Illume Fertility

06/05/2026

For LGBTQ+ families, the path to parenthood begins long before a first appointment. It involves navigating complex decisions, financial considerations, legal questions, and family-building options that many people never have to think about.

Along the way, there can be excitement and hope. There can also be plenty of uncertainty, frustration, isolation, and grief.

What often goes unseen is the work that happens behind the scenes: researching options, exploring donor and surrogacy pathways, understanding costs, and finding providers who understand your goals and respect your family.

If this experience feels familiar, you're far from alone.

This Pride Month, we celebrate the many ways families are built and the people pursuing parenthood with determination, resilience, and love.

Whatever your next step looks like, you deserve expert guidance, compassionate care, and a place where your family is recognized and respected from the very beginning.

🏳️‍🌈 Visit illumefertility.com/PRIDE to explore our June calendar of events, read patient stories, access helpful resources, and connect with a community that understands the journey.

06/03/2026

Our own Dr. Mark Leondires, Founder and Medical Director of Illume Fertility and Gay Parents To Be, was featured on The Center for Family Building podcast alongside his co-author Lisa Schuman to discuss their book, Building Your Family: The Complete Guide to Donor Conception.

In this episode, they cover:
🧡 The key medical steps in egg, s***m, and embryo donation
💛 How to choose the right donor
💙 The emotional journey most people don't expect
💜 What to tell your children — and when

Clear, honest, and actionable guidance from two leading voices in the field. No fluff — just answers.

🎧 Watch or listen here:

Re-released for Pride 2026 — Because this conversation never gets o...

06/01/2026

🏳️‍🌈 You're invited: join us for a special LGBTQ+ Fertility 101 evening event at our Norwalk, CT office!

On Monday, June 15th at 6pm, Dr. Mark Leondires and Dr. Laura Meyer will walk you through every path to parenthood available to LGBTQ+ individuals and couples — from IUI and IVF to reciprocal IVF, egg and s***m donation, surrogacy, genetic testing, and more.

You'll also hear directly from two Illume dads who built their family through surrogacy, sharing their real, firsthand experience. 💙

Here's what to expect:
✅ A detailed presentation covering all your family-building options
✅ Honest insights from LGBTQ+ parents who've been there
✅ A live Q&A with our doctors
✅ Food, soft drinks, and a chance to meet others on similar journeys

Whether you're just starting to explore your options or ready to take next steps, this is the event for you (and it's completely free to attend).

Join us on June 15th — and bring your questions!

📍 Illume Fertility - 761 Main Avenue, Suite 200, Norwalk, CT 06851
📅 Monday, June 15 | 6:00 PM

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lgbtq-family-building-101-tickets-1989238436713?aff=IG

A special community event for Pride Month

06/01/2026

From all of us at Illume Fertility, Happy Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

We believe that every family has a story worth celebrating. This June, we're honoring the LGBTQ+ patients and partners who have trusted us with one of life's most meaningful journeys, and the many roads that led them here.

Throughout the month, we'll be spotlighting inspiring stories from our community: families built through surrogacy, donor conception, IVF, reciprocal IVF, and beyond.

We'll also be sharing valuable LGBTQ+ family-building resources, participating in four local Pride events across Connecticut and New York, and hosting an in-person event on June 15th featuring Dr. Mark Leondires, Dr. Laura Meyer, and a real Illume couple who built their family through surrogacy.

🌈 Get all the details, plus explore free resources, patient stories, and more by visiting illumefertility.com/pride

We are proud to be your partner in family building — today, this month, and always.

- Your friends at Illume Fertility

Illume Fertility supports LGBTQ+ family building across CT and NY. Explore 2026 Pride events, patient stories, local resources, and inclusive fertility care.

05/30/2026

Happy Birthday to Dr. Laura Meyer! 🎂✨

Year after year, she shows up with the kind of heart that changes lives, guiding patients through some of their most hopeful and vulnerable moments with grace, expertise, and genuine care.

We are so grateful she's part of the Illume Fertility family.

🥳 Share your favorite Dr. Meyer memory or a birthday wish in the comments below 💛

05/28/2026

Let's talk about something diet culture doesn't want you to hear. 🙅‍♀️ Restrictive eating, skipping meals, and cutting out whole food groups isn't discipline — it can actually make things harder, especially when you're TTC or managing PCOS.

Our Dietitian Nutritionist Jenn Walsh wants you to know three things:
1️⃣ Focus on what you can add to your diet, not what to remove.
2️⃣ Your hunger cues are signals worth listening to, not ignoring.
3️⃣ All foods can have a place on your plate. Food is neutral, not moral.

When you stop fighting your body and start nourishing it, everything shifts. Jenn's full guide walks you through how to get there.

A dietitian nutritionist explores the 10 principles of intuitive eating and the benefits of this framework for those navigating fertility treatment or PCOS.

05/22/2026

This Memorial Day, we pause to honor and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. 🇺🇸 Swipe for a personal message from our founder, Dr. Mark Leondires, a U.S. veteran himself.

At Illume, we are proud to support all those who have served. If you are an active duty service member or veteran, we encourage you to explore our military discounts via the link in our bio.

🗓️ Please note: In honor of Memorial Day, our Stamford, Trumbull, Danbury, and Harrison offices will be closed on Monday, May 25th. Our Norwalk office will be open for scheduled morning monitoring and procedures only.

💊Please be sure you have enough of any needed medications. If you need prescription refills or have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Care Team.

We wish you all a safe and restful holiday weekend. 🌟

-The Illume Team ❤️

05/20/2026

Join Illume Fertility's Dr. Joshua Hurwitz for a free live webinar on Wednesday, May 27 at 12 PM EDT all about egg freezing and fertility preservation.

Dr. Hurwitz will walk you through when and why to consider egg freezing, how the process actually works, and what to expect before, during, and after treatment. You'll also hear directly from a former Illume patient as she shares her personal experience with egg freezing. Stick around for a live Q&A where Dr. Hurwitz answers your questions in real time.

Can't join us live? Register anyway — everyone who signs up will receive a link to the recording after the event.

🎁 Register now and receive $100 off your initial consultation with a fertility doctor + FREE AMH testing (new self-pay patients only).

Preserving Your Future Fertility Options

05/19/2026

Our very own Dr. Shaun Williams, M.D. Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility was featured in US News & World Report, sharing his expertise on the best fertility supplements for women. 🌿

If you're exploring ways to support your fertility journey, this is a great read.

See which fertility supplements 357 pharmacists recommend for optimizing reproductive health and conception. Plus check out top-rated prenatal vitamins.

05/15/2026

Big news: Polycystic O***y Syndrome (PCOS) has been officially renamed Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), a name that more accurately reflects the hormonal, metabolic, and multi-system nature of the condition.

The renaming came after 14 years of work involving 22,000 patients, clinicians, and researchers across six continents. Both names (PCOS and PMOS) will be in use during a three-year transition period. We know this change brings up a lot of questions, and for some, real concerns about what gets lost along the way.

At Illume Fertility, treating the full picture (hormones, metabolism, mental health, nutrition, and fertility) has always been at the heart of our PCOS care, and that does not change with a new name.

Full breakdown from Dr. Ilana Ressler at the link below.

Have questions about the new name? Drop them in the comments or DM us!

PCOS is now PMOS. Dr. Ilana Ressler explains what the global name change means for diagnosis, fertility care, and research over the coming 3-year rollout.