In societal conversations about pregnancy loss and failed fertility treatments, we often talk about what people with uteruses endure. But a recent podcast conversation between Lance Bass and New Kids on the Block member Jonathan Knight is bringing an underrepresented perspective to light. Knight and his husband, Harley Rodriguez, pursued parenthood for five heartbreaking years. Ultimately, the process didn’t work for them. "We tried it. We went through the journey for about five years, and it just didn't happen for us," Knight said during an appearance on the Lance Bass Presents: Frosted Tips podcast. "Going...

If you’re struggling to conceive and are unable to carry a pregnancy for medical reasons, or if you’re an LGBTQ+ couple hoping to grow your family, surrogacy can be a unique and beautiful path to parenthood. However, whether you’re just starting out on your journey or contemplating your next steps, the cost of surrogacy on top of the price of IVF can be overwhelming to think about.  The truth is, the cost of surrogacy can actually vary greatly depending on a variety of factors, from the agency you choose to the location of the surrogate....

For those of us who can’t get pregnant ‘the old-fashioned way,’ there are many alternative paths to parenthood, from intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) to embryo donation and adoption. One option that varies not only from country to country but from state to state is surrogacy, and if you’re just starting out it can be difficult to know what questions to ask or where to even begin. Luckily, family-building networks like Pinnacle Fertility can help simplify the process for both intended parents pursuing surrogacy and surrogates interested in becoming gestational carriers. Questions...

Most people who have experienced fertility challenges have probably heard someone say “Well, you should just use a surrogate!” as though surrogacy is a simple, straightforward process that works and is accessible for every intended parent (spoiler alert: It’s not).  Aside from the complex legal, medical, financial, and interpersonal facets of pursuing parenthood via surrogacy, there’s also the emotional toll it can take. When intended mothers picture their path to parenthood, that image often involves carrying a pregnancy…and letting go of that image can be painful. Sometimes, it continues to be painful even after your...

If you’re reading this, then you probably know that getting pregnant isn’t always as easy as we were told it would be in middle school Sex Ed class. Not only that, the fertility treatments that are often needed when pregnancy doesn’t come easily can be extremely cost-prohibitive.  Currently, only 20 states offer some type of mandated fertility coverage, which means they’ve passed laws that hold private insurance responsible for either covering or offering some variation of fertility testing, diagnosis, or treatment. But not all mandated fertility coverage is created equal, as these states are able to...

If you’ve considered pursuing surrogacy — either as an intended parent or as a gestational carrier — you may have no idea where to even begin. After all, surrogacy involves layers of complexities, from legalities that must be ironed out to a series of medical procedures. But before all that can transpire, a surrogate must first match with intended parents. And according to Brian Levine, MD, a practicing reproductive endocrinologist, that hasn’t historically been an easy process.  Dr. Levine founded Nodal, a matching platform through which surrogates and intended parents can lay out their criteria,...