National Infertility Awareness Week 2021 kicks off on April 18. All of us know someone who’s struggled with infertility -- after all, one in eight couples in the United States report having trouble getting pregnant or sustaining a pregnancy, and nearly 12% of women have received infertility services in their lifetime.
For the past year, Hadassah has been bringing people together around reConceiving Infertility to raise awareness and confront taboos while driving policy change and empowering patients to advocate for their health.
We're helping our communities expand their definitions of what it means when we talk about family. At the same time, Hadassah medical researchers are finding groundbreaking new ways forward.
To everyone who’s helped along the way, thank you. For those of you who are just learning about the issue, we’re here to help.
8 Things You Can Do Now: An Option for Everyone
1. Understand the issues.
- Sign up for “Family Building in the US and Israel: Personal, Policy and Perspectives,” with Rabbi Rebecca W. Sirbu (Hadassah Director of Engagement), reConceiving Infertility ambassador Amy Klein, Dr. Eve Feinberg, and representatives from Hadassah’s Education & Advocacy Division.
- FAQs! Get the Facts.
- Our newest podcast! Listen to Hadassah on Call, S2, E8: “Beyond the Basics of Infertility Treatments”
- Hadassah On Call, S1, E32: “The Many Paths to Parenthood” with Dr. Hananel Holzer
2. Watch and share our reConceiving Infertility videos.
- What Not to Say About Baby Making?
Even with good intentions, our words and questions can still make those struggling feel even worse, whether they’re a loved one or just an acquaintance. Learn how to be sensitive and supportive in this animated short with Amy Klein. - Expensive and Priceless: The High Cost of Family-Building
In this short video, we tackle the taboos and hear from women and couples about their financial hurdles and hardships, from adoption to IVF. - How to Help People Struggling with Infertility During COVID-19
Here are five things you can do – and some you should not do – to support someone you care about. - First Person: Ruth Ann Freedman on navigating the challenges of polycystic ovarian syndrome.
- First Person: Karen Paikin Barall, “Getting Personal and Political About Infertility”
- Hadassah Magazine Discussion Group: “Struggling with Infertility”
3. Learn more about Hadassah’s efforts.
- New Storytelling App by Hannah Dreyfus (The New York Jewish Week)
- Preserving Fertility After Cancer (Hadassah Magazine)
- A Message from Hadassah National President Rhoda Smolow
- Hadassah Advocates for Infertility Coverage (Hadassah Magazine)
4. Read their stories.
- Members Share Their Struggles to Become Mothers (Hadassah Magazine)
- Are You My Surrogate? by Amy Klein (Hadassah Magazine)
- The Blessings and Trauma of IVF by Talia Liben Yarmush (Hadassah Magazine)
- Learning to Live My Best Life, Without Children by Rachel Halperin-Zibelman (Hadassah Magazine)
- Struggling with Infertility by Lonye Rasch (Thrive Global)
- Inconceivable! A Family's Journey by Ronnie Gerber (Thrive Global)
- Remembering My Infertility Journey During National Women’s Health Week by Joan Epstein (Thrive Global)
- Destigmatizing Infertility, Expanding Access To Treatment by Ruth Ann Freedman (The Forward)
- Going to Any Lengths: My Infertility Journey by Susan R. Karon (Thrive Global)
- During Hanukkah, Let’s Remember Those Suffering from Infertility by Amy Klein (Kveller)
5. Share your own story.
- Storytelling is powerful. In October 2020, Hadassah teamed up with the Jewish Women’s Archive and Uprooted: A Jewish Communal Response to Fertility Journeys, to create Your Family-Building Story. By sharing stories, we can help break down taboos and help people better understand and support loved ones. Help us build momentum by sharing yours.
6. Advocate for policies that help.
- Sign up for Hadassah advocacy alerts, so you can take action with Hadassah when it's needed most. It's easy. And it just takes a minute.
7. Share our social media posts with your networks.
- Throughout National Infertility Awareness Week, we’ll be sharing stories and ways to get involved on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Engage with and share our posts to help spread awareness!
8. Support our efforts. Donate.
