Pregnant during a pandemic? Expecting mothers and health professionals weigh in on the uncertainty that lies ahead and the possibility of reframing your birth plan during the coronavirus.

First came anger, then shame, then depression. But when our circumstances didn’t change, we had to find a way to change our response to his male infertility. In my family, 29-years old was already way behind when it came to starting a family.   I come from a big family. My five brothers and sisters – even my younger ones – were already parents, and I was anxious to start a family of my own. But after downloading every app, taking every vitamin and trying every other remedy to become pregnant, all I had to show for it was a year gone with countless negative pregnancy tests. That’s when the doctor suggested having my husband come in and get checked out. My husband Cyrus and I met in 2009. He was playing basketball at the University of Miami, and, I was waitressing at a nearby restaurant. His team came in after summer camp one day, I was their waitress, and as they say, “the rest is history”. When we got married on December 12, 2012 (12/12/12), we were filled with so much love, hope and possibility. We were so excited to start our new life together as husband and wife, and to start a family of our own. However, shortly before our wedding, Cyrus’s mom, already a one-time cancer survivor, discovered that her cancer had returned. She was given two years to live. Although she was faithful that she would beat cancer again, she wanted to live and experience as much as she could in the time given, including having her firstborn son make her a grandmother. This led to the ‘year of trying’ – to no avail.  

First came anger, then shame, then depression. But when our circumstances didn’t change, we had to find a way to change our response to his male infertility. In my family, 29-years old was already way behind when it came to starting a family.   I come from a big family. My five brothers and sisters – even my younger ones – were already parents, and I was anxious to start a family of my own. But after downloading every app, taking every vitamin and trying every other remedy to become pregnant, all I had to show for it was a year gone with countless negative pregnancy tests. That’s when the doctor suggested having my husband come in and get checked out. My husband Cyrus and I met in 2009. He was playing basketball at the University of Miami, and, I was waitressing at a nearby restaurant. His team came in after summer camp one day, I was their waitress, and as they say, “the rest is history”. When we got married on December 12, 2012 (12/12/12), we were filled with so much love, hope and possibility. We were so excited to start our new life together as husband and wife, and to start a family of our own. However, shortly before our wedding, Cyrus’s mom, already a one-time cancer survivor, discovered that her cancer had returned. She was given two years to live. Although she was faithful that she would beat cancer again, she wanted to live and experience as much as she could in the time given, including having her firstborn son make her a grandmother. This led to the ‘year of trying’ – to no avail.