Photo of IVF baby goes viral
Photo courtesy: Sher Fertility Institute
A photo of a baby surrounded by IVF syringes in the shape of a heart has gone viral.
Sophia was born in June to her mother Angela.
Angela tells KTVU she saved the syringes from five rounds of IVF because she knew it was going to be a rough road ahead.
She wanted something to remember the process. "I took the photo so someday I can show Sophia how much I really wanted her."
It took Angela a total of three years to get pregnant. She had tried for a year before two years of IVF.
Lisa Stark, Director of Communications at Sher Fertility Institute tells KTVU, “I think the photo struck a chord for anyone who has either gone through IVF or knows someone who did. It brilliantly captures the joy and pain of what infertile women endure to become a mom.”
Stark adds she understands why some people might be offended by the photo, but she was swayed by the overwhelmingly positive response on Facebook.
“It’s hard to explain what IVF is like in words but this photo captures the experience,” Stark says.
She says the photo is raising awareness.
“People talking about infertility, sharing the journey and connecting with others elevates the dialogue and brings infertility out of the shadows and into the open.”
Other parents with IVF babies have responded to the post by uploading photos of their IVF children to Facebook along with their personal stories.
Angela tells KTVU she would tell other women going through the process to hang in there. "I know it sounds cliché, but it really does only take one," she said.
Editor's note: Angela wanted to keep her last name and location private