Holding Hope: Infertility, Fibroids, and the Stories We Don’t Always Hear
- Apr 23
- 3 min read
Every April, two important awareness weeks sit side by side - National Infertility Awareness Week and Fibroid Awareness Week. For many families, these aren’t just awareness campaigns. They are lived experiences. Quiet struggles. Long waits. Hard conversations. And, for some, deep grief.
We want to speak to the people behind the numbers - the moms, the ones trying to become moms, the caregivers holding it all together, and the families figuring things out day by day.
The Conversations That Happen in Private
Infertility and fibroids don’t always show up in ways people can see.
It can look like smiling at a baby shower while carrying your own questions.
It can look like missing work for another doctor’s appointment.
It can look like heavy periods that disrupt daily life - but get brushed off as “normal.”
It can look like trying, hoping, waiting… and not always having answers.
These are the stories that don’t always get shared out loud.
What the Numbers Tell Us
The data helps us understand the scale - but it doesn’t capture the full weight of what people carry.
1 in 6 couples in the U.S. experience infertility
Black women are about twice as likely to experience infertility, yet less likely to receive treatment
Up to 80% of Black women will develop fibroids by age 50
Black women are more likely to experience severe symptoms, earlier onset, and more complicated treatment journeys
Here in Delaware, these issues hit close to home:
Delaware has one of the higher maternal health disparity rates in the country
Black women in Delaware face significant gaps in access to reproductive and specialty care, including care for fibroids and fertility
Many families must travel out of state for fertility treatments and specialized fibroid care, adding financial and emotional strain
Behind each of these numbers is someone trying to make the best decisions they can with the support they have.
When Your Body Doesn’t Follow the Plan
Many of us grow up with a certain timeline in mind - if we want children, we imagine how it will happen.
But for so many families, the journey looks different.
Fibroids can bring pain, heavy bleeding, and complications that affect daily life and fertility. Infertility can bring uncertainty, stress, and decisions that feel overwhelming—emotionally and financially.
And still, people keep going.
They show up to appointments.
They ask questions.
They advocate for themselves in systems that don’t always listen.
That kind of strength doesn’t always get recognized.
Supporting the Whole Family
These experiences don’t just affect one person - they ripple through families.
Partners, grandparents, siblings, and friends all feel it in different ways. Caregivers often carry the weight of supporting someone they love while trying to stay steady themselves.
Support can look like:
Listening without trying to fix everything
Respecting someone’s choices and timeline
Checking in, even when you don’t know what to say
Helping with everyday things when someone is overwhelmed
Small acts of care go a long way.
You Deserve to Be Heard and Supported
If you’re navigating infertility or fibroids, you deserve care that takes you seriously.
You deserve providers who listen.
You deserve options that are explained clearly.
You deserve support that meets you where you are.
And if your path to building a family looks different than you expected - that doesn’t take away from its value or meaning.
Moving Forward, Together
Awareness is a starting point - but it can’t stop there.
We need:
Better access to reproductive and specialty care
Earlier diagnosis and treatment for fibroids
More support for families navigating infertility
Honest, open conversations in our communities
Because no one should have to go through this feeling alone.
Whether you’re in the middle of your fertility journey, supporting someone you love, or still trying to make sense of what comes next - you deserve care, understanding, and support that meets you where you are.
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