#subject matter: ivf

[absmarchive]

Let's talk about Alabama's recent embryo ruling

[rollinouttahere-writes]

I feel like Yandere Katakuri wants kids but would use IVF with his sperm because he's afraid of hurting his Darling. Corazon would respect your choice no matter you want. Doffy is giving you a baby whatever you want one or not. Crocodile it's hard to say. Buggy maybe. Rob Lucci would probably do that to control you. Paulie wouldn't. Kaku? Yes he wants kids. Ace and Yamato (they're a package deal): would want kids but if you're scared then Yamato could be the surrogate.

I agree with Katakuri doing IVF or artificial insemination for his darling because that's literally the only way to do that without killing them if they're a normal size. Katakuri would be extremely doting throughout the pregnancy and is openly excited about the baby.

Corazon wouldn't force you, but he gets this longing look in his eyes whenever he sees someone with a baby in public and looks like a kicked puppy.

I have touched on Doflamingo as a dad here. In a scenario where he chooses to have a kid with his darling, it is not optional or up for debate. You should just be grateful that he's "blessing" you with the opportunity to help continue his bloodline.

Crocodile is very on the fence about it. On one hand, the idea of raising a child has basically no appeal to him, but at the same time it feels like a shame to not have an heir to pass down his life's work and achievements to.

Buggy staunchly says that he doesn't want or even like kids, but then he has a whoopsie-baby and now being a dad is his entire personality.

I firmly believe that Lucci is the most child free looking man I've ever seen. He has zero interest in having children of his own, and he's strong enough to not need a baby to control his darling.

Paulie is another fence sitter. He wouldn't mind having kids, but he's hesitant to bring it up. He gives me girl dad vibes and would be a complete push over for them.

Kaku is dying to have a family of his own, but he's at least flexible with how he acquires it. He would be just as happy to adopt children as he would be to have biological ones.

Ace is terrified of reproducing. If he has a biological child, it was a genuine accident and he feels like he's going to have a heart attack when he gets the news. Yamato is very neutral on children. He likes them, but he was fine with not having any after seeing how stressed out Ace got when the subject was broached.

[it-was-too-cold-always]

Always Read the Fine Print Chapter 3

Chapter 1 Chapter 2

Who actually reads all the terms and conditions? After mindlessly checking a box years ago, our Reader unintentionally agrees to be part of a scientific study to create super soldier babies. To make matters worse, her fellow test subject is the brooding and intimidating Bucky Barnes.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Summary: As the Reader processes her role in this experiment, Bucky becomes more and more intrigued with her. He decides that his pardon is not worth her life, consequences be damned.

Warnings: arranged marriage, forced proximity, eventual smut, lots of angst

As soon as you left the room, Bucky let out a long, exasperated sigh. Fuck this, he thought, it’s not worth it. Bucky knew when he sought pardon for all his crimes as the Winter Soldier, it came with a price to pay. He knew they were going to run tests to try to recreate the serum. Granted, Bucky never thought they’d try to create super soldiers quite like this, which sent him into a blind rage. Hence why he’s on thin ice with SHIELD – turns out they don’t like it when you beat the shit out of their agents. But his rage was justifiable. Mandatory baby making? Talk about throwing consent out the window. He’s done enough harm as the Winter Soldier – making a woman to have sex with him so she can carry his child sounds like the opposite of making amends. So he decided that the only way he could morally proceed with the study is if he marries her; he can’t let her feel the cold and empty life of being a science experiment. With this new plan, he was able to swallow the idea of the study. But when he saw the dazed look on your face, the shock and fear settling into your eyes, he decided his pardon wasn’t worth it. He’d rather be locked in a cell for the rest of his days than subject you to this study…and to him.

You, on the other hand, were still in complete shock. A string of ‘holy shit’s were on a loop in your brain. You made your way up to the hotel room, ready to crawl into bed and mull over everything that just happened. I just met THE Bucky Barnes, you thought. Seriously? Quit fangirling and focus. They said you had to make super soldier babies. Surely it’ll be like IVF, right? No, you remember that guy saying something about if they fertilize too many eggs inside you, you could die. It had to be organically. Meaning sex…with Bucky Barnes. You’d think after crushing over this man for most of your life, you’d feel a little less devastated. But the whole “experiment” aspect of it really sucks out any potential for romance. With a heavy sigh, you decided not to think about it until tomorrow. Right now, it’s time for bed.

You woke up insanely early after tossing and turning all night. 3:37 AM. The goon squad said they would pick you up at 9 to start prep for the study. Better kiss your IUD goodbye. Don’t they say it can take a couple months before you can get pregnant? That could give you and Bucky enough time to get to know one another, so the whole sex part won’t be as awkward. But that lady did say that she’s moving up the timeline – boy, this was stressful. Not only did you have to get pregnant, but you’re on a time crunch. You never really did well under pressure.

Bucky also couldn’t sleep, replaying the entire interaction with you over and over, analyzing as much as he could. You came into the room dazed and confused; when your eyes met his, he saw you tense up. He anticipated not being well-received – he was, after all, an infamous Hydra killer. What he couldn’t wrap his head around was the look in your eyes afterwards. You seemed almost relieved. He couldn’t understand why. He HAD to be reading you wrong. So he replayed that moment over and over, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation. Your dark eyes hiding under thick lashes. The deep red blush on your cheeks. The way you fidgeted with your hands. All these details rolling around in his mind. The more he thought about that moment, the more he felt protective of you. He couldn’t let you be a lab rat, pardon be damned.

Finally, 9:00 came around and you soon found yourself back in an exam room at SHIELD. You were right on the verge of passing out from the IUD removal when you heard a commotion down the hall. The doctor quickly finished yanking it out of your cervix and ran off to god knows where. You heard what sounded like hand-to-hand combat – punches landing, grunting, some bones breaking. Suddenly the door to the exam room busts open, causing you to nearly shit your pants (if you were wearing any, you were still clad in nothing but a hospital gown). Bucky’s metal arm was gripping some guy’s throat, dragging him across the room.

“Get dressed,” he ordered.

Your brain was desperately trying to process his command. Dressed, right. Clothes. Where are my clothes? It was hard to think with severe cramping and being a little woozy from that damn IUD removal. While you shimmied off the exam table, Bucky tossed the now passed out guy onto the floor, looking for something. He found your clothes and purse, throwing them at you. He turned around and waited for you to put them on.

“You done?” he asked. “I’m getting you out of here. Follow me and stay close.”

“What? Are you out of your mind?” You were always such a rule follower. God forbid you get in trouble. “Bucky, that lady said you’re already in hot water. Let’s not make this worse, yeah?”

Before he could respond, several agents pop out from the hallway, guns trained right on him.

“Barnes, enough is enough. Quit throwing your little tantrum and get back to your exam room.” It was the same lady from yesterday.

“Or what, you’ll shoot me? Can’t have your little experiment if I’m dead,” Bucky taunted. Without skipping a beat, the woman fired one shot straight into his right shoulder. Agents approached to escort him out of the room, but he threw one of them into the wall with his metal arm. In response, the other agents whipped out taser batons that looked scary as hell.

“Bucky stop,” you pleaded. You were traumatized enough watching him literally get shot, you didn’t need to see him beat the shit out of the other agents while they tased him with their fancy sticks. To your surprise, he actually listened to you. He put his hands up in surrender, dropping the guy he had in a chokehold. He looked over at you defeatedly, knowing his window for breaking you out was now closed.

Chapter 4

Taglist 💛

@kandis-mom

[leiawritesstories]

hiiii you might be busy with rowaelin month but can i ask for you to bring fedreick out ang give me a really angsty one shot about how rowan dies but aelin needs a heir for tesseran and she basically has to have a heir with a important lord or something but after they have sex he tries to stay and aelin just kicks him out and cries

and the maybe after if your feeling nice you could be fredick away and give me a rowaelin baby being born one shot?????

(Frederick speaking) oh i would love to do this mwahahaha

(Leia speaking) i modified the prompt a little because it genuinely hurt my soul but i hope you like it

word count: 4k (oopsies)

CW: references to death and illness, crying, pain, angsty angst, medical talk, doctors, Frederick's work ;)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aelin had known this day, this meeting, was coming, but it didn't stop her splintered heart from breaking into a thousand more pieces the moment she walked in the door.

Following the usual opening remarks, she motioned to Lord Darrow, and he stood, offered her a hint of a pained smile, and pronounced the words she knew were going to come. "Your Majesty, there remains the matter of an heir." He cleared his throat, stifling the faint tremor his voice had carried. "As you remember, it was the final clause of the succession."

