Shields, who tried unsuccessfully for over one year to have a baby before getting the help of a fertility specialist, is now the proud mother of daughter Rowan. She acknowledges her experience with infertility was isolating, causing feelings of failure and frustration and says that until she and her husband consulted a fertility specialist, they didn't know how many options were available to them.
Today, as she prepares to expand her family, Shields wants women to address their challenges with fertility by reaching out for information and support.
"When you're having trouble conceiving, it's often tough to know where to turn for answers, and when you're undergoing fertility treatment, it's not always easy to find the support that you need," says Shields. "Today I am partnering with Fertility LifeLines provided by Serono, Inc. to let women know that resources are available to help them understand their options for having a family."
Health officials define infertility as the inability to achieve pregnancy after one year of regular, unprotected intercourse (six months, if the woman is over 35 years of age). It affects about 6.1 million Americans, which represents about one in seven couples in their childbearing years. Hope for women and couples suffering with infertility are promising, a majority of patients who complete treatment succeed in having a child.
