When will you be starting a family? If you’re a woman—especially one who is married—the question “When are you having kids?” might feel all too familiar. For those grappling with infertility, each inquiry can sting, evoking feelings of frustration and helplessness. Here’s how women facing infertility might like to respond to that ever-dreaded question:
- When my hysterosalpingogram confirms that my fallopian tubes are clear, and after I’ve given myself a hefty HCG trigger shot in the butt to induce ovulation, followed by a carefully timed sperm injection—processed to ensure it has top-notch motility and morphology so it can navigate my uterine cavity to reach the eggs I’ve been prepping for weeks with injectable FSH medications.
- Seriously?
- When I’m under general anesthesia for egg retrieval, where a hollow needle is inserted through my vagina after weeks of injections, and then those eggs are fertilized in a lab and transferred back into me via catheter after surviving the sperm from my partner who, let’s just say, had his own challenges in a not-so-glamorous setting.
- When do you think is the right time for me to have kids?
- As soon as I can figure out the intricacies of getting pregnant.
- Whenever you stop asking that question.
- I’m working on it. Want to give my reproductive endocrinologist a call? Perhaps you could get clearer answers than I can. I can draft a release form, and add you to my approved contact list, though it might take a week or so for them to respond given the HIPAA regulations.
- We just did our part this morning, but it’s too soon to tell.
- Just stare at them. Then start screaming incoherently until they begin to panic. Pause for breath, snort a few times, and continue staring until they walk away, traumatized and confused enough to think twice about asking anyone else that question.
For more insights on navigating this sensitive topic, check out this post on intracervicalinsemination.com. It offers valuable information for those considering home insemination options.
In summary, the question of when to start a family can be particularly difficult for women dealing with infertility. Their responses—ranging from detailed medical procedures to outright honesty—reflect the complexity of their journeys. For a deeper understanding of artificial insemination methods, visit Make a Mom and for further resources, ASRM is an excellent reference for pregnancy and home insemination.