Aelin laced her fingers tightly together beneath the table and nodded once, a bare dip of her chin. "I am aware of the terms of the royal succession, my lord." When she had come of age four years ago and been crowned Queen of Terrasen, she had been fully aware of the terms of her great-uncle Orlon's will. For her to keep the throne, she had to be married and have a child within the first five years of her queenship, else she would be subject to a council vote on whether or not to keep the throne in the Galathynius line.

It was a horrifically outdated custom for the twenty-first century, but here they all were.

Darrow paced a slow line back and forth across the front of the council chamber. "We understand that His Majesty's...untimely passing...was a great tragedy." The words shot spears through Aelin's fractured heart. "Because of this, we are willing to extend the term to six years. However, Your Majesty, with all due respect, if you are not with child by the time your sixth year has elapsed, we are afraid we shall have to call for a vote."

Tears prickled at Aelin's eyes, but she forced them away. "I thank you for your generosity," she murmured, unable to speak any louder lest she burst into sobs in the middle of a meeting. "My husband..." She took a deep breath, compressing the painfully beautiful memories of Rowan back into the ironclad box where they belonged. "Losing my husband has been the hardest part of my queenship, even the hardest part of my life."

"We understand." Genuine empathy rippled across the lines of Darrow's aged face.

"But there is still the matter of the will," Aelin finished. "I understand." Softly, she cleared her throat. "What is your suggestion, council?"

Darrow motioned at Lady Alister, who passed him a small sheet of paper. "With your permission, Majesty, we have prepared a short list of, ah, acceptable father candidates." He spoke the words with discomfort--the will had stipulated that the father must have noble or royal heritage, yet another horribly outdated custom. "Thanks to modern medicine, you have the option to conceive via IVF, but if you would prefer the, ah, traditional--"

"Show me the list." Aelin wiped all emotion from her voice and held out her hand. With a brief nod, Darrow passed her the short list, and she glanced over the handful of noble names. "Are you all not aware that Dorian is happily married?"

Lady Alister cleared her throat, a little nervously. "The King of Adarlan...he, well, he volunteered."

"Of course," Aelin sighed. She crossed his name off the list. "You may thank him for his willingness, but I shall have to turn down his offer." She turned back to Darrow. "What are your suggestions for this process?"

"Each of the men listed there has agreed to the terms of this...ah, arrangement, so if you'd like, you may either go the traditional way of dating or we can arrange a meeting with the doctors."

It wasn't even a decision. "Please schedule me a doctor's appointment. The sooner, the better." Clinging to her last shreds of composure, Aelin stood. "Will there be anything else?"

"That is all, Your Majesty." Darrow and the rest of the council stood and bowed as Aelin left the room.

~

In the darkness of the wee hours of the night, Aelin jerked awake with a shuddering gasp. Tears spilled from her eyes as she instinctively reached across the bed to find Rowan's half empty, the sheets and pillows cold to her touch. The dream had been so vivid, she'd almost believed she'd wake up and find him smiling sleepily at her.

"I--gods, Fireheart!" Rowan's yelp pierced Aelin's ears. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Live a little, buzzard!" she yelled back, laughing giddily at the exhilarating rush of wind blowing past as she urged her motorbike faster along the track. She tipped her helmet-protected head back and whooped, the bright sound bouncing off the walls of the canyon.

With a rumbling whoosh of engines, Rowan pulled his motorbike up alongside hers and flicked up the visor of his helmet so he could roll his eyes at her. "I swear, Ae, you're going to make my heart stop one of these days."

"I'll settle for making your brain blank out," she smirked, snickering at the way her husband's throat bobbed thickly. "But that's after I win!" She floored the gas, and her bike leaped forwards, outpacing Rowan in seconds.

He charged up behind her, following her as closely as he dared without risking running his bike into hers in the confines of the narrow canyon road. "Don't be so sure of that, love!"

She just laughed and coaxed more speed out of the motorbike, leading them out of the twisting curves into the final, flat stretch of track, where she could see the handful of staff waiting at the bright green finish line. She knew at least a few of them were rolling their eyes at the wild antics of their queen and king, but what could she say? It was her once-a-month free day.

"Fifteen seconds!" she shouted over her shoulder, pushing for one last burst of speed. She flew through the finish line half a second ahead of Rowan, slowed down, and eventually turned around and made her way back, slowly.

Rowan was waiting at the finish line, looking absolutely delicious in his tightly fitted jeans, boots, and black leather jacket, helmet tucked under his arm, his pale hair a windblown mess. "Congratulations, love," he murmured, shooting her one of those smirks that made her core turn to jelly.

"Thank you," she purred, dismounting from the bike and taking off her own helmet and gloves. Her hair was braided tightly around her head, but some strands had worked their way loose and brushed against her sweaty neck.

"Let me." Handing off both his and her helmets, Rowan tucked the loose strands behind Aelin's ear. "Better?"

"Much better." She rose onto her tiptoes, grabbed the collar of his jacket, and yanked him down for a kiss, not giving a shit who saw. Her kingdom was used to the affection she shared with her husband. "Want to give me my prize now?"

"In front of poor Lord Darrow?" he teased in a low, raspy whisper. "I didn't know you were that exhibitionist, Ae."

"You naughty boy." She playfully swatted his shoulder and led him into the car. "When we get home."

He hummed in agreement but still spent most of the drive back to the castle with her in his lap, brushing teasing little kisses to the sensitive skin of her throat. She barely made it through the private entrance and into the elevator before she jumped on him, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist and crashing her lips into his.

The elevator stopped with a ding and she stumbled out with flushed cheeks and swollen lips, hand in hand with her husband, and all but sprinted into their bedroom. He kicked the door closed and hoisted her back into his arms, burying his fingers in her hair, and kissed her deeply, his tongue stroking perfectly against hers.

With a low moan, he broke the kiss, pulling away to rest his tattooed hand against her face. "I love you so much, Fireheart." Instead of burning, desperate need, there was quiet tenderness in his voice.

Aelin wrapped her hands around Rowan's wrist and pressed her forehead to his, tears springing to her eyes. "I love you more," she breathed. "Rowan--"

"So much," he repeated, holding her watery gaze with the emerald depths of his eyes. "To whatever end."

"Don't say that," she choked out, placing her hands flat against his cheekbones. "Godsdammit, Ro, it wasn't supposed to go like this!"

"I know." He pressed her close against his chest, and she inhaled the scent of winter breezes and pine forests, the scent of him. "From now until the darkness finds us, yeah?"

She traced the ink flowing down the side of his face with trembling fingers. "Don't you dare."

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you," she murmured thickly. "To whatever end, my love." He kissed her forehead, a tender brush of his soft lips, and his figure dissolved into mist in her arms.

And she jerked awake in the still, empty silence of her bedroom, tears pouring silently down her cheeks. If the godsdamned illness that had yanked her husband from her arms were a tangible thing, she'd be figuring out the best way to murder it. But even she couldn't make an illness vanish, so she just wrapped her arms around Rowan's pillow, buried her face in the scent of him that still clung to the cotton, and drifted back to sleep with her heart bleeding once again.

~

"Your Majesty." The doctor stood and bowed from her waist as Aelin walked into her office.

"Please, there's no need for all of that." Aelin dropped into the comfortable ivory leather wingback chair opposite the doctor. "I'm here for...I assume you know why I'm here."

"Indeed." The doctor settled into her seat and laid a file folder of notes on the desk. "My name is Dr. Yrene Towers, and I've been working in the women's health field for eleven years." She glanced at Aelin's charts. "So you're here to consult about IVF?"

"I am." Aelin laid her hands flat on the expensive mahogany desk to stop them from trembling. "There's no need to go into the reasons why, unless you're required to ask."

"That's not a requirement, no." Dr. Towers pulled a few pages out from the file and picked up a pen. "We need to discuss your medical history, your fertility and cycle history, and the actual IVF process." She cleared her throat. "Your--ah, Aelin, when was your last menstrual period?"

Aelin pulled out her phone and opened her period tracker app. "April 6th to 11th."

Dr. Towers noted down the dates. "That was nearly three months ago."

"I have a history of infrequent cycles," Aelin explained. "It's nothing new for me to go two, three, or even four months without a period."

"I see." The doctor scribbled down a few notes. "As part of the preliminary material, I am required to ask if you were trying to conceive, and for how long you've been trying." Her warm brown eyes met Aelin's, and she offered a soft, sympathetic smile. "It's alright if you need some time to answer."

Aelin closed her eyes. Yes, she and Rowan had been trying, without success, to conceive. For months, if not a year. Every month that passed without any signs, every negative test, every tear she'd shed over her body's refusal to cooperate--every memory cut deeper with Rowan...gone. "Yes." She bit her lower lip. "We were...trying."

