One in every 10 couples trying to conceive struggles with infertility.
This painful diagnosis, often silent, is much more common than many realize. That’s why this week has been named National Infertility Awareness Week, or “NIAW,” for short. The goal is to bring more awareness, support and hope to the millions of people struggling with infertility.
As an adoption agency we have worked with thousands of families who have experienced infertility. It is important to acknowledge the struggles that infertility can bring. We also want you to know this: Infertility does not have to be the end of your dreams of building a family. There is hope.
Below are some ways you can learn more about infertility, connect with others, and find a path forward for your own family-building journey. Our adoption specialists frequently speak with families who are struggling with infertility and considering adoption. To connect with an adoption specialist, click here.
Leave a Mark 2024
Several organizations, such as the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, collaborate each year to set a them for National Infertility Awareness Week. The theme this year is “Leave a Mark.”
If you are currently on your own journey with infertility, the goal of this week is to help you feel seen. Your story matters – all of the ups and downs, joys and challenges. If you feel comfortable doing so, there are several ways you can “leave your mark.”
If you are not struggling with infertility but would like to support those who are, this week provides a couple options for getting involved, lending your voice and increasing support.
Here are some ways you leave your mark:
Share Your Story
Being open about your infertility diagnosis and the struggles that come with it can make your load a little bit lighter, and give your community of friends and family the opportunity to provide you support. Only share what you are comfortable with – for some, this may mean letting more friends in, while others may only be comfortable sharing with family.
If you do decide to share, you may be surprised at how many others connect with you—nearly one in ten couples struggles with infertility.
Exploring Alternative Family Building
Alternative family building, like adoption and surrogacy, provide pathways of hope to those who are struggling with infertility. As you continue your journey with infertility, you may begin exploring the options available to you to grow your family, like Assistive Reproductive Technology, adoption, and third-party reproduction.
If you are new to family-building options like adoption, there are a lot of resources on our website that can help. Here are a few places to start:
Learning about these options can be a part of your journey to have a child, but for some people, they carry stigma. Sharing information about each of them with friends and family can help change the conversations and make families feel seen and accepted.
Participate in NIAW’s Proclamation Project
National Infertility Awareness Week invites you to request a proclamation in your area. Proclamations are made by public officials and increase awareness of important topics and issues that families face. This is a great step to take for anyone who would like to use their voice to advocate for access to assisted reproductive technologies and alternative family building methods.
#WearOrange
Orange is the designated color of NIAW, and you can participate and show your support of infertility awareness by wearing orange on Wednesday, April 24th.
Finding Hope After Infertility
Adoption is not a cure or replacement for couples who are experiencing infertility, but in some cases, it can be the catalyst to consider adoption as an option. Over more than 30 years of providing adoption services, we have seen first-hand how infertility does not have to be the end of your story.
Because we are a national adoption agency, we have worked with many families who are struggling with infertility and considering their options. Our adoption specialists can help you connect with resources for infertility and help you understand the path to adoption. Click here to get help now.
Infertility Doesn’t Have to be the End
Infertility can come with grief. When the life you imagined for yourself doesn’t seem possible, shifting course can take a mental shift and can come with a range of different emotions.
However, when you begin to think about new possibilities, a new path can emerge that is exciting and fulfilling. Infertility treatment, surrogacy, and adoption can all become a part of new dreams for your family, and you can emerge happy and strong as a family.
You can learn more about your options here, or browse our infertility resources here and here.
Moving From Infertility Grief to Adoption
Many families who choose adoption have infertility in their past, and you may still feel grief about these losses.
If you have you experienced the loss of your child, miscarriage, or have been unable to experience pregnancy, you may continue to think about these losses, and counseling can be a great option to work through these issues.
This is complex grief — it can ebb and flow as life moves on. In many cases, you may never fully “move on” from it. But you can move forward. Grieving infertility doesn’t mean that you can’t become a family through adoption—you can still find fulfillment and overflow with love for a child when you choose adoption. With counseling and guidance from our adoption specialists, you can learn about the beauty of adoption and whether it is a good fit for your family.
