RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association is in the midst of launching a new public awareness campaign: “People with Infertility Are Being Ignored.”

This campaign focuses on an age old problem that has haunted people with infertility since the beginning of time – it is a disease of shame and shaming.  And what I know about shame is that it creates silence. When you are in a place of shame – what you are saying “Please do not notice me”.

And if people suffering with infertility are not noticed – then we will not get the health care that we need. That is what ACT UP was all about. It was getting people who have hid in the shadows to come out and be seen – and a cure.  It is way past raising awareness – it is about taking away the problem.

So how do we create a Shameless community that is willing to not only educate and raise awareness but demand health care coverage and a cure? That is  truly the question.  We all know that shame breeds silence – and silence allows for inaction.

Barbara Collura, Executive Director of RESOLVE wants everyone to take a pledge to raise infertility awareness. Okay – that sounds good. I have been doing that for 20 years – and yet when I recently allowed one of my blogs to be reprinted on a website that has varied content called Carnalnation – my blog was FLAMED.  Now this website has EVERYTHING on it  – and the readers decide to shame infertility? That should tell you something about how so many people view infertility! Do you want to see shaming and ignorance at it’s best? Go check out the comments.  Are these the kind of comments that keeps  many in the closet? I didn’t respond to even one of them to try to raise awareness. I thought about it several times – but I just didn’t have the strength to wrestle with ignorance.

Let’s face it – it is risky for anyone to go out there – and talk about infertility. There are people who still feel that people who  are struggling with infertility are selfish, narcissistic wanna be breeders and that the government should not do anything to help them – as there are more important issues at hand. You know – like world peace.

And world peace is important. But I can’t help but remember what a Rabbi said once to me – what he said was that when you help one family – you are saving a world. Because for that family – it is their world.

So – how brave are you? Are you ready to take the pledge? Are you ready to save the world? One world? Start a blog.  Make noise on Facebook – Twitter with a #Infertility in your message.  Respond to the comments on CarnalNation.com!!!

And by the way  – if you just don’t have the strength – I get it.

Posted under Advocacy, Fertility, Fertility Blogs, Fertility Support, Infertility, RESOLVE, change

I haven’t done a round up in a long time – but there is a lot of amazing blogs, cool services, conferences and products that have happened recently – and I want to make sure that you don’t miss them! And I have to be honest – I get so much information in my Facebook News Stream – that I would miss half of what is going on if I wasn’t a member of that community! If you want to jack into my community – I welcome you to add me as a friend or follow me on Twitter @PamelaMadsen.

So here is a taste of what I think is worth noting this week! There are  two great new products in the world of menstruation.  One for young girls who are beginning their menses called “The Dot Girl – First Period Kit”. I have to say that I love this product – and their tag line “Informed Girls – Empowered Women”.  Right on. It’s not that girls need any special kind of kit really for their first period – but the product opens the door for mothers or other significant adults in the young girls world to initiate a conversation with them about getting their first period. I totally support that! Let’s work on making girls comfortable with their bodies right from the start!

For us older women – it’s important to keep track of your cycles. There are so many reasons why women should do that – and it’s not just to be able to tell your gynecologist when the date of your last period is! Don’t you hate that question when you have no clue? Here are some of the reasons that you might want to keep track of your cycles:

1. Its a great way to make friends with your body. Get to know the normal ebb and flow of your hormones – what is normal and what is not.

2. Identify issues early on. If your cycles are irregular that could be a symptom of a larger problem. Keeping track lets you know that.

3.  If you are trying to conceive (TTC) – knowing your cycles will help you in planning your pregnancies – and if you don’t conceive when you expect to conceive – having a record is great information for your doctor!

There are many more reasons why you should know your cycle history – and there is a great new product called  My Cycle Diary that looks really easy and convenient to use. So check it out! And while we are on the subject of menstrual health – Please check out a wonderful organization devoted to this very subject called Rachel’s Well. You will be glad that you did.

In the world women’s reproductive rights – a new “morning after drug” has been approved by the FDA called “Ella”. You can read all about it here.

And on an entirely different note – there are some fabulous blogs out there right now – I love today’s post at The Fertility Daily by Dr. Eli Rybak on Rabbinically Supervised A.R.T. The Orthodox Jewish community has special concerns when they enter the world of assisted reproduction. That is why A. T.I.M.E. was formed – a support group for orthodox couples doing through infertility.  If you are not familiar with A. TIME – check them out – and if you want to learn about “Kosher Fertility Treatment” jack into Dr. Rybak’s blog. I loved it.