Dr. Towers nodded. "Do you remember how long?" she asked, gently.

"A little over a year," Aelin murmured. "Since last winter."

The doctor made a small noise of agreement. "Alright. Well, the next step in our consultation is for you to take a pregnancy test, simply to confirm that you aren't pregnant so we can proceed with IVF medication and treatment." Aelin nodded. Dr. Towers gestured to a door near the back of her office. "There's a private bathroom back there where you can take the test, it's all set up."

"Thank you." Quietly, Aelin rose and walked into the bathroom, closed and locked the door behind herself, and found a digital pregnancy test and a small glass cup on the counter. With practiced motions, she took the test, capped it, and washed her hands as she waited for the small plastic stick to load its results. She exited the bathroom with the test still undeveloped and passed it to the doctor. "I...I don't think I can look at it," she admitted.

Dr. Towers laid the test in front of her notes. "That's alright," she said, reassuring the queen. "I'll watch it for you, and--oh!" Her gaze snapped to the test, dark eyes widening in shock.

Aelin's brows scrunched together. "Is everything alright, Doctor?"

"I...you..." Dr. Towers cleared her throat. "Your Majesty," she whispered, sliding the test across the desk, "it's positive."

Pregnant, declared the little gray screen. 3+.

Aelin's heart leapt into her throat. "Are...no, no, that can't be right." She refused to let the bright flash of hope get ahold of her tumultuous emotions. "Can you confirm that, Doctor?"

Dr. Towers nodded. "I can order a urine and a blood test, if that's what you would want."

"Yes." Aelin's response was whip-quick. "Yes, I want that."

"Alright, just a few minutes here." Dr. Towers opened her laptop and typed away for a few minutes. "Okay, Aelin. If you'll come with me, I'll get you to an exam room, and we can get those tests started."

Wordlessly, Aelin collected her small purse and followed Dr. Towers out of her office and down a wood-paneled, softly lit hallway into the clinic and down a pastel yellow hallway to a tidy exam room. "Thank you," she murmured as the doctor led her into the room."

"Of course." Dr. Towers patted Aelin's shoulder kindly. "I'll send in a nurse with the equipment in a minute or two."

Aelin sat down on the paper-covered bed and twisted her wedding ring around her left ring finger. She hadn't removed it--she flatly refused to remove it. No matter what anyone else tried to say, she had sworn vows to one man and one man alone, and she would keep the ring of those vows on her finger until the day she joined her husband in the afterlife.

There was a polite double knock on the door and a young female nurse in bright blue scrubs entered the exam room. "Hi," she said in a quivering, small voice. Her big blue eyes were huge with awe and a little bit of fear.

"Hi," Aelin murmured, cracking a soft smile at the young nurse's trepidation. "There's no need to be afraid, Miss...I'm sorry, I can't read your nametag from over here."

"N-no problem, Your Majesty." The nurse scurried over towards Aelin. "I'm Evangeline, Your Majesty."

"Lovely to meet you, Evangeline, and please, just call me Aelin. Right now, I'm just another one of your patients, okay?"

"O-o-okay." Evangeline agreed. She flashed a bright smile and snapped on a pair of blue latex gloves. "So, Dr. Towers ordered a blood test and a urine sample to confirm or reject pregnancy, yes?" She seemed so much more confident when she was speaking about the medical orders.

"That's right." Aelin twisted her wedding ring around her finger, her thumb rubbing against the square emerald. "I took a digital test and I don't believe that it's positive."

"Mhmm, that's pretty typical," Evangeline agreed. "I have to ask--is it alright for me to draw your blood?"

"Yes." Aelin laid her arm on the padded armrest and made a fist at the young nurse's directions. Swiftly, Evangeline found a vein and took a small blood sample, then placed a gauze pad and a bandage over the draw site. "That wasn't so bad."

Evangeline chuckled. "It's a lot different than injections, for sure." She labeled the small vial, took off her gloves, washed up, and handed Aelin a small plastic cup. "There's a bathroom just outside this room. In that bathroom, there's a sample collection door. Go ahead and do the urine sample, and place the cup in the collection door when you're done. You can come back here when you're finished, and I'll walk you back to Dr. Towers's office."

"Thank you." Aelin smiled at the young nurse. "Not that I know anything about nursing, but you're a wonderful nurse." She headed into the bathroom, took care of the sample, and let Evangeline lead her back to Dr. Towers's office when she was done.

Dr. Towers let her in. "It might be a couple of hours before your results come back in, just so you know."

Aelin sighed. "That's okay. Do you need me to leave? I can go home if you need me to go."

"No need," Dr. Towers interjected. "You're welcome to stay here while you wait. I do have patients to see, but you're welcome to stay in my office."

Gratefully, Aelin settled into the comfortable armchair, tucked her head to the side, and was asleep before she knew it. Some time later, she was gently awakened by the doctor's soft voice and gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Aelin? It's Dr. Towers. How was your nap."

"Too good," Aelin mumbled, slowly coming to coherence. She blinked, rubbing her eyes. "How long was I out?"

"A little more than two hours." Dr. Towers sat down at her desk and placed a few papers on top of the smooth wood. "Long enough for your labs to come back." She met Aelin's eyes, her gaze steady and professional. "Aelin, both the blood and urine tests came back positive. You're pregnant."

You're pregnant.

"Alone."

Dr. Towers blinked. "Hmm?"

"I'm pregnant alone," Aelin whispered, tears clouding her eyes as she processed the news. "I'm pregnant, and he--my--Rowan." The last word was a choked sob. "And Rowan will never know our child," she croaked, dissolving into muffled sobs.

The doctor slid her a stack of tissues and laid her soft brown hands atop Aelin's trembling ones. "I know it's a hell of a lot to take in."

Aelin sniffled. "Should my doctor really be swearing?"

"Fits the situation." Dr. Towers squeezed Aelin's hands. "Aelin, I'm legally required to ask this next question: do you want this pregnancy?"

"Yes," Aelin breathed. "I don't fully believe it yet, but yes. Absolutely."

"Wonderful." Dr. Towers beamed. "I'm going to refer you to an imaging clinic for an ultrasound, okay? We'll want to schedule that as soon as possible to find out how far along you are."

"Okay." Aelin's voice was small and unsteady. "Doctor?"

"Yes?"

"Do I...how..." Aelin linked her fingers together, rooting herself in the feeling of her wedding ring pressing into he skin. "How am I supposed to go through this alone?" she whispered, anguish coating her question.

Dr. Towers's expression went soft, caring. "If you need professional assistance, I can refer you to one of my colleagues. If you're asking about a support system, let me remind you that you have your close circle of people to rely on. Let them help you, Aelin." She held the queen's shaky hands. "Let them help you."

~

Buzzard,

It's been seven and a half weeks. I still see you everywhere, in every little thing from my dreams to my nightmares. There will never be a part of me that doesn't miss you. Never.

I'm ten weeks and four days pregnant, Rowan. I just found out. Believe me, I'm as stunned as you probably are, wherever you are. It was...it wasn't what we were expecting, and I'm torn between the urge to scream at you for leaving me before we knew and the urge to imagine everything you'd be saying and doing right now. Yes, that's a tear on the page--gods burn me, I'm crying, I can't help it.

I don't know if I can do this alone, my love. I don't know how I'm going to bring our child into the world knowing that you won't be there to hold them. I don't know how I'm going to make it through the next seven months without you fussing over every damn step I take. I miss you so fucking much.

I swear to you, my Rowan, my buzzard, that our child will grow up knowing how incredible you are and how much you love our little family, even from where you are.

To whatever end, my heart.

Aelin

Tears splashed onto the stationery as Aelin signed her name and tossed her pen to the side. She traced the letters of Rowan's name with trembling fingertips, breathing the syllables quietly, almost like a prayer. Reaching for a tissue, she blotted her eyes, then folded the note in half, pressed a kiss onto the paper, and placed it in the simple wooden box of letters she'd written to her husband every day since he passed. She held the box in her lap, idly running her fingers over the initials etched into the smooth, pale wood, closed her eyes, and let the tears drip silently down her cheeks.

Why did you leave me, buzzard?

Deep in her heart, she felt a faint stirring, a faraway echo of her husband's presence. I'm right here, Fireheart.

A muted sob hitched her chest. I need you. She flattened her free hand against her belly, atop the tiny baby growing inside of her. We need you.

I'm right here. It was no more than a whisper in her mind, a flicker of reassurance from a voice that would never speak again.

