This week is National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW). When I first heard of the event, I was a little intimidated. Spreading awareness about infertility when you’re in the middle of infertility treatments can feel like a very personal challenge. However, I’ve realized lately that spreading awareness doesn’t have to be complicated. There are many simple ways in which we can help to educate others. Here are four of the easiest:
Blog about it
Blogging is a great way to spread awareness and build community. If you’re worried about your privacy, you can even blog anonymously. Not sure how to get started? Check out my Blogger Resources page.
But maintaining an infertility blog is not for everyone. Writing a guest post on someone else’s blog is a great way to spread awareness without committing to a blog of your own. Contact other bloggers you admire and ask if you can write a guest post about infertility. I’ve seen some fabulous guest posts about infertility on “Mommy” blogs, health blogs, parenting blogs, and religious blogs.
Talk about it
It can be scary to talk about infertility with someone who hasn’t experienced it themselves. But the silence that results from fear only leads to more ignorance. We have to talk about it if we want to increase awareness.
Start off by talking to just one person. You don’t have to go into your whole history and divulge how many transvaginal ultrasounds you had last month, or the results of your husband’s latest semen analysis. Chose a person you trust and fill them in on just the basics of what you’re experiencing. You may be surprised at the support you receive from them. The more people you talk to, the more you’ll gain confidence and lose the shame.
Get social
The wonderful thing about social media is that it gives you a wide audience. Take advantage of that and use social media tools like Twitter or Facebook to send out bits of information about infertility. Share informative facts and interesting info-graphics. If that feels too vulnerable, consider tweeting out tidbits related to other causes that are close to your heart (breast cancer, Alzheimer’s, volunteerism, etc.). Sharing information about both topics might make it feel less scary since the focus isn’t entirely on infertility.
Get political
One of the easiest ways you can spread awareness is by reaching out to your elected leaders. RESOLVE has wonderful resources on federal and state legislative issues.
Increasing awareness doesn’t have to be hard. Choose one of these four ways and start spreading the word today!
For more information on infertility, check out the links below:
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