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If you’re wondering whether or not you should freeze your eggs, start by asking yourself these questions:

How old are you?

How many kids are in your ideal family?

How old will you be when you have your first child?

How old will you be when you have your last child?

Now, think about the basics.

You were born with all the eggs you’re ever going to have–about 2 million. By the time of your first period, that number is down to 400,000-500,000 and you lose eggs every month regardless of whether you take birth control or not.

Doctors typically point to the age of 35 as the point in which fertility declines. However, this isn’t a switch that turns off one day. As you age, your eggs age with you. Both quantity and quality declines.

Poor egg quality can result in an increased risk of miscarriage or genetic abnormalities. 

So what is egg freezing?

Egg freezing is the process of extracting eggs from the ovaries and freezing them for later use. Frozen eggs are stored in a secure facility and they can be kept there for as long as you wish. Your frozen eggs will be the same age as you were when you froze them, so if you end up needing them in the future, you can use them through in-vitro fertilization or IVF.

Reasons to consider egg freezing

There are many reasons to consider egg freezing. A few that have been outlined by some of our patients include:

  • You are currently focusing on your career 
  • You have personal goals to meet before starting a family
  • You haven’t found the right partner yet
  • You are waiting for financial stability 
  • You have a medical condition that can affect your fertility
  • You are not sure you want children, but would like to have younger eggs available if you decide to have children

Does egg freezing guarantee a baby?

The truth is not every egg will result in an embryo, not every embryo will result in a pregnancy, and not every pregnancy will result in a baby. 

As such, there is no guarantee that freezing your eggs will result in a future pregnancy or baby.

Knowledge is power

To help you make an informed decision about freezing your eggs, a Kindbody physician will start off your journey with a fertility consultation, which includes an ultrasound of your ovaries and a medical history review. Your fertility consultation will provide a better sense of your current ovarian reserve.

Schedule a consultation

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It can be really difficult to know what to say or do to comfort a friend or family member who is dealing with infertility. The experience of infertility, pregnancy loss, and third-party reproduction is a complicated process that brings out a variety of thoughts and emotions. Witnessing the pain of our loved ones is challenging and no matter how kind, caring and compassionate one is, caregivers are left feeling incapable of improving the situation for their loved ones. However, there are many ways loved ones can support someone going through infertility. One common experience frequently reported by individuals and couples dealing with infertility is the sense of loneliness and shame that accompanies their family building journey. Letting loved ones know that they are not alone goes a long way in improving their social and emotional well-being. Here are just a few small steps that one can take to being part of a support system that decreases that loneliness and shame.

Be Present.

One of the greatest gifts you can give to someone who is grieving a loss or struggling with infertility is to just let them know that you are there - physically and emotionally. Everyone copes differently with pain and loss, so tell your friend that “I’m here for whatever you need” whether that is a a 2am phone call, a quiet walk, or just a shoulder to cry on. It may seem cliché but just “being” with someone especially during moments of pain is a great source of support. Also, don’t underestimate the value of “small gestures with big meaning”. Managing some of the day-to-day tasks such as, such as washing the dishes, walking the dog, making dinner, without being asked communicates that you’re physically present as well. It sends the message that “I see you’re going through a lot so let me lift your burden a little bit.”

Be Present, without being pushy.

Avoid the temptation to offer unsolicited advice. The well-intended advice or recommendations of loved ones can often bring out more pain. While we aim to cheer up our friends and family, refrain from talking about your aunt’s cousin’s friend who got pregnant when they “stopped trying.” Unless specifically asked, do not forward or share an article about the latest miracle infertility drug that has been discovered. Trust me that no one is doing more research on how to conceive than your loved one. If your loved one is looking for some advice, wait for them to ask your opinion.

Be Real.

Because we care so much and want to make things better for our loved ones, we search for the perfect words to say or the right thing to do. Instead, just be honest and say: “I have no idea how this must feel” or “I don’t know what to say.” This honest and vulnerability of your emotions opens the space for your loved one to talk about their experience in their own words, space and time.

Be OKAY with their Pain (and yours).