Have you ever attended a reproductive health conference? My favorite conference for reproductive health professionals is coming up soon in Atlanta – and it is run by The Association of Reproductive Health Professionals (ARHP).  These folks do it all – fertility, sexuality and birth control.  You can check out the conference details here. I know that I am trying to make it this year!

I could keep going! There is so much going on in the world wide web of reproductive health – but I am going to stop here for now – except to invite you to visit my new website and blog – that focuses on healthy sexuality.  Being Shameless is the place to read my newest blog – learn about my upcoming memoir SHAMELESS. On my new site you can not only jack into the blog  – but you can read an exclusive excerpt from my book, learn about why I wrote it  – and become a part of my community there too! There is lots of Pamela to spread around.  So keep visiting here – every day – and book mark Being Shameless! I hope to see you over there too!

Posted under Advocacy, Body Image, Female Sexual Desire, Fertility, Fertility Advocate's Hot List, Fertility Blogs, Fertility Support, IVF, In Vitro Fertilization, Infertility, Jewish Infertility Support, Rachel's Well, Sex Education, Shameless, conception tips, menstruation, sexual health, sexuality

Time does march on. Elizabeth Carr , America’s first “Test Tube Baby” is all grown up and as reported in papers all over the place – has become a mother of a beautiful little boy.  Yes – she reports – she had her baby “the old fashioned way”. And she talks a lot about what life was like growing up under the micro scope of being a high profile high tech kid.

I first met Elizabeth Carr at a World Fertility Awareness Month  (WFAM) event that I ran as Executive Director and Founder of The American Fertility Association – back in the day. I had created WFAM to have a pink ribbon kind of event for everyone around the world to come together during the month of June to recognize infertility. We gave the logo out to anyone that wanted to use it to raise awareness  on a global scale of infertility, as well as a tool kit for running WFAM events.  It was very successful – and the United Nations offered to host one our celebrations in NYC.

We decided to focus the event around the kids of IVF – something that I was deeply committed to. We had a panel of kids who were “Test Tube” conceived,  talk about how they felt about being an IVF kid. We had Elizabeth Carr, two young ladies from Ireland and my two sons speak. It was a wonderful event.

Here were these kids – talking about how grateful they were for the science that gave them life. But it was also more than that – they spoke with compassion for their parents and the pain that they went through with infertility. These kids wanted other potential parents to know – that it could be alright. That they could be born – that it was possible – and as the saying goes “The Kids Are All Right!”

It was a wonderful day to remember. And when I came across the coverage that sweet, bright, vocal Elizabeth was now a mom – and still speaking out. I was really moved.  My sons, Tyler and Spencer also spoke all over the world about being an IVF kid. And now too – they are IVF men. Tyler has graduated college and has a big boy job. And Spencer will be going off to college in a month.

One day before I know it – I will be a grandmother. And that’s what it’s all about. IVF simply let us join in on this fabulous human experience of having a family.

Congratulations Elizabeth!

Posted under Advocacy, Biological Clock, Elizabeth Carr, Fertility, Fertility Education, Fertility Support, IVF, IVF Kids, In Vitro Fertilization, Infertility, The American Fertility Association, World Fertility Awareness Month, inspirational thoughts

Yesterday, I blogged about “Eggsploitation: The Fertility Industry Has a Dirty Little Secret” And then I did what I do – and put it on Facebook and Twitter.  I have all kinds of “friends” – people that I know and don’t know which include many “insiders” in the fertility industry. And  what I saw was the beginning of what has been a gradual self examination practice when it comes to the business of egg donation – and the beginnings of a discussion about how the industry educates egg donors. I would love to help encourage that discussion to continue.

The education of egg donors has been important to me for a very long time.  I may have told this story before – but it is worth telling again.  It also speaks to how money controls public education.  In my day of running patient organizations I had to get funding for all of my educational fact sheets (because there is no federal funding of patient organizations as there exists in some countries like The Netherlands). Getting industry funding for fact sheets at patient organizations is a practice that continues today across the board at many non profits.  Just check the fact sheets – you will see sponsorship listings.  There is no big secret there.

