Patient Advocacy in Preserving Fertility
I am so honored to have the opportunity to sponsor a very special film entitled In The Family at the Women’s Resource Fair in Evanston Illinois. This very powerful and moving documentary eloquently displays and affords so many BRCA gene victims with education and information on a topic that is all too often stigmatized and avoided because it is too painful to discuss.
I believe the quote “…information really is a blessing. It’s a source of power.” perfectly depicts your relevant take away message.
I work every day with clients nationwide in your situation. Women who are facing the fear of the unknown, and or the inherent actuality of not being able to deal with the outcome of test results, or worst yet the reality of what options may exist, if any.
These are beautiful women in the prime of their reproductive years who need to know how best to maximize their chances of success while simultaneously increasing their opportunities for biological family building.
It pains me to see women so secretive, ashamed and feeling isolated and alone in this difficult decision making process.
It is my hope that In The Family delivers very powerful and important message to help women become their own best advocates as it relates to their health. Advocacy must start with education, awareness, information, and resources necessary to allow each one of us to make informed medical decisions.
In my experience, part of the decision making process that needs to be incorporated when dealing with test results or deciding whether or not to undergo testing is often influenced by the desire and innate need to have biological offspring. Perhaps if women knew and understood the available options today in the very advanced and technologically savvy world of in-vitro fertilization, the difficult decisions that have to be made, could be lessened by the increase in reproductive opportunities available today for the future.
The newest technology to enter the infertility arena is Egg Banking. This technique allows women to freeze their own biological eggs for use in the future. Egg banking is available to women up to 38 years of age. It is a wonderful new option for those who have put off child bearing for careers, for finding the right partner, and also for those who may have suffered medical diagnosis that could compromise future fertility.
Freezing eggs allows women to avoid having to use an anonymous sperm donor until they are ready to fertilize the eggs, at which time they may have identified a known sperm donor. Another advantage of egg banking is that eggs can be thawed in the future, fertilized with sperm of choice and then refrozen as embryos for future in vitro fertilization treatment cycles. This fast growing and very new technology offers more choices and much more flexibility with fertility treatment options for the future.
If you are interested in more details, I will be sharing in detail this option as well as many others on Saturday March 21st at 3:15 in my presentation entitled Conceivable Options: Exploring Fertility Choices. The Unitarian Church 1330 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, Illinois.
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