After breaking free of a cult and a whirlwind four months of dating, on May 6, 2018 I married my husband and best friend, Micah Simmler.

I was 33 years old at the time. It felt like I had waited forever, so we began trying immediately for a baby. Months passed — a roller coaster of hope, then disappointment.

In August 2018 I had a chemical pregnancy. Even though it was such an early loss, I felt profound grief. In 2019, after years of unexplained health issues, I was diagnosed with endometriosis. Lesions were excised via laparoscopic surgery, and we were encouraged to keep trying naturally. The next six months would be our best chance to conceive as endometriosis (a condition that causes chronic, often debilitating symptoms, including severe period pain, damage to reproductive organs, heavy bleeding, chronic fatigue, food intolerances, etc.) often returns.

In 2020, I had a consult with Dr. Ben Lannon of Boston IVF in Portland. After reviewing my medical history, he told us that in vitro fertilization was our best chance for success. He was hesitant to recommend it too strongly, though, as we didn’t have insurance coverage.

He offered intrauterine insemination instead, while also preparing us mentally for the high possibility of it not working. (Many couples dealing with endometriosis spend thousands on IUI treatments, only to end up moving on to IVF.)

If we had insurance coverage then, we could have started IVF. We were living on one income at the time while I healed from surgery. The clock was ticking on my endometriosis returning, but we were reluctant to take on more debt — after buying our first home — to pay for medical treatment not covered by insurance plans offered through either of my husband’s workplaces.

By 2021, my endometriosis had returned. My gynecologist recommended we proceed to IVF as soon as possible. I took a part-time job from home where I could manage my symptoms better, while also saving more toward treatment. Due to my age and the recurring endometriosis, time for us was and is of the essence.

Nearly four years have passed since we first started trying for a baby. Infertility takes a mental toll. Not having access to necessary medical treatment only increases the stress couples face. In our situation, delaying IVF due to lack of insurance coverage has also meant delaying a surgery that could provide permanent relief from symptoms so I can get my life back. First, I need to know that I did all I could to make our dream of having a baby come true. For us, that’s IVF.

I was very hopeful hearing about LD 1539, a bill that would provide greater access to fertility care for Maine couples like us. Unfortunately, an amendment was added by the Maine Senate, delaying enactment until 2024.

Although the reasons are no doubt valid, it is yet another roller coaster of hope and disappointment for many. My husband and I can’t wait until then. Still, I am thrilled that in the future many Maine couples dealing with infertility will be helped by the passage of this bill.

Maine should join other New England states in providing greater access to fertility care. Infertility is a medical condition. Having wealth should not be the deciding factor on who has access to that medical treatment. My hope is that opponents of LD 1539 will come to understand the full impact their opposition and vote has not only on those dealing with infertility today but also on future generations.

No one is advocating for unlimited fertility coverage, but couples shouldn’t have to move from Maine to another state in order to get the medical treatment they need to have a family.

Jenny Simmler of Bath is a Maine cult survivor, infertility patient and volunteer advocate for greater access to fertility care in Maine.