How Does Sperm Reach the Egg? / What ~4 Years of Infertility Feels Like / What Happens When Surrogates Miscarry? ??

Hi friend!

The trying-to-conceive journey often feels like a continual game of hurry-up-and-wait. You start preparing your body for a possible pregnancy, figure out the timing, and get to business. But after the deed’s done, you may find yourself asking, “What now? Is anything going on in there?” Nobody can answer that question for you — and all you can do is let science do its thing while you move through the two-week wait.

It’s hard not to obsess during the TWW. To keep your mind busy, we’re taking you on a science lesson that’ll help you stay informed about what’s (hopefully!) going on inside your body. Learn what happens after sperm gets released into the female reproductive system, and what it takes for sperm to reach the egg to make your baby, here.?

Here's What's New:

For the?10 to 20% of pregnancies that end in miscarriage, the loss is compounded when there are more people involved in the journey toward becoming parents. And when assisted reproductive technology is part of that journey,?there may be an increased risk of early miscarriage.

When a gestational carrier experiences pregnancy loss, it’s a devastating period of time for both the surrogate and the intended parents. This can make the web of grief and coping with the loss even more complex for all parties.

Lynetta Cuomo, a surrogate with the agency?SurrogateFirst, had three of her own pregnancies that resulted in live births, and nothing went wrong. It wasn’t until she became a surrogate that she experienced a pregnancy loss. Read more of her story here.

Did you know that your pre-pregnancy health can affect...?

The quality of egg and sperm, your chances of getting pregnant, the health of your pregnancy, and potentially even the health of your future grandchildren? Introducing the?Fertilitae?app – your comprehensive companion to achieving optimal pre-pregnancy health.?Take their doctor-designed assessment to get your personalized fertility wellness plan, including expert tips and meal plans to help you on this transformative journey.

Visit Fertilitae.com,?and request exclusive access to the app. Because your fertility matters.

From Our Community:

Q: What is the gut microbiome, and why is it important for fertility?

A:?The gut microbiome is like a bustling city of microbes working around the clock inside your body, and each plays a significant role in keeping everything running smoothly. They help you digest food, keep your immune system strong, and affect important parts of your life, like cognition, weight, mood, and energy levels.

Your gut health and baby-making abilities go hand in hand, but some providers don't connect the dots. Instead, they treat them as two different things. “Traditional medicine focuses on numbers with hormone levels,” says hormone and gut expert Dr. Sarah Mathis.

Gut health is necessary for many body functions, from hormone regulation to having a healthy period. To learn more about why the gut microbiome is such a big deal when it comes to getting pregnant, read this.

Q: How much does it cost to adopt a child in the U.S.?

A: The truth is, it depends. There are multiple routes you can take within adoption, including a public adoption, a private agency adoption, or an independent adoption. This is a major life change and involves careful planning and budgeting in advance.

So, how much does adoption cost in the U.S., on average? We spoke to experts on the adoption process to get more information on the general cost of each type of adoption, and some tips on how to budget for the expense of adoption, here.

Rescripted's Fertility Favs:?

From social posts to podcasts to products we're loving, here are some of our favs from this week:?

• What ~4 years of infertility feels like
• 'The Hills' alum Whitney Port shares surrogate suffered two miscarriages amid fertility struggles
• When I show my husband I got a positive ovulation test...
• In the News: Global decline in male fertility linked to common pesticides
• Operation: Make social media more real
• Your TTC grocery list
• The hope and heartbreak of IVF
• Currently reading: this time-traveling gem of a novel

Lastly, it's no secret that women shoulder most of the burden of the mental load within their homes. In this week's episode of Sorry For Apologizing, Missy is joined by Eve Rodsky, best-selling author of Fair Play, to discuss how we can work towards a new reality where the true worth of a woman's time is recognized and respected, and how men can step into their power as equal household members. Yes, it’s possible! Listen here.

Digging The Cycle so far? Forward this issue to a friend, and help us improve the TTC experience for the better!?

xo, Kristyn