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 8: LGBTQ+ Family Building: Building a Family with an Inclusive Fertility Benefit

For Pride month, we’re rolling out four episodes that cover family building for the LGBTQ+ community. The fourth and final episode in the Pride month series addresses two of the most significant barriers to accessing fertility treatment: exclusivity and affordability. 

A study by the Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey reported that almost 58% of people are forced to forego fertility treatment due to the anticipated financial burden. And for those who go forward with treatment, the high price tag forces many individuals, couples, and families to spend thousands of out-of-pocket dollars. In some cases, patients go to extreme lengths to afford treatment, such as refinancing their homes, selling their belongings, or even switching careers for better benefits. Even if their employer provides coverage, a number of plans will exclude same-sex couples with unrealistic diagnostic requirements. 

But what if your employer covered your treatment and made it accessible to everyone? In this episode, we hear from couple Lindsey and Chrissy Callahan who were eager to start a family when they learned their employer-sponsored Progyny benefit would make their dream of having a child a reality.  

Guests: Lindsey & Chrissy Callahan, Progyny members 

Host: Manuela Henderson, Patient Care Advocate at Progyny 

For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for LGBTQ+ family building options. 

For additional resources: 

  • To find a support group: Resolve 
  • To find information about the legal considerations and policies for same-sex couples: Family Equality Council 

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

Manuela Henderson, Patient Care Advocate at Progyny

Manuela is a Patient Care Advocate at Progyny where she is offering help and support for our members throughout their fertility journey. Prior to joining Progyny, she worked as a Patient Care Manager and Reproductive Endocrinology Assistance for more than seven years. She just recently moved from Europe to the US.

Guests

Lindsey and Chrissy Callahan

Lindsey and Chrissy are originally from Boston, MA but moved to Brooklyn in early 2017. They met at work seven years ago and have worked together for much of their relationship, most recently as Solution Engineers at a cloud computing company in Manhattan. They tied the knot at the Providence Public Library in April 2016 and traveled to Thailand for their honeymoon. They are passionate about traveling, staying active, and spending time biking and walking around New York City. Lindsey loves exploring the NYC restaurant scene, and because of this, Chrissy calls herself a “foodie by marriage!” In 2018, with the support of Progyny, they began the process of reciprocal IVF. They are optimistic that they will someday have children of their own to introduce to the joy of city living and traveling!