Aelin closed her eyes, searching for that faint echo, and drifted into sleep, her tumultuous emotions quieting as she slept. In her dream, she walked into the forest, her shoes near-silent atop the soft spring moss. She followed a familiar, well-worn path through the ancient oaks and pines until she came to a clearing beside a stream, an idyllic spot where she and Rowan often hid away for a night or two.

And there was Rowan, sitting beside the stream, his tan skin vibrant with health and his bright pine eyes alight with joy.

Stifling a sob, she sprinted across the clearing and threw herself into his strong, steady arms, burying her face into his solid, warm chest. "Rowan," she gasped, clinging to his dream body. "You--"

"I'm here now," he promised, quieting her questions with a kiss. "I'll always be here."

"I'm dreaming," Aelin whispered, her heart shivering with the knowledge.

"I know." Rowan trailed his fingers through her hair. "And I'm here, and you're here, and if you want this to be real for a little while, then it's real for a little while."

"I love you," she murmured.

He kissed her gently. "I love you too."

She wiped tears from her cheeks. "I'm pregnant, Rowan."

"We..." She guided his hand down onto her stomach, and he exhaled shakily, tears clouding his eyes. "We're having a baby?" She nodded. "I'd give anything to be with you, Ae."

"I know." His dream-form started to fade as she began to wake up, and she clung to his hands. "Every damn day, I need you here."

"I'm always here," he whispered. He kissed her forehead. "Right here." His thumb brushed over her heart. "Right here. To whatever end."

~

Seven Months Later

Utterly exhausted, Aelin lay back against the heap of pillows piled onto the bed and cradled her newborn daughter to her chest, gazing down into the tiny baby girl's big, sleepy green eyes. The bustle of the nurses and doctors in the room faded into background noise as she held her daughter, beaming and crying all at once.

"Hi, baby girl," she whispered, her voice a hesitant, croaky rasp. "I love you so much."

The baby wriggled a bit and curled closer into her mother's skin, as if she could sense Aelin's overpowering emotions.

"Majesty?" The nurse's voice broke into Aelin's little bubble. "So sorry to disturb you, Your Majesty, but have you chosen a name?"

"Yes," Aelin murmured, smiling brighter as her daughter's tiny fingers clutched her thumb. "Yes, I have." She kissed her baby's delicate little forehead. "Everyone, meet Princess Sana Whitethorn Galathynius." The name Rowan had chosen all those months ago.

