Landon Buford
There seems to be a name for every journey in life, except for one, Conceivinghood, a new term, and now a public conversation to mark the pre-pregnancy phase. Clearblue points out what can be a quiet but emotional period among those on their design journey in the hope of providing support, guidance, and education.
Many people who find it difficult to conceive want hope and are not alone. In a survey conducted by OnePoll for Clearblue, 33% of survey respondents who tried to conceive originally thought it would take them less than three months to become pregnant. However, nearly one in six couples surveyed reported experiencing fertility problems, noting that it took an average of five months of effort to conceive.
“My Conceivinghood journey definitely took a toll on me,” said Jordana Brewster. “I saw a lot of ‘not pregnant’ multiple times. Through it all, it was the immense support from my family and friends that helped me stay positive. I know everyone’s story isn’t the same, but I hope those out there struggling find solace and hope through Clearblue’s #Conceivinghood campaign. That’s why I’m so honored to join Clearblue to shed light on an intimate topic that so many people keep private.”
The idea behind Conceivinghood was to create a community where those who are struggling to conceive can share their stories, feelings, and pain in a safe and supportive environment while also getting help and regaining hope from a community of people who resonate with the issues at hand.
Since its inception in 2020, Clearblue’s #Conceivinghood campaign has provided support and guidance for those struggling on their Trying to Conceive (TTC) journey and has no plans of slowing down. Of those surveyed, 40% believe that more resources or support would help them in the long run, and 64% of couples acknowledge that hearing stories about others overcoming fertility problems gives them hope1.
“I speak to people every day who are going through Conceivinghood, and it can be such an emotional and overwhelming time, said Dr. Jessica Shepherd, OB/GYN, and Clearblue Spokesperson. “Clearblue is bringing special attention to the #Conceivinghood journey and supporting couples who are going through it. I believe being vocal about your Conceivinghood story can not only be therapeutic, but can also help comfort others who may be going through similar TTC struggles.”
In honor of National Infertility Awareness Week (April 18-24), Clearblue is hosting a live, virtual panel event on April 22, 2021, at 11 a.m. EDT about the ups and downs of the Conceivinghood journey – in a safe and supportive environment. The panel of influential voices engaging in an intimate discussion included:
- Jordana Brewster, actor, who has openly spoken about her struggles to conceive.
- Devon Still, NFL Legend, and his wife Asha Still, who have openly discussed their trying to conceive (TTC) struggles in their journey to expand their family
- Dr. Jessica Shepherd, OBGYN, MBA, FACOG, and Chief Medical Officer of Verywell Health
- Kara Burnett Giugliano, Tik Tok influencer who went viral after sharing her Clearblue #Conceivinghood journey on the platform
- Moderated by: Dr. Fiona Clancy, R&D Senior Director at Swiss Precision Diagnostics Medical
More information can be found at Clearblue.com/conceivinghood, and those trying to conceive can join the #Conceivinghood conversation by sharing their own story. They can also register for Clearblue’s upcoming virtual panel event here: https://www.clearblueconceivinghoodevent.com/.
NFL legend Devon Still spoke to Landonbuford.com and discuss numerous topics including how he got involved with Clearblue. He also gives us an update on his daughter Leah, who is now going on six-years being cancer free.
Can you share with us how you got involved with Clearblue in the first place?
Devon Still: Our partnership with Clearblue actually began a few years back. At the time we were trying to get pregnant and were not seeing the results we wanted. We were seeing negative test after negative test until someone suggested we try the Clearblue Ovulation tests. We began tracking Asha’s ovulation and immediately after taking that test, we got our first positive pregnancy test. About a year ago, we were trying to conceive and Asha did get pregnant, but unfortunately miscarried. We were very open and honest about our situation because we wanted to make sure other people who are also going through this or have didn’t feel alone. We can only reach a certain amount of people from our platform, but when you have a brand that has the same mission as you and can amplify that message and even more importantly, reach a larger demo to share that message, we felt it was extremely important to partner with them on their #Conceivinghood program so those suffering in silence know there’s a whole community of people who are willing to talk about this and offer support. It could help transforms other people’s lives.
They have also partnered with actress Jordana Brewster. In your own word, why do you feel it is important to lend your voice?
Devon Still: We jumped on board to Clearblue’s #Conceivinghood campaign because we want to be able to normalize these conversations and be there for other people going through these struggles. The conception journey is extremely personal and for those that are struggling, there can be a sense of shame or failure but that doesn’t have to be the case. Just like Jordana lending her voice to the #Conceivinghood campaign, we felt it was important to talk about our story to destigmatize the somewhat uncomfortable topic. We hope those that are struggling hear our stories and feel hopeful. We believe transparency leads to transformation. If people such as my myself and Jordana use our voice to speak on these tough topics, it has the chance to transform the way people feel about themselves, their TTC journey, and the topic of conceivinghood.
What are your expectations for Bengals QB Joe Burrow coming off an ACL injury?
Devon Still: Joe is no stranger to adversity. He had many struggles in college and bounced back to become one of the best. To me, this is no different.
Can you give us an update on how your daughter Leah is doing?
Devon Still: She is doing amazing. She is 6 years cancer free and just enjoying life.
It is the sixth anniversary of the Still Strong Foundation. Can you share some of the initiatives that you have in store this year?
Devon Still: Just because Leah’s fight with cancer is over, it doesn’t mean out fight against childhood cancer is over. We are going to continue to be a resource for families emotionally and financially.
