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 8 who, for many reasons, struggle with infertility.

Episode 36: #InfertilityUncovered: When Limited Fertility Benefits Fall Short

National Infertility Awareness Week falls on April 21 – April 27 and this year’s theme from RESOLVE is #InfertilityUncovered. In honor of this week, we’re doing a four-part series on what it’s like to truly uncover the world of infertility.  

If a fertility benefit is offered, but there are no providers who accept it, is it really a benefit at all? In the second episode of our four-part series, we hear from Wajmah Yaqubi, an Emmy-nominated Photo Director who found herself asking that very question when she researched her employer’s fertility benefit.  

Although Wajmah’s employer provided fertility benefits, they were extremely limited and restrictive in what was covered. For starters, there was only one in-network doctor in all of Manhattan who accepted her company’s insurance. On top of this, insurance policies required that individuals go through six rounds of IUI before even being able to receive coverage.  

Wajmah is still trying to conceive, and she’s doing it with very little financial support. In this episode, she shares how she’s been navigating infertility with little to no coverage, how she has learned to be her own advocate throughout the process, and how her partner supports her along the way.  

Guest: Wajmah Yaqubi 

Host: Brandi Guthrie, Provider Account Manager at Progyny 

For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page. 

To ask your HR/benefits team for a fertility benefit, visit Talk to HR to start the conversation. 

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. 

Host

Brandi Guthrie, Provider Account Manager at Progyny

Brandi manages the East Coast of Progyny’s Provider Network, where she recruits new fertility clinics to be a part of Progyny’s exclusive provider network. She takes pride in establishing and fostering positive relationships with Progyny’s in-network clinics. Brandi’s concentration in the healthcare industry began prior to joining Progyny four years ago and has developed into a true passion for helping support all individuals achieve their dreams of parenthood.

Guests

Wajmah Yaqubi, Emmy-nominated Photo Director

Wajmah has worked at notable companies such as Getty Images, US News & World Report, AOL, and ABC News. Wajmah joined Buzzfeed in May of 2015 to establish and direct global photo operations. She recently moved into a new role as the company’s Director of Rights & Clearances.