‘Martinis’ and manicures bring Chicago women together to discuss fertility

June 2nd, 2009

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by Monica Derevjanikand Mary Squillace
May 13, 2009

Twelve thousand women participated in an online study on fertility facts, and only one woman answered all 15 questions correctly. Now one woman has launched a campaign using “martinis” and manicures to change that statistic.

“It’s a mind blow to me that women don’t understand and have not been given that good of information about the biological clock,” said Corey Whelan, the program director for the New York City-based American Fertility Association. “Most infertility can be avoided if women simply know the truth about when their body is no longer willing to cooperate.”

That’s why Whelan, 53, created the Manicures and Martinis Infertility Prevention Program—a national series of events where women can gather to sip non-alcoholic “fertiltinis,” get their nails done and ask fertility experts about how to prevent infertility. Fifty women attended the Chicago event Tuesday night at River North’s Allyu salon.

One of those women was 28-year-old physical therapist Janna Miller, who attended the event after hearing that her friend was using holistic methods to boost her fertility.

“I learned that my husband’s supplements that he’s taking could affect his fertility in the future,” she said.