One of the best things about my workplace is that patients often drop by to show off their new babies, especially if they've been getting their pregnancy vitamins or anti-nausea medication for the past nine months (yes, some poor mums get severe nausea for their entire pregnancies). I see their pregnancies progress, and it's oh so lovely when they bring in their fresh-smelling, sleepy, smiley babies.

On the other end of the spectrum, I also see women who have difficulty getting or staying pregnant. I see their hope and anxiety when they fill a prescription for yet another cycle, and it's heartbreaking when their attempts don't work out. Some of those who have infertility issues do end up with babies, but it's often a long hard journey to get there.

When Jay and I decided to try for a baby, infertility was very much at the back of my mind. I had seen enough patients to know that infertility isn't rare, and not just in women over a certain age. I had a lot of nagging thoughts I'd whisper to Jay at night in the dark. After spending so long trying to avoid getting pregnant, wouldn't it be terribly ironic if we couldn't get pregnant? What if we never become parents?  Do you think you should stop keeping your cellphone in your pants pocket? Jay would stroke my hair and tell me firmly that we would have a wonderful life together no matter what, that there are lots of ways for people to become parents, and maybe I'm over-reacting just a teeny tiny bit because we just started trying a week ago. But because of my profession, I knew that there was a real chance that it could be difficult. In the end, we didn't have any trouble conceiving, and for that I'm so grateful. I just knew that we were so lucky.