Borderland moms share their journey to motherhood on National Infertility Awareness Week

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- Some Borderland mothers are sharing their journey to motherhood on National Infertility Awareness Week. The week allows mothers to raise awareness and highlight the challenges many families are facing. 

El Pasoan Karla Lujan talked to ABC-7 about her journey to becoming a mother. She said she and her husband got married in 2014. Lujan expected to get pregnant shortly after, but was unsuccessful. 

Both underwent tests and infertility questions. Lujan said many family members and loved ones began to question why they hadn't had children yet. 

Lujan explained the pressures she faced. She said she lost confidence. She said both decided to stop treatments months after they had started. Lujan used that time to focus on herself.

Shortly after, in 2017, she became pregnant. 

"Hearing the baby's heartbeat, it was, it was just the best moment ever. And just to know, a few weeks after that, I was going to be, that I was expecting a baby girl. It was the best thing ever," said Lujan. 

Two years later, they found out they were pregnant again without undergoing any treatment.  Years later, they discovered they were expecting once again. 

Now, Lujan is a proud mother of three children and her message is simple. 

"Just to give yourself that time for you to know your body, for you to respect it, for you to understand it, it's even it's even better because we have to give yourself that time as well. And most importantly, not to not lose faith."

Another El Paso mom also shared her story to becoming a mother. Ashley Barrett said she sought treatment options after facing infertility. 

She said there needs to be more conversations surrounding infertility. 

"It's not something to be ashamed about, and I feel like it's just a topic that's not really discussed. And even, even amongst each other, you know, it's it's just something that we don't talk about. And I know at the beginning I felt a bit ashamed just because I felt like, 'Why isn't this happening to me?' And to trust the process."

Barrett is now a mother to one toddler and is expecting her second child.

According to the CDC, about one in five women are unable to get pregnant after one year of trying.  

Obstetrician gynecologist Dr. Dorovenia Hawkins-Koch explained that the number is slightly higher in El Paso. 

"The reason why infertility awareness is so important is that a lot of the times people just can assume that they can get pregnant. And then it's very just heart wrenching when they start to try and then they don't succeed, or when they're trying for several months and months and months. And then it just doesn't happen, and it makes them almost feel like they're a failure, and they should not feel that way."

Dr. Hawkins-Koch said there are many treatment options for families in El Paso.