Modern Conception

Sarrah Strimel received a life-altering cancer diagnosis. Before beginning cancer treatment, Sarrah Strimel faced a decision many young cancer patients never expect to make: whether and how to preserve her chance of having a biological child someday. In this powerful episode of Modern Conception, Sarrah shares with Brittney Sobel and Amanda Zurawski the emotional journey of undergoing fertility pr...

Charlotte Bickley Meller is newly married, thriving in her career, and not rushing into motherhood just because society expects her to. In this candid conversation, Charlotte chats with Brittney Sobel and Amanda Zurawski about why she decided to learn about fertility preservation, what surprised her most about modern fertility care, and why she believes more women should understand their options b...

In this episode of  Modern Conception , Brittney sits down with women’s health advocate, licensed therapist (and attorney)   Lauren Tetenbaum  to unpack one of the most overlooked stages of reproductive health:  perimenopause . Lauren breaks down what perimenopause actually is, why it can begin earlier than many expect, and the wide range of physical and emotional symptoms that often go unrecogniz...

In this episode of  Modern Conception , Brittney sits down with leading family law attorney  Brett Ward  to unpack one of the most complicated—and increasingly common—legal questions in modern fertility care: what happens to embryos if a relationship ends? Brett explains how courts approach embryo ownership disputes, including the role of clinic consent forms, mutual intent, state law, and competi...

In this episode of Modern Conception , Brittney sits down with author Ali Mann Stevens to discuss her deeply personal fertility journey and the inspiration behind her book Maternal Hope . Ali opens up about navigating infertility, pregnancy loss, and the emotional complexity of holding onto hope through uncertainty. She shares why she chose to tell her story—and how storytelling can transform isol...

In this intimate episode of Modern Conception , Brittney sits down with therapist Batya Novick to explore one of the most complex and least discussed aspects of infertility: the grief that lingers even after becoming a parent. Batya shares her personal and professional perspective on the emotional toll of secondary infertility, and what it means to grieve the sibling you imagined for your child. T...

Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women — yet it remains one of the most misunderstood and misdiagnosed conditions in women’s health. In this episode of Modern Conception , I sit down with reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Sheeva Talebian for a candid, no-BS conversation about: • What endometriosis actually is (and what it isn’t) • Why so many women are dismissed for years • The connection between endo...

In this episode of Modern Conception , Liza Camellerie shares her decision to become a mother on her own—and why waiting for the “right” partner was no longer part of her plan. Liza opens up about what it really means to choose single motherhood by choice: the clarity, the grief, the empowerment, and the pushback that often comes with stepping outside traditional family norms. She speaks candidly...

In this episode of Modern Conception , Alyssa Tucker shares her extraordinary path to creating twiblings —siblings born around the same time through two completely different pregnancies. Alyssa opens up about transferring an embryo to a surrogate while simultaneously becoming pregnant herself, and what it meant to carry one child while another was growing through surrogacy. She reflects on the emo...

In this episode of Modern Conception , Andy Youmans shares his journey to becoming a single father by choice through surrogacy and egg donation—and why waiting for the “right” partner was never part of his plan. Andy opens up about deciding to pursue parenthood on his own terms, navigating the logistics and emotions of building a family solo, and raising his daughters with pride, honesty, and inte...

In this episode of Modern Conception , model Anna Herrin opens up to Brittney Sobel about a decision that sparked both curiosity and criticism: turning to IVF after only a few months of trying to conceive. In a culture that often ranks suffering and treats fertility care as something you have to “earn,” Anna challenges the idea that people must struggle for years before they’re allowed to ask for...

Amanda Warsavsky is a mom of three whose path to building her family was anything but simple. After a successful IVF cycle and the creation of healthy, genetically tested embryos, Amanda experienced recurrent pregnancy loss — including early miscarriages and multiple failed and complicated pregnancies that no one could fully explain. For years, she was told everything looked “normal,” until a late...

Selby Drummond joins Modern Conception for an honest, nuanced conversation about her decision to remain on antidepressants during pregnancy—and the importance of prioritizing maternal mental health. In this episode, Selby shares how she weighed medical guidance, stigma, and fear while making deeply personal choices for herself and her baby. We discuss the realities of mental health during pregnanc...

In this episode of  Modern Conception , hosts  Brittney Sobel and Amanda Zurawski  sit down with world-renowned reproductive endocrinologist  Dr. Brian Levine  to break down what every person should know about  IVF, surrogacy, egg freezing, and maximizing your chances of success  on the path to parenthood. Dr. Levine brings clarity, honesty, and decades of clinical experience to some of the bigges...

In this powerful episode of  Modern Conception: A New Era of Fertility, Decoded , hosts  Brittney Sobel and Amanda Zurawski  sit down with  Simmone Taitt , founder of  Poppy Seed Health , to share an intimate and deeply moving look at her journey through  infertility, loss, healing, and now—surrogacy . With her baby born just weeks ago, Simmone opens up about the moment she realized surrogacy was...

When Jenna shared on national television that she was expecting her first child — and that she was a lesbian — she had no idea how many people her story would touch. In this episode of  Modern Conception , Jenna opens up about her life as a  single mother raising two daughters in New York City , her unexpected  cancer diagnosis , and how these experiences transformed not only her identity, but her...

Why do so many women grow up  not understanding their own bodies —and what can we do about it? In this powerful episode of  Modern Conception: a new era of fertility, decoded ,  Dr. Jennifer Lincoln , OB-GYN, author, and founder of  ThreeForFreedom , joins  Brittney Sobel  and Amanda Zurawski to unpack the truth about reproductive health, fertility and self-advocacy. Dr. Lincoln has educated more...

Content creator, attorney, and strategist  Katie Grossbard  joins hosts  Brittney Sobel  and Amanda Zurawski on  Modern Conception: a new era of fertility, decoded  to share her personal journey of  proactively freezing her eggs at a young age —and why she believes  knowledge is power  when it comes to reproductive health. In this candid conversation, Katie opens up about what inspired her to take...

What really happens during IVF—and what’s just a myth? In this episode of Modern Conception, we sit down with Dr. Arielle Bayer, a leading reproductive endocrinologist, to tackle the questions you actually want answered. From whether you can stay on GLP-1 medications (like Ozempic) during IVF, to the truth about sex during a cycle, to whether IVF really increases your chances of twins—we cover it...

Infertility is on the rise —and access to care is falling behind. In this powerful episode, Chelsea Clinton joins Brittney Sobel and Amanda Zurawski of it is Sloane to unpack why more Americans are struggling to build families, how systemic inequities are deepening, and why infertility is a public health issue —not just a private one. They discuss: Why infertility is skyrocketing in the U.S. The i...