This is Fertility

Season 7 of This is Infertility continued to venture into education, advocacy, personal stories, and notably, some new areas of women's health! As we wrap up, we're shining a spotlight on two recurring themes that have defined this season: the power of support and the ripple effect of advocacy. From their doctor's care or employer's benefits package to the unwavering encouragement of a partner or...

This time of year can be magical, but it can also come with stress, especially when family gatherings include tough conversations or well-meaning but intrusive questions like, "When are you starting a family?" In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Georgia Witkin, Clinical Psychologist and infertility expert. She shares practical advice on handling the holidays so you can enjoy the season. She'll wa...

This National Adoption Month, we hear from Jessica Luciere, a transracial, transnational adoptee, who shares her journey of self-discovery. Growing up with the love and support of her parents, Jessica also yearned for a sense of community to help her navigate her identity. She ultimately realized the importance of representation and the power of connecting to others with similar backgrounds. Today...

On today's episode, we're joined by Sammi Itatani and Carly Vollero from Nodal , a surrogacy matching platform devoted to fostering strong, authentic matches between surrogates and intended parents. They tell the stories of their own surrogacy journeys, with Sammi's experience as a two-time surrogate and Carly's journey as a parent through surrogacy. They bring personal and professional insights i...

This Menopause Awareness Month, we bring together two experts who are specialists in their fields and personally navigating their own menopause journeys. Dr. Janet Choi, an OBGYN, reproductive endocrinologist, and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, and Dr. Juliana Hauser, a therapist with a focus on sexuality and menopause, share their personal experiences with menopause. Alongside their pr...

In honor of October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we're highlighting Joyelle Fleming's story with breast cancer, which began at the young age of 31. During her journey, Joyelle was faced with a difficult decision – what to do about her future fertility given the impact of cancer treatment. With the support of her doctors and access to fertility benefits through Progyny, Joyelle was able to free...

Today's guest discusses her unexpected struggles with infertility. After a year of trying to conceive, Mandy Menaker trusted her instincts and decided to seek advice from others. She turned to Julie Campbell, at Progyny, who helped guide her on how to find the right fertility clinic, navigate insurance, and understand the ins and outs when it comes to fertility treatment. After the rollercoaster o...

In this episode, we dive into a powerful story of two lifelong friends, Nicole Gomez Fisher and Mary Lamattina, who supported each other through some of the most challenging moments of their lives; navigating infertility. They both faced their own unique struggles, Mary with secondary infertility , experiencing multiple miscarriages after her first child, and Nicole facing the heartbreak of failed...

Today's guest is a testament to resilience, turning personal pain into a powerful purpose. Lauren Clements faced a long, difficult journey in her efforts to build a family, battling through a diagnosis of PCOS, blocked fallopian tubes, and undergoing numerous treatments. Yet, despite these significant setbacks, Lauren never lost hope. In this episode, she opens up about how these challenges inspir...

Today's episode is a story of teamwork. Along each step of her path to parenthood, Jennifer Osmond's obstacles were overcome with the help of her village; A doctor who laid out options and supported her along the way. An employer that provided Progyny and eased the financial strain of fertility treatment. And a wife who managed the logistics of their journey so that Jennifer could focus on her wel...

The Fertility 101 Series, because there's no shortage of daunting terms to keep your mind running, is a quick and dirty breakdown on a specific topic with insights from a fertility expert. In this episode, we dive into the detailed process of egg donation and its profound implications for families with Aisha Lewis, President of Everie , a known donor egg program. Aisha discusses the steps involved...

You may know her as the winner of ABC's The Bachelor from season 19, but patients at OVA Egg Freezing Specialty Center in Chicago know Whitney Bischoff Angel as their fertility nurse who can also relate to their journey. In this episode, Whitney tells us about her decision to freeze her eggs in 2013, a decision that provided her with peace of mind as she navigated life's uncertainties. She also sh...