It is hard to witness someone we care about be in pain, so it is very understandable that our initial reaction is to point out a silver lining or be positive. Yet comments like “you can always adopt” can also feel very dismissive and invalidating. Be okay sitting with your wife, sister, brother, or friend in their pain. Not only is it helpful to them know that you see their sadness, be open and expressive about your own emotions. Sharing your sadness and grief can reduce their isolation and loneliness. Yet also know your limits. If talking about and expressing emotions seem overwhelming, reach out for your own professional counseling and support.

Be Patient.

Infertility is a private and personal journey that affects everyone differently. Even a couple who is on the journey together will find themselves managing the emotions involved in varied ways. Talking about infertility and pregnancy loss can hard because of the shame and embarrassment that often accompanies it. When being available as a support to friend or family, be mindful that your loved one is on their own timeline in terms of when and how they want to share the highs and lows of this journey. If you have already followed some of the steps listed above, they know you are there with them and available as they need you

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Today we announce Kindbody has raised $100 million in new funding, bringing our total funding to $290 million and our valuation to $1.8 billion. We’ve entered the next chapter of reinventing fertility healthcare and we are one step closer to realizing our mission of accessible and affordable fertility and family-building for all. I’m grateful to our dedicated Kindbody team, our investors, clients, patients, and partners. Together, we’ve brought the need for high-quality fertility healthcare to the forefront and we are changing how it’s delivered in this country.

To understand the magnitude of today’s news it's important to note how far we’ve come. When Kindbody was founded just four years ago, fertility was rarely talked about outside the confines of a doctor’s office. Even then, it was one of the few areas of healthcare discussed with one’s doctor only after there was a problem. We set out to change that by educating and empowering people about their fertility, by making the delivery of fertility care warm and hospitable, and by partnering with employers to provide affordable, high-quality care to their employees.

Infertility is widespread and, for far too long, high-quality fertility care has only been available to a privileged few. We knew the only way we could truly transform the fertility industry and create change is by delivering the care ourselves. As the clinical care providers serving employers and their employees, health plans, and consumers, we are uniquely positioned to decrease cost, improve the patient experience, deliver better health outcomes, and ultimately help people have the family of their dreams. 

2022 was a year of significant growth for our company. We added 42 employer clients, including Walmart, and today we are the fertility benefits provider for 112 companies, covering more than 2.4 million lives. We acquired three family-building companies to accommodate growth. We own and operate 31 clinics nationwide and have a world-class medical team, including 34 board-certified (or double board-eligible) reproductive endocrinologists and 52 embryologists, producing industry leading success rates. Our technology is unmatched, including our proprietary electronic medical record system (KindEMR) and Patient Portal, which leads to more efficiency, higher physician productivity, and happier patients who have the ability to access their clinical team and records anytime day or night. The holy grail of healthcare: a truly seamless, digital first patient experience instead of being shuffled through paperwork and multiple care providers.

We’ve made great strides in our mission for accessible, affordable fertility care, but there is still much work to do. We will use our new funds to add ten state-of-the-art clinics in underserved U.S. markets this year, we will continue to invest in our best-in-class technology to better serve our patients and clients, and we will scale operations to further enhance our care model, which is designed to deliver industry-leading clinical outcomes. Fertility healthcare is too important to maintain the status quo. In order to truly effectuate change you must innovate and evolve, and be unwavering in disrupting the existing state of healthcare. That’s what we did when we opened the first design-forward, retail fertility and women’s healthcare clinic; when we brought fertility education courses into the mainstream with our “Fertility 101s”; and when we were the first fertility care company to contract directly with large, self-insured employers to offer care to their employees. With these new funds, Kindbody will continue to shape fertility healthcare's future: a future where everyone will have the opportunity to become a parent.  

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Company Continues Nationwide Expansion with Plans to Open Ten State-of-the-Art Fertility Clinics to Support Growing Demand from Employers and Patients Nationwide

NEW YORK, March 2, 2023 – Kindbody, a leading technology-driven fertility clinic network and family-building benefits provider for employers, today announced it raised $100 million in capital from Perceptive Advisors, a leading life sciences investment firm, to support future company growth. The latest financing brings Kindbody’s total equity and debt funding to more than $290 million, and its valuation to $1.8 billion, solidifying its position as the largest women-owned fertility company serving employers and consumers. This financing allows the company to continue to execute on its vision of affordable and accessible fertility care, by adding new clinics in underserved U.S. markets and by investing in operations to further enhance its care model which is designed to deliver industry-leading clinical outcomes. 