And she was perfect. Half him, half her, completely perfect and completely loved, both from the earth and the afterlife.

~~~

not tagged bc tags AREN'T FREAKIN WORKING so reblogs/comments/shares are most appreciated :)

[filmforager]

Joy: Review

Not quite a bundle of joy

IVF was an incredible discovery that changed the lives of millions of women, as well as the world of science. It was a moment that required strong wills, risky decisions and plenty of unconventional thinking. Joy, the film about the key figures behind this discovery, has few of these qualities. Instead, it’s just a slight and charming film about a big moment in scientific history.

From the start, Joy seeks to illuminate the work of nurse Jean Purdy (Thomasin Mckenzie), whose contributions, until recently, were consigned to the dustbin of history. In 1970s Cambridge, Jean meets gifted scientist Robert Edwards (James Norton) and no-nonsense surgeon Patrick Steptoe (an ever-brilliant Bill Nighy), who put their minds together to create a solution for infertility amongst women. But their attempts soon catch the attention of the sceptical media, who christen ‘test tube babies’ an abomination against nature.  

After a slow start where the film struggles to find its rhythm, Joy finds its feet as a tale about renegades going against the system to fight for their beliefs. As the trio experiment with groups of brave infertile women, Joy takes on the feel of a plucky underdog story, with the leads making for enjoyable company. While Norton doesn’t really have much to do, there’s a nice interplay between Mckenzie and Nighy, as Jean confides about her own inability to conceive. Jean’s journey from detached scientist to an emotionally involved supporter of women is nicely played by Mckenzie, as is the inner conflict of being shunned by both her church and her god-fearing mother (a stubborn Joanna Scanlan).

Other elements of the film are a bit less effective. From director Ben Taylor, who worked on Sex Education, you can expect plenty of hilariously blunt descriptions of sex, mostly delivered by Nighy. But there’s also too much quickly delivered exposition about fertilisation that you won’t understand, and an obvious score that seems designed to elicit different emotions at different times. As it sticks closely to a familiar formula, few of the huge breakthrough moments really feel earned.

But while it might lack narrative verve, the strength of its subject matter just about pulls it through. It is most affecting when it focusses on the stories of mothers who don’t have the option to conceive, with their heart-breaking setbacks leading to some genuinely affecting scenes. Unfortunately, predictable storytelling prevents this from being an absolute joy.

Joy is a warm and frequently moving account of a miraculous moment in history, even if it lacks the narrative fireworks to truly spark to life.

★★★

[solarbird]

Republicans – and in particular, Trump – are having their asses handed to them on abortion and IVF. Republicans in the Senate just blocked another bill protecting IVF access, because of course they did; everything I’ve always said about their hatred of and control over women and fertility continues to be absolutely true.

Similarly, being the Party of Plague, their plans to appoint plaguemongers to head the FDA, DHHS, NIH, and CDC won’t play well either. But there are political bills to pay, and they will by the gods pay them, no matter who it kills. It’s the only kind of bill Trump does ever pay.

Y’know what else isn’t playing well? The fact that the MAGA influencers and activists that were being paid by the Russian government damn well knew what was going on, or at very, very least, all their handlers did. Not enough people are paying attention to it, but it’s bad, and only getting worse by the day.

(And I do wish people would stop using “alleged” this this, because for fuck’s sake, here’s Margarita Simonyan, the literal head of Russia Today, talking about how they set up these operations on the way out of the US. This is all freely admitted on Russian domestic television. “Alleged” my shiny metal ass. “Confirmed by the organizers.” How’s that?)

But they, really, really don’t want people talking about any of this shit, or any of the other dozens of things which have gone so horribly wrong for them these last several weeks. They particularly don’t want to talk about Taylor Swift endorsing Harris.

So knowing they’ve got to change the subject and desperate for anything to change the topic, they’ve gone all-in on…

Overt white nationalist racism.

[continue reading]

[bridgertonbabe]

Does Franscescas story also include miscarriage and infertility?

I would be interested to know how her infertility affects her relationship with her family and friends.

What about Michael? What are his emotions like? What is the wizard perspective of miscarriage and infertility?

Is any Magic involved in making lil'John and Janet?

Anon asked: How is infertility treated in the Wizarding world? How would fran and michael make a family?

*Trigger Warning: this post contains mentions of miscarriage.*

From a young age Francesca always knew she wanted to be a mother and though she briefly wondered if Michael wouldn't be the type of person to ever want kids, seeing just how much he loved doting on their nieces and nephews affirmed that he would one day be the world's best dad. But they still had years ahead of them to start a family and both were content to continue the tour life and enjoyed travelling the world together.

It wasn't until Eloise announced her pregnancy not too long after Penelope's that Francesca brought up the subject of starting a family with Michael. While Eloise had been a mother to Oliver and Amanda for nearing ten years, Francesca genuinely never expected her sister to want to go through a pregnancy herself and what's more she was shocked that Eloise of all people was going to have that experience before she did. She was relieved when Michael turned out to be on the exact same page as her, having felt flabbergasted that Colin was beating him to fatherhood; and so they decided to start trying right away.

After a couple of months Francesca did fall pregnant, however she miscarried after only a few weeks. While it was upsetting, Francesca tried to be pragmatic about it and persevere, assuring herself that miscarriages occur in 1 in 4 pregnancies and it shouldn't discourage her from trying again. However much to her frustration almost an entire year went by before she was able to wave a positive pregnancy test in front of Michael - but unfortunately it resulted in another miscarriage. In spite of the disappointment, Francesca remained determined to get pregnant and once again she and Michael began trying.

However another year went by, during which time Penelope and Eloise each welcomed another baby with relative ease. As happy as she was to meet her newest niece and nephew, Michael could see the hurt in Francesca's eyes when she held Thomas and Georgiana for the first time. He knew just how badly she wanted to be a mother and carry her own child and he was suffering not because of struggle to conceive a baby of their own but to see his wife suffering no matter how hard she tried hiding it.

He resolved to do everything in his power for them to be able to have a baby and took charge; booking fertility tests, looking into IVF, reading up on potions that were meant to increase the chances of carrying a pregnancy to term. He hoped by taking even one of those steps that they'd be on their way to having a baby; however the results of the fertility test revealed that they had a very low chance of ever conceiving a baby naturally. As crushing as it was, Michael refused to let the odds stand in the way of creating a family with Francesca. After contacting the best potion masters in the wizarding world he acquired specialist elixirs that should help them on their way to making a baby, which they took while simultaneously having their first round of IVF. Michael had been trying to keep positive for both himself and Francesca, willing on for all of their efforts to work; and yet both the potions and the IVF proved fruitless, and after three unsuccessful rounds Francesca declared she couldn't go through with another.

After that Francesca couldn't even bear to talk about it, despite Michael trying to get her to open up. He became desperate to try and find some alternative way of conceiving, to the point which he began grasping at straws and looking into dubious potions being sold in Knockturn Alley and even unlawful spells that supposedly might work a miracle. He gathered all the information that he could and presented it to Francesca in a last-ditch attempt to provide her with the one thing she longed for, however Francesca lashed out and firmly told him to stop because if none of the conventional methods worked for them there was no way in hell that any of the nefarious alternative routes would work either.

For the next week Francesca didn't utter a single word to him and a distraught Michael took to sleeping on the couch just to give her space. Then at a family birthday party at Aubrey Hollow, Gregory and Lucy revealed they were expecting their second child; and it turned out to be Francesca's breaking point. She excused herself from the festivities and went up to her old bedroom where she proceeded to cry her heart out. She jumped when there was a gentle knock and told Michael to leave her alone but she was surprised when the door opened to reveal Sophie instead.

Sophie didn't hesitate to rush to her sister-in-law's side, holding her tightly as Francesca cried on her shoulder and the younger woman released all the heartache she had been suffering from over the last three years. When she was no longer able to shed any more tears, she told Sophie all about her infertility struggles, how devastated she was to miscarry twice, and how much it hurt that none of the efforts they had gone to had worked.

"It's not fair." she shook her head. "Eloise never even wanted to be pregnant. Since we were kids she always said she couldn't stand the thought of having a baby bump, and she always joked that getting together with Phil was a win-win because she had Oliver and Amanda without the aches and pains of pregnancy and childbirth; but then she still went on to have Penny and Georgiana like it was nothing." she vented, expressing all the underlying ugly bitterness that had built up inside of her over the years. "And then there's Daphne; popping out four kids in four years with barely any time in between to breathe. And don't get me started on Hyacinth having kids before me - and now Greg's having another baby; I mean, they're still just kids to me and they're already parents and I'm not... and probably never will be." she swallowed and looked away as soon as she saw Sophie tilting her head sympathetically at her. "It's just not fair. How come it's so easy for everyone else?"

Sophie's hand clutched hers as she tucked a loose lock behind Francesca's ear. "I miscarried." she uttered and Francesca snapped her neck to look at her. "Twice."

"Really?" Francesca gulped, stunned to hear that Sophie had experienced the same agony as she had.

"The first one I tried to forget about. It would have been a honeymoon baby and I miscarried early on. I didn't even know I was pregnant until the doctors told me. I couldn't believe it and I felt guilty for not even realising and for miscarrying in the first place. But I shrugged it off and told myself it would have been way worse if we had actually been trying and I had known and celebrated the fact that I was."

"What about the second time?" Francesca asked tentatively and squeezed Sophie's hand, communicating that she could take her time as she was sharing such a vulnerable time in her life.

"We had been trying. And we were so thrilled." Sophie explained and wore a sad smile as she continued. "We agreed we'd wait until the 12 week scan before we told anyone and after everything seemed alright we decided to announce it at Violet's birthday a few days later. But then when I was at work I suddenly experienced cramping... and I knew." she exhaled. "I knew I was losing the baby. Your dad took me to the hospital and called Benedict but by the time he got there the baby was gone. And I felt like my whole world had come crashing down. We begged Edmund not to breathe a word about it. I couldn't stand the thought of Violet or Daphne or Kate or Posy coming over to sympathise. I couldn't bear the thought of anyone who had only experienced successful pregnancies to be around me. And then at your mum's birthday someone passed Miles into my arms and I still don't know how I didn't break right then and there. Do you know what I did instead?"

"What?"

"I ran up to Ben's old room and burst into tears." she revealed, and Francesca's heart thumped emphatically; as heart-wrenching as it was to hear about Sophie's losses, she took comfort that she had done the exact same thing she had done by fleeing to an old bedroom to break down in private. "It was killing me to be around everyone else's babies without being able to call any of them my own."

"That's exactly how I feel." Francesca commiserated. "It's how I've felt for the last three years now. And I hate being this self-pitying jealous-ridden bitter cow. I don't want to feel so angry and sad without any let up... but I don't know what else to do."

