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Allison Ramsey, Fertility Counseling Specialist
- Jun 21, 2018
- 3 min
How To Get What You Want From Your Fertility Doctor
Unfortunately it wasn’t the first time I heard this story in my office. Melissa reported her IVF had failed. Women going through infertility are the fiercest most tenacious people I’ve met, so naturally she wanted to discuss what was next. She explained the doctor recommended another round, but this time a cheaper version called “mini IVF”. She was floored that this option existed because he hadn’t explained it to her previously. Melissa blamed herself for not asking enough q
Allison Ramsey, Asheville Fertility Counselor
- Nov 7, 2017
- 2 min
When Platitudes Fall Flat
When Platitudes Fall Flat You've all heard a platitude. They are words that are intended to be helpful, but do not usually help. (The work platitude comes from a french root of plat - meaning flat!) So no wonder it falls flat. If you're going through infertility or any hard time in life, here's a few I bet you've heard: Everything happens for a reason It was God's plan Time heals all wounds Good things come to those who wait What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger These
Allison Ramsey, Asheville Fertility Counselor
- Oct 30, 2017
- 3 min
Stop Living For What If
Learning to take care of yourself while trying to conceive will lay the groundwork for taking care of yourself when you're finally a par
Allison Ramsey, Asheville Fertility Counselor
- Oct 2, 2017
- 1 min
A Diet Hack for Fertility
A Diet Hack for Fertility I'm not usually one for diet hacks of any kind, but when I read this blogpost from Creating a Family I knew I had to share it. So often when women have trouble conceiving they start investigating all the things they shouldn't do - don't drink alcohol, don't over exercise, don't stay up too late, don't google all of your symptoms, all of this don'ting feels like deprivation. Finally we have some research-backed information on something to add to your
Allison Ramsey, Asheville Fertility Counselor
- Sep 12, 2017
- 2 min
Do What Works
Do What Works You're here again. At that milestone that was once way out into the future when you thought for sure you'd be pregnant. Maybe it's a significant birthday or the day after a friend's wedding. Maybe your best friend has had 2 children all during the time you've been trying to conceive. You're frustrated that you've done everything you can to get to where you want to be and you feel like you've been standing still for months, or even years. Women who are trying to
Allison Ramsey, Asheville Infertility Counseling
- Aug 30, 2017
- 2 min
Coping with Infertility as a Stepparent
Coping with Infertility as a Stepparent Creating a family certainly doesn't always go the way people expect it will. Some people are lucky to find each other a little later in life and there are a lot of benefits of that - knowing yourselves better, having careers, being more grown up! And sometimes relationships bring with them step children. Anyone who has had this experience knows there are pros and cons. And that is definitely the case when it comes to infertility. Often
Allison Ramsey, Asheville Fertility Counselor
- Jun 28, 2017
- 3 min
Tired of Driving to the Fertility Clinic
Tired of Driving to the Fertility Clinic There are roughly 1,028 fertility clinics in the United States. That’s great news if you live in a city with one. But for residents of certain cities or states, you’re probably driving an hour or two to the closest center for your treatment. Deciding to move on from your gynecologist to a reproductive endocrinologist is daunting on it’s own. You must make more time for appointments, scheduling tests, recovery, and potentially ultrasoun
Allison Ramsey, Asheville Fertility Counselor
- Jun 21, 2017
- 2 min
When To Switch From Your Gynecologist to a Fertility Clinic
When To Switch From Your Gynecologist to a Fertility Clinic When women begin thinking about starting a family, it is exciting and scary at first. They might go to their gynecologist for a check up and make sure everything is good to go. The gynecologist gives the greenlight and says come back in six months (if you’re over 35) or a year (if you’re under 35). However, these are rough estimates. If you feel like something is wrong, you can request more in depth testing to see wh
Allison Ramsey, Asheville Fertility Counselor
- Jun 19, 2017
- 1 min
Infertility is Officially a Disease
Infertility is Officially a Disease I was excited to read this article last week that reports the American Medical Association supporting the World Health Organization designation of infertility as a disease. Okay, excited is a strong word, but let me explain. One of the biggest complaints I hear from my counseling clients with infertility is how lonely it is. Because major medical establishments have declared it a disease, there may be impact on how infertility is seen by ou
Allison Ramsey, Fertility Counseling Specialist
- May 2, 2017
- 1 min
Fertility News: Insurance Coverage for Infertility Expanded in New Jersey
Insurance Coverage for Infertility Expanded in New Jersey On May 1, 2017, the New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed a law that improves and expands infertility coverage. This is exciting news because of the inclusivity it offers. The highlights are: Women with same sex partners and women without partners can now qualify for infertility coverage. The law adopts a medical definition of infertility - “a disease or condition that results in the abnormal function of the reprod
Allison Ramsey, Asheville Infertility Counseling
- Apr 7, 2017
- 2 min
Your Sleep is Affecting Your Fertility
Your Sleep is Affecting Your Fertility Recently, an article in Current Sleep Medicine Reports was published citing research that sleep and fertility are closely related. Specifically the authors find: Disrupted sleep can disrupt hormone secretion and affect ovulation. Poor sleep may result in insulin resistance and glucose intolerance potentially contributing to infertility and early pregnancy loss, particularly among women with PCOS. Disturbed or inadequate sleep may produce
Allison Ramsey, Asheville Infertility Counselor
- Mar 10, 2017
- 2 min
Surviving The Two Week Wait
Surviving The Two Week Wait You’ve done everything you can do for this cycle. The day of ovulation or the embryo transfer has passed, and there’s nothing to do but wait. You’ll wait around fourteen unbearable days to see if all of your meticulous efforts have paid off. You’re distracted, wondering if every little symptom might be a sign that you’re pregnant. You may even take a pregnancy test too early, just in case. If you’re going to take a pregnancy test early, you’re like
Allison Ramsey, Asheville Infertility Counselor
- Dec 7, 2016
- 4 min
Secondary Infertility
Secondary Infertility Every Saturday I take my three year old to her soccer game and see dozens of happy parents. I don’t know what kind of struggle it took to get them all there, to this place of parenthood, but finally, as much-wanted babies grow into three and four year olds and begin soccer practice and attending preschool, the field has leveled. What I’ve noticed though is often accompanying those happy parents to soccer practice, is the cuddled up infant in a baby carri
Allison Ramsey, Asheville Fertility Counselor
- Nov 29, 2016
- 3 min
How to Tell a Friend with Infertility that You're Pregnant
How to Tell a Friend with Infertility that You're Pregnant During my struggle with infertility I had three good friends that became even greater friends because of our bond around our inability to get pregnant. We shared everything together and I don’t think I would have gotten through that time very well without them. However, I was the first to get pregnant, and thought I must tell them first, tell them immediately, and tell them in person. So I hopped on my bike and rode t
Allison Ramsey, Fertility Counseling Specialist
- Aug 22, 2016
- 3 min
Your Failed IVF
A failed IVF is devastating. When I see women in my Asheville counseling practice after a failed IVF they feel aimless and hopeless. The sadness and disappointment they express are exactly the same emotions I see after a woman endures a pregnancy loss at any stage. I think women have a hard time validating their own emotions around a failed IVF. They know they feel horrible, but for some reason “failed IVF” in our culture does not equal “miscarriage”. It's hard to compare bec
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