Infertility introduces countless losses into the lives of those it touches. Sometimes, these are obvious consequences of the diagnosis–expectations or hopes that must be abandoned; dreams that will never come to fruition. Even losses that seem “small” or “insignificant” can be devastating: the grief they evoke both blindsiding and enduring.

Whether the re-routing of a dream or the letting go of a single aspect of expected life, these losses not only shape our lives, but the people that we are at the very core. They impact our view of the world, our religious beliefs and relationships, identity and intentions. Many of these life (and self) changing losses go unspoken. They are consequential to who we are, yet are often misunderstood or simply unknown.

Over the month of June, we hope to demystify some of the losses specific to infertility by opening windows into personal experiences. We hope that these stories will validate or even reveal the losses most effecting you in your own season of infertility. Perhaps these stories may even serve to help you understand those around you who are grappling with losses that are shifting what they know about themselves and their world.