184: The IVF Journey: Resilience and Realities with Beth Frattura

In this episode Beth Frattura shares her deeply personal and challenging journey through IVF and the broader landscape of infertility treatments. After one and a half years of trying to conceive naturally, Beth and her husband received an infertility diagnosis due to male factors, leading them directly into the world of IVF with the need for Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI).

In this episode, we discuss:

·        The Grief of Failed Transfers: Beth talks about the emotional impact of failed embryo transfers and the grief that accompanies each setback.

·       Ectopic Pregnancy Loss: Beth shares her painful experience of having to remove a pregnancy that implanted in the Fallopian tube and the specific grief associated with losing a pregnancy in such circumstances.

·       The Emotional Rollercoaster: How the process of IVF can rob you of the joy typically associated with pregnancy milestones, leading to a muted, anxious approach to celebrating progress.

·        Support Systems and Grieving: The importance of having a support network and the types of support that can help those going through infertility treatments cope better.

·       Empowerment through Knowledge: Beth emphasizes how gaining knowledge about infertility treatments empowered her to advocate for herself effectively and the importance of being informed.

·       Responding to 'How are you doing?': Insights into handling this often-complex question while navigating infertility, and the power of being honest with oneself and others.

Beth reflects on her journey, expressing a poignant wish: "If I could go back, I would open up more." She believes that sharing her struggles would have not only reduced her isolation but also enhanced her journey with the valuable advice from the community. While going through treatment she remembered thinking, I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror at 60 or 70 years old whether a mother or not a mother and be able to say confidently, “I did everything possible to follow what my heart needed.”

Beth spoke about the nonprofit organization, The Stork Foundation, which she started four years ago, which offers financial assistance to low resource individuals who need infertility treatments that would otherwise be out of financial reach.

“Know that it takes so much strength to go through and you are incredibly brave to go through this. Lean on others, trust the process, have a support system, and a team that has been through similar experiences can help you through such a confusing experience.” ~~ Beth Frattura

The Stork Foundation: 

Instagram: @storkfoundationforinfertility,

Facebook: The Stork Foundation for Infertility

Connect with Teresa:

EMAIL: teresa@livingaftergrief.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/.livingaftergrief/.

Instagram: @livingaftergrief

Website: www.livingaftergrief.com

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