After 3 Unsuccessful Rounds of IVF, Heres How Im Approaching Fertility

After 3 Unsuccessful Rounds of IVF, Heres How Im Approaching Fertility Whether youre years away from having kids or youre actively trying to get pregnant, navigating fertility alongside your career can be tricky. Thats why Fairygodboss has teamed up with HallieAge 46Tell us a bit about yourself Where are you from? What are you up to?Im a writer and editor. I grew up in small town Montana and spent my entire adulthood in cities. Now live in a mini city a few hours outside of NYC.Tell us a bit about where you are with building your family and fertility. Are you a long ways out? Curious? Trying? I stopped trying at about 42 after three rounds of unsuccessful IVF and lots of mellower stuff before that. I started trying to get pregnant at 38 but unfortunately it welches already too late for me. No diagnosable problems, just low egg quality and reserves by that time.How are you thinking about your career and your family? I feel great about my career and marriage and have made peace with h aving no children, though I may someday be a foster parent.How does building a family impact your choice of an employer? It was hugely impactful when it came time to try serious fertility interventions. My treatment was about $50,000 and was all covered by my insurancethen provided by my employer. I definitely would bedrngnis have stayed in that job as long as I did had it not provided such excellent benefits.Where have you gotten your information about fertility? Do you talk to your doctor? Your family? Your friends?I did tons of research and I also had a handful of friends who had been through it before me. They were all successful but they were also willing to go through unlimited cycles I think most did 5+ while I was not. I was afraid it would just ruin my life and sanity. So I set a limit.What kind of support do you wish you had more of when it comes to fertility? I wish people were more open and honest with women about how young might already be too old when it comes to fert ility. There is so much magical thinking when it comes to this stuff, and if I were to say to someone you know what, it turns out that 38 was too late for me and it might be for you Id be accused of negative thinking. But its a data based statement, not fear mongering. I mean, trust me, I did all the stuff I went to the magical million dollar acupuncturist and herbalist, I went to the top docs. But there are things that are just out of your control, no matter how much money you throw at it. So I wish open and honest conversations were more possible. Anything else youd like to share? Wed love to hear it )The older women I know who were able to have successful pregnancies all used donor eggs, and they are super happy with their decisions. I wasnt really dying to be pregnant, so once it came to that, I felt Id rather adopt if it wasnt going to be my genetic baby. That sort of stopped the ticking clock, and so that idea is still on the backburner for me. --