Video: Couple Facing Infertility Find Strength In Each Other

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STARKVILLE, Miss.  (WCBI)- “Opening up about our story was the best thing that I’ve done.”

It’s been a long road for Jonathan and Hannah Ratliff. For years, they’ve been trying to have a baby.

“Back in 2010, when we got married we immediately started trying because we knew that we might foresee some problems because I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome,” said Hannah.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is the most common cause of infertility in women.

“I was embarrassed about it because my body can’t make a baby and I blamed myself for the longest because I can’t make him a dad or myself a mom,” said Hannah.

Numerous infertility specialists, thousands of dollars on treatment and medications, but their results weren’t what they hoped for.

“At times it’s stressful, it’s just trying to get up the money to try to make our family,” said Jonathan.

But they aren’t giving up, and they rely on each other’s love when days are hard to bare.

Hannah: “He has to kind of pick me up when I fall to pieces, when I find out that the medicine didn’t work and we have to try again. Jonathan: “I just tell her you know… one day we will have a kid no matter what we have to go through or what procedure we have to do, we will be blessed with a child one day. Hannah: He is my backbone during it all,” said Hannah.

Hannah is no longer afraid of speaking out. She’s now apart of an infertility support group on Facebook.

“We have each other’s back and realize we’re going to have trials and tribulations, but in the end, the main thing is we’ll become parents one way or the other,” said Hannah.

Jonathan and Hannah hope speaking out and raising awareness helps hopeful parents find strength.

“You are not alone. That is the biggest thing. When you first start going through it you feel so isolated from other people. Any time you go to Walmart, you’re going to be faced with someone who’s pregnant or you get on Facebook, there’s going to be 3 or 4 pregnancy announcements a day… but you are not alone,” said Hannah.

Jonathan and Hannah also say they try their best not to stress out about it by taking walks, reading books and going out on dates. They realize infertility does not define their relationship.