The American Fertility Association's Infertility Prevention Series Premieres In NYC

Main Category: Fertility
Article Date: 29 Jan 2009 - 8:00 PDT

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The American Fertility Association launched the much anticipated Manicures & Martinis infertility prevention program Tuesday night at Dashing Diva Nail Salon in Gramercy Park, Manhattan. The event exceeded all expectations, drawing a standing-room-only crowd of young women from around the city and beyond. Manicures & Martinis targets young women who are not quite ready to conceive, but might one day want to have a child. The series features health care professionals leading a conversation about how to prevent infertility, while the attendees enjoy a complimentary manicure and martini or a Fertilitini(TM), an all-organic, alcohol-free beverage, whose recipe is the winning entry from a nationwide contest.

"It's not even something I would have thought of. It would have never crossed my mind. So, just to be aware that there's a place I can go for more information is good to know," says 25-year-old Deenie Hartzog from Brooklyn who attended the premiere event.

The AFA is committed to bringing infertility prevention education to young women who need it most rather than asking them to seek out conferences. The program is being taken to places where women commonly hang out, such as nail salons, health clubs, and boutiques. Based on the turnout Tuesday - it seems to be working.

Ken Mosesian, Executive Director of The AFA, says, "We were hoping to have 20 women register for the event. We registered 25, had an additional 25 show up, and had a waiting list of 34. I was taken by the thoughtfulness of the questions; for example, women asking about the effects of long-term birth control on fertility, STD prevention, and what part the male plays in infertility. This was a clear demonstration of just how much this information is lacking and desired."

"The event was a success, the Fertilitini(TM) was a success, and we're so glad we're catering to such a good cause such as The American Fertility Association," says Jorge Oliver, Dashing Diva's General Manager.

The debut event, sponsored by Schering-Plough, Apthorp Pharmacy, and NYU Fertility Center, featured Jamie Grifo, MD, PhD, of NYU Fertility Center, who engaged the crowd in a very informative discussion.

"I think the topic was timely and important. It brought on a lot of discussion. People are motivated by the topic and do it in a nice, friendly, quiet, peaceful, non-threatening environment where it's relaxing. I think it can make for a more effective lecture and actually make it more interactive. I think that's what was accomplished tonight," says Grifo.

Corey Whelan, The AFA Development Director, says, "I saw women tonight intently focused on the speaker while they were getting manicures. Some of the questions that the women asked really knocked me out. This is an intelligent group of young women coming to an amazing place to get amazing information. You can't do this in a lecture hall."

Future events to be held the following dates:

-- February 10th on Long Island, NY
-- February 24th in Brooklyn, NY
-- March 10th in Manhattan, NY
-- May 11th in Littleton, CO

The American Fertility Association, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is an all-inclusive lifetime resource for infertility prevention, reproductive health and family building. We offer services through our free membership program, including an extensive online library, monthly online chats, telephone and in-person coaching, hosted message boards and a toll-free support line.

American Fertility Association