey is not consulting with a RE sooner. I am grateful for UIRC and the advice and support I have gotten from the AMAZING people who have come into my life through the FB groups as well as the support groups. I will forever be grateful for UFC, the study team, the third-party team and Dr. Conway, our baby boy would not be without them. It has been a heck of a roller coaster ride with so many highs and lows but it's all going to be worth it to have our healthy baby boy in our arms.

My husband and I got married April 2014, 3 months before my 30 birthday. I have always loved kids and wanted them since I was a little girl. Playing house was one of my favorite pastimes. We were both in school so we didn’t start trying to conceive right away. I am the youngest of six children and though I am aware of people with infertility issues my immediate family has had none. One year later I finished up my bachelor’s degree and was ready to achieve my lifelong dream of motherhood. We started trying in September and by Christmas had zero success. My brother jokingly asked when we were finally going to bring a child to the Christmas eve party and I broke down in tears. Everyone asked how long we had been trying and encourage me that it wasn’t a big deal, because 6 months is Very common. Well the next summer I began reading Taking Charge of your Infertility. I saw my primary care physician and she suggested starting the ovulation kits. In August, I bought a thermometer to test my basal body temp each day, did ovulation tests regularly and began analyzing my cervical mucus.  Once we hit the full year of trying mark I found an OBGYN at Circle of Life Women’s Center who specializes in infertility. We began running some preliminary tests and everything looked great. I kept doing all the suggested things and we were consistently trying every time I ovulated.  I got a positive ovulation result each cycle but every one of them ended with me in tears and bleeding.  I never even was tempted to take a pregnancy test because my body was like clockwork, my temperature would drop and I was still cycling every 30 days. The doctor started me on Clomid to see if that would improve our results, I took it for four months and we did two months timed intercourse followed by two IUI’s through Circle Of Life. The one in February 2016 I had three viable follicles at my ultrasound screening and the doctor warned us of having multiples. We went through with the IUI anyway and by the end of the two week wait, when I still was pregnant, I then became completely devastated. After that devastation, we took some time off to help me try and regain some sanity, and save more money. I had taken my temperature every day for more than 6 months with nothing to show for it, but a broken heart. I then had a friend who suggested hormone therapy. My friend knew a doctor in Draper who had helped her to stay pregnant, after multiple miscarriages, by regulating hormone levels. We waited until September to visit this doctor. After a lot of blood work and tests, they ended up diagnosing me with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. I got on thyroid medicine and also took several other supplements that the doctor felt would help me. I hoped and prayed this was our answer and that we would get pregnant right away. Several months passed away and though I started to get more energy and lose weight nothing about my fertility seemed to be any better. We reached out again for help through a reproductive endocrinologist and visited with him in March 2018. I came prepared with over 2 ½ years’ worth of my reproductive history. He reviewed some of my history and put together a “treatment” plan for us. I felt like it wasn’t very personalized and that the doctor was not listening to my concerns, but he is the expert not me. Our first IUI attempt was in May, they told me to come in on day 13 even though my history shows my ovulation earlier around day 10-11. I was worried about coming in too late, but they assured me that if I ovulated sooner I could call and come in faster. I got a positive test during the weekend, but couldn’t get a hold of anyone. Monday we rushed in to the office to do the IUI, a nurse was going to do the procedure not the doctor. I told her I ovulated and she said she couldn’t tell. The nurse proceeded and implanted the sperm anyway, and then had me do some blood work to see if I actually ovulated. I went back to the office a couple days later, both tests confirmed I had ovulated and the procedure, failed. In June we tried again, but this time with an earlier ovulation date, I was ovulating on the weekend so we had to drive further to another clinic with Saturday hours. When we got there the person doing the procedure couldn’t find my cervix, she tried so long and even tried to get someone to help her. In the end, they said they placed the semen. This was my fourth IUI and the only one that hurt. I experienced cramps and was in minor pain all day. After this one failed, I refused to go back to that clinic and I told my husband I wanted to move on to IVF. We got on a waiting list with another clinic and had an appointment for December 2018. A friend who also went to see this doctor, was able to pull some strings and she got us a consultation in September 2018. We decided to try one more IUI, but couldn’t in October. November I only had one follicle and the nurse wasn’t even 100% sure it was a follicle, she thought it might be a cyst. After my next cycle started we did a baseline ultrasound and then proceeded to prepare for an IUI. We did an IUI the beginning of December and found out a week before Christmas it failed. Then Christmas day my sister in law announced that she was 6 weeks pregnant with her boyfriend’s baby, I was completely devastated! January came and we did an IVF consultation. We began prepping for retrieval and planned to do a frozen embryo transfer. Our IVF process went through pretty smoothly. We were able to have 11 follicles retrieved, ten of them were mature and fertilized. Half of them made it to day five and were able to be frozen. It was a stressful time as my grandmother passed away two weeks before retrieval and the day before I started my prep. But we were so glad to have five chances for children. We waited for my body to heal and for me to complete a work trip, then we started prepping for transfer in April. We went in for the baseline ultrasound and everything looked great to proceed. Our first transfer was May 16, 2019 and I went in for blood work the Tuesday after Memorial Day. When we got the call that afternoon that I was pregnant I was in complete and utter shock. My number was on the low side so she scheduled a follow-up blood test for Thursday. Thursday came, we did the blood work and my numbers had increased. Friday, I took a pregnancy test for the first time after nearly four years of trying and it was positive. My pregnancy and delivery were almost picture perfect. Our son and first child was born Saturday Feb 1, 2020. He is now almost five months old, and I still do not have a “reason” for why I couldn’t’ get pregnant or why we had to do IVF. As of today, we have one PERFECT son and four fertilized embryos waiting for us. We hope to have 2-4 more children, but will see what life has in store.