Baby Dreams and Insurance Schemes: The IVF Odyssey
When my husband and I started our fertility journey, it was supposed to be a chapter of hope for a future family. The idea of IVF wasn’t something we had planned for in our lives, but cancer changed everything. We wanted a future that involved a family, but after my diagnosis, we were told that the treatments I needed might also take away our ability to have children. IVF became the only option to preserve that dream. What we didn’t expect, however, was the financial nightmare that came with it—and how our insurance provider left us to carry the burden alone.
Going through IVF was already an emotionally charged process. There’s the physical toll, the waiting, and the rollercoaster of hope and fear with every step. But for us, the biggest frustration came from an entirely different place: insurance. You’d think that being a cancer patient would make fertility preservation a no-brainer for insurance companies. After all, the cancer diagnosis wasn’t by choice, and the IVF treatment was a direct consequence of it. Our insurance provider didn’t see it that way. They flat-out refused to cover any part of our fertility treatment, leaving us to shoulder the enormous financial cost.
We appealed. We explained the medical necessity, shared the toll cancer had already taken on our lives, but none of that seemed to matter. Dealing with the insurance company was an exhausting fight that made an already difficult time so much harder. I found myself wondering why, after surviving cancer, I was being punished again by a system that’s supposed to help. What happened to my “woman rights?” The insurance company would cover the cost if I wanted an abortion or a sex change but wouldn’t cover IVF! How was this fair? Shouldn’t I be treated equally as the women who want to get abortions or sex changed? Why were their needs more important than the needs of cancer patients or women with infertility issues? Do we not matter? Those were the questions I never got answered by our insurance.
My first experience with IVF was not the best. I felt like I was just another number and there was no compassion or empathy.
Amid all the stress and frustration, there was a bright spot in our journey—our second experience with IVF was at Generation Next Fertility. From the moment I walked through their doors, I felt cared for in ways I hadn’t expected. The staff was not only professional but also deeply compassionate. They took the time to understand my unique situation as a cancer survivor, and they treated me as a person, not another case file.
The atmosphere at Generation Next was unlike anything we had experienced elsewhere. It was warm, welcoming, and hopeful, qualities that are essential when you’re going through something as emotionally taxing as IVF. They guided us through every step of the process with patience, ensuring we understood what was happening at each stage, and always answering our questions with kindness and clarity.
One of the most memorable moments for us was during our egg retrieval procedure. What could have been a terrifying day was instead filled with reassurance and encouragement. The team at Generation Next Fertility celebrated each small victory with us, making sure we felt supported no matter what the outcome was. We were able to create 5 embryos but unfortunately none were viable. It was another heartbreak to deal with. Nonetheless, I told myself not to feel bad because I understood my body had been through a lot. The possibility of having kids is still there, we just need to remain positive and hopeful.
Though our IVF journey has been marked by frustration—particularly with insurance—we found solace in the care we received from Generation Next Fertility. They helped us focus on the positives and reminded us why we were doing this in the first place: to build the family we had always dreamed of, even in the face of obstacles like cancer.
The process wasn’t easy, and we’re still grappling with the financial strain that came from insurance’s refusal to help. But looking back, we’re incredibly grateful to have found a clinic that was as dedicated to our future as we were. Generation Next Fertility wasn’t just a medical facility to us—they became a vital part of our support system, giving us hope when things felt impossible. A special Thank You to Dr. Seckin, Dr. Nejat and Destini Meyer for making my second IVF Journey a wonderful experience.
If you’re facing a similar struggle, know that you’re not alone. Advocate for yourself, find a medical team that truly cares, and hold onto the hope that your journey, however difficult, is still leading you toward your dream.
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