Army Veteran expands her family thanks to VA resources
Army Veteran Miranda Zuhlke deployed to Iraq during the Global War on Terror. She put herself through physician assistant school. She worked in an ER during COVID. But none of these were as challenging for her as having children.
“Nothing was as hard as trying to build our family and continuing to fail," Zuhlke admitted. "I had a few miscarriages, but my health providers kept reassuring me that this was normal. I knew something was wrong. I could get pregnant quickly, but I couldn't stay pregnant past the first trimester."
Despite the emotional and financial toll, Zuhlke underwent numerous rounds of in vitro fertilization (IVF), often working extra shifts to cover the costs, but with no success.
"Some days I cried in my car on the way to work,” she recalled. “Then I would be like, ‘alright, you need to woman-up because nobody's gonna do this for you.’"
In April 2022, after seven years of trying and countless setbacks, Zuhlke and her husband finally welcomed their first son, Chance, with the help of a friend who served as a gestational carrier to deliver him to term. Having already spent nearly $400,000, the financial burden of infertility treatments was overwhelming and limited their ability to further expand their family.
“I worked for a multibillion-dollar company that only offered a $10,000 IVF lifetime benefit, which barely covered one round of medications,” Zuhlke remembered. “Working two jobs was exhausting but it was worth it for my son.”
The turning point came when Zuhlke discovered that VA offered coverage for IVF, provided there was a service-connected disability. With the help of her doctor and a letter of medical necessity, Zuhlke was able to tap into VA benefits, including infertility treatments.
"VA's benefits are extraordinary," she said. "They cover medications, appointments, and even the storage of embryos. It's a huge difference for many people because the limiting factor for IVF is often funding."
Determined to expand their family, Zuhlke underwent another round of treatments with VA's assistance and welcomed her second son, Soren, in November 2024.
“Many women in military service struggle silently with these issues and don’t realize these benefits exist,” she said. “I want to make sure they know they are not alone.”
If you are facing challenges building your own family, keep in mind Chance and Soren.
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VA covers a wide range of fertility treatments, procedures, and services. For more information about the Madison VA Hospital, visit www.madison.va.gov, www.facebook.com/MadisonVAHospital and subscribe to our newsletters.