The struggle with infertility can become a journey filled with stress, despair, frustration, and pain (especially with each injection of medication!). Wouldn’t it be great if we could ease some of the pain by “injecting” a dose of humor along with the medications as we travel on the emotional road to parenthood? Today, I discuss a fantastically entertaining campaign that looks at the realities of infertility with a bit of funniness.
Sometimes humor helps ease the stress from infertility and can also take the sting out of each injection of fertility medications. I have often hoped to offer a little humor as an adjunct therapy to the infertility treatments I prescribe. I had at one time thought about dressing up as a clown to make my patients laugh. But, I don’t think that my patients would find an Asian clown very humorous. Now, I can help bring a smile to my patients’ faces by recommending they watch the real but amusing story of the birds and the bees. Here is the situation:
“Neil and Karen are just your average couple…with an issue.” Meet Neil, a hard working bee that is trying his best to impregnate his wife. Meet Karen, Neil’s wife, who is a dedicated bird desperately trying to conceive. But, they have one problem. It’s not working.
Neil and Karen are in love. They are healthy. They are doing everything right. But, they just don’t understand why they have not gotten pregnant…yet. Sometimes it’s hard for the birds and the bees to make babies.
Sound familiar?
EMD Serono has launched a website (www.Increaseyourchances.org) and facebook page (www.Facebook.com/TheBirdsandBees) with short webisodes featuring Karen and Neil which depict very real conversations that infertile couples might have. Neil and Karen are the fictional “bird and bee” and they discuss their frustrations and questions about infertility with a bit of humor.
I contacted EMD Serono and asked them about this witty ad campaign. “The campaign started last year and was designed to help de-stigmatize infertility by taking a lighter approach to educating couples about how to increase their chances of conceiving by speaking with a fertility expert as soon as possible. This year, we have expanded the program and have created a full music video called ‘The Early Bird Catches the Sperm’.”
“The Bird and Bee campaign aims to reach people who are embarrassed or afraid to talk about their fertility issues and make it more mainstream to discuss/share with others and get medical help, if needed. The video helps convey that while some people may think that they won’t have any trouble getting pregnant, the real story is that fertility issues affect 7.3 million people in the U.S.”
The face book page will have all the webisodes and is updated regularly with facts, tips, questions and information about infertility. The videos definitely provide some needed comic relief during a stressful time. Aside from the hilarious music video, my personal favorite is “Jane’s pregnant again”. I recommend that you watch all the webisodes and “like” their facebook page. Doctor’s orders.
Watch Neil and Karen’s story at www.Increaseyourchances.org
Spread awareness by “liking” The Birds and Bees facebook page at www.Facebook.com/TheBirdsandBees
Source: EMD Serono
Dr. Lowell Ku, M.D. is an award winning and leading Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility specialist at Dallas IVF, one the nation’s premiere infertility centers. Dr. Ku clarifies the many confusing terms used in the world of Infertility using straightforward explanations.
One Comment
I agree that a good sense of humor can help one through the fertility journey. As part of a couple involved in our own long journey, humor has been the best medicine. See if you agree. Here’s my own humorous fertility video from the male perspective: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-PAwbTt4Og