Pregnancy – Talking About Infertility: Chloe Wilde is Sharing Her Story to Help Other Women
For many adults and couples, having a baby is one of the most important and exciting events in their life. However, for those experiencing infertility, that dream can become one of their darkest and most difficult journeys.
Infertility is a disease that affects one in six adults. It is caused by a variety of conditions and can impact both male and female reproductive systems. On average, 48 million couples and 186 million adults globally experience infertility every year. Yet as common as this disease is, people struggling with it can often feel very alone and isolated.
Chloe Wilde is openly sharing her own journey with infertility so other women and couples know they are not alone. Infertility took Wilde and Johnston on a years’ long journey that they weren’t expecting or prepared for.
The Etalk Canada Reporter and her partner Ben Johnston always dreamed of becoming parents and were excited to have a baby. However, when they first started trying, things didn’t go as easily and smoothly as they expected.
After months of unsuccessful attempts, the couple visited a naturopath who specialized in fertility. For the next year, their lives revolved around lifestyle changes, ovulations sticks and health and menstrual tracking apps in the hopes of increasing their chances of getting pregnant. When they still couldn’t conceive after more than a year of trying, the two went to see a specialist.
The emotional and mental challenges they faced because of infertility were difficult and, at times, overwhelming. Wilde quickly learned that her emotions could be easily triggered often without warning. While there were some triggers she could control, like updating the settings of her social media pages so she wasn’t getting pregnancy or baby related ads and content, other triggers, like seeing someone pushing a stroller out in public or a friend’s surprise pregnancy announcement, were beyond her control. She found support by joining online infertility groups and encourages other women to connect with groups and professionals specializing in infertility so you don’t feel so alone.
Like most couples experiencing infertility, Wilde and Johnston didn’t share their struggles with their family and friends so they often felt like they were living a secret, double life. Throughout the day, they would step into their normal roles as happy, healthy young adults with successful careers, hobbies, and relationships, but behind close doors, their time was consumed with appointments, consultations, tests, treatments, and procedures.
Eventually, the couple was approved for provincial funding for in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments. It took three embryo transfer procedures before Wilde became pregnant. She gave birth to a beautiful and healthy baby boy last October. It was only after their son was born that Wilde and Johnston felt they could share their infertility experience with family, friends, and the public.
The couple feels very fortunate that they were eligible for provincial funding as IVF treatments are very expensive. They hope funding programs will expand so more women can qualify for the costly procedures.
Wilde also believes strongly in self-advocacy and encourages women to ask questions and not be afraid to change clinics if they feel the facility and staff aren’t the right fit. She changed clinics when she felt like she wasn’t being heard until she found one that was right for her. She recommends getting the clinic receptionist’s email address to send questions if women find this an easier way to communicate with their doctor.
One lesson Wilde learned throughout her difficult journey, is that women experiencing infertility are stronger and more resilient than they think they are.
