Brave & Curious with Dr Lora Shahine

It's not just the big traditional holidays that can be triggering when you're struggling with fertility. It's the softer, sneak-up-on you days too, Father's Day being one of those.  So often the female partner is the focus of the fertility journey, but the male partner is on the ride too. It can be harder for men to express their feelings and take space for what they need when they are wearing the...

Who should have the power to decide on your future fertility options? What becomes of frozen gametes and embryos in this new, post-Roe political climate? And if you are ready to get involved, how do you actually advocate for reproductive rights?  This is part 2 of Dr. Lora Shahine's discussion with Barbara Collura, President and CEO of RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association. In this part of...

What does advocating for reproductive rights have to do with IVF? Surely people who want to have a baby wouldn't have to fight for that right in a post- Roe world?  Well, as it turns out, the reality is that the science behind IVF doesn't always mesh with the idea that life begins at conception.  This week, Dr. Lora Shahine welcomes Barb Collura, President and CEO of RESOLVE, the National Infertil...

Infertility changes a person, physically, mentally, and emotionally — it affects our identity, our relationships, our hopes and expectations for the future. How we manage these changes will be different for each person.  In this unique and personal episode, Dr. Lora Shahine is a guest on the Infertility Feelings podcast with hosts Doug and Jesse. Listeners will hear her share her own fertility jou...

The cost of fertility treatments can be a huge stress on anyone navigating assisted reproduction. Unfortunately, those who are already dealing with the physical and emotional challenges of infertility may also be burdened with the financial challenge of fertility treatments. And it's important that those facing IVF, IUI, egg retrieval, surrogacy or any of the many, often costly procedures have the...

Mother's Day is not a celebration for everyone. When struggling with infertility and miscarriage - this particular holiday can be full of many mixed emotions. In this special episode of the Baby or Bust Fertility Podcast, Dr. Shahine shares many personal reflections on how tough Mother's Day can be for the fertility community and leaves you with tips on how to cope. Finish this episode with ideas...

Did you know that 1 in 5 Americans have tried marijuana at least once in their life? It is the most commonly used recreational drug in the U.S. but many do not realize how it impacts fertility, success with IVF, miscarriage risk, and pregnancy health.  It's easy to assume that something that is legal medically and sometimes recreationally in many states could be harmful to your health, especially...

Candles can be romantic, even sexy. But ironically, some can make it harder for you to get pregnant. Many common candles can have an impact on fertility, so if you're trying to build your family, you may want to reconsider how you set the mood. Candles and scents may impact fertility, but never fear: information is power. On this episode of Baby or Bust , you will learn what you need to know about...

For many struggling with infertility, building a family may take more than two people. Egg donation, sperm donation, surrogacy or using a gestational carrier can be a beautiful way to build a family, but the process can be full of many questions and misconceptions along the way.  Why do egg and sperm donors donate? Can third-party donors really be anonymous in this age of in-home genetic testing?...

Trying is supposed to be the fun part, right? Ask anyone struggling with infertility and they may share that intimacy can start to feel like a job after a while. Many fertility patients have found that at-home inseminations can be an option for trying to conceive at home. At-home inseminations are not the same as intrauterine inseminations in a fertility clinic and cannot substitute for consults,...

There are many fertility misconceptions, but when you're trying to conceive, it is tough to tell the truth from the myths. What really will help you get pregnant? Stay pregnant?  And have a healthy baby?   Your friends can be convinced that certain positions helped them. Instagram can make you feel you are to blame for your miscarriage. In this episode, first shared on Lisa Schuman's podcast, Buil...

Endometriosis is a common yet often misdiagnosed chronic inflammatory disease associated with pain and infertility.. Never heard of endometriosis? You're not alone. Despite it being a painful condition, it can take, on average 7 - 8 years to get a correct diagnosis.  March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, and given the often debilitating pain this condition can cause — and how hard it can be for...

In the wake of the Dobbs decision that effectively ended federal abortion rights protection under Roe v Wade, the fate of IVF and fertility treatments has been hanging in the balance. In Alabama in February/March of 2024, a decision on the rights of a fetus brought IVF to a halt. Was this was the "pro-life" movement had in mind? To prohibit people from building the families they envision? Fortunat...

