A woman who struggled to have a baby announced her much-awaited pregnancy by taking a photo of her in-vitro fertilization (IVF) drug vials and syringes showing her infertility journey.
Macy Rodeffer has gone through great pains trying to conceive. For the past four years, she has been through three miscarriages, surgery and treatments. Finally, a spark of hope came when she discovered that she is pregnant.
The Popular Photo Post
Rodeffer was inspired by another woman who posted a similar photo of her baby sourrounded by IVF synringes and medication vials.
For Rodeffer's pregnancy announcement, she posted a photo on Instagram of a onesie alongside vials and syringes that she used during her IVF treatments.
"I really just wanted the photo to show ... how difficult infertility can be," she says.
Rodeffer adds that the vials in the photo were just from one of her IVF sessions. She knows that there are more people who have had far more difficulty trying to conceive. The post was meant to show her friends and family what she and her partner have gone through for their baby, when words are not enough.
Critics Speak
While the response of the public to Rodeffer's post has been generally positive, there are those who can't help but utter words of criticism. Some people particularly questioned why the couple did not choose to adopt.
Rodeffer explained that she also plans to adopt in the future, especially because her mother and cousin were adopted. She is aware that adoption is just as draining as fertility therapies, citing three of her relatives who are currently in the same situation.
Thankful
Despite some negative feedback Rodeffer is thankful overall. Though she hoped that her photo would reach other people, she did not expect such overwhelming response.
In her blog Martinis and Medicine, she posted her first "Mother's Day" entry and acknowledged the babies she lost, including those embryos "that just weren't strong enough to make it to our transfer and freezing."
"I will never be able to say enough of the blessing of science," she wrote. She went on to thank God for giving people the knowledge and skills to perform IVF - to fertilize eggs in the laboratory and give the embryos a better chance of thriving.
