Brave & Curious with Dr Lora Shahine

Many infertility journeys happen behind closed doors, but the new film "Conception" puts IVF in the spotlight. In this Baby or Bust episode, reproductive endocrinologist and host Dr. Lora Shahine meets with writer, producer, and director Tarun Verma to discuss the making of his film about infertility. As a former pharmacist who was heavily involved in the fertility space, Tarun was inspired to cre...

Two reproductive endocrinologists walk into a podcast recording... And the result is a fascinating discussion about egg freezing. In this episode, Dr. Lora Shahine meets with Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh (also known as "The Egg Whisperer") to articulate the controversies, misunderstandings, and opportunities with egg freezing. As a leading voice in oocyte cryopreservation, Dr. Aimee has shaped public disc...

To many, getting pregnant can feel like a struggle, and today's guest transformed that struggle into strength. In this Baby or Bust episode, reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Lora Shahine meets with IVF advocate and entrepreneur Samantha Busch about everything she learned in her fertility journey. Samantha knew she wanted to be a mom, but what she didn't expect was experiencing infertility at 25. T...

fReality TV has many ups and downs, and your fertility journey can often be the same. In this Baby or Bust episode, host and reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Lora Shahine meets with Golnesa "GG" Gharachedaghi for a frank discussion about her tumultuous journey toward motherhood—and no topic is off limits. GG always knew she wanted to be a mother, but life seemingly had other plans. With Dr. Shahin...

Doing time in prison is one thing, but doing it during childbearing years can be a lifetime sentence of its own. In this gripping episode of Baby or Bust, Amanda Knox shares her experience of wrongfully losing her most fertile years in prison with our host Dr. Lora Shahine. Since being in an Italian prison for four years and on trial for murder for another eight, Amanda Knox has used her platform...

Fasten your seatbelts for a controversial⁠—and educational⁠—episode about COVID-19 and fertility. In this intimate episode, host and reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Lora Shahine provides an illuminating medical overview of the pandemic's impact on the fertility community. This episode quells COVID-19 rumors and fears by deciphering studies about infections and vaccinations. Lora highlights the or...

Today's men have almost 60% less sperm than their parents or grandparents, and research points to environmental toxins as the likely culprit. Host and reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Lora Shahine meets with Dr. Shanna Swan, an award-winning scientist, and researcher, to talk through toxins' impact on our reproductive and overall health. With over 200 scientific papers (including one that went vir...

Building a family with donor sperm is more common today than ever before. In this episode of Baby or Bust, Dr. Lora Shahine meets with the father of modern sperm donation, Dr. Cappy Rothman, who explores the past, present, and future of the sperm donation process. As the co-founder of California Cryobank, the world's largest sperm bank, Dr. Rothman has been at the forefront of assisted reproductio...

Sperm donation is more common than ever, but it's rare to hear about the donor's motivations and repercussions—until now. Host and reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Lora Shahine meets with long-time sperm donor Zack to learn about his experience discovering, applying, and becoming a frequent donor. Zack's initial motivation for becoming a sperm donor seems like something out of a movie script: He w...

Surrogacy is shrouded in misconceptions, and it's often the answer to the end of a long infertility journey. Eloise Drane, the owner of egg donor and surrogacy agency Family Inceptions, tackles the misunderstood topic head-on with Baby or Bust host and reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Lora Shahine. Eloise Drane is deeply familiar with the surrogacy process—personally and professionally. As a six-t...

Male infertility: How common is it, and what can you do to beat the odds? In this information-packed episode of Baby or Bust, reproductive endocrinologist and host Dr. Lora Shahine speaks with Dr. Paul Turek, a leading innovator in male reproductive health and founder of The Turek Clinic, to separate fact from fiction with male infertility. This episode gives you all the must-knows about improving...

Many women suffer in pain—from periods, intercourse, and everyday life—for years before getting a diagnosis. In today's episode, Dr. Lora Shahine meets with guest Dr. Sonia Bahlani, a chronic pelvic pain specialist, to uncover advice that helps listeners advocate for the care they need and deserve. The two doctors discuss our society's acceptance of pain as part of the female experience (spanning...

There are many ways to build a family, and today we're talking about adoption. Host and reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Lora Shahine meets with Cathie Quillet, a licensed marriage and family therapist, author, and public speaker, to expound on the ins and outs of adoption. This episode focuses on Cathie's endometriosis diagnosis that forever changed her perspective on building a family. Cathie sh...

