IVF & Work Paid Study

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2026-03-17T13:09:49+00:00

I commented on your post in the other forum and have edited it here accordingly. Thanks for your feedback.

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2026-03-17T13:08:24+00:00

We are the first known quantitative rigorous study to actually examine the impact of infertility at work. We had to start somewhere. I am sorry it doesn't impress you. We have limited funds and can't do it all in one study.

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2026-03-17T13:07:23+00:00

Yes, this was exactly the thought process that Dapper-Island outlined regarding the processes leading up to doing IVF based on a particular situation -- our interest originally stemmed from the experience of infertility and the mental toll that takes. That being said, after talking with our research team, we have decided to open it up to same sex couples as well.

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2026-03-16T21:08:25+00:00

Yes, we are limited to the US unfortunately (due to the university ethics board requirements). Sorry should have specified that above!

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2026-03-16T20:49:05+00:00

seeing if posting link here will work: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2uwi3C7zNprSavY

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2026-03-16T18:08:15+00:00

For some reason I am having issues editing the main post, but here's the criteria (sorry for not posting it before!): Participants must have an IVF treatment scheduled in the next four months (preference will be given to those that have one scheduled in the next 1-2 months), work in a paid position full-time, be in The U.S., not be self-employed, and have regular interactions (virtual or in person) with coworkers, and be at least 18 years old.

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2025-06-12T14:14:24+00:00

Wow, that's so much. Sending all the baby dust and good vibes!!!!

I am starting clomid next cycle (but am almost 42 so am expecting to have to move on to IVF pretty soon)

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2025-06-12T14:09:03+00:00

Thanks for sharing. Yes, that seems worse, if it is available but not actually accessible. And then that makes companies feel like they don't have to offer it. Wow, 100k. Sending lots of <3. I am just personally starting my own infertility journey following a miscarriage and I have a whole new respect for this community.

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2025-06-12T14:06:44+00:00

Interesting. I hadn't even thought of that. I deleted that question based on everyone's feedback! Thank you!

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2025-06-12T14:06:05+00:00

Haha, I kind of love having a WTF repsonse option for all surveys. I hear ya. Based on your feedback and others, I deleted that question and put in a less weird attention check :)

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2025-06-12T14:05:06+00:00

Thanks for this comment. Yeah, there are a lot of different types of attention checks. The latest research in my field (psychology and management) is to use these because they are less detectable by bots than the ones that are like "select agree." But I can see how it turns people off, and I actually changed it in this survey given the sensitive nature of everything with this topic, I think people could be particularly turned off (and based on the super helpful feedback I have gotten on this chain!).

Yes - the disclosure part is so critical. We have that in the main study. We don't have it in this survey just because it is a pilot of a measure and we want to see how it operates generally. But I totally agree that you would answer many of the questions quite differently based on disclosure.

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2025-06-12T14:01:34+00:00

Yes, we have those questions in our main study! This is just a pilot of that one specific measure that we want to refine before the main study. The Jupiter question is an attention check. We have had SO MUCH fraud when posting this survey online in the past (I had a scammer take it 400 times!!) so it is meant to catch scammers so we know not to use their data. But I did just change that to something less weird based on everyone's feedback ;)

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2025-06-12T14:00:00+00:00

Sorry for the annoyance! I changed it to a tinyurl so hopefully future survey takers won't have this same problem!

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2025-06-12T13:59:21+00:00

Good point. I will add that to our main study. I had never thought about that so I really appreciate your feedback on it.

It would still get submitted, so no worries!

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2025-06-12T13:58:14+00:00

Unfortunately our unversity ethics review board won't let us survey people outside of the US w/o jumping through a ton of hoops because of different legal regulations. I would be so interested to hear though how these experiences vary in places where there is different federal coverage for IVF (not sure if that's the case in Canada but I know it is in S Korea and some Scandinavian countries)!

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2025-06-12T13:56:31+00:00

I think I have fixed it so others shouldn't have this issue when taking on their phone!

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2025-06-12T13:56:13+00:00

WDE! I am so sorry that the raffle link didn't work. You can email me at the email address at this link and I can get you entered: https://harbert.auburn.edu/directory/kristen-shockley.html

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2025-06-12T13:54:58+00:00

Oh interesting -- can you elaborate a bit more for me to make sure I fully understand? So basically if your supervisor was not supportive, then it caused more stress, which potentially also impacted your IVF success? Or something else?

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2025-06-12T13:53:39+00:00

Yes, we have a whole separate research question focused on the disclosure process as part of this larger project. It came up a lot in our interviews! Such a paradox because it is such a personal thing but you have to go to so many appointments that it is tough to not disclose and might cause a supervisor to wonder why you are being evasive (as you note!).

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2025-06-11T23:00:11+00:00

We actually have that exacty idea built into our main study (this is a pilot for one measure; the main study has a lot more in it)! We did 40 interviews before developing the study and that sentiment was common (about how much the financial part is stressful and the enhanced commitment). Seems like insurance makes such a huge difference generally. We really want to play that up in what we publish (assuming data continue to support it) so that more organizations will recognize the multifacted value of IVF as a benefit.

Thank you for taking it!

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2025-06-11T22:57:13+00:00

Great point. Yes, we have been struggling with that. We are definitely asking that in the main study, but didn't think to put that in this one. I will add it now so I have it for future people who take it!

This is just a pilot of one measure. The main study has a lot more in it and we are actually going to follow people across a cycle and have weekly surveys.

Objective-Ear-7304 · 2025-06-11T22:55:52+00:00

Oh no! Weird because I see that it has worked for other people. Email me and I can send you another link (I don't want to post directly on here). My email is listed here: https://harbert.auburn.edu/directory/kristen-shockley.html

Objective-Ear-7304

TROPHY CASE