So once upon a time, I wanted to do a fact sheet for potential egg donors – and I asked a big famous doctor at a big famous IVF Center to sponsor it.  I got a big fat yes – and I began the process of writing it. When the doctor got a hold of the fact sheet – he screamed that he was withdrawing the funding because the fact sheet was going to encourage the egg donor to ask too many questions – and answering these questions would take precious time away from the business of running his program.  Would I like to pay him for the time lost in answering egg donor questions that the fact sheet would provoke?

That fact sheet was never created because no one wanted to fund it. It was bad for business.

No matter how conflicted I feel about “Eggsploitation” (you can read their press release here) – especially their portrayal of the egg donor recipient as shown in the trailer on their website, I am glad that The Center For BioEthics and Culture Network produced it. Because while it may be extreme in it’s point of view – it is telling a point of view that needs to be told – and is not being told anywhere else. We need to make room for this perspective on egg donation – because it is real. These young women who are telling their stories are real – even if they don’t represent the majority of the egg donor experiences – it doesn’t make their experience any less valid or important. We need to hear them.

Everyone in the baby making world wants to feel like they are doing the right thing by egg donors, egg donor recipients, and most of all – the children that are created from that match. But money influences the waters. And without egg donor compensation there would be no egg donors. We all know that.

And money influencing the fertility field is not unique to the fertility field – it is a constant factor in every field – that is why big Pharma can’t buy dinner, or even give out pens anymore. We have all begun to acknowledge that fact.  It doesn’t matter how big or how small the donation is – money has this awful habit of controlling things.  And I have no answers – because every one needs money – and money pays the bills to keep the doors open for everyone. Even The Center for Bio Ethics and Culture Network has funders with a point of view.

But I do get disturbed with I see patient organizations with more professional/industry invested board members than patient board members.  And I do get even more disturbed – when I look deeper at who is running the ships – and there is an over abundance of board members in one part of the industry that we as a fertility community depend on for our unbiased information.  It is not that folks who serve in the industry or on non profit boards are evil doers – it is just that we need balance.  And without that balance of professions and areas of interest – there is an  influence in very quiet ways in regard to  the information that the consumer receives.

Yes – it is time for us to go deeper and really look at what information is shared with the consumer – how the information is being positioned – and who in the end – the creation of the educational materials are truly serving.  We must always keep in the front of our brains that consumer education is not marketing.

Posted under Advocacy, Egg Donation, Egg Donor Compensation, Facebook, Fertility, Fertility Blogs, Fertility Education, Fertility Marketing, IVF, In Vitro Fertilization, Infertility, Infertility Funding, egg donors, eggs, patient advocacy

I was reminded just the other day of the concept of “The Wounded Healer” by a fertility blogger named Keiko Zoll. Keiko writes a truly fabulous blog call “Hannah Wept, Sarah Laughed” – and she has been doing this wonderful blog series on being an advocate.  I was truly touched and reminded about my own wounded healer in reading her words in A Belly Full of Fire: The Wounded Healer. Keiko like so many advocates – started her blog out of a desire to express her experience – to fill some unnameable void – to shout into the universe all that was in her heart and in her belly – and in doing so – by speaking with a courageous honesty – she found a community and became a healer. Her words touched hearts and erased the pain of feeling alone  for others. Keiko writes from her gut and  it is that kind of writing – that kind of honesty that touches people.

You don’t need a medical degree to be a healer. You can be a healer by raising money to support a cause  – my colleague and friend Andrea Bryman Lmft is walking to raise money for breast cancer (make a donation here) and recently another colleague and friend Amy Demma was so touched by friend’s struggle with cancer that she has decided to make her facebook status and all manner of communication on Monday’s dedicated to fertility and cancer.  She asked her friends to support her just by talking about the issues (Pam waving at Amy in support). And my husband loves telling this story about a nun who came to our summer house looking for clams to help cure cancer and I just found this piece about her in an old People’s Magazine.  Oh yes – Sister Arline also had fire in her belly.