Each person's fertility journey can be full of surprises, and Baby or Bust guest Kaci Aitchison Boyle is no exception. Host and reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Lora Shahine sits down with communications master (and former patient) Kaci to discuss her experience undergoing years of fertility treatments—and a surprise pregnancy at age 40. This episode focuses on Kaci's fertility story, starting wit...

Let's get to the heart of emotional stress and its impact on physical health. Reproductive endocrinologist and host Dr. Lora Shahine welcomes Dr. Ali Domar, a world leader in mind-body medicine, for an honest discussion about stress, infertility, grief, empathy, and the many different emotions that come with family building. Dr. Domar is a pioneer in the application of mind/body medicine and repro...

Infertility can feel like a women's club, but men are also affected by the emotional tolls. Dr. Lora Shahine speaks with Jon and Laura of Infertility Man (a website, YouTube channel, and soon-to-be book) to share their perspective on building a family through IVF after Jon survived testicular cancer. Jon and Laura chat about their decision to proceed with IVF, document their fertility story online...

Buckle up for some frank conversations about infertility. In this episode of Baby or Bust, host Dr. Lora Shahine meets with Jennifer "Jay" Palumbo, an award-winning writer, stand-up comic, and infertility advocate, to discuss pop culture's role in misconceptions about IVF and fertility. Our guest, an infertility warrior and women's health advocate, brings a refreshing voice to mainstream fertility...

This episode acknowledges the loneliness of infertility and support systems to help. Reproductive endocrinologist and host Dr. Lora Shahine meets with podcaster and advocate Kaela McDougall to discuss the pain of infertility, humor as a tool for healing, and the special connection shared between those who have experienced infertility. Kaela is the co-host of The Infertile Mafia, a podcast dedicate...

It's tough to know when to see a fertility doctor, and this episode will help you figure out the right time. Host Dr. Lora Shahine joins friend and fellow reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Natalie Crawford for an informative chat about their work, including misleading media portrayals and relationships with infertility patients. As doctors who have committed their careers to helping others build fa...

When you're in the LGBTQ+ community, there's a lot to navigate with parenthood. Today, host Dr. Lora Shahine welcomes Jaimie Kelton and Robin Hopkins, creators and authors of the podcast and book If These Ovaries Could Talk, for an enlightening conversation about building—and celebrating—families of all forms. This episode is a crash course on the reproductive possibilities within the LGBTQ+ commu...

Today, we're talking all about egg donors as a way of building your family. Host and reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Lora Shahine meets with Dr. Shannon Clark, a double board-certified OB/GYN, and maternal-fetal medicine specialist, who became pregnant via egg donor after multiple failed cycles of IVF. While Dr. Clark is a physician, she's also experienced life as a fertility patient. In this epi...

Infertility affects people from all walks of life, but why are Black women twice as likely to suffer from infertility and half as likely to seek treatment? In this thought-provoking episode of Baby or Bust Chiquita Lockley, film director, and producer, discusses the perception and reality of infertility in the Black community with our host Dr. Lora Shahine. This episode explores the complex relati...

Can a fertility support group help you on your family building journey?  Experiencing infertility can feel lonely, but our guest, Kimberly Nicholson, shares how a community support group, organized by the national fertility organization RESOLVE, helped her navigate the roller coaster of emotions. Kimberly has now founded her own RESOLVE fertility support group and shares the benefits she sees help...

One in four pregnancies end in miscarriage, yet many with this experience suffer in the shadows. In this Baby or Bust episode, host Dr. Lora Shahine meets with Dr. Ruth Lathi, an OB/GYN professor and Director of the Multi-specialty Recurrent Pregnancy Loss program at Stanford University, to discuss pregnancy loss and finding support. Our guest shares her motivation to open a repeat pregnancy loss...

Baby Or Bust season 1 teaser. Connect with Dr. Lora Shahine on social media! Tik Tok | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn Baby Or Bust is Produced by  Mark Ramsey ,  Jaime Solis , and Greg Moga. Executive Produced by Nick Panella, and Andrew Greenwood for  Workhouse Media . Baby Or Bust is produced in partnership with the Seattle Sperm Bank. Advertising Inquiries: info@audiotocracy.com