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The American Fertility Association Blog
Greetings from Planet Menopause
June 29, 2009 - Monday
Posted by Corey
My life is ruled by hot flashes these days and I have to tell you, it ain’t no picnic. I’m 53, and today my twins turn 14 years old. They ate birthday cake for breakfast and partied like it’s 2009. And in the midst of all this joy, I couldn’t help my mind from wandering back to that day when I gave birth to them, with the help of IVF, at 39 years old.
You know, women contact The AFA all the time for help with getting pregnant and a full 30% of them are over the age of 35. Women my age call almost every week, in various states of denial about their fsh level and possibility of motherhood. It’s heartbreaking, and it has made me weary. These women so want to have a baby, and time has not diminished that want. If anything, it has increased it. It’s devastating, sometimes scary even, trying to talk to women about their fertility potential and that tick tick. Tick. Could this really be the “disease of infertility” or is it simply nature’s way?
I’m going on record right now to say that I’m personally committed to changing the conventional wisdom around the bio clock in this country. I am a bio clock vigilante. I am a stand for educating women about the truth about their own bodies.
I am committed to getting less phone calls from 42 year old women who are shocked that they can’t conceive, and more phone calls from women of any age letting me know that they gave birth to a 6 pounder with rosy cheeks.
Gratefully, I am the Program Director for The American Fertility Association. I have an amazing army of people who have joined me in taking this stand.
Ok. I need to open the freezer now and stand in front of it for about five minutes.
Happy birthday Connor and Caitlin, I love you. Happy birthday to me.
Categories
Fertility Preservation
Shannon, what a great story you have. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing it with all of us. I have always loved the name Sage and wondered how you landed on it, now I know! We are so very lucky, aren’t we?
ABSOLUTELY!
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Hi Corey,
Shannon from Sage IVF/Cooper Surgical.
I just wanted to briefly comment on your blog.
I too, try to educate and encourage woman about their options at any age. I’d hate to see someone wait when the information is readily available today, unlike a decade ago.
I was fortunate and blessed to have my son Sage through IVF at age 41 (yes, I used all of our products to have him) but to my COMPLETE surprise surprise and total jaw dropping, panicky astonishment, I became pregnant at age 43 NATURALLY!! From the man that was my donor with Sage (we started dating after he was born). That’s right, what a saga here. I am a single over 40 woman approaching menopause and found myself pregnant at 43 with a 1 1/2 year old at home.
So, there is still hope, but know your options, be prepared for anything and start planning early.
Don’t worry Corey, we’ll get those 42 yr. olds one at a time.
Take care,
Shannon L. Nelson
Western Regional Sage IVF Specialist
Cooper Surgical Inc.