"I can't imagine what the last three years must have felt like for you. And I know there's nothing I can say or do to ease your pain. But it's okay to feel everything that you're feeling. Don't let yourself feel bad for those negative feelings and don't be so hard on yourself for not being able to conceive. I know it's easier said than done but you've got to go easy on yourself; for your own sake."

Francesca nodded, knowing Sophie was right, and realising just how exhausting keeping all her emotions to herself was.

"How did it finally happen for you in the end? Did you have Charlie through IVF, or...?"

"We were prepared to try if it came to that." Sophie answered. "But when I was ready to try again we just took it easy. We didn't put pressure on ourselves to be fervently trying. We treated it as more of a let's just wait and see, and if it happens it happens and if it doesn't then we'll give fertility treatments a go. I let go of any expectations and just cherished being with Ben, and then a few months later we found out we were expecting and we had Charlie."

"The doctors said there's a very low chance of us ever conceiving naturally." Francesca uttered. "As much as I'd like to think that just going with the flow could work,"

"But they still said there's a chance." Sophie pointed out. "As low as it might be; there's still the possibility it could happen. I know you've been through so much disappointment and must feel so dispirited; but hold onto that hope. No matter how small it might seem."

After the sisterly heart-to-heart, when they returned home Francesca apologised to Michael for how she had treated him in the last week. It was an apology Michael assured her was unnecessary and he understood how soul-crushing the last three years had been; he was just sorry he couldn't provide her with the one thing she wanted more than anything else. She told him about her talk with Sophie and how they should give it one more year before looking into adoption, but in the meantime they could try without really trying.

And so they chose to let go of all of the heavy expectations that had built up and they had put upon themselves and accepted that conceiving a baby might not happen for them, but not letting that stop them from cherishing each other and getting in the way of their love... and just like that, one year later they welcomed their beautiful baby son, John.

[teanicolae]

musings on the Mahābhārata series: introduction

The Mahābhārata is a love of my life, and one of my main research interests – as well as the subject matter of my upcoming PhD thesis! for awhile now, i have been reflecting on how to meaningfully share about the Mbh on my social media platforms. generally, i would say that there are two main approaches to the Mbh in contemporary discourse: one is the academic and scholarly approach, which, although i both adore and adhere to, i find to be largely inaccessible and limited to the academic niche. the second, which seeps more into contemporary discourse, i find to be a moralistic, religious outlook. although i consider both approaches to be valid and needed in society, i believe that what is missing is more intimate, personal sharing about the Mbh. i, for one, am not in love with the Mbh purely out of intellectual curiosity. for me, The Mahābhārata is alive; it exists within me and within the collective consciousness as a mirror to our own thought processes and individual universes. i would therefore like to challenge myself past my usual scholarly approach and share earnestly about what it means for me to immerse myself in this marvellous epic. for instance, what does it mean for me as a modern woman to read about Draupadī’s disrobing; how can i understand myself better through her character?

to ground these discussions more, i will create infographics about the plot, the historical context & main characters (created more out of love for the Mbh than for these discussions, to be honest!).

very excited for this and am looking forward to establishing myself further in the epic’s framework through this interactive approach!

to begin with,

WHY THE MAHĀBHĀRATA?

a question any scholar should ask themselves, i would argue, is why? why is my research relevant, why should i conduct this research in the first place, and how can it answer to questions of the present?

today, i am going to answer to this question with regards to the Mahābhārata. why should we care about an ancient epic poem? first of all, because the Mbh is not a dead, lifeless piece of literature. i would argue, and this is one of the main claims i will construct in my phd thesis, that the Mbh is ever-fluid and ever-changing. throughout centuries, there have been countless of retellings of the epic, each bearing differences, interpolations. does this mean that they are invalid? i would maintain that they are very much valid, and the continuous changes shaping and re-shaping the epic come as a result of its aliveness: it is alive, pulsing in the collective consciousness. in this full aliveness, the Mbh is moulded by society and culture as they evolve, acting as a mirror.

on the other hand, the Mahābhārata in itself proudly states that what you can find in it, you can find anywhere else, but you cannot find anywhere what does not exist in the Mbh; there is nothing that it does not address. in this, it tells us that it contains all answers and questions we can have – albeit in a very abstract and cryptic manner. for instance, it contains futuristic themes (for its time of creation), such as IVF and AI, and it addresses themes which are very relevant to the present day: religious violence, women’s rights, ethics. it answers to all questions we can have about the human condition; as although times are ever-changing, the human experience always remains the same, or so i would maintain: the questions we ask ourselves at their core remain the same, although the experience will be manifested or expressed differently at surface level. the Mbh thus contains inexhaustive areas of self-exploration and opportunities to understand ourselves and the world. 

101 on the Mbh - infographics below! (parts 1, 2, 3... of many!)

[wyrmfedgrave]

Who could replace Joe Biden? Here are six possibilities | Joe Biden | The Guardian

Well...

Although it can be said that President Biden won last night's debate, he did not give a "good enough" performance for some Democrats.

So, of course, there's now more talk of replacing Biden with some other, un- known Democrat.

But, who?

The only other well-known Democrat is Kamala Harris - &, she's not really made a 'good' reputation for herself.

It's true that Vice-presidents can't overshadow the President but, they can carve out a role for themselves.

She hasn't done that.

As a matter of fact, her 1st job - on the ever important southern border - is still a bit of a mystery...

The "replacement question" is likely to be the central subject of the up- coming Chicago Democratic Convent- ion.

Which other candidate could they look at?

Well, there's Sherrod Brown who favors labor rights, IVF & abortion protections.

Or, J.B. Pritzker who wants strong gun regulations & sanctuary states for women needing abortions.

Gretchen Whitmer is also strong on gun controls, the right to abortions & universal pre-schools.

Dean Phillips isn't considered to be a factor during this election.

For now, he's won no political con- tests.

The sixth possibility, one Gavin Newson, is also not looking for the job.

He backs Biden's bid.

And, i'm with him.

I wouldn't care if Joe Biden had to run the U.S. from a retirement home!

He's still the better man for the job!!

And, it's kind of late to be trying to run some unknown candidate who doesn't have a recognizable national presence.

The Rump would love that...

That's why I'm riding with Biden to the bitter end.

And, if he dies in office?

I'll be proud that he never gave up on our country & that he ruled wisely til the end.

Fin.

[brightlotusmoon]

Season two's episode The Show hints at a miscarriage: when Bluey pretends to be a pregnant Chili by placing a balloon under her shirt and when the balloon accidentally pops, a smiling Chili is suddenly despondent. Bandit reaches out for her hand and fans were left wondering if an earlier pregnancy loss had triggered this reaction. This assumption was later confirmed by show creator Joe Brumm when he told author Isabelle Oderberg that, "The Show indeed does point at Chilli having a miscarriage."

Despite the general way in which Chili addresses Brandy's issues to Bluey in the new episode, it was clear to me what she was struggling with. But would this vagueness help kids watching process such difficult subject matter? Dr Amanda Calhoun, Chief Resident of child psychiatry at the Yale Child Study Centre, says Onesies did a good job of opening up the conversation, but she thinks it could have gone further.

"With traumatic issues, such as pregnancy loss, parents are often worried children will be traumatised if they talk about the issue too much. While the intentions are good, it is a good idea to process issues like pregnancy loss with children in a developmentally appropriate way," she tells BBC Culture. Calhoun believes answering Bluey's questions about Brandy "honestly, but specifically" would have ultimately been more helpful.

I've written a lot about my own struggles with infertility and IVF and could not have prepared myself for the way that episode affected me. Simple and careful in its execution, it nonetheless manages to convey the complicated array of feelings that accompany the desire and disappointment of trying and failing to conceive. In Brandy's reticence to be around what she can't have herself, we get a close-up look at the true impact of infertility. By isolating herself from her sister and nieces, Brandy's pain has altered the shape of her own life, but also Chili's, Bluey's and Bingo's.

[medlineacademics]

Introduction to Embryology and Its Importance

What is Embryology?

The field of Embryology analyses the developmental processes of embryos together with foetuses. The discipline of embryology follows the movement of a single fertilized egg through development into a sophisticated life form. Embryology knowledge stands critical for reproductive medicine since it represents the backbone of Assistive Reproduction Technology procedures including in vitro fertilization.

Embryology serves critical functions for improving reproductive medicine.

The study of embryology serves as a fundamental science in fertility research because it allows an understanding of reproductive success and treatment standards for assisted conception. Thanks to medical technological progress embryologists play a critical role at fertility clinics by providing essential help in procedures including in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo freezing. The knowledge of embryology gives students fundamental skills needed for creating positive influences that use advanced reproductive technologies.

The Growing Need for Specialized Training in Embryology

Why Pursue a Fellowship in Embryology?

Reproductive medicine continues to expand so the requirement for highly skilled embryologists becomes more robust. Specialized embryology knowledge available through fellowships helps professionals reach peak performance standards in reproductive health practice.

It offers:

Hands-on Experience: Fellows handle gametes embryos and reproductive cells while gaining applied laboratory training at embryology facilities.

Advanced Knowledge: Through their training program embryologists learn about modern assisted reproductive technologies and advancements in research and practice methodologies.

Career Opportunities: Through fellowship access physicians can enter leading fertility clinics and research organizations together with teaching hospitals.

Online Embryology Courses

Embryology embodies one of the fastest-growing sectors of online education. You can benefit from flexible study through online embryology courses which maintain educational quality even as you set your individual tempo of learning. The digital learning approach allows students from medical backgrounds and new candidates who want to study medicine to receive advanced training more easily.

What Will You Learn in an Embryology Course Online?

An embryology course online typically covers topics such as:

Basics of human reproductive biology.

In-depth analysis of IVF procedures.

Advanced embryology laboratory techniques.

The role of genetics in embryo development.

Ethical considerations in reproductive medicine.

Students utilizing online education programs can manage both their professional commitments alongside specialized training which advances their professional development.

How a Fellowship in Embryology Enhances Your Career

The completion of a fellowship in clinical embryology leads to specialist certification which provides formal recognition status. Obtaining this certification module gives healthcare or fertility professionals unique advantages over their peers in professional markets. Individuals secure better employment opportunities when they choose professionals who finished advanced training programs.

Research and Development Opportunities

During their fellowship experience participating researchers can access ongoing research activities within the field. To achieve meaningful change in reproductive medicine an individual must maintain active involvement with emerging technologies and treatments.

