Fertile-ish

🎙️ The Hidden Realities of Endometriosis In this incredibly insightful episode of Fertile-ish, we sit down with special guest Dr. James Kondrup to have an honest conversation about the hidden realities of endometriosis and the ways it can impact fertility, IVF outcomes, chronic pain, and everyday life. Dr. Kondrup shares his decades of experience in minimally invasive surgery and endometriosis car...

🎙️ The Clomid vs. Letrozole Group Chat Debate This week on Fertile-ish , Laura and Brandis are diving into one of the most common fertility questions out there: Clomid or Letrozole… and what’s actually the difference? 🤔💊 From side effects and ovulation induction to PMOS (formerly known as PCOS), unexplained infertility, IVF protocols, and why some providers prescribe one medication over the othe...

🎙️ So...You Wanna Donate Your Eggs? 🥚✨ Featuring Special Guest: Allyson Santoro In this episode of Fertile-ish, Laura and Brandis sit down with Allyson Santoro, RN and Director of Third-Party Programs at CNY Fertility, to break down everything you need to know about becoming an egg donor 💕 From qualifications and testing to compensation, anonymity, and what the actual donation process looks lik...

🎙️ Say It With Your Chest...Fertility Edition 💭🔥 Welcome back to Fertile-ish —the space where we say the quiet parts out loud about fertility, IVF, and everything in between. This episode dives straight into the spicy takes 🌶️ that so many people think during infertility… but rarely feel safe saying. If you’ve ever been told to “just relax” 😅 or heard “at least you know you can get pregnant,” t...

🎙️ TTC 101…But Make It Real Life Trying to conceive sounds simple… until you’re actually trying 😅 In this episode, we’re getting real about what TTC at home actually looks like—no fluff, no myths, just the stuff people wish they knew sooner. From coming off birth control to figuring out your cycle (because why were we only taught how NOT to get pregnant??), we’re breaking down the basics in a way...

🎙️ The OG IVF Baby In honor of National Infertility Awareness Week, this episode of Fertile-ish is one we’ll never forget. 💛 We’re joined by Elizabeth Carr — the first IVF baby in the United States — and her story is equal parts mind-blowing, emotional, and deeply hopeful. Elizabeth takes us back to the very beginning of IVF in the U.S., when the technology was brand new, experimental, and honest...

🎙️ The Comparison Trap No One Talks About in Infertility Infertility has a way of turning comparison into a constant background noise… and before you even realize it, it’s stealing your joy 💔 This episode dives into the very real, very human tendency to measure your journey against someone else’s—and why that can feel so overwhelming when you’re already carrying so much. We talk openly about the...

🎙️ Adenomyosis: The Uterine Condition You've Probably Never Heard Of Adenomyosis is one of those conditions that so many people have … but so few have actually heard about until they’re deep in their fertility journey. In this episode of Fertile-ish, we’re breaking down what adenomyosis really is, why it’s often overlooked, and how it can impact your body, your cycles, and your path to pregnan...

🎙️ The Partner Perspective: The Feelings No One Talks About Infertility is so often centered around the person undergoing treatment… the injections, the appointments, the procedures, the losses. But behind every one of those moments is someone else sitting beside them… holding their hand, showing up, trying to stay strong while watching someone they love go through something incredibly hard. 🤍 In...

🎙️ Birth Control Breakup: When to Make the Call Thinking about coming off birth control and not sure when to do it? This episode is your no-BS, actually helpful guide to breaking up with birth control the right way. 💊➡️👋🏼 Laura and Brandis dive into one of the most common questions they hear from patients, DMs, and consult calls: “When should I stop birth control if I want to get pregnant?” And...

🎙️✨ One Negative Test. The Next 24 Hours. 🤍🧬 The morning after a negative pregnancy test can be one of the quietest and heaviest moments in the fertility journey. The world outside keeps moving exactly the same, but inside, everything can feel different. In this episode of Fertile-ish , Laura and Brandis walk through the emotional timeline of the first 24 hours after a negative pregnancy test ,...

🎙️ Your Cycle Decoded: Why One Week You’re a Goddess and the Next You’re Crying in Target Ever notice how one week you feel unstoppable, glowing, and ready to conquer the world… and the next week you’re crying in the Target parking lot because they’re out of your favorite snack? You’re not imagining things — your menstrual cycle plays a huge role in your mood, energy, appetite, and overall vibe th...

🎙️ Unexplained Fertility: When All the Tests Are “Fine” Sometimes the hardest diagnosis to receive is… no diagnosis at all. In this episode of Fertile-ish , we dive into one of the most frustrating, confusing, and emotionally exhausting realities in fertility care: unexplained infertility . When your labs are “normal,” your cycles look textbook, your partner’s analysis checks out, your tubes are o...