Today's episode is a story of trial and error. Sarah Freese was not expecting to have difficulty conceiving until she discontinued her birth control and found that her menstrual cycle didn't return. She was suddenly thrusted into a new world, one filled with new medical terms, fertility doctors, and a treatment plan that came with a high price tag. Sarah then discovered her employer, LinkedIn, off...

The Fertility 101 Series, because there's no shortage of daunting terms to keep your mind running, is a quick and dirty breakdown on a specific topic with insights from a fertility expert. This week's episode answers all the questions around transgender family building options and how it works. Dr. Daniel Potter at HRC Fertility joins us to discuss the impact of hormone affirming therapy, the impo...

In today's episode, we explore the complex world of donor conception with experts Dr. Mark Leondires and Lisa Schuman, LCSW. They provide an overview of their book, Building Your Family; The Complete Guide to Donor Conception , which serves as a resource for those considering donor conception due to infertility, medical issues, same-sex partnerships, or gender orientation. The book covers everythi...

Today's episode highlights the emotional toll that infertility can take on individuals and couples. Our guest speaks candidly on how her fertility journey affected her mental health, marriage, and perspective towards friends who found easy success with pregnancy. Hana Peters and her husband started trying to have a baby and soon realized they needed to seek additional support. In this episode, Han...

In today's episode, award-winning journalist, Rachel Lehmann-Haupt shares insights from her two books, which have ignited the knowledge and passion that came from her own family building journey. Her latest book, Reconceptions: Modern Relationships, Reproductive Science, and the Unfolding Future of Family , calls upon her experience of becoming a single parent by choice. She dives into her own fam...

Today's guest embodies the purpose of National Infertility Awareness Week. Each year the infertility community, led by RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, takes this week to amplify and educate the public about reproductive health and issues that make building a family difficult for many. Danielle Zoll has dedicated herself to advocacy and awareness through her St. Louis based organizat...

With a focus on her career and a determination to find the right "other half" for her child, today's guest shares her journey to being a single parent by choice. Navigating the stress of her ticking biological clock, Gloria Soler went from realizing that the perfect parenting partner was not yet on her horizon to manifesting her own dreams of parenthood. Gloria went to find the doctor, the right s...

The journey to ideal health is a constant battle. And when emergency surgery is needed, most may not think twice about the impact this will have on their future fertility. In today's episode, we hear from Haley, who shares her family building journey. It's one marked by multiple diagnoses, surgeries, and financial strain. Despite these setbacks, Haley was determined to become a parent. She advocat...

The Fertility 101 Series, because there's no shortage of daunting terms to keep your mind running, is a quick and dirty breakdown on a specific topic with insights from a fertility expert. This week's guest, Dr. Paul Dudley, Medical Director of Pinnacle Fertility Atlanta, dives into what tests are expected during an initial consultation, including the need for a blood test, semen analysis (if a pa...

Today's episode delves into a supportive yet often overlooked contributor to the birthing process and much more: the role of doulas. Our guest, Latham Thomas, Founder of Mama Glow , elaborates on the diverse responsibilities of doulas, ranging from offering emotional and physical support in co-creating your birth plan, to advocating for individuals and facilitating communication between patients a...

Times are changing, and more employers are choosing to prioritize fertility and family building benefits to attract and retain talent. Investing in employee benefits isn't just about cost, it's about fostering a positive employee experience, driving engagement, and ultimately enhancing business performance. Today's guest, Purvi Tailor, Vice President of Human Resources at Ferring U.S., describes F...

Struggling with disbelief, enduring back-to-back treatments, cancelled appointments, and an overwhelming emotional toll - these experiences are all part of Sonya Heer's journey to building a family. How did she get here? Sonya and her husband embarked on what most couples do: they got married, spent some quality time together, and then wanted to expand their family. But, after months of not having...

Today's guest spent a great deal of time juggling a lot of things many tasks on a tight schedule – she was busy creating a successful career for herself , as she was creating a successful career for herself as a senior producer at a media and entertainment companySenior Producer at Warner Brothers Discovery Sports. Lakia Holmes At 37 years old, Lakia Holmes realized one day that her to-do's at wor...