You see – once you get a fire in your belly – anything is possible.  It is often that place of disbelief, that place at the edge of pain where the most incredible creation and healing can happen.  It was so good to be reminded of that this week. Even this old dog advocate sometimes needs encouragement to keep on keeping on.  You see – its not always fun and games – this place of “Fire in The Belly”.  Sometimes – writing, doing, and change making from the place of the wounded healer can be very vulnerable work.  I remember going on the Joan Lunden Show – my first media appearance with my baby in my arms – to talk about IVF.  I wanted to show that IVF babies were normal and beautiful. I remember how my knees shook – and how scared I was. I was coming out on national television as a woman who had infertility – and had an IVF baby.   My husband and I were so worried that other parents would in some way classify our kid as an IVF  experiment. We were really scared – IVF was so new 20 years ago. But we had a fire in our belly. We needed to talk to get the word out about infertility and the possible solutions.  We needed to show the world that IVF kids were normal. And so I went.  That day was perhaps my first day  as a wounded healer.

Once  you start your first blog,  write your first article, walk your first walk, or do whatever it is that you need to do for your own healing -  you may  find  that you too have taken your first steps on the road of the wounded healer.  It is through that delicious fire in the belly place – that all changes happens. And don’t worry if you sometimes you feel scared and alone.  When you hit that place – just take a breath and know that you are building a bridge for others to walk across.

Thanks Keiko for the reminder.

Posted under Advocacy, Facebook, Fertility, Fertility Blogs, Fertility Support, IVF, In Vitro Fertilization, Infertility, Keiko Zoll, inspirational thoughts

I love doing these round ups! Letting you in  on what is exciting, new and thought provoking in the world of fertility.   Yesterday I was contacted by Kaite McGrew – a Spiritual Coach, Author, Speaker and creator of “Six Sacred Shifts to Embrace Your Fertility” which is a free audio coaching program that is available to women seeking to become pregnant – this program works with the mind-body connection and goes beautifully with any other fertility treatment/program – the goal of the six-week coaching program is to support women in re-framing their experience of trying to become pregnant, and to relieve them from stress, and to allow them to contextualize the goal of becoming pregnant within the larger framework of their lives. It is a non-denominational spiritual program that works with women of any faith, or women who are not particularly spiritual, but would like to bring a spiritual context into their quest for pregnancy.

The program is delivered via weekly emails that contain links to audio segments, written exercises, etc. and it is completely without charge of any kind. The program available on a donation only basis, but there is no donation required, and anyone who wants to enjoy the program is welcome to do so.

I am also learning about Circle+Bloom – which is a mind/body program to help support people who are going through infertility. The Circle+Bloom program is getting a lot of buzz  – and has already been put into place in various centers around the United States.  The basics of the program is listening for 15 minutes a day – to audio tapes that will relax and support you during any stage of your fertility journey.  It’s all about stress reduction and putting your health back into your hands. So jack into the Circle+Bloom Website and learn more on your own. It is rich, and full of information as well as giving you the opportunity sample the program.

While I am at it – I am going to circle around – and give two more shout out to products that I have already mentioned on The Fertility Advocate - The IVF Companion – which is also a way of taking your health back into your own hands – and being an empowered patient.  So if you haven’t heard about the The IVF Companion (you can read my review here)- take a minute and check out the website.  I also want to give another shout out to YES Baby - (which I reviewed here). Since that review – just like the IVF Companion -  I am hearing lovely things about this conception friendly product  from my readers.  Yes Baby – says Yes to great sex -organically -  while helping you to conceive.  And you know how much I love great sex and conception!

I just have to give a shout out to Elizabeth Cohen at CNN – who just did a great piece on getting pregnant later in life called “Pregnant at 47: Can I Do That?” in her fabulous column “The Empowered Patient” on CNN/Health. Several prominent members of our community gave fabulous quotes including Dr. David Kreiner at East Coast Fertility and Dr. Jamie Grifo at NYU.   And Kudos to  RESOLVE:The National Infertility Association for their great new website – if you don’t know RESOLVE yet – and you are TTC – jack in!

There is so much going on in the world of fertility and sexuality – if you want to know more – please “Friend” me on Facebook – or follow me on Twitter @PamelaMadsen. I would love keeping in touch with you there too.

Have a great hot Memorial Day Weekend everyone! And I will see you all back here on Tuesday!