Kindbody was founded in late 2018 to fix fertility healthcare in the U.S., which is fragmented, inequitable, expensive, and inaccessible to most. Kindbody is the only family-building benefits provider that owns and operates fertility clinics saving employers 25%-30% by contracting directly with them to provide comprehensive virtual and in-person care to their employees. As the direct provider of clinical care, Kindbody is uniquely positioned to provide a seamless continuum of care, decrease cost, improve patient experience, and deliver better health outcomes.

“Infertility is widespread, more common than diseases like cancer or diabetes. Yet, for far too long, high-quality fertility care has been available to only a privileged few,” said Gina Bartasi, Founder and Chairwoman of Kindbody. “With the support of Perceptive Advisors, and our other investors, Kindbody is positioned to deliver on our vision to help everyone realize their dream of becoming a parent by making high-quality fertility care affordable and accessible for all.” 

Bartasi continued, “In 2023, Kindbody will sharpen its operations, make strategic acquisitions, and maintain our laser focus on profitable growth.”

Kindbody has grown significantly in the past year. In 2022, the company added 42 large employer clients, including Walmart, and today is the fertility benefits provider for 112 companies, covering more than 2.4 million lives. The company made three strategic acquisitions to accommodate growth. Kindbody acquired Vios Fertility Institute, more than doubling its national clinic footprint; a genomics company, adding genetic testing and carrier screening to its end-to-end care delivery model; and, a gestational surrogacy agency, further expanding its continuum of care. Today, Kindbody owns and operates 31 clinics nationwide with plans to open ten new clinics in 2023 in underserved markets with the greatest demand for affordable, high-quality fertility healthcare. 

“This team is unstoppable in their vision to reinvent fertility healthcare,” said Sam Chawla, Portfolio Manager at Perceptive. “Kindbody’s differentiated care delivery model, focused on exceptional patient experience and outcomes at a reduced cost for employers and patients, positions it to meet the urgent need for better fertility healthcare solutions, making Kindbody an attractive opportunity for us.”

Kindbody is a technology-driven fertility clinic network and family-building benefits provider for employers offering virtual and in-person care. Kindbody is the trusted fertility benefits provider for 112 leading employers, covering more than 2.4 million lives. Many thousands more receive their fertility care directly from Kindbody throughout the country at signature clinics, mobile clinics, and partner clinics. As the fertility benefits provider, technology platform, and direct provider of high-quality care, Kindbody delivers a seamless, integrated experience with superior health outcomes at lower cost, making fertility care more affordable and accessible for all. Kindbody has raised $290 million in funding from leading investors including Perceptive Advisors, GV (formerly Google Ventures), RRE Ventures, Claritas Health Ventures, Rock Springs Capital, NFP Ventures, and TQ Ventures. For more information, visit kindbody.com and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter, and Instagram

Contact: 

Margaret Ryan

Kindbody

press@kindbody.com

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Tubal ligation is a type of permanent birth control in which a woman’s fallopian tubes are completely blocked or sealed off. This procedure, or "getting your tubes tied," is a common contraception for women. 

However, just because you've gotten your tubes tied doesn't mean that you can’t ever give birth again. Fortunately, you can still become a surrogate even if you've gone through tubal ligation. You still have the chance to help other couples have the family they've been dreaming of. 

What Happens During Tubal Ligation?

Tubal ligation is a surgical procedure. It involves cutting, tying, or blocking off the fallopian tubes. Doing so prevents the egg from reaching the uterus and thus prevents pregnancy. The procedure also has the additional benefit of reducing the risk of ovarian cancer.

The procedure is considered permanent, and reconstructive surgery is the only way to reverse it. Many women opt for this form of contraception due to its effectiveness and permanence in preventing pregnancies. In addition, women who already have children and don't want anymore will often prefer this procedure.

