It’s already been several weeks since fertility clinics closed so that the entire healthcare system could come together to tackle this virus that took us all by surprise. As a result, many couples like mine have had to take a break from this long journey that’s been part of our lives for nearly four years now.
Some people joke about an upcoming baby boom because of the lockdown, but for some, this recurring joke really hurts. It can be painful for all those couples whom the stork seems to have forgotten along the way. In the turmoil caused by this virus, some find themselves facing a void. We don’t know when the clinics will resume operations. So our plan to have a baby is on hold for an indefinite period.
What’s most surprising under the current circumstances is that with every passing month, I find myself hoping that this month will bring us a little miracle. We catch ourselves believing that, amid all this madness, something magical might happen. What if this break were actually beneficial for my little body—and for all those women who remain strong month after month as they continue these demanding and exhausting treatments?
One thing is certain: our thoughts are with all those who, like us, are waiting for the storm to finally pass so we can resume treatment. We’re also thinking of the couples who will have to put off their plans to start a family a little longer for financial reasons. COVID-19 is affecting so many people’s plans to have a baby in so many different ways.
What I want to say to all of you who are in the same situation as my partner and I is this: make the most of this time to reconnect with each other, because these treatments are as emotionally demanding as they are physically. Let’s use these moments together to recharge and focus on ourselves. We don’t know if the clinics will resume operations on June 22 or if that date will be postponed. We don’t know if that day will come soon, along with summer, but one thing is certain: it will come.