It's Time to Remove the Stigma Associated with Infertility

Kudos to our friends in Canada. In a move to raise awareness and pull infertility out of the closet, the Infertility Awareness Association of Canada has declared this coming week Canadian Infertility Awareness Week.

The Toronto Star has a story that includes this statistic: One in six Canadian couples – 17 percent of the population – have the condition. Of 700,000 afflicted Canadian couples, more than 200,000 couples in Ontario, ages 18 to 44, spend a year or more having unprotected sex and still can't conceive. According to Resolve, in the US, one in eight  couples experience the challenges of infertility.

The Toronto Star piece highlights one women who devoted seven years to unsuccessful treatments and is now taking up the cause as saying:

    "I want to stop people in their tracks and make them realize that saying those things [just relax, etc.]
    can be hurtful when people are trying so hard to have a baby. The best thing they can do is be supportive
    without being judgmental."

I'm with you, sister.  It's certainly not an easy subject to embrace, but each day I'm more aware that being upfront and honest about it is one way to eradicate the myths and misunderstandings around the condition. Aunt Sassy writes about how she set the record straight in an encounter this week. I admire her moxie and plan to demonstrate more of it myself!

Posted by Pamela Tsigdinos at 5/18/2007 12:48 PM
Categories: Infertility advocates

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  • 5/18/2007 1:54 PM beagle wrote:
    Thanks for posting this!
  • 5/18/2007 11:30 PM karenO wrote:
    Yup, my thanks too! My day lacks something if I haven't visited your blog, and I always go away with something to think about.
  • 5/19/2007 12:55 PM lady macleod wrote:
    Absolutely. It's just like any other prejudice isn't it, it evolves out of ignorance. I acknowledge that there are some few just mean and nasty people around, but a large majority in this case I think are UNAWARE. That's what you are doing! You are educating us, the ignorant. Tell us what you need from us. Tell us not to say "just relax" "you can always adopt". People need to know these things. Not only to make your world better but to expand our understanding.

    I think this blog and the others I have read of like kind go a long way in accomplishing this goal. I have certainly learned so much and become aware of facts, statistics, and emotions I was unaware of before. So well done! and keep it up I say. Bravo!
  • 5/20/2007 5:12 AM TeamWinks wrote:
    It always feels good to have your medical condition recognized. Redbook also did a great job in this June's issue of tackling infertility in their ongoing infertility diaries. They even go into PGD!
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