Alison Prato, an acclaimed journalist, has become one of the go - to voices in the fertility world sharing her infertility story and supporting others in their fertility journey.  Ali’s experience with secondary infertility included undergoing procedures like IUIs and IVF, and grappling with depression, grief, and relationship challenges. Her message is clear: you are not alone.   This message became especially important to Ali when she lost her mother this year. Julia and Ali discuss how families evolve even beyond IF and family building and how to navigate grief and change.     In 2019, Ali initiated her podcast, "Infertile AF," to foster community and support. Additionally, she co-founded Fertility Rally, a welcoming and inclusive community accessible round the clock for those navigating infertility. Ali highlights that the virtual Fertility Rally occurs biannually, in April and October, featuring experts in the field and offering breakout sessions covering various pertinent topics in this ever-evolving domain. Join Ali and Julia as they explore the realm of IVF and discuss accessible resources for infertile couples.   IN THIS EPISODE: [3:14] Ali shares what brought her to the fertility space and relates her journey of infertility [9:09] Ali feels that moving to the East Coast delayed her starting a family, and she shares her experiences with miscarriages [16:00] Ali’s marriage was suffering through this process, and there are no guarantees when doing IVF  [22:06] Discussion of the Infertility Rally and where the infertility field is headed  [29:06] Ali discusses experiences women are having and the camaraderie between her groups [31:26] Ali shares what family means to her [35:29] Ali talks about the book she wrote for children about how they were born and what her children have been told about IVF [38:47] Ali discusses losing her mom in 2023 and their beautiful relationship   KEY TAKEAWAYS: Research indicates there's like a cohort mentality around starting a family. If everyone is doing it, you're likely to do it too. They call it a contagion, even though it's not contagious. It's a social contagion. Egg quality diminishes the older you become, making it more difficult to conceive. Going through IVF treatment doesn’t guarantee you will get pregnant. It is an evolving science requiring a little bit of magic. There is help available for couples facing infertility. Contact Ali Prato using the resource links provided.   RESOURCE LINKS: Stork'd - Facebook Stork'd - Instagram Stork'd - YouTube  @fertilityrally - Instagram @infertileafstories - Instagram @aliprato - Instagram Fertility Rally - Website Infertile AF Group  - Buy the Book   BIOGRAPHY:  Ali Prato is an award-winning journalist and mama-of-two who went through secondary infertility, IUIs, IVF, depression, grief and relationship issues. She is here to let you know: You are not alone.    When a girlfriend who had a similar experience asked Ali to share her story to help others, she wrote an article for Health magazine and started getting feedback from women and some men, who were like, “Wow, nobody talks about infertility, IVF, or any of this!”   Ali realized quickly that there was a dearth of candid information about infertility and that there was still a stigma attached to it.    Always a storyteller at heart, Ali launched her podcast, Infertile AF, in 2019 — and today, she has published more than 250 episodes and garnered more than 1.25 million global downloads. In 2020, Ali and fellow infertility warrior Blair Nelson co-founded Fertility Rally, a safe, all-inclusive, 24/7 community for anyone and everyone navigating infertility or building their modern families through ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology). In 2023, she brought all her ideas together under the Infertile AF Group, which just published “Work of ART,” Ali’s children’s book about IVF — available for pre-order now!