All best -

Pamela

Posted under "IVF Companion", "YES BABY", Advocacy, Circle, Circle + Bloom, Dave Kreiner, Donor Egg, Dr. Dave Kreiner, East Coast Fertility, Egg Donation, Elizabeth Cohen, Fertility, Fertility Advocate's Hot List, Fertility Coach, Fertility Consultants, Fertility Support, IVF, Infertility, Infertility Consultants, MD, PCOS, conception tips, holistic fertility program

My life has taken was pretty interesting twists. I never thought that I would become a well known fertility and sex advocate – and I never particularly wanted to be a school teacher (my first career).  In fact, I wanted to be a nurse! I even attended nursing school, but they overbooked their clinical and continuing on that course would have delayed my graduation from college by two years.  I still regret not having my RN. But, I have lived a life with few regrets.  It is not that I have not had huge disappointments – and life shattering pain.  I don’t know many people who have not.  It is just that I have learned that tremendous life openings can be initiated by those dark painful moments.  We just have to tune in – and listen to our next life purpose. I truly believe that we have more than one.  I believe that they simply build on each other….

If I hadn’t experienced infertility – I would not be living the life that I am living now  – and doing the work that gives me joy every day.  Infertility was my “dark night of the soul”. When I thought that I would never have a child – I briefly crumbled. Through the pain, shame, fear, and disappointment – a new woman was born – and then eventually two sons.  In the end – infertility was a gift to me.

Through my need to give myself a voice as a patient – I became a voice for thousands. Through my outrage and determination – I was able to lead and work with others to create a new organization – The American Fertility Association - that still stands today. And through my decision to leave that organization which was a difficult, complicated and painful decision for me – I can now speak freely to you without the fetters of being a spokesperson for a national non profit organization.

Instead, I have the freedom of working for an innovative thinker Dr.David Kreiner - and -an incredible team of doctors, nurses, and staff at East Coast Fertility that supports me in being nothing less than authentic - and say what I believe is real. It has been an extraordinary change for me – not having to worry about sponsors and egos – and only think about the patient.

And it is a part of this new life – of being able to take my twenty some odd years (I started very young!) of experience as a fertility advocate that has brought me to this place of being a “Fertility and Sexuality  Blogger”.  Five days a week I get to wake up – sip my coffee – and think about our incredibly complicated world of reproductive health – and share those thoughts with you.  Every day I get to think about the stories and the science that create the world that I swim in. Every day I get to weigh in – and speak from my heart. How cool is that?

I have met some incredible people by blogging. There is this incredible network of reproductive health bloggers – and we are all different. Some of us are writing in “real time” about their current journey – and some of us are writing from a different perspective – the perspective born out of past experience.

We stimulate each others writing by reading sharing each others  thoughts. Sometimes we agree with other – and sometimes we don’t. If I didn’t have this blog, Facebook or twitter account -  I would have missed knowing them – and that would have been a loss.  And then there are “the readers” who jack into this blog. Those of you that are going through fertility treatment, struggling with your sexuality – industry – the media – doctors and others – who tune in to see what I am talking about each day. I love the opportunity to continue to share my thoughts on this ever changing topic of fertility and other issues that are central to being human.  It has been great hearing from you. I love comments. Please leave comments. I am not talking about compliments – I am asking you to share your own thoughts.

Oprah is did this great series on “Living our Best Life“.  You can find it all on line. Being a Fertility Blogger – and continuing my work as a voice for the fertility patient – and my emerging voice for women struggling with sexuality and self image. It has truly been a part of me living my best life.  I am truly grateful for the opportunity.

Thank you for reading.

Until Tomorrow,

Pamela

Posted under Advocacy, Dave Kreiner, Dr. Dave Kreiner, East Coast Fertility, Facebook, Fertility, Fertility Blogs, Infertility

As many of you know – beside writing this blog – I work with East Coast Fertility as a patient advocate, and developing patient education programs. It is with that hat that I am giving you a sneak peek at the press release that is going out tomorrow. I am very naughty – but I am quoted in it – and very proud of the site. So – from the press release…..

“East Coast Fertility launched a redesign of their website  in an effort to reach more people struggling with infertility.  Over 60% of adults search for health information online, so it is more important than ever for health care providers to have well designed websites and a clear online platform.  East Coast Fertility (ECF) has a strong reputation for medicine but wanted to do a better job educating their patients and offering information and support online. Their new site does just that.

www.eastcoastfertility.com offers improved content and is a good resource not only for fertility patients, but for the media and students as well.  It is user friendly, and patients can find a form on every page to sign up for a free consultation with a fertility doctor on staff.  There are “Ask the Expert” videos, message boards and a new blog, The Fertility Daily.  Dr. David Kreiner, medical director at ECF, is particularly happy with these new features.  “The interactive parts of our site allow for a dialogue between patients and the staff here.  We want users to feel they have access to us and to the information they are looking for.”

