Fertility Forward

Undergoing cancer treatment can be incredibly difficult and is complicated even further when you have to consider how it impacts your fertility. Today’s guest, Jen Rhodes, faced this challenge when she was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer in June 2011, at just 26 years old. After her bilateral mastectomy, followed by a chemotherapy regimen known to have reproductivity toxicity, Jen was advise...

For thousands of years, Chinese Medicine has been used to enhance fertility, improve sexual health, balance hormones, and regulate the menstrual cycle. Today’s guest is Dr. Daryl Thuroff from the Yinova Center to the Fertility Forward Podcast, who has spent the last 13 years honing her skills as a health care facilitator and educator. She has a Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, is a L...

Many patients who discover they have fibroids often have a lot of fear associated with the diagnosis. The aim of all of these episodes is, as always, to put out reputable information. Today’s episode should help you feel a little bit less fearful and more understanding about what fibroids are, how they can be treated, and how it affects your fertility. Tuning in, you’ll hear from Dr. Tia Jackson-B...

Welcome back to another episode of Fertility Forward. Today’s guest is Dr. Rachel Gerber Gerber from RMA of New York. Dr. Gerber is a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist and board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist who cares for patients at RMA of New York’s Eastside and Westchester offices. In addition to her medical expertise, Dr. Gerber prides herself on treating every...

Resources regarding men's reproductive health are few and far between. We have such a deep association between women and reproduction, that men are often left out of the conversation entirely. Today's guest, Rene Almeling, is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Yale University with research and teaching interests in gender and medicine. Rene uses a range of qualitative, historical, an...

Today on the Fertility Forward podcast we welcome back the Medical Director of RMA of New York, Dr. Alan Copperman. A lot has transpired, especially over the last nine months with COVID-19, and you’ll hear from Dr. Copperman to see how things have been professionally and personally. We talk about what we can look forward to in the future, in terms of clinic closures and what COVID-19 means for tho...

Welcome to this mini-episode of the Fertility Forward Podcast where, today, it’s just your hosts, Rena Gower and Dara Godfrey. Listen in as they debrief on the biggest topic of 2020 – the COVID-19 pandemic – and share some of their hopes for 2021. Find out what Rena and Dara’s experience of the pandemic has been like, including recording via Zoom rather than at the studio, having less time for sel...

One of the most hotly debated topics in fertility right now is whether it is safe to get vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to conceiving, while pregnant, or while breastfeeding. The difficulty of the decision lies in the fact that there is no human safety data regarding the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy as the currently available vaccines have not been tested on pregnant women. Accepting a vaccine...

Today’s guest on the show is Dr. Taraneh Nazem, who is a reproductive endocrinologist, an infertility specialist, and a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, who cares for patients at RMA of New York’s Manhattan West Side office. Dr. Nazem came to RMA after completing her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the New York University School of Medicine and receiving her medical degree...

Many of us will experience some kind of trauma during our lifetime. Sometimes, we escape with no long-term effects but, for millions of people, those experiences linger, causing symptoms like flashbacks, nightmares, and negative thoughts that interfere with everyday life. Today’s guest is a well-known psychotherapist, clinical director, CEO, and published author. Joelle Rabow Maletis utilizes refl...

Margaret Marsh and Wanda Ronner are sisters who have been collaborating for the past three decades and writing about the history of infertility, reproductive medicine, and reproductive technology. Margaret Marsh, who is currently serving as the Interim Chancellor of Rutgers University–Camden, is a university professor of history at Rutgers, and Wanda Ronner is a professor of obstetrics and gynecol...

Amy Klein is the author of the new book The Trying Game: Get Through Fertility Treatment and Get Pregnant Without Losing Your Mind , a guide that is based on her successful ‘Fertility Diary’ column for The New York Times . She writes frequently about health, fertility, and reproductive rights for publications such as Newsweek , Slate , The Washington Post , and others. After four years of infertil...

