Oana Gharbi
Follow Oana and her fertility wisdom on Instagram @getthegoldenegg or her website getthegoldenegg.com
Five sentences about me…
I am a former journalist and communications expert turned Certified Health Coach and Fertility Patient Advocate. I was born and raised in Romania, but my life changed when I was suddenly widowed with two young kids. I decided I needed a fresh start and I moved to France with my son and daughter. I remarried, and my current husband and I suffered a second-trimester loss due to an “incompetent cervix.” I was suddenly confronted with secondary infertility. I started a 3-year journey that didn't produce a baby, after all, but changed my life in every possible way. I somehow managed to channel my hardship into helping others. I never wanted a new career, but a new career found me, transformed me, and it's by far the most rewarding job I have ever had.
Five sentences about what I've endured in the fertility realm...
Having endured both, I can say infertility is very similar to grief, especially when we are talking about the 5 stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. If you're lucky, by the time you get to accept it you've already succeeded and you got your baby. The most difficult part for me was to accept I didn't know anything about infertility, I couldn't control the situation and didn't know where to go. With every failed IVF cycle (7 of them) I felt even more disoriented. Educating myself on fertility was the only thing that seemed to make me feel better, in time. It helped me feel like my opinion mattered.
One thing I wish I knew going into my fertility journey...
Education makes all the difference and helps you, as a patient, understand your options and make the best choices. I wish I’d known there are always options. Good communication with your healthcare provider should allow you to be involved in the process.
One thing about me that is forever changed because of my fertility journey...
My professional path. My fertility journey didn't produce a baby but produced a new me instead. I started focusing on fertility, educating myself, and later on, educating others. I am now working for Proov, a femtech company run and led by women. Proov’s FDA-cleared test confirms ovulation occurred, by measuring a Progesterone metabolite in urine and making sure the levels are optimal for implantation and pregnancy.
One product, practice, or ritual I adopted during my fertility journey, which I have/have not kept a part of my life...
Peeing on sticks. I am no longer TTC but I am forever curious about my hormones and cycle. As I am entering perimenopause and my hormones are less and less predictable, it's important for me to know where I stand, so that I can make the necessary improvements that help me feel good and balanced.