ECF knows that making decisions regarding medical care and considering the financial burden of fertility treatments can be overwhelming for many couples. That’s why they expanded their content around different procedures and financial options. “With our premium content, we are educating the patients and turning them into their own advocates,” says Pamela Madsen, fertility blogger (www.thefertilityadvocate.com) and founder of The American Fertility Association.  “We hope to reach more people with more information, and aid them in their journey to having a baby.”  The clinic feels the enhancements they’ve made to the site allow patients to connect not only with their staff of doctors, nurses and embryologists, but with other patients as well.  Providing such resources will enable patients to make decisions that are right for them”.

Check it out and let me know what you think!

Posted under "Journey to The Crib", Advocacy, Dave Kreiner, Dr. Dave Kreiner, East Coast Fertility, Fertility, Fertility Blogs, Fertility Education, Fertility Support, IVF, Infertility, Pamela Madsen

“As your professional infertility consultants, we’ll provide you with a comprehensive and individualized plan to help you reach your goals of family-building. We will create for you a customized step-by-step action plan that addresses your unique needs and concerns. Want to know the best clinic for you? We’ve analyzed the clinical success rate data and we’ll show you what those stats really mean. Need help understanding your insurance? We can do that. Need to travel for cheaper treatment? We’ll walk you through it,” promises Best-Boss.

Posted under "IVF Companion", A T.I.M.E., Advocacy, Angie Best-Boss, Egg Freezing, Fertility, Fertility Authority, Fertility Blogs, Fertility Coach, Fertility Consultants, Fertility Education, Fertility Support, Fertility Ties, IVF, In Vitro Fertilization, Infertility, Infertility Consultants, My Fertility Plan, infertiity, sexuality

Everybody is writing about celebrities and infertility - and why it is that most celebrities don’t fess up to have fertility treatments. And if they do fess up to having fertility treatments – most of them don’t divulge the entire scoop on what they did.  This notion that celebrities simply do everything better than us continues to live in the world of unobtainable beauty, wealth and in some cases, super human fertility. How else do you explain twins after the age of 47? The Fertility Authority started an interesting conversation on all of this in one of their blogs, “Community Claire”, called “C’mon J-Lo!” Jack in, blog, and join the conversation!

I love technology, and I am completely addicted to my Blackberry – with no plans to switch to an iPhone. But I just stumbled onto a great entry at ConceivingConcepts which might have gotten me to switch phones if I was still going through infertility treatments.  Angie Best-Boss their blogger extraordinaire gives the low down on  iPhone Fertility Apps! IPhone Fertility Apps? Who knew? Now you do!

Looking for a new book on infertility? Check out “Silent Sorority” By Pamela Mahoney Tsigdinos. You can read a great review here.

Struggling with PCOS? Check out this “Ask The Expert” video featuring Dr. Dave Kreiner, Medical Director at  East Coast Fertility. Want more on PCOS? Check out the video series “Journey to The Crib” where I co-star with Dr. Kreiner! I think that this particular conversation on PCOS is very helpful.

Looking for 24/7 peer  infertility support? Great information? More “Journey to The Crib?” Have you checked out Fertility Ties yet? How about now?

A friend of mine just sent me a link to a great woman’s sexuality website, called “A Woman’s Touch”. Where they celebrate pleasure and sexual health.  I just love that. You will too – check it out. And Susie Bright has just released a collection of her best audio interviews – as she calls it a “Little Bit Unforgettable”! Love Susie Bright. Don’t you?

So, that’s it for this week. I hope that I have turned you onto some valuable resources, interesting articles, and new ideas to get your moving into your weekend. I have got to go and listen to some of those interviews! And if you want more Pamela Madsen, why don’t you friend me on Facebook? Or follow me on Twitter – just key in PamelaMadsen! Be a part of my community and don’t miss a thing!

Posted under "Journey to The Crib", Advocacy, Dave Kreiner, Dr. Dave Kreiner, East Coast Fertility, Egg Freezing, Female Sexual Desire, Fertility, Fertility Advocate's Hot List, Fertility Authority, Fertility Coach, Fertility Education, Fertility Support, Fertility Ties, Fertility Videos, IVF, In Vitro Fertilization, PCOS, Sex, Sex Education, fertility evaluations, infertiity, sexual health, sexuality