Why Having Tubal Ligation Does Not Prevent You From Being A Surrogate

Gestational surrogacy is an assisted reproductive technology in which a woman carries and delivers a baby for another couple or individual. In this kind of surrogacy, the surrogate has no genetic connection to the baby she is carrying. Instead, a process called in-vitro fertilization (IVF) is used to implant the couple's embryo into the surrogate's uterus.

On the other hand, traditional surrogacy involves a surrogate genetically related to the baby she carries because her egg is used in the fertilization process. In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate is artificially inseminated from the intended father or a donor. (This type of surrogacy is not recommended by the ASRM and is very rare within the USA.)

Tubal Ligation Simply Prevents Ovulation 

Tubal ligation prevents pregnancy by impeding ovulation. Since the embryos used in gestational surrogacy are created with eggs and sperm from the intended parents or a donor, ovulation is unnecessary for the surrogate to become pregnant. 

As long as the surrogate has a functioning uterus, is in good health, and meets the other program criteria,  she can still be a gestational surrogate even after having her tubes tied.

Benefits of Being A Surrogate After Tubal Ligation

There are no drawbacks to becoming a surrogate if you've had your tubes tied. In fact, there are several advantages that surrogates who have their tubes tied have over those that don't. 

These benefits include the following:

It Will Prevent Surrogates From Getting Pregnant With Their Own Child

If you're thinking about becoming a surrogate, nothing will throw a wrench in your plans than getting pregnant with your own child before the surrogacy process can even begin. After all, you can get pregnant at any time before the embryo transfer, which can cause many issues for the intended parents.

Fortunately, if you've gone through tubal ligation, you don't have to worry about this. Since your fallopian tubes are blocked, there's no way for an egg to reach the uterus and get fertilized with sperm. This means that you can focus on the surrogacy process without having to worry about getting pregnant yourself.

Future Fertility Is No Longer An Issue

When considering becoming a surrogate, many women worry about the pregnancy's effects on their fertility. Generally, having a child on your own or via gestational surrogacy is safe. 

However, there will always be some kind of risk involved in becoming pregnant. This is because carrying a baby can stress the reproductive system, and predicting how a pregnancy will affect future fertility can be challenging.

However, this is no longer an issue if you've already undergone tubal ligation. The procedure has already compromised fertility, so you don't need to worry about future damage. You can focus on the surrogacy process without worrying about your future fertility.

Start Your Surrogate Journey Today

If you want to become a gestational surrogate and have had your tubes tied, don't hesitate to start your journey today. 

At KindEOS, we provide personalized support and guidance to help you through your journey. From the initial application process to medical screenings and doctor visits, our team of experts will be there for you every step of the way. 
Be a part of our KindEOS surrogacy program. Check out our surrogate requirements.

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We’re honored to announce we’ve partnered with the Boomer Esiason Foundation to help people living with cystic fibrosis (CF) realize their dream of building a family. The Boomer Esiason Foundation is dedicated to heightening awareness, education, and quality of life for those affected by CF, while providing financial support to research aimed at finding a cure. Today they launched the BEF IVF Program to help people access fertility care through Kindbody. Accessible, equitable, and affordable care is our guiding light for all of us at Kindbody and we could not be more proud of this partnership. 

The inspiration behind the BEF IVF program is Gunnar Esiason, the son of former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason, who is well known for his lifelong battle with CF and his tireless efforts to advocate for, and improve the lives of, people living with the disease. Gunnar and his wife Darcy are new parents to their son Kaspar– a milestone Gunnar grew up believing he would never achieve. That’s because, until recently, people living with CF didn’t reach adulthood let alone become parents. But over the past decade, a handful of medications have come to market that have turned the disease into a manageable ailment for many patients. Unfortunately, the disease causes infertility in most, creating another hurdle for CF patients who wish to become parents. Gunnar and his dad Boomer set out to help more people living with CF build their families with world-class fertility care through Kindbody. Our Chief Genomics Officer Dr. Amber Cooper sat down with Gunnar and his dad to learn more about Gunnar’s story and why this particular program is so meaningful to them both. 

It’s a pleasure to sit down with you today. I know it's not lost on any of us that a decade ago we may not have had this conversation. Would you share more about the Boomer Esiason Foundation and how it was founded?

