Infertility - What it Is & How to Cope - Motherly
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Infertility

Infertility is a challenge, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Our experts and editors are here with support and compassionate advice.

Eating disorders - A woman struggling to eat

New survey: 45% of women face infertility after an eating disorder

For many women, pregnancy is both joyful and vulnerable. While often framed as a glowing experience, the reality is more nuanced.

Updated Mar. 26, 2025
Trump IVF policy - A group of people having a discussion

President Trump signs executive order on IVF: What it means for families

While this executive order signals an increased focus on IVF accessibility, it does not directly change existing laws or require insurance companies to cover treatment.

Updated Feb. 21, 2025
Infertility journey

To everyone facing infertility this Christmas: I know the ache of ‘not this year’

As another holiday season comes and goes, I know how easy it is to begin to wonder if you're ever going to be called mom.

Updated Dec. 18, 2024
Adoptive mom

I didn’t make my son, but I’m in awe that I get to call him mine

On the flip side, as an adoptive mama, I feel the sentiment of looking at my child in complete awe.

Updated Mar. 31, 2025
couple meeting with doctor in office - ivf attrition

IVF attrition: The journey from egg to embryo, explained

An expert dives into the IVF funnel and your chances of success.

Updated Jul. 24, 2024
woman looks at pregnancy test at home - stress and fertility

Does stress impact fertility?

The answer is likely unsurprising—but a naturopathic doctor shares what to do about it.

Updated Jul. 23, 2024
Women at a baby shower

Mom-to-be asks if it’s OK to uninvite SIL with infertility struggles from her baby shower 

“I feel bad for her, but she can’t keep bringing negativity to all of our celebrations,” she said.

Updated Jul. 24, 2024
Sarah Herron pregnant selfie

Former ‘Bachelor’ star says it’s okay to ‘hate pregnancy’—even if you’ve struggled with infertility

“It's okay if it’s really hard,” she wrote, “and you don’t have to pretend that it’s all perfect all the time.”

Updated Jun. 12, 2024
woman holding her abdomen infertility awareness

Why we need National Infertility Awareness Week more than ever

Recent legislative decisions have demonstrated just how critical it is that we continue to raise awareness of the nuanced and complex world of infertility.

Updated Apr. 19, 2024
sad woman holding pregnancy test - how common is secondary infertility

Struggling to conceive after having your first baby? There’s a name for that, and it’s more common than you think

Secondary infertility accounts for 30% of all infertility cases—yet many don’t even know what it is, even when they’re going through it themselves.

Updated Apr. 18, 2024
sad woman sitting on the couch - unexplained secondary infertility

This is the worst part of unexplained secondary infertility

It’s the irrational anger at the baby section in Target. It’s the hundreds of times each day I wonder what it is that’s keeping me from getting pregnant.

Updated Sep. 03, 2024
woman holding her arm

Words of encouragement when IVF doesn’t work—from someone who is there, too

Sometimes things don’t make sense and today we are just trying to figure out how to deal with that.

Updated Apr. 10, 2024

Dealing with infertility is hard on a marriage—but here’s what we learned

Emotions during these times can jump from grief to anger to doubt to hope, and they can jump quickly. Being partners means supporting each other. But being supportive can mean different things to different people.

Updated Apr. 10, 2024
man with hands holding his crotch male fertility is declining

Male fertility is declining. Here’s what the latest research shows as to why

Though 50% of all infertility cases can be attributed to the male partner, new technologies offer solutions—and hope.

Updated Mar. 11, 2024
woman giving herself injection in the stomach - why we chose ivf

Why we chose IVF for our second pregnancy

We vowed almost immediately after our daughter's diagnosis that we’d find a way to give her a sibling. It seemed an easy choice at the time. But it would get harder.

Updated Feb. 15, 2024
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