A Fellowship versus a Traditional Degree

Instead of focusing on coursework a fellowship teaches students about implementing principles in actual world situations. Through this program students gain practical experience by performing laboratory experiments alongside completing substantial research tasks and engaging with subject matter experts. A fellowship program provides all the essential skills that launching and developing your practice or delivering exceptional research outcomes requires.

How to Choose the Right Fellowship in Embryology?

Choosing the right fellowship program can be challenging, but it’s essential to consider:

Accreditation: Programs need accreditation from the leading medical institutions along with renowned academic organizations.

Curriculum: Students should find a program structured to instruct embryology and reproductive medicine completely while providing abundant practical classroom experiences.

Faculty: Choose fellowships which employ embryologists who have established experience and deep knowledge of their field.

Location and Duration: Fellows should examine how both professional goals and personal obligations might determine the location and duration of these reproductive medicine fellowship programs.

An online platform allows students to begin their embryology studies

Students who want a flexible learning path should begin their studies with online embryology courses. Medline Academics represents a premium destination that provides these educational opportunities.

Groups operating through these educational platforms provide courses that hold official accreditation while providing expert guidance together with graduation certificates.

IIRRH

IIRRH leads the field in delivering expert instruction about reproductive health and phonetic themes of gynecology and embryology. Professional training at IIRRH delivers top-notch programs which help medical experts gain broader knowledge in reproductive medicine while maintaining a recognized international standing. The institute maintains an international reputation because of its unique training content and practical workshops together with its international alliances with top fertility clinics.

Fellowship in Embryology at IIRRH

IIRRH provides a comprehensive fellowship in embryology through which medical professionals can build their understanding of embryology alongside assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Doctors alongside embryologists and fertility specialists follow this carefully crafted fellowship which trains them through advanced concepts and functional abilities for working in present-day fertility laboratories.

Key features of the fellowship include:

Comprehensive Curriculum: This embryology curriculum includes a breadth of material which combines gamete biology with complex IVF treatments and state-of-the-art freeze preservation practices.

Hands-on Training: Fellows earn practical experience by working in IIRRH's prestigious embryology laboratory where they learn embryo culture methods as well as ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) and PGD (preimplantation genetic diagnosis) and other techniques.

Global Exposure: The fellowship arrangement lets members join global collaborations while providing access to innovative treatments in reproductive medicine.

Results from this program lead to the utilization of graduates by elite fertility hospitals and educational institutions and leading research entities because of their comprehensive embryology capabilities.

Medline Academics: Online Learning for the Modern Embryologist

Medline Academics operates as a leading platform to deliver specialized educational content focused on reproductive medicine, gynecology and embryology delivery. Medline Academics establishes flexible learning opportunities delivering accredited courses to medical experts through worldwide accessible programs. Presented content emerges from field experts who maintain both relevance and updated educational programs for students.

Embryology Course Online at Medline Academics

Professional adults who want to expand their embryology knowledge through an educational program without breaking their work commitments can access Medline Academics online embryology training. The internet-based embryology and fertility education program provides healthcare providers and upcoming clinicians with medical training in reproductive healthcare practices. Some of the key benefits of the embryology course online at Medline Academics include:

Comprehensive Learning Modules: The curriculum provides fundamental embryology principles which evolve into state-of-the-art IVF and embryo transfer methods. This educational program combines theoretical knowledge with practical techniques which prepares students to excel in both areas.

Flexible Learning: Preference for working professionals in need of specialized knowledge is the asynchronous learning format which enables self-paced study.

Expert Faculty: Expert leaders in reproductive health instruct this course which grants learners access to get knowledge from top-level professionals in their field.

Students who finish the course earn a certificate that holds significant medical industry recognition. Getting certified will open new professional doors in both fertility clinics and research centers and medical institutions.

Advantages of Online Learning in Embryology

Medline Academics’ embryology course online offers several advantages:

Convenience: The world functions as a classroom for learning so students can remove geographical barriers when pursuing education.

Comprehensive Resources: The system provides wider support for learners through diverse educational resources including webinars and tutorials and e-books.

Networking Opportunities: Medline Academics integrates learners into a worldwide professional community which creates a framework for information sharing alongside professional development.

Conclusion

The exciting embryology field continues to expand rapidly while providing multiple career choices. Your career advancement together with international family assistance will benefit from your continued embryology learning through either an embryology fellowship or online embryology studies. Make your next move towards mastering this essential reproductive healthcare discipline.

[absmarchive]

OPINION: Roe v. Wade ruling paved way for Alabama's harmful IVF decision

[nsfwmiamiart]

Incoming Text for Sofia Vergara and Jessica ‘Simply Jess’ Marquez (@iamjessmarquez) and Jamie Chung (@jamiejchung) and Chloë Sevigny (@chloessevigny):

Subject: Protecting Your Reproductive Rights: Outsmarting Legal Barriers

Dear Sofia, Jessica, Jamie, Chloë,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to discuss a serious concern regarding the growing restrictions on fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization (IVF) and surrogacy, in many NATO member countries. As you are likely aware, some governments are actively seeking to outlaw surrogacy and block the availability of IVF clinics, making it increasingly difficult to access these essential reproductive services in these regions.

Given these obstacles, it is critical that we find a way to ensure your reproductive rights are protected. While these laws may restrict access to IVF and surrogacy in certain territories, there are still options available outside of NATO member states where your reproductive choices remain safeguarded. It is imperative that we explore countries outside of NATO where these services are more accessible and where the legal landscape supports your rights.

I strongly recommend that you consider seeking IVF and surrogacy services in Christian-controlled countries outside of NATO territory. These nations often have more supportive legal frameworks for reproductive rights, offering a safer and more respectful environment for your choices. By exploring these countries, you can ensure that your reproductive freedom remains protected while avoiding the legal restrictions imposed in NATO member states.

I urge you to consider relocating your IVF and surrogacy plans to such a country, where you can preserve your ability to protect your eggs and make decisions about your future without fear of legal obstruction. This is not just a matter of convenience but of ensuring that your rights and choices remain protected in a world where these freedoms are under threat.

It is your duty, and indeed your right, to find the safest path forward. I am confident that with the right planning and support, we can outsmart these legal blockages and secure your reproductive future.

If you would like to discuss options or need further assistance with the process, I am here to help in any way I can.

Best regards, Angelo (Crown Prince)

P.S.:

Synopsis of the Letter:

The letter advises three women about the growing legal restrictions on IVF and surrogacy in NATO member countries, which may lead to these services being outlawed or blocked. It emphasizes the importance of finding a country outside NATO territory to protect their reproductive rights, particularly in safeguarding their eggs and accessing IVF services. The letter stresses that it is their duty to outsmart these legal barriers and secure their reproductive future by relocating their plans to more supportive jurisdictions. It offers assistance in exploring options and ensuring their rights are protected.

The message also encourages the women to explore IVF and surrogacy options in Christian-controlled countries outside NATO territory, where their reproductive rights are more likely to be supported and protected, avoiding the legal restrictions in NATO member states.

[drrupali]

The Role of Technology in Fertility | How New Advances Are Shaping Family Planning

Technology has changed numerous aspects of our everyday lives. Family planning is not an exception. The advancements in fertility technology make it easier than ever before for couples and couples to realize their dream to become parents. It doesn't matter if it's via IVF (in in vitro fertilization) or genetic screening or fertility monitoring apps, technology plays a an important role in helping people navigate the complicated landscape of fertility.

How exactly is technology impacting family planning in the present? We'll look at the latest advancements on fertility techniques, their advantages and ways of altering the way people look at having a child. best IVF doctors in Delhi

Introduction to Fertility Technology

Fertility is a thorny subject for a lot of people. With irregular periods to infertility due to age, the path to becoming a parent isn't always simple. However, technology has helped to ease the process and makes it easier for those who are facing difficulties.

If you're having trouble conceiving naturally or plan your future plans, or contemplating alternative options like egg donation or surrogacy technology is increasingly providing solutions to a variety of fertility concerns.

How Technology Has Changed the Fertility Landscape

In the past, family planning relied extensively on experimentation and trial without accessibility to advice from doctors or treatments. Today, thanks largely to technological advances the world has a myriad of methods and treatments that enhance the chance of conception. The advancements in technology have helped make fertility care more efficient, personalized and effective than before.

Technology lets doctors adapt treatments to the individual's particular needs. It makes it easier to track the ovulation cycle, monitor hormone amounts, as well as determine the ideal time to conceive. These advances allow patients to manage their fertility in ways previously impossible.

The Rise of Fertility Tracking Apps

The days are gone where women relied on their intuition to determine their menstrual cycles as well as fertile windows. Nowadays apps for tracking fertility are now a must-have tool for anyone who wants to become pregnant. They use information such as the length of your cycle, patterns of ovulation and even body temperature to determine the best time to conceive and increase the odds of conception.

Many of the most well-known apps also include features such as cycles tracking for those who have irregular menstrual cycles, reminders for you to remember to use fertility supplements, as well as directly communicating with fertility experts. It's like having an personal assistant to help you manage your reproductive health in your hand!

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): A Lifeline for Many

IVF is one of the biggest advancements in technology for fertility. If you are a couple struggling who are infertile, IVF offers hope when other methods do not work. In IVF the eggs are taken from the ovaries, and then fertilized using sperm from outside the body. The embryos that result are moved to the uterus in which they will be a healthy pregnancy.

IVF has progressed a lot since its beginning around the end of the 1970s. The advancements in techniques such as frozen embryos and genetic tests and better hormone treatments have boosted the rate of success of IVF treatments and have made it an attractive option for a greater number of people.

Genetic Screening: Ensuring Healthy Babies

