PARSIPPANY — Infertility is no longer something that people feel they must discuss behind closed doors. Gone are the days of hushed voices and cover stories; now, hardly a day goes by without another celebrity couple sharing that they have frozen their eggs, are undergoing fertility treatment, or are struggling to conceive. Women who share their stories are celebrated for their openness and their bravery, and are praised for helping to raise awareness about a disease that touches so many lives each and every day. This broader awareness about infertility has in turn led to greater understanding, and shown women who are struggling to conceive that they are not struggling alone. Ferring Pharmaceuticals is located at 100 Interpace Parkway.
Despite these significant strides, the fact remains that one in eight couples still have trouble getting or staying pregnant, and many women who are facing infertility still find themselves feeling lost, overwhelmed and unsure of where to turn for help or support throughout their family building journey. The fertility journey is incredibly personal, and even with the support of family members and friends, it can be an isolating, lonely experience to endure.
Ferring has a longstanding commitment to the reproductive health community, and to providing women with the critical support and resources they need throughout their fertility journey. This National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW), Ferring is proud to announce the launch of My Fertility Navigator and FertiCalm™, two new tools specifically designed to help women throughout the family building process. Whether they are just starting out, or have been actively trying, the challenges women face along the way are unique, and Ferring is committed to providing women with the resources they need every step of the way.
My Fertility Navigator is a unique, personalized tool designed to serve as a resource to individuals who are struggling to get pregnant. Through phone or email, Navigators provide guidance and support that tailors specifically to each user’s needs; providing the knowledge, resources and reassurance they need to advocate for their reproductive health. My Fertility Navigator aims to help women take charge of their fertility and be better prepared and educated about their fertility journey.
For women who have been undergoing fertility treatment and are still struggling to conceive, daily scenarios and interactions can take a toll on their emotional health. FertiCalm, a newly-released app developed by reproductive psychologists Dr. Alice Domar and Dr. Elizabeth Grill, was designed specifically to help women address the many challenging, emotional life situations that arise while struggling to conceive. Using cognitive-behavioral and relaxation techniques, FertiCalm offers users more than 500 different coping options for over 50 specific situations that have the potential to cause distress during the family building journey. From scripted dialogues for tough conversations, to relaxation techniques, FertiCalm offers users solutions to help them preserve their emotional health, and feel empowered to take control of their lives again.
“The emotional toll infertility can take on women is truly unparalleled,” said Dr. Alice Domar, reproductive psychologist and co-founder of FertiCalm. “For women who are going through fertility treatment and still not getting pregnant, everyday scenarios and interactions become exponentially difficult. We see this constantly in our patients that we treat every day, and know that women everywhere are experiencing this same emotional distress. We also know that not everyone has access to a licensed therapist or a reproductive psychologist, and even if they do, they can’t be right by their side through every single experience. That’s why we created FertiCalm – to help women in the exact moment they feel distress, whenever and wherever they are, so they can reclaim control of their lives.”
FertiCalm is completely free to users, made possible through FertiCalm’s partnership with Ferring. By making this app free for everyone, Ferring hopes to be able to help women everywhere who are experiencing these challenges in day to day situations.
“The path to fertility is long, winding, and full of challenges and obstacles you never even realized existed,” said Bobbie Thomas, author, TODAY Show Style Editor, and fertility advocate, reflecting on her own experience with infertility. “I remember feeling lost, and overwhelmingly alone. As an ambassador for Ferring Reproductive Health, I’m able to help spread the word so that other women who are experiencing those same feelings understand that the help they need is out there. It means the world to me to be able to share important resources like My Fertility Navigator and FertiCalm with women everywhere, knowing that these tools can make a world of difference for them as they navigate their own fertility journey.”
