Guest blog by Smita Parikh, MD, founder of The Fertility Advisor.
Just two years ago, I sat in a corner at my nephew’s first birthday party with a fake smile plastered on my face as kids buzzed by me and a sing along was taking place. What should have been a fun and happy occasion was a reminder to me that it was exactly one year since my husband and I had been trying to get pregnant. For most, this wouldn’t have been a big deal, but as a physician, I knew that if we were unsuccessful after one year of trying, it meant the dreaded diagnosis of “infertility.”
Unfortunately, the “what if” scenarios quickly filled my mind and my anxiety and sadness overtook my ability to be rational about our situation. From my medical training, I knew there could potentially be a gazillion blood tests, scans and injection medications ahead of us. I was completely paralyzed at the thought of it. To make things worse, both my husband and I were working 80 hours a week. How and when would we find the time to figure this all out?
Our journey to parenthood certainly took a lot longer than I had hoped for. Between finding the right reproductive endocrinologist (we saw about 4 docs) and researching what our best treatment options were it was incredibly overwhelming, time consuming, and emotionally exhausting. Each month it seemed like I was just throwing my money away and trying something different from changing my diet, to purchasing supplements and fertility herbs, to having consultations with doctors across the country. As I read through blogs and forums on infertility, it was clear to me that many others were just as confused as I was.
Looking back, I would have given anything to have a trusted source provide me with both emotional support and an unbiased idea of ALL of the potential treatment options for us (i.e. what types of things actually work?) A guide who could save me the time and effort of sifting through all of the information we received from our doctors, alternative healthcare providers, and the Internet. And thus, the idea of “The Fertility Advisor” was born. I quickly realized that I had the skillset to be that person for others – with the combination of my medical background and all of the research I had done from my personal experience, I could help clients access, comprehend and process all of the relevant information to tackle infertility.
As a fertility coach, I work with clients by breaking down the entire experience – from educating them about tools that can help them cope emotionally and deal with stress (such as the C+B programs) to providing a personalized roadmap of potential scientifically valid alternative and medical treatment options so that clients can regain a sense of control and feel ready and prepared to take on this challenging journey.
Since fertility coaching is a relatively new concept, I invite potential clients to learn more by contacting me for a complimentary coaching session.
Dr. Parikh received her MD from Tufts School of Medicine in Boston and trained in Internal Medicine. She also completed a fellowship in Clinical Innovation where she learned about the best ways to use technology to activate and engage patients in their own healthcare. On a personal level, she struggled with infertility and explored numerous treatments including both natural and medical therapies to get pregnant.
Please visit www.thefertilityadvisor.com or email her for more information or to set up a complimentary consultation.
constance Stark says
I am starting my new venture of fertility coaching it would like to connect with you
I look forward in receiving feedback from you
Connie Stark
Joanne says
Hi Connie,
Please feel free to reach out to us at amy@circlebloom.com to connect directly.
Thanks!