Here’s what you need to know about fertility in your 20s

Published in

A Thyme for Milk and Honey

3 min readApr 24, 2019

I couldn’t help it. I just had to come and share the PR email letter I received first thing this morning.

Hi Sarah Kay,

Babies and motherhood might not be on your radar right now, and most twenty-something’s do most anything to avoid pregnancy. But as the biological clock continues to tick, many women may find themselves wondering, “Is my fertility in check?” way before considering trying to conceive.

Mary Jane Minkin, Ob/Gyn at Yale University is available to discuss the most important things to know about fertility- like how to understand when you’re ovulating, and lifestyle choices that might protect or harm baby-making abilities.

Let me know if you’d like to speak with Dr. Minkin.
Thanks,
Sara

It’s totally applicable for National Infertility Awareness Week. It’s even sort of applicable for the theme, Building a Family.

If I was to write a letter back to Ms. PR professional, here is what it would look like. (Updated to add: DID, in fact, send this email.)

Subject line: Here is what you need to know about pitching appropriately

Hi Sara,

Thank you for the email. It’s nice to meet you.

I had the chance to look you up and do some research on who you are / your agency. You are a PR coordinator, and you work for a large agency based in the greater New York City area.

You are in your 20’s, and you seem to have a lot of spunk, personality, and eagerness in this wild and crazy business-world we’re all part of.

While I think your energy and enthusiasm is great, I need you to know that sending a pitch letter like this just because I have a blog Google enjoys, is not appropriate.

In the future, you must do a little more personal research if you are going to send such a personal email pitch.

A little more about me:

My name is Sarah Kay Hoffman.
I am 36; definitely not in my 20's.
Both babies and motherhood are currently on my radar.
I have never avoided pregnancy.
My biological clock might be ticking but I couldn’t care less about asking the question, “Is my fertility in check?” due to a desire for conceiving.
Mary Jane Minkin, Ob/Gyn at Yale University sounds quite distinguished, but I’ll bet I understand far more about my ovulation and lifestyle choices than she does now or ever will.
I have a 2, 3, and 5-year old.
My husband and I have built this family by way of foster-to-adoption.

I hope you understand why I’d send you this email. I know that when you’re in your 20’s (heck, even 30’s, 40’s, and 50's), it seems like the only way to build a family is to be concerned with fertility and that old “ticking time clock.” But it’s not.

Your email could not have been less relevant to me. I hope you never know the pains that come from infertility, but I also pray that if you do you can rest confidently with the hope that everything is beautiful in its time and that infertility does not have to be a painful, secretive life issue.

Nope. It was actually the BEST THING, by far, that ever transpired in my life.

See?!