I've seen infertility and IUI/IVF shown on tv and in movies. Every thing I've seen shows conception relatively easy after taking drugs, getting IUI or IVF. Why don't these shows potray the REAL story of infertility? MOST women are not conceiving the first time. MOST women when they do conceive can go on to have several miscarriages before being successful. A lot of marriages fall apart during treatment. Some couples go on to have up to (and some even more) 12 cycles of treatment with no results. Yet when you see it in a movie or tv show, they are pregnant immediately or with extreme multiples. Where is the TRUTH? I think far less women would feel so discouraged and depressed if they were told the truth. It takes several tries most of the time. Sometimes no matter what you do, you still won't have a baby. Does anyone else feel this way? I think it gives a false sense of success rates.
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As someone who has been through fertility treatments - 6 unsuccessful IUI cycles and 1 blessed IVF cycle, it is about entertainment. Most of the shows / movies that I have seen have been comedies or those shows about multiples. Jon & Kate Plus 8 got a show because it is so unusual to have that many at one time . . . I never felt like it gave me a false sense of anything because our doctors were very good, level headed and kept us based in reality. I also joined a support group and did a couples weekend for those struggling with infertility because it was taking a toll on our marriage - it was taking a toll on my life in general.
Most of TV and Movies are about entertainment - watching couples struggle and fail does not make for "good tv". This is the world that we live in . . . and I do get it a certain amount. My husband teases me because I read so much fiction. I tell him it is because I want to escape and clear my head.
Best wishes!
I agree with you 100%. All the movies I have seen have been Hollywood'ed up to make for a happy ending. They reality is not like that in many cases. I've failed 5 IVF cycles, suffered an ectopic loss and 2 miscarriages. Though my doctor prepared me for this and my odds were clearly stated, I wish more television programs and movies would portray the "real world" of fertility treatments so that people would have a more clear idea of what it entails, the ups and downs, the costs, the invasiveness, the pain physically and emotionally. It's not all about baby dust and rainbows. Hollywood doesn't show that IVF does not equal a baby in the end. I guess they don't feel it make good television or box office hits. Too bad. If they did those who do not need fertility treatments like me may have a better understanding of what it is like to take a walk in my shoes.
The truth is... it will depend on the couple, their own infertility issues and bodies, etc. as to how successful IUI or IVF will be. Neither is guaranteed, though there are some (and the only ones I would recommend) IVF refund programs that stipulate if you dont get pregnant within 5 tries they will refund 70% of your money to pursue other options if you dont take a baby home from the hospital (now, they dont say 'a perfect baby without mental retardation etc, just a baby). I will say that there is a lot of testing done prior to IVF or IUI to put greater odds of success to the facility because the more success stories, the more #'s of success they can advertise = more money for them for the # of people wanting to come to them because of their success rates.
There is SUCH a wide range of infertility to say it will happen in the 1st try or the 5th try is hard to predict. AND, even with refundable programs, if you say miscarry the first 3, you still have to keep trying or your money wont be refunded too. So it can be VERY emotional for the couple, whether they concieve and miscarry OR dont concieve at all.
But, always check statistics from the facilities you are looking at for IUI or IVF. IUI does nothing more but push the sperm past the cervix and makes it reach an egg faster in hopes it fertilizes it whereas IVF makes a baby in a petre (spelling) dish, watches the eggs for 3 days, and puts the best embryos in the uterus (usually 1 or 2) to see if one or both take.
I know a lady who's husband was quadroplegic (spelling) from an accident after they got married. They wanted kids and they did IVF using 2 eggs, got pregnant and delivered fraternal twins (boy/girl) on the first try. Ive also known people with low egg quality who have tried 8 times and nothing has happened.
There comes a point in time when people have to decide if biology is really what makes a family or, if love does. If biology takes precidence or, if adoption is a more valid option.
The facilities generally will include their success rates per try on their website and will include ages in their figures. But, on average you have about a 20% chance to conceive per IUI or 55% chance per IVF @ 'good' facilities.
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TV, whether so called "reality" or any other show or movie, is for pure entertainment. Who would really want to see the harsh reality of the world. That is why people watch television.
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