Two Ovation IVF Patients to Travel to Washington D.C. for RESOLVE Advocacy Day

LOS ANGELES, May 16, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Ovation® Fertility, in collaboration with its partner physicians at Texas Fertility Center and Fertility Answers in Louisiana, has selected two IVF patients to receive the 2019 Advocacy Day Grant. This grant ensures that the fertility patient perspective will be represented on Capitol Hill by covering the cost of their travel to Washington, D.C., to meet with legislators on RESOLVE Advocacy Day, May 15-16, 2019.

Advocacy Day, organized by RESOLVE in partnership with the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), brings the infertility community together to talk to members of Congress about important issues, such as increased access to family-building options and financial relief.

"When our lawmakers develop legislation that affects fertility care, no opinion carries more weight than that of the women and men who need advanced assisted reproductive technology to grow their families," says Nate Snyder, Ovation's chief executive officer. "Ovation is proud to partner with some of America's top fertility specialists to ensure that our IVF patients' voices are heard on Capitol Hill."

To apply for the grant, which covers expenses for each patient and a guest, applicants submitted their fertility stories in written, video or photo collage format. The grant winners were selected by an independent, 12-person committee, and all entries will be carried by the Ovation delegation to be passed along to legislators.

Brittany Beckendorf was selected to receive the Texas Fertility Center Advocacy Day Grant. She will attend a day of lobbying workshops with Kaylen Silverberg MD, TFC's medical director, who will accompany her in her meetings with Congressional representatives. Beckendorf was chosen to receive the grant after sharing her story about using IVF to overcome polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis, and give birth to a healthy baby boy.

"I have been able to conceive naturally once in 2009, and that was it," Beckendorf says. "Lawmakers need to know that our bodies aren't just well-oiled machines. Things change and can break. It's hard for someone who can conceive naturally to understand this, but I think that putting a face with the issue makes this all the more real. This is not a one-size-fits-all process; every person with infertility takes a different path to conception. More injections, more medicine, more blood draws, and multiple implantation attempts. It's important for people to see the toll it takes on you, not only financially, but physically and mentally. The more we talk about it, the more aware people become, and real, honest discussions can occur."

The Fertility Answers Advocacy Day Grant recipient, Hannah Beck, is currently undergoing IVF with husband Jonathan in an effort to conceive their first child. To overcome her PCOS, insulin-resistance and extensive endometriosis, Hannah was forced to switch careers to get insurance coverage for the fertility care she needs. Beck will accompany Fertility Answers' Medical Director, John Storment, M.D. to share her perspective on changes needed in legislation affecting fertility care.

"Infertility is a medical issue that affects so many, but most cannot afford to treat it," Beck says. "The fertility medications cost a large sum, and even with medical insurance, they are rarely covered. Many insurance policies do not offer any assistance with paying for fertility treatments, and that standard needs to change. My infertility story is similar to so many others, and it is my passion to advocate for myself and for those who have dreams of starting a family, but are financially unable to do so."

About Ovation® Fertility

Ovation Fertility is a national network of reproductive endocrinologists and scientific thought leaders focused on reducing the cost of live birth through more efficient and effective fertility care. Ovation's IVF and genetics laboratories and affiliated practices work collaboratively to raise the bar for IVF treatment, with state-of-the-art, evidence-based fertility services that give hopeful parents the best chance for a successful pregnancy. Physicians partner with Ovation to offer their patients advanced preimplantation genetic testing. Ovation also provides donor eggs that come with the world's first Euploid Embryo Guarantee®, as well as secure frozen egg, embryo and sperm long-term storage; consultative services to help IVF laboratories improve quality and performance; and fertility preservation programs that enable more women to freeze their eggs and build future families. Learn more about Ovation's vision of a world without infertility at http://www.OvationFertility.com.

About Texas Fertility Center

Texas Fertility Center (TFC), one of the nation's leading full-service infertility practices, provides advanced infertility and reproductive endocrinology services to patients throughout Texas, the southwestern United States and the Americas. For more information, please visit http://www.txfertility.com.

About Fertility Answers

Established in 2002, Fertility Answers is dedicated to helping couples build families throughout Louisiana with innovative treatment focused on infertility and reproductive disorders. Fertility Answers offers comprehensive reproductive services, including egg freezing, in vitro fertilization, intrauterine insemination (IUI), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), ovulation induction, fibroid removal, PCOS treatment, pre-implantation genetic screening and diagnosis, endometrial ablation and tubal reversal surgery. With locations in Baton Rouge and Lafayette, Fertility Answers strives to provide the highest quality fertility healthcare in a caring environment. For more information, visit http://www.fertilityanswers.com.

SOURCE Ovation Fertility

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