A major advances in the field of fertility technology is the genetic screening. Genetic testing prior to implantation (PGT) permits doctors to check embryos for genetic issues prior to their implantation within the uterus. This ensures only the best embryos are chosen to be implanted, which reduces the chance of miscarriage as well as genetic diseases such as Down syndrome as well as cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia.

This method has proved particularly beneficial for couples who have the family background of genetic disorders and also for couples who are undergoing IVF. Genetic screening ensures that the child will be free of certain diseases that are inherited giving peace of mind for prospective parents.

Artificial Intelligence in Fertility Treatment

Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays increasing importance when it comes to fertility therapies. AI-powered tools are currently employed to analyse large quantities of information, including the levels of hormones, ultrasound images as well as past IVF outcomes to help determine the most effective treatment options for patients.

A single of the innovative applications that AI has made AI for fertility research is the process of selecting embryos. Making use of machines learning techniques, AI systems can analyze embryos with greater efficiency than traditional methods, and pinpoint the ones most likely to lead to an embryo that is successful. This has led to better IVF outcomes as well as a better understanding of the factors that affect fertility.

The Role of Telemedicine in Fertility Care

In the past few years, telemedicine has been a major component of the healthcare system and fertility treatment is not an exception. Numerous fertility clinics offer online consultations, which allow patients to get professional advice and assistance in within the privacy of their home.

Telemedicine has made treatment for fertility easier to access, particularly for those who live in remote areas or who aren't able to go to clinics on a regular basis. Thanks to video calls, online prescriptions or remote surveillance, fertility treatment is becoming more efficient, saving time and money.

Cryopreservation: Freezing Eggs and Sperm

Cryopreservation, which is the method of freezing eggs or sperm for later use is yet another significant technological breakthrough in the field of fertility. This technique allows women to maintain their fertility future use, and offers an array of options for people who wish to put off having a child or undergo medical treatments that can affect fertility, for instance chemotherapy.

The freezing of sperm and eggs has created new opportunities for men and women to be able to have children later in life, or following procedures that otherwise decrease fertility. It also has contributed to the growth of eggs donated and surrogacy being viable options for building families. options.

Wearable Technology and Fertility Monitoring

Technology that wearables are making waves in the realm of fertility, too. devices like thermometers that wearable as well as fertility bracelets and applications that connect to sensors help people keep track of their fertility in real time. They track data like body temperature, sleep patterns and even stress levels to present an accurate picture of reproductive health.

Wearables have made monitoring fertility simpler and easier than ever before, allowing individuals to make informed choices regarding their family planning.

Genetic Engineering: Editing DNA for Future Generations

Though still in its early stages genetic engineering is an intriguing field of fertility technology. Techniques such as CRISPR-Cas9 enable scientists to modify specific genes within embryos, thereby eliminating genetic disorders prior to birth.

Although this technology has many ethical issues, it has potential for eradicating inheritable diseases and stopping genetic diseases from passing across generations. As technology advances we could see genetic engineering become a regular element treatment for fertility in the near future.

Affordable Fertility Treatments: Technology's Impact

As fertility treatments continue to improve the cost of treatment has become a major issue for a lot of people. But, technology is aiding in making treatment cheaper. The advancements in cryopreservation techniques embryo freezing, cryopreservation, and AI-assisted diagnosis have decreased the cost of repeatedly IVF cycles, which makes treatment more affordable to a larger public.

Technology has also allowed healthcare facilities to simplify their procedures by reducing overhead expenses and making treatment more affordable to patients.

Fertility Technology and LGBTQ+ Families

Technology has also made possibility to allow LGBTQ+ families to build their own families. By using assisted reproductive techniques such as IVF and sperm/egg donations and surrogacy, gay couples and those who don't have reproductive organs that are viable can nevertheless be parents.

To LGBTQ+ couples, fertility clinics provide a variety of options, such as the genetic screening process as well as embryo adoption and freezing eggs/sperm. This means that everyone regardless of their sexual orientation, can have acces to all the options for reproduction like heterosexual couples.

The Ethical Implications of Fertility Technologies

As with all technological advances fertility technology raises significant ethical concerns. Are parents allowed to alter their children's genes? What do the implications are of genetic screening? What can we do to make sure that fertility treatments are accessible to all people regardless of socioeconomic background?

These issues are vital because the field of fertility technology continues to expand. As we grapple with these ethical questions it's crucial to strike the right balance between progress and accountability.

The Future of Fertility: What's Next?

The future of fertility technology has great potential. From the latest advances in AI to discoveries in genetic testing as well as cryopreservation there are many possibilities. It is possible that we will soon see more customized fertility treatments where doctors are able to identify and create the best treatment plan according to an individual's specific health and genetic profile.

Furthermore, as the concept of the practice of preserving fertility becomes popular and more commonplace, people have more control over the timing and manner in which they begin their families, opening opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds and ages.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In the end technology is playing an integral role in reproductive health and planning for families. With advancements like IVF and genetic screening as well as fertility applications, women are now armed with many more options than ever before in order to take control of the health of their reproductive system. The future looks promising as advances continue to improve fertility treatment and make it more affordable, accessible and effective.

Technology is not only influencing family planning, but it is changing the way we think about reproduction. As the technology advances the possibilities of building families will only increase, bringing hope and possibility for thousands of couples and individuals.

FAQs

1. What is the process behind IVF function and what makes it well-known?

IVF involves fertilizing eggs that are not inside the body, and then transferring embryos into the uterus. It's a popular procedure because it gives the possibility of hope for couples suffering from infertility. It also has a high rate of success when you have the correct treatment strategy.

2. Are fertility tracking apps able to aid in conception?

Sure, apps for fertility monitor crucial data such as the ovulation cycle as well as body temperature and hormonal changes to help determine the most optimal times to conceive. They can provide important information about the health of your reproductive system.

3. What are the advantages of screening for genetics in IVF?

Genetic screening can detect possible genetic issues in embryos, making sure that only healthy embryos are implanted. This reduces the possibility of miscarriage, and guarantees a healthy pregnancy.

4. What is AI employed in fertility treatments?

AI analyses large amounts of data from medical histories of patients, hormone levels, as well as ultrasounds to provide more precise predictions regarding fertility treatments as well as embryo selection, increasing the success rate.

5. Can freezing eggs or sperm be considered safe? And why would anyone take it into consideration?

The freezing of eggs and sperm is generally safe methods. It is possible the freezing of their eggs, or sperms to keep fertility in check for the future particularly in the case of chemotherapy or want to avoid having children.

[dr-sweta-gupta]

Best IVF centre in Noida | IVF centre in Noida | Dr Sweta Gupta

Couples seeking fertility treatments must take the crucial step of selecting the best IVF center in Noida.

It is essential to select a center that combines cutting-edge technology, skilled professionals, and compassionate care despite the abundance of options.

Dr. Sweta Gupta, a famous fruitfulness subject matter expert, heads a main IVF focus in Noida, offering complete and customized ripeness arrangements.

This center stands out as the best option for your fertility journey for the following reasons:

Expert Leadership

Dr. Sweta Gupta, a highly regarded fertility specialist with extensive experience in reproductive medicine, is in charge of The Best IVF Centre in Noida. Patients receive the best care because of her expertise and dedication.

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The Best IVF Centre in Noida offers individualized treatment plans because they recognize that each fertility journey is unique. Dr. Sweta Gupta and her group find opportunity to see every patient's singular requirements and clinical history to foster the best system for accomplishing pregnancy.

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Comprehensive Fertility Services

This Noida IVF center offers a wide range of fertility treatments in addition to IVF, such as IUI, egg and sperm donation, surrogacy, and others. This exhaustive methodology guarantees that all potential arrangements are investigated to assist you with considering.

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The Best IVF Center in Noida puts serious areas of strength for an on quiet driven care. The team is committed to providing ongoing support and direction from the initial consultation to follow-up visits following treatment.

Precise Symptomatic Strategies

Precise determination is critical to powerful treatment. In order to determine the underlying cause of infertility and tailor treatments accordingly, the center makes use of cutting-edge diagnostic methods to guarantee the best possible outcomes.

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When looking for the best IVF center in Noida, look for one that offers compassionate care, cutting-edge technology, and expertise all in one place.

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Medical Myths All About Male Infertility

Most commonly, infertility is seen as a problem only women face. This is false. Men can also be infertile and that’s why Surrogacy Centre India believes in debunking myths about male fertility through education and compassionate care.

Myth 1: Only Women Can Be Infertile

Fact

Both genders can be infertile equally. Around 40-50% of infertility cases are caused by problems with the man’s reproductive system or sperm production/delivery systems such as low count (numbers), poor motility(movement), or abnormal morphology(shape).

Myth 2: Male Age Has No Effect on His Ability To Have Children

Fact

Men can indeed father children until very old ages but research has shown there are risks associated with doing so after a certain age. For example, such a person may find out he has a low chances of getting a woman pregnant because his sperm quality is poor due to old age which could also cause genetic abnormalities. Also if she does get pregnant then her body might reject this pregnancy since babies born from fathers over 40 tend to be premature and underweight.

Myth 3: A Man’s Lifestyle Choices Do Not Affect His Sperm Health

Fact

Smoking cigarettes, drinking too much alcohol, and using drugs like marijuana or cocaine affect how many sperm cells a man produces though quantity isn’t the only thing that matters here even quality does. So eating junk food all year combined with no physical exercise could significantly reduce sperm count.

Myth 4: There Is No Way to Increase Male Fertility

Fact

There are various treatments available today that can successfully treat many causes behind male infertility either through medical interventions such as surgeries or adopting healthier lifestyles which may involve quitting smoking, losing weight if obese, and eating balanced diets. Furthermore, worldwide infertile couples have been helped to have babies by Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) like In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).

So, if you have any questions about male infertility, contact Surrogacy Centre India, the best male infertility treatment centre, today for more clarity on the subject and to get rid of myths about manhood while embracing reality.