There comes a point in long-term fertility treatment where the question is no longer “What else can we try?” but “What is this costing me?”

In this episode, Fiona shares the final chapter of her IVF journey — fifteen years of trying, ten rounds of IVF, repeated pregnancy loss, and the cumulative toll of medical trauma, grief, and exhaustion. This is the point where persistence stops being hopeful and begins to cause harm.

Fiona also reflects on what happens when the systems meant to support you fall short — missed warning signs, fragmented care, and moments where something feels not quite right, but goes unaddressed. It’s a reminder that fertility treatment doesn’t just take an emotional toll — at times, it can carry real risk.

Alongside this, the episode holds space for something else: the quiet generosity that can exist even in the hardest moments. Fiona shares how, amid loss and uncertainty, unexpected offers of care and possibility emerged — reminders that compassion and connection can still surface, even when a system fails you.

Rachel brings her perspective as a psychotherapist to gently name what happens when people remain in medical systems that are no longer serving them, how trauma compounds over time, and why learning to advocate for yourself — or to step away — can be an act of protection, not defeat.

Together, they explore the blurred line between hope and endurance, the pressure to keep going at all costs, and the reality that stopping treatment is not failure, but a necessary act of care.

This episode marks the end of Fiona’s IVF journey.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of infertility, medical trauma, miscarriage, and recurrent pregnancy loss. Please take care while listening, and engage only in ways that feel supportive for you.