🎙️ Understanding OHSS: Ovaries in Overdrive 🥚⚡ If you’re preparing for an egg retrieval, you’ve probably heard about OHSS and maybe even a few scary stories. 😅 In this episode, we break down what it actually is, who’s at risk, how we prevent it, and why modern IVF has made it far less common than it used to be. OHSS, or Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome, happens when the ovaries over-respond to...

🎧 Embryo Banking: Delayed Gratification, Fertility Edition In this episode of Fertile-ish , Laura and Brandis dive into a topic that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough: embryo banking 🧊🧬—what it is, who it’s for, and why thinking long-term can make all the difference when it comes to building the family you’ve always envisioned. While the goal often feels like “just get me pregnant now,” th...

🎙️ Fresh vs Frozen: Let’s Break This Down Fresh embryo transfer or frozen embryo transfer… which one is actually better? 🤔 In this episode of Fertile-ish , Laura and Brandis break down one of the most common (and confusing) IVF questions we hear: fresh vs frozen embryo transfers . From success rates and hormone levels to OHSS risk, genetic testing, and cost misconceptions, we’re separating facts...

🎙️ Dear Fertile-ish: The Inbox Episode Welcome back to Fertile-ish —and this one is special. In this episode, Laura and Brandis open the inbox and respond directly to your most honest, vulnerable, and deeply relatable questions. From grief and burnout to communication struggles, intimacy, age-related anxiety, and learning how to advocate for yourself, this episode is a reminder that if you’re feel...

🎙️ Surviving the Crash After a Failed FET The days after a failed frozen embryo transfer can feel like an emotional and physical free-fall — and it’s not “all in your head.” In this episode, Laura and Brandis talk openly about the very real hormonal crash that happens when estrogen and progesterone levels suddenly drop, especially after stopping meds, and how that biological shift collides with th...

🎧 Semen Analysis Decoded: From Cup to Clinic In this episode, Laura and Brandis break down everything you’ve ever wanted to know (and maybe didn’t want to know 😅) about semen analysis—what it measures, why it matters, and how it can save time, money, and heartache on your fertility journey. From abstinence timing and collection options to lifestyle factors that impact sperm health, this is your...

🎙️ When the Village Isn’t Villaging In this deeply honest and emotional episode, Laura and Brandis talk about one of the most painful — and least discussed — parts of the fertility journey: when the people you expect to show up… don’t. 💔 After sharing a personal experience with pregnancy loss during the holidays, Laura opens up about how infertility, miscarriage, and prolonged uncertainty can str...

🎙️ Embryo Testing Without the Doom Spiral 🧠🧬 If the words PGT , PGD , carrier screening , or genetic testing immediately send your brain into overdrive… this episode is for you. 💭😵‍💫 In this rerun of Season 1, Episode 13 , Laura and Brandis break down embryo testing and genetic screening in a way that’s informative, balanced, and—most importantly— free of fear-mongering . Because knowledge is...

🌸 Love Them Loudly: How to Support Friends & Family Through Infertility Fertile-ish – Season 2, Episode 12 (Season 1 Rerun) ✨ Sometimes the most meaningful support isn’t saying the perfect thing — it’s simply showing up. In this special rerun episode , Laura and Brandis revisit one of the most shared and impactful conversations from Season 1: how to truly support someone navigating infertili...

🎙️ Fertile-ish | Season 2, Episode 11 PGT-P: Just Because We Can…Should We? ⭐ Genetic testing in IVF keeps evolving—and with that evolution comes big questions. In this episode, Laura and Brandis dive into PGT-P (polygenic preimplantation genetic testing) , one of the most controversial and talked-about developments in reproductive medicine right now. PGT-P claims to estimate an embryo’s relative...

⚠️ Content Note / Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of miscarriage, pregnancy loss, ectopic pregnancy, and related emotional experiences. Please listen with care and skip if this topic is not right for you today. 🎙️ Fertile-ish Podcast Season 2, Episode 10 Rainbow Roads: Surviving the Storm of Miscarriage Miscarriage is one of the most common — and most misunderstood — parts of the...

🎧 Season 2, Episode 9 Inside the Lab: The Science Behind Your Embryos Special Guest: Olivia Pavlik, Embryology Lab Manager What actually happens to your eggs, sperm, and embryos once they disappear behind the lab doors? 👀 In this episode, Laura and Brandis sit down with Olivia Pavlik , CNY Fertility’s Embryology Lab Manager, for a deep (but approachable) dive inside the IVF lab — answering the q...