A Challenge in Fertility: Then and Now

By: Kerry Bergeman

It was no surprise to me when I didn’t get pregnant after our first year trying.  We knew this day would come.  I was not exactly a healthy child growing up, and the first time a doctor told me I wouldn’t be able to conceive on my own, I was 13. I thought he was an idiot.

Why is that last statement important?  

My Road from PCOS to Twins

By Michelle Cleary

What is PCOS, you may ask? I’ll tell you the medical meaning, but then I’m going to tell you my story and how I live with it every day. You’ll see how different the two really are.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, also known as PCOS, is one of the most common female endocrine disorders, affecting approximately 5%-10% of women in the reproductive ages 12-45 years.

All of the signs and symptoms of this disorder are pretty common everyday symptoms most women have. Menstrual disorders, acne, obesity, skin tags, oily skin, dandruff, hair growth.  Now if you look at that list, to me you just described a healthy Italian girl. No disrespect, but that is me in a nut shell.  All the things you just read would probably right off as a part of life and a part of going through puberty.  Then the time comes when you want to start a family and you just can’t. This is when you learn all the other signs and symptoms of the disorder, like cysts in a pearl necklace-like shape wrapped around your ovaries, lack of ovulation, infertility, and even diabetes. And this is where I come in.

Super MoM :: June 2013 :: Phoebe Kannisto

This month we have selected

Phoebe Kannisto

to be our Super Mother of Multiples!

Phoebe and her husband Eric have been blessed with six amazing little boys. First a singleton, Andre who is now 6 years old. Then identical twins, Silas & Emerson who are 4 years old. And lastly, fraternal triplets! Holden, Reed, and Dexter are 15 months old!

Phoebe is a stay at home mom, while her husband works in cancer research. She says “We do everything on our own. We’ve never had any help, and we don’t have any family in state. We pride ourselves on doing it all by ourselves. Growing up I had one older brother and Eric was an only child. I always pictured myself with a large family, but never imagined I’d be a mother of six little boys, including multiple multiples. We are very lucky.” Phoebe took some time to answer some of our questions about being a MoM to 6 small children.

Our Decision To Be Open About IVF

Written by: Laura Pedlar

Parents of multiples are used to all kinds of personal questions from curious members of the public:  Are they twins?  Do twins run in your family?  Were you surprised?  Some even get a little more direct with the infamous, “Are they natural?”  For parents of multiples conceived through assisted reproductive technology (including reproductive technologies such as in-vitro fertilization and intra-uterine insemination), these questions can be tricky, offering both an opportunity to educate and receive support and opening up to the possibility of judgment and criticism.  Deciding what to share and with whom is a very personal decision, but there are some things you can consider before choosing to spill the beans.