Going through infertility treatment is already a stressful experience for many patients and, at the time of a global pandemic, the emotional burden is likely even more difficult. In today’s episode, host Rena Gower is joined by Dara Godfrey, nutritionist and Registered Dietician at RMA New York, and Dr. Kimberley Thornton, a reproductive endocrinologist at RMA New York, who share their perspective...

In the next installment of the Hope and Healing panel, host Rena Gower is joined by three guests, who each bring their unique experience and share their perspectives on the infertility journey. We welcome back Dr. Lucky Sekhon, a reproductive endocrinologist at RMA, and we also hear from Ariel Schnur, a fertility nurse at RMS, and Rachel Rachel Hess, who provides a patient perspective. Find out ab...

Today’s episode focuses on the impact of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis on fertility and pregnancy. Joining in to share her expertise on the topic is Dr. Rachel Gerber, a reproductive endocrinologist, infertility specialist, and board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist who cares for patients at RMA of New York’s Eastside and Westchester offices. She received her undergraduate degree f...

Today your host Rena Gower is joined by three guests who each bring their unique experience and perspective on the topic of pregnancy and infant loss. We have Dr. Lucky Sekhon, a reproductive endocrinologist at RMA, Nancy Berlow, a social worker who has her own practice and is a consultant for a pregnancy loss support group, and Jennifer Browder, an inspiring woman who shares her story. Listeners...

There has been a significant societal change concerning the economy, the science we have developed, as well as the medicine we now practice. Along with many contributing factors including increased life expectancy, a pushback in childbearing age, and other extrinsic factors like illnesses and respective treatments, many people, male and female, are now reaching out and going through the process of...

In this episode, we welcome the talented Dr. Tia Jackson-Bey to the RMA of New York, who has moved here after recently completing her OB-GYN Residency at Duke University Medical Centre. Tia is incredibly passionate about reproductive justice and increasing access to fertility care for all. Through her work with the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and the National Medical Associat...

The path to motherhood can feel isolating and overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. You are not alone. Rebekah Rosler wants to be there with you and the journey to and through motherhood, to help you through your challenges and celebrate your successes. Rebekah is a 40-year-old wife and mother to a 4-year-old and a set of 2-year-old twins, (in)fertility warrior, community builder, counselor, ad...

Sometimes in a woman’s fertility journey, they can feel completely overwhelmed because their body is failing them. Often times they also carry a pang of internal guilt, which they are fighting with constantly, and then on top of that, they have no idea what is really going on because they simply lack the knowledge. Their bodies are a black box. Today on the show we are excited to welcome Dr. Amy D...

Fertility preservation is receiving increased attention as an evolving area of reproductive medicine. It aims to preserve reproductive tissue for future use, but there are a lot of myths and misconceptions around the practice. Today’s guest is Dr. Lucky Sekhon, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist and board certified obstetrician and gynecologist who cares for patients at RMA...

Since “it takes two to tango”, this episode focuses on the necessary nutrition and lifestyle information that men who are trying to conceive need, and the role they play in IVF success, and the baby’s health, among other things. Our guest is an award-winning Registered Dietitian turned entrepreneur and author, Lauren Manaker. Lauren launched her business after struggling with infertility and becom...

PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome, is a common diagnosis that affects a lot of women, especially when they’re trying to conceive, and unfortunately, most of us don’t know too much about it. What does it look like? How does it affect our bodies? What causes it? Or how can we manage it with lifestyle changes and medications? This topic we are discussing today is near and dear to all of our hearts...

Today we are excited to welcome Aimee Raupp who is a women’s health and wellness expert and the bestselling author of Body Belief , Yes, You Can Get Pregnant, and Chill Out & Get Healthy. Aimee is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist who holds a Master of Science degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine and a Bachelor’s degree in biology from Rutg...

Whether individuals of Jewish faith are struggling with fertility, women's health, men's health, genetics, or intimacy, PUAH is here to help couples fulfill their dreams of building a healthy family in accordance with Jewish law. Today’s guest is Rabbi Segelman, the rabbinic advisor for PUAH in America. After studying in Israel for two years at Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh, Rabbi Segelman att...