This is Infertility is a bi-weekly podcast where we fuse narrative storytelling with experience and science to give you a new perspective on what it’s really like to go through a family building journey. Each episode dives into the emotional, physical, and financial burdens carried by those who experience infertility on their path to parenthood. Be it IVF, IUI, egg freezing, surrogacy, adoption, etc., the path is never the same and it can be long, painful, and lonely. It’s our mission to give those struggling a platform to be heard, a community connection, and an opportunity to raise awareness of the 1 in 6 who, for many reasons, struggle with infertility.

Episode 41: Documenting Fertility Struggles to Create Awareness

When you are experiencing something as difficult as infertility, it can be comforting knowing you are not alone. But it can be hard to relay what the journey is like for those who have never gone through it. Alaina Bos, a Chicago-based photographer, realized she could use her work and experience to help portray the very personal and emotional frustrations of infertility.

In today’s episode, Alaina shares her story of feeling frustrated and alone after being diagnosed with both endometriosis and PCOS. Fortunately, after months of trying she was finally able to have her baby, and along the way, she decided to use her talents as a photographer to help others who found themselves in a similar position.

So, she started a project called Face of Infertility. We’ll hear how Alaina used photography to both document her own fertility struggles, as well as share the stories of others, in order to create awareness and reduce the larger stigmas surrounding infertility.

Guest: Alaina Bos, Photographer for The Face of Infertility

Host: Carl Martinez, Clinic and Billing Specialist at Progyny

For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Face of Infertility.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com.

About the Speakers

Host: Carl Martinez

Clinic & Billing Specialist at Progyny

Guest: Alaina Bos

Photographer

Host: Carl Martinez

Clinic & Billing Specialist at Progyny

Carl has been in the healthcare industry for close to twenty years. He’s part of the Provider Relations department working alongside Progyny’s Patient Care Advocates by addressing clinic and billing inquires. Previous to Progyny, Carl was at 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund and Emblem Health.

Guest: Alaina Bos

Photographer

Alaina specializes in photographing phenomenal women and the people they love by providing a luxurious experience where her clients are pampered during their portrait session. Alaina began the Face of Infertility Project as a personal means to process through and bring light to her own fertility issues. It was her hope that creating such a project would help other women feel supported and unafraid to have the conversation about their own fertility struggles. She’s based in Chicago, IL.