Fertility Cafe

Join us for Part 2 of Regina Townsend - founder of The Broken Brown Egg - and Eloise's very honest and important conversation about Black women's reproductive health and fertility. Black women experience infertility at almost 2x the rate of our counterparts and yet we are least likely to seek treatment. In addition, many conditions that directly impact fertility, such as fibroids, endometriosis, P...

Black women experience infertility at almost 2x the rate of our counterparts and yet we are least likely to seek treatment. In addition, many conditions that directly impact fertility, such as fibroids, endometriosis, PCOS, and others disproportionately affect black women as well. The harmful stereotypical belief that black women are somehow more fertile, or that we don’t participate in foster car...

There are many costs associated with fertility treatment, pregnancy and eventually, the delivery of one (or more) children in the case of multiples. Whether it’s the in vitro process, your gestational surrogate’s care, or unexpected NICU costs, considering insurance coverage, what you have, what your surrogate has, and what you may need is highly recommended With only thirteen states requiring ins...

Are you being called to be an egg donor? Then this episode is for you - the potential egg donor - and we'll be answering all of your lingering questions about the egg donation process. This episode will inspire you and inform you so that you can move through this journey with confidence and make your egg donation journey a fulfilling one. Listen in as Eloise addresses some of the more commonly ask...

You've been thinking about becoming a gestational surrogate for a while now. For months, maybe even years, you've thought about what it would be like to give someone the precious gift of motherhood or fatherhood. It's been weighing on your heart. So what's stopping you from pursing your calling? In this week's episode, Eloise talks with 5-time surrogate Rebekah Hills about the highs and not-so-hig...

In this episode of Fertility Cafe, we're going to focus on the more complicated and emotionally charged surrogacy topics specifically relevant to your journey to become a surrogate: why your BMI is so important; the psychological evaluation and the role of mood stabilizing drugs; receipt of government assistance as a disqualifier; and even the topic of termination and selective reduction. Buckle u...

You want to become a surrogate, but you're wondering how to make sure your partner or spouse is on board with your decision? One of the most important aspects of a successful surrogacy journey is a strong support system. Your partner or spouse is obviously a HUGE part of that support. Eloise's husband Anthony joins her in The Fertility Cafe to have an open, honest, and REAL discussion about a spou...

If you’re thinking about being a surrogate or becoming a parent via surrogacy, this episode is a must-listen! When it comes to the legalities of parenthood using a surrogate, you do NOT want to cut any corners. Surrogacy law is at once complex, fascinating and often inconsistent depending on what country, state, or even county you live in. Here’s the good news, though: gestational surrogacy has be...

Egg donation is not a new technique. The success rate for pregnancies from donor eggs has increased dramatically over the years, with 55% of all embryo transfers using donor eggs results in a successful pregnancy. But how do you go about choosing an egg donor? In this episode, we'll cover the qualities you should look for when searching for a donor, pros and cons to the various methods of finding...

How do you find the right woman to be your surrogate? This is one of the most important decisions you will make, and there are many factors to consider when finding the right match for your journey to parenthood. When it comes to finding your surrogate, you’re looking for someone you’ll be spending a decent amount of time with. You have to be aligned in your expectations. You'll want to find a wom...

What inspires a woman to donate her eggs six times and serve as a gestational surrogate three times? In this episode of Fertility Café, host Eloise Drane shares her own donation and surrogacy story. Listen as she details every step of the journey, from her first donation (though not her eggs!) to actualizing her dream of starting the first surrogacy and egg donation agency in the South. Honest, re...

It’s 2020, and there are still stigmas about infertility. Seriously?! In this episode of Fertility Café, Eloise talks with Dr. Camille Hammond – a physician, author, keynote speaker, CEO of the Tinina Q. Cade Foundation, and infertile woman turned infertility advocate. In 2004, Dr. Hammond’s own mother, who was 55 years old at the time, served as a gestational carrier for Camille and her husband,...

We can all admit that modern family building isn’t cheap. But the good news is you don’t need to navigate the financial aspect of your journey alone. In this episode of Fertility Café, Eloise talks with CPA Sonia Stewart, owner of Ally Escrow Management and third-party reproduction financial expert. Sonia will answer the biggest money questions that come up: How can I pay for my journey? Are surro...

It’s time to talk about embryo donation - one of the many paths to modern family building. Eloise will cover the basics of how it works and where the embryos come from, and even address the tough legal and ethical considerations behind the practice, and the reasons why someone may choose to donate their surplus embryos as opposed to choosing another disposition for them. We’ll also look at the rec...

Egg donation may seem like a straightforward process, but whether you are an egg donor or a donor egg recipient, there are a lot of decisions to be made along the way. How do you know where to find an egg donor or where you want to donate? Do you want to work with an egg bank, a fertility clinic with an in-house donor program, or an egg donation agency? Should you choose a fresh or frozen cycle? S...

Top reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist Dr. Monica Best of Reproductive Biology Associates in Atlanta, GA joins Eloise in the Fertility Café to discuss black women and infertility, and why so many women are suffering in silence. Black women are twice as likely to experience infertility but are half as likely to seek treatment. Listen in for an honest discussion about the fertil...

What is surrogacy and how does the process work? Surrogacy truly takes a village. Whether you are an intended parent curious about parenthood-via-surrogacy or you are a woman considering becoming a surrogate, this episode lays the foundation of the surrogacy journey from the perspective of both the gestational surrogate and the intended parents. Eloise Drane reviews the cost of surrogacy, the prof...

What is modern family building? It’s creating your family in an unconventional way - through adoption, egg or sperm donation, embryo donation, surrogacy, or a combination of these. We live in a time where if we can’t have a child the traditional way, we have the option to decide how we want to complete our family. Let’s talk through the ins and outs of modern family building, what it is and how it...

Who ever thought making a baby could be so hard? Luckily, the fertility journey isn’t meant to be traveled alone. So grab a seat and let’s talk fertility and alternative family building with leading industry expert, Eloise Drane. FERTILITY CAFÉ is a weekly podcast focusing on all aspects of the fertility journey – from finding the right clinic and best reproductive endocrinologists, to navigating...