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The American Fertility Association Blog
From the Outside, Looking In
June 18, 2009 - Thursday
Posted by admin
The questions, statements, and facts surrounding infertility prevention never cease to amaze me. Each time I hear something on the topic which I’ve heard a dozen times before, it still drops my jaw. Tuesday evening we had a delightful group of 27 women take part in a discussion about infertility prevention, led by Dr. Brian Acacio, of Acacio Fertility Center in Laguna Niguel. It was the latest, in a string of very successful Manicures & Martinis events, The AFA’s national infertility prevention series.
Questions asked at previous events were asked Tuesday night; the discussion went well past sixty minutes; and the women (including and especially the manicurists) were enthralled with Dr. Acacio’s wit and sense-of-humor used to deliver information on such a serious topic. So, besides the obvious, like the speaker and location, what made this one different from the rest? There are plenty of differences which, frankly, are hard to explain. But, a few come to mind: one being Joanne Brown. Ms. Brown enjoyed a Fertilitiini™, enjoyed a manicure, and enjoys life. You see, she struggled with infertility and is now the proud mama of a five month old baby boy, thanks to Dr. Acacio’s help. Her reason for attending was to make herself available to the group of young women for questions. You could tell she has a strong and unique bond with Dr. Acacio and his staff. Whether it’s Dr. Acacio or another fertility specialist - she was there to reassure the ladies there is help out there, when and if they need it. Hopefully they won’t.
Most grandparents (and parents, of course) proudly display photos of their prized possessions on their desk, or in this case on their manicures station. When the event was over one of the manicurists raced over to Mary Garbarino of Acacio Fertility Center with a large picture frame in hand, housing a photo of a beautiful young boy and girl, and said, “these are my two frozen embryo grandbabies,” as her eyes welled up with joy.
Or how about the couple Dr. Acacio mentioned hearing about. The couple attempted intrauterine insemination (IUI) five times, only to discover it was male factor infertility which accounts for some part in 40% of all infertility cases. A tremendous amount of money which could have been saved, had only the guy gotten a simple a simple sperm test (a whopping fifty bucks).
Joann, the manicurist, and the IUI couple have already been there, done that. Their stories not only provide hope, but their experiences also serve as an incredibly valuable educational tool. Furthermore, The AFA is committed to making sure you’re well aware of all facets of family building. I provided live Twitter updates throughout the evening with some tidbits of information I’ve heard a dozen times before, but never cease to amaze me (if you missed them, check out our twitter page at http://www.twitter.com/amfertassoc). Since my wife and I aren’t trying to have a child yet, the infertility prevention series is of incredible value to me - each time I attend. At this point, I’m simply an outsider looking in, and by doing so from this vantage point, I may one day look back and think this is the best lesson I’ve ever learned.
Categories
Family Building •
Fertility •
Fertility Preservation •
Frozen Embryos •
Infertility •
IUI
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