Making babies in the time of Coronavirus

Believe me when I tell you that it is just as unbelievable for me to write this article, as it is for you to read it.

Out of all the obstacles we may have expected to come across during our infertility journey (lack of IVF insurance, lack of response to stims, cancelled cycles, no fertilization, early miscarriages) the one I would have never thought possible is happening right now: clinics worldwide are cancelling cycles and closing their doors because of a Pandemic.

I never watched Black Mirror cause I am not into Science Fiction, truth be told.

I never watched it yet I am living it right now.

I am in Paris, France and this is my third day of lockdown.

I know too well what it’s like to be waiting for your period to come, in order to start a new cycle. I know how it feels to count the days, the hours, heart in your mouth, waiting for the next scan, the next blood test.

I also know what it’s like when your clock is ticking, when a week seems like a decade, and you would like to be able to squeeze 3 cycles into one month, because insurance is going to cut you off later this year due to age.

Yet, for reasons that are completely out of our control, you have to let go, stop your medically assisted procreation efforts and wait…for better days to come.

To say you are frustrated is a huge understatement. It may feel unfair, it may feel like it’s the end of it and who knows if you’re ever going to get the chance to try again. But there is really nothing you or anyone can do about it, and here we are, all in the same situation, united in some sort of universal grief.

My name is Oana and I am a control freak. I really am, and I am not ashamed to say it. I have a hard time leaving my fate in the hands of others, which is surely why I am afraid of flying, among other things.

So what is there to be done while waiting for the virus to crawl back into the hole it came from in the first place, and for our lives to pick up from where they left off?

What can be done when you’re in lockdown, and all you can do, you can do it from home?

I mean, what is there to be done except going through your drawers, reorganizing your closets, decluttering your attic, sorting out old pictures?

Well, I would take an hour a day just for myself, for getting my body in shape and bettering my health in view of future IVF and IUI cycles, while of course trying naturally in the meantime, if this is an option.

GET ON YOUR SUPPLEMENTS

Amazon is generally still working. With toilet paper and canned food being the best sellers, now may be a good time to order your supplements and make sure you take them religiously. You’re no longer in a hurry to get to work in the morning, no more commute for the most of you working from home, so you have no excuse for forgetting that Ubiquinol pill or not having the time to prepare that wheatgrass smoothie. Here is the link to an older article of mine, explaining the use and benefits of the best known supplements.

https://www.getthegoldenegg.com/post/supplements-are-you-taking-the-good-ones