“When will you have kids? When will you make me a grandmother? You’re not getting any younger!”
The pressure to start a family can be overwhelming for many couples, especially at family get-togethers like Father’s Day and Fourth of July.
About one in eight couples struggle with infertility.
This week on the Mindful Headlines podcast, Dr. Lora Shahine explains why infertility isn’t small talk. She gives helpful advice on how to navigate uncomfortable situations, explains why stress and infertility often go hand-in-hand and offers tips on how to deal with the financial difficulties of paying for infertility treatments.
RELATED: How to talk about infertility
During this week’s podcast, Shahine will also talk about how the pandemic has affected couples in two very contrasting ways: some couples have found more time to pursue starting a family but there has also been a large increase in fertility preservation, like elective egg freezing.
Shahine is a fertility doctor. She’s a partner at Pacific NW Fertility and an associate clinical professor at the University of Washington. She is currently working alongside Chrissy Teigen and RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association on a new campaign called "Fertility Out Loud," which hopes to inspire men and women to talk about their infertility struggles, find community and find resources.
Infertility funding resources
Baby Quest Foundation: A nonprofit organization providing grants twice a year. More than 100 babies have been born through this organization to date. Shahine has been on the board of Baby Quest since 2015 and witnessed firsthand how hard founder Pamela Hirsch and her team work tirelessly to help recipients meet as much of the cost of the cycle as possible.
Apply for a grant with Baby Quest.
Tinina Q Cade Foundation (Cade Foundation): A nonprofit organization that was started in 2005 to provide information support and financial assistance to help needy infertile families overcome infertility.
The Hope For Fertility grants: This group established their national grant to help couples overcome the financial difficulties that come with infertility treatments. The frequency and amount of grants is based on the availability of funds raised throughout the year. Typically grants are awarded twice a year but may be more or less frequent. Grant amounts typically range from $250 to $5,000. A $50 application fee is required and is considered a donation, which may be tax deductible.
Learn more about applying for a grant with The Hope for Fertility Foundation.
Parental Hope grants: Their mission is to raise infertility awareness and provide emotional and financial support to hopeful couples battling infertility. They have grants for different types of treatment.
Apply for a grant with Parental Hope.
Aneden Gives: A nonprofit organization that believes fertility treatment should be accessible to all and that they are helping one family at a time.
Previous episodes
"Mindful Headlines" is a news podcast about the Pacific Northwest that explores how our psychology intersects with current events.
The way we interact with our world is influenced by the way we perceive the world. In turn, our collective minds shape the issues that make headlines in our local communities and nationwide.