When the Path to Parenthood is Not Linear
March 26, 2009 by Mindy Berkson · Leave a Comment
We understand that sometimes the pathway to parenthood is not linear. As frustrating as this is, reality requires us to make difficult choices and explore paths that we never imagined. Coming to terms with using a third party candidate can be a complicated and overwhelming process. In my experience, when clients can reach a comfort zone in selecting a candidate who meets close to their ideal criteria, the process becomes much more palatable.
So where does one begin the search? Some clinics provide in house egg donor recruiting programs. These programs tend to be small and often consist of only local donors. Due to their size, supply does not often meet demand and wait lists to select a candidate tend to be long. The agency route is another avenue. Agencies often have larger pools of available candidates, but weeding through profiles to identify ideal candidates can be time consuming and overwhelming.
Explore your resources. As an Infertility Consultant my focus is to advocate for the intended parents. Through carefully established strategic alliances with agencies nationwide, the consultants at Lotus Blossom Consulting have access to vast pools of qualified and available surrogate and egg donor candidates. Our match time is typically less than two weeks. We deliver to your email box targeted profiles to specifically meet your ideal criteria. There is no limit to the number of profiles you will have to choose from. The goal is to identify a candidate that appropriately suits your needs. But in addition, Lotus Blossom Consulting closely screens the agencies. We drive business only to agencies that are willing to include special clauses in their contracts for our client, which ensures that your financial risk factors will be mitigated in the event that a candidate does not pass your physician’s medical screening. This is one of our commitments to you in working as your advocate.
With our help, the complicated process becomes less overwhelming. Our very personalized touch and direct guidance in what to seek in an ideal candidate enables clients to focus their energies and emotions on other aspects of the cycle. Having the confidence to move through third party reproduction comes with knowing that you selected the right candidate, within a timeframe that is consistent with your course of treatment, and a budget that suits your financial reserves.
The journey through infertility need not be a fearful or overwhelming adventure. Identifying support, resources and guidance can save valuable time, preserve emotional well being and help to optimize the resources for your treatment cycle while minimizing the overall financial expenditure for the end family building goal. Being proactive in building the foundation for multiple cycles is simply acting prudent.
Patient Advocacy in Preserving Fertility
March 19, 2009 by Mindy Berkson · Leave a Comment
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.
I’m the cover story on City Woman Chicago!
October 24, 2007 by Mindy Berkson · Leave a Comment
Check out the full issue table of contents here.
It’s difficult to express how excited I am – Seeing my family on the front cover of the magazine was overwhelming.
While this is a print publication, they also have a .pdf version online so you can read the article even if you aren’t in Chicago. (Fact: Over half of my clients are international, so I’m used to making sure people that aren’t in the same area I am get the info they need!)
Let me know what you think of the article…thanks!
ART balance of expense to cost.
October 23, 2007 by Mindy Berkson · Leave a Comment
“The economics of health care is of vital importance to our patients, and to society generally. Using a standard measure like cost per additional year of life, infertility treatments are one of great bargains in modern health care,” stated David Adamson, MD, President-elect of ASRM. (Full Article Here)
Wow! It was actually shown in a study that adding ART as a benefit of a health insurance plan only increased the cost of insurance per member an eensy weensy bit.
The ASRM is the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. The information and studies they do are published in peer-reviewed journals (the good kind) and the results are really promising!
Building the Foundation for Infertility Treatment
October 22, 2007 by Mindy Berkson · Leave a Comment
Download a registration form or call (312) 582-6035 to register.
Lotus Blossom Consulting, LLC, is a concierge service for people undergoing fertility treatment. Join the company’s founders, MINDY BERKSON and TONI SIRAGUSA, for this seminar that will discuss a range of issues confronting people with infertility: maximizing insurance benefits, choosing a fertility center, holistic opportunities, and financing treatment. Berskon has worked in the industry for over 10 years in a variety of capacities both at donor agencies and at fertility centers. Siragusa is a financial planner and insurance agent who has worked specifically with couples undergoing infertility to properly plan for and finance treatment. Check out their Web site at www.lotusblossomconsulting.com.
Location: Latin Upper School, 59 W. North Blvd.
Instructor: Mindy Berkson & Toni Siragusa Course Fee: $40
Date: Thu, 25-Oct 1 Class Time: 6:30-8:30 pm
ASRM Urges Caution, Strong Counseling for Women Seeking Egg Freezing
October 22, 2007 by Mindy Berkson · Leave a Comment
The report emphasizes that the currently available data are too limited to allow egg freezing to be considered an established medical treatment. However, many women understandably have an interest in this emerging technology as an elective fertility preservation strategy. (Source: IVF News)
Ok, you may be thinking what does freezing your eggs have to do with counseling. The bottom line is that people are thinking this is going to be a great way to deter the inevitable aging of eggs. Thus, you can use your own 23 year old eggs when you’re looking to have a child at 43.
On the surface, not a bad idea. Younger eggs are always a better bet…but freezing? What worries me most is that the women considering freezing only see the potential upside. The potential downsides are kind of swept under the rug.
Have you ever put chocolate in the freezer? When you take it out, it’s discolored from the cocoa doing some chemical dance from the temperature drop. It’s still fine to consume, but…do you think that something as delicate as a human egg is going to still be right as rain if it separates like the chocolate? What about freezer burn?
No matter how advanced the technology, no matter how careful the scientist or doctor…you’re still putting a living thing into a freezer. A very, very cold freezer. And then you’re hoping for the best.
I can understand why counseling is strongly recommended. It should be. Because this is not one of the better ideas I’ve heard for having a child later in life.