Learn about a different kind of support resource for miscarriage and pregnancy loss on this week's episode of the Baby or Bust Fertility podcast. Dr. Shahine interviews Emily Carrington, founder of the Early Pregnancy Loss Association. Emily has turned her own story of confusion and payment plans for her miscarriages into a support system to educate women on the realities of miscarriage and naviga...

Secondary infertility — difficulty conceiving or carrying a subsequent pregnancy — comes with a unique set of challenges. Being a parent with infertility can create tension between feeling grateful for the family you have yet grieving the family you desire.  In this episode, Dr. Lora Shahine talks with Allie Karagozian, occupational therapist, business owner, and podcaster. Allie shares her own fe...

"I am so sorry, but the baby has stopped developing." A  "missed" or "silent" miscarriage is when the fetus has stopped developing, but the body hasn't gotten the message to end the pregnancy yet. It can be devastating, and unfortunately, there are often decisions that the pregnant person will need to make. In this episode, Dr. Lora Shahine talks about what a missed miscarriage is, what actions yo...

How much does what we eat impact our fertility? Certainly food influences pregnancy and fertility much more than most of us know, possibly more than our doctors know! Fortunately, a book is coming that can change all that, and in this episode, Dr. Lora Shahine is talking with the authors about fertility, food, nutrition, the science of food and fertility, the myths surrounding nutrition and reprod...

Whether you're convinced of their medicinal properties or not, the pineapple is a wonderful and long-lived symbol of hope and strength in the fertility community.  In this episode, Dr. Lora Shahine explains a little about where the symbol comes from, a couple myths to watch out for, and how the pineapple symbol can help you on your fertility journey,  In this episode you'll hear: [1:14] Pineapples...

Many people struggling with infertility are curious about the claims that acupuncture will improve fertility and decrease time to pregnancy, but they don't explore this option because of…needles.  What if you could get the potential fertility-boosting benefits of acupuncture without the sticks?  In this episode, doctor of acupuncture, teacher, researcher, and practitioner of integrative East-Asian...

Many say raising children "takes a village," but what about the team you create on your family building journey through infertility, miscarriage, IVF and early pregnancy? The "trying to conceive" village can include doctors, nurses, therapists, acupuncturists, friends, family, and maybe a fertility coach.  If you're curious about what a fertility coach is and are considering working with one, you'...

PGT-A, PGT-M, PGT-SR, Carrier Screening, Karyotype — oh my! The options available for genetic screening in fertility testing and IVF treatment can get confusing. Understanding testing available to you BEFORE treatment as well as DURING the IVF process is key. These tests can decrease risk of disease and miscarriage and improve success rates with a single embryo transfer, but there are pros and con...

Infertility advocate and health enthusiast Adelaide White is an invaluable source of light and hope to so many on TikTok and Instagram, Dr. Shahine included. In this episode, the tables are flipped as Adelaide interviews Lora on All Things Fertility Journey, from the educational journey of a reproductive endocrinologist to the differences among the fertility treatment choices to the many causes of...

Those undergoing IVF sometimes hear they shouldn't exercise or they might put the process at risk. However, we know a sedentary lifestyle isn't healthy for your fertility either. For many, exercise doesn't just keep their bodies healthy, it's also critical to managing stress, aiding with sleep, and managing mental health — which can also impact fertility. So how much exercise is too much when tryi...

We considered posting this episode on New Year's Eve, when toasting in the New Year is likely to happen, rather than New Year's Day, when many celebrants are waking up to a sore head, a fuzzy tongue, and second thoughts about that third round of shots. It's OK to celebrate — but alcohol is a tricky question when it comes to fertility. How much is too much? In this episode you'll hear: [0:00] Intro...

If you've ever wondered where Dr. Shahine gets her ferocity from, well, meet Charlene.  Inspired by Julia Louis-Dreyfus's Wiser Than M e podcast, Dr. Shahine interviews a woman she truly admires: her mother, Charlene Kelly Ewing.  Despite being "all of 5 feet," according to daughter Lora, Charlene meets every challenge head-on and, at age 79, still pushes herself to do what she's afraid of. The di...