My parents founded the Boomer Esiason Foundation in 1993 not long after I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. The Foundation has really evolved since it was started to meet community needs in the here and now. Aside from contributing to cystic fibrosis clinics and research initiatives, we have a number of financial assistance programs that support CF families through all stages of life. The CF community is going through a rapid period of change thanks to some remarkable medication breakthroughs over the last several years and now we're committed to making sure patients and families have what they need to be successful well into adulthood and into the future. When I was diagnosed, CF was considered a childhood disease. Today it is anything but that, and it's been wonderful to play a small role in seeing that through.

I’ve heard you describe the inability to start a family as “salt in the wound” of living with CF. Tell me about your fertility journey.

Cystic fibrosis is such a complex condition that is an incredible burden for patients and families to carry. The care routine alone, while much easier today, has historically been hours and hours long per day. Now that we're living in a time when the vast majority of patients are seeing the benefit of incredible medications and are pursuing the kinds of things that most people get to enjoy in life - school, work, social lives and anything else - it's just incredibly frustrating that infertility is one more thing a lot of us have to deal with. I actually learned about my infertility from a Facebook group well before I was mature enough to understand the implications of it. It was terrifying and sort of hung over me like a cloud for a long time. Only years later, when I was much older did I understand what my path to having a family would need to look like, and even then it was hard to get answers from CF care providers about nuanced details around genetic testing, sperm extraction and preparation. We actually turned to other people with CF as a key resource. 

Why is it so important for you to launch the BEF Program?

The cost of living with a rare disease is significant. Every single dollar spent has a magnifying glass attached to it, and while my wife and I were able to afford fertility treatments, we want to be sure that more people with cystic fibrosis can, too. The joy that our family felt when my son arrived is the same kind of joy I want other families to feel. People with CF go through so much in their lives – it means a lot to us if we can help them find fulfillment even in the face of huge obstacles.

What is your wish for this program? Five years from now what would you like to achieve?

It's simple. I want to see an entire new generation added to our cystic fibrosis community -- that is children born to people who have survived a lifetime with this disease.

Your story is truly inspiring and this program will help so many people. Thank you Gunnar and Boomer for the opportunity to help people with CF realize their dreams of becoming a parent. 

Learn more about the grant here!

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If you’re wondering whether or not you should freeze your eggs, start by asking yourself these questions:

How old are you?

How many kids are in your ideal family?

How old will you be when you have your first child?

How old will you be when you have your last child?

Now, think about the basics.

You were born with all the eggs you’re ever going to have–about 2 million. By the time of your first period, that number is down to 400,000-500,000 and you lose eggs every month regardless of whether you take birth control or not.

Doctors typically point to the age of 35 as the point in which fertility declines. However, this isn’t a switch that turns off one day. As you age, your eggs age with you. Both quantity and quality declines.

Poor egg quality can result in an increased risk of miscarriage or genetic abnormalities. 

So what is egg freezing?

Egg freezing is the process of extracting eggs from the ovaries and freezing them for later use. Frozen eggs are stored in a secure facility and they can be kept there for as long as you wish. Your frozen eggs will be the same age as you were when you froze them, so if you end up needing them in the future, you can use them through in-vitro fertilization or IVF.

Reasons to consider egg freezing

There are many reasons to consider egg freezing. A few that have been outlined by some of our patients include:

  • You are currently focusing on your career 
  • You have personal goals to meet before starting a family
  • You haven’t found the right partner yet
  • You are waiting for financial stability 
  • You have a medical condition that can affect your fertility
  • You are not sure you want children, but would like to have younger eggs available if you decide to have children

Does egg freezing guarantee a baby?

The truth is not every egg will result in an embryo, not every embryo will result in a pregnancy, and not every pregnancy will result in a baby. 

As such, there is no guarantee that freezing your eggs will result in a future pregnancy or baby.

Knowledge is power

To help you make an informed decision about freezing your eggs, a Kindbody physician will start off your journey with a fertility consultation, which includes an ultrasound of your ovaries and a medical history review. Your fertility consultation will provide a better sense of your current ovarian reserve.

Schedule a consultation

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