Fertility Forward

In this episode of Fertility Forward, host Dara welcomes RMA New York’s Dr. Erkan Buyuk and Dr. Rebecca Zhou to discuss their latest research on anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and ovarian reserve. They share what inspired their study, how they approached their research, and why understanding AMH levels in patients experiencing infertility is so important. The conversation explores how different diag...

When intended parents and gestational carriers enter into an agreement, there's a lot to consider, from carrier compensation to the expectations intended parents may have about the carrier's lifestyle during pregnancy. In this episode, Dr. Michelle J. Bayefsky and Dr. Erkan Buyuk of RMA of New York discuss their study, ‘Evolving Trends in Gestational Carrier Agreements: A Mixed-methods S...

When should women start learning about the impact of age on fertility? In this episode, Dr. Michelle J. Bayefsky , Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Fellow at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and RMA of New York, and Dr. Maya Korin , Associate Professor at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, discuss their study, ‘Expert Views on Preventing Age-Related Infertility Through Improved Couns...

Turning 35 doesn’t suddenly change your ability to get pregnant, but age does matter when it comes to fertility. In this episode, Dr. Cary Dicken , reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist at RMA of New York Long Island , explains what really happens to fertility after 35 and why this age has become such an important milestone. She breaks down how egg quantity and quality change ove...

What if slowing down is not something you earn after burnout, but a practice you can begin in seconds? In this episode, Rena and Dara welcome meditation teacher and retreat facilitator Carlos Diaz . His work combines meditation, mindfulness, conscious living, and personal transformation to help people slow down, gain clarity, and reconnect with themselves. In their conversation, they explore how s...

PCOS has a new name, but what does that actually mean for patients? In this episode, Dr. Kimberley Thornton , reproductive endocrinologist at RMA of New York , explains why polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) has been renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) and why the change better reflects the condition. She clarifies what has changed, what hasn't, and how the new terminology...

How do we bridge the gap between Eastern and Western medicine and create a holistic approach to patient care in order to get the best possible fertility results? Today on Fertility Forward, we welcome the founder of NYC Acupuncture + Wellness , Dr. Ting Wu , to discuss her integrative East Asian medicine approach to women’s health, fertility, and reproductive wellness. Tuning in, you’ll hear all a...

What if the biggest barrier to building a family is not medical, but financial? In this episode, Angela Rastegar , CEO and co-founder of Sunfish , joins the conversation to share how her own fertility journey inspired her to create a company designed to help patients better navigate the financial and logistical challenges of fertility care. Angela opens up about spending more than $50,000 out of p...

Imagine living with debilitating pain for years, only to be told it’s “just a normal period,” before discovering that endometriosis and adenomyosis have been affecting your body all along. In this episode of Fertility Forward, Dr. Zoran Pavlovic (Dr. Z) joins Rena to unpack these complex inflammatory conditions and explain why they require far more than hormone-based treatment alone. Together, the...

Infertility can be isolating, but sharing the story can help people feel less alone. In this episode of Fertility Forward, Rena and Dara sit down with Erin Bulcao, a wife, mother of three, and content creator. In their conversation, Erin shares how she discovered she was not ovulating in her twenties, the steps to getting pregnant with triplets after intrauterine insemination (IUI), making the dif...

Choosing a sperm donor can feel overwhelming, emotional, and deeply personal, especially when you’re not sure where to begin. In this episode of Fertility Forward, hosts Rena and Dara are joined by Lisa Lightbourne , Clinic Relations Manager, and Andrea Darrington , General Manager at Fairfax Cryobank , for a behind-the-scenes look at how donor sperm programs really work. Lisa and Andrea explain h...

 In this episode of Fertility Forward, Rena and Dara are joined by journalist and mother, Stephanie Butnick , for an honest conversation about IVF, genetic testing, and the emotional complexities of building a family. Stephanie shares how her journey with RMA began after learning her husband carries a BRCA1 mutation, and why they chose to pursue IVF with pre-implantation genetic testing. She refle...

For many women, trying to get a clear answer to their health problems can be challenging, if not downright frustrating. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Joining us today is Priyanka Jain , co-founder and CEO of Evvy , a women's health technology company focused on closing the gender health gap by decoding the vaginal microbiome. In this conversation, Priyanka shares how her own experiences...

What if you could find joy through your infertility journey? Today on Fertility Forward, we welcome Dr. Lucky Sekhon back to the show to tell us about her amazing book, The Lucky Egg , and how it supports women battling fertility lovingly, practically, and by encouraging them to focus on the journey, not just the destination. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about what inspired Dr. Sekhon to write this...

 Welcome to another episode of Fertility Forward! Today, we are joined by registered dietitian and bestselling author Ashley Koff to discuss weight health and fertility. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about Ashley’s new book, Your Best Shot , and what inspired her to write it. We talk about what agonists are, the pros and considerations of weight health therapy, and how we can understand weight loss h...

 Choosing ovum donation is an emotional and potentially daunting process. But there is great power in embracing it as the best decision for you and as a gift you are giving yourself instead of as an obstacle to overcome. Today on Fertility Forward, Dr. Georgia Witkin is back to discuss ovum and sperm donation and the emotional effects of each. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about how Dr. Witkin helps...

In this episode of Fertility Forward, hosts Rena and Dara welcome Eboni K. Williams —acclaimed lawyer, author, and television host—for a powerful and personal conversation about her journey to single motherhood by choice. Known for her work on Equal Justice with Judge Eboni K. Williams , Holding Court with Eboni K. Williams , and as a former cast member of The Real Housewives of New York City , Eb...

Infertility is a treatable and curable disease, and infertility treatment needs to be more accessible and affordable to the average American. Today on Fertility Forward, we are joined by Dr. Kaylen Silverberg from the Texas Fertility Center to discuss something we haven’t really touched on before: fertility legislation and the importance of advocating for our rights to start a family! Tuning in, y...

Sometimes the most powerful insights in fertility care come from lived experience. In this episode of Fertility Forward, we sit down with Dr. Amelia Kelly , the newest reproductive endocrinologist at RMA of New York’s Brooklyn office, to explore the personal and professional journey that brought her to this field. She shares how her mother’s volunteer work in reproductive health first opened her e...

This episode of Fertility Forward is a very special and highly anticipated one! Today, we are reflecting on the year that is about to end and sharing our hopes for 2026. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about what we want to leave in 2025, what we want to take with us into next year, our words for 2026, and more! From the best books we read this year to manifestation, this episode touches on it all. Tha...

Couples journeying through infertility often grieve differently and find themselves disconnecting. Our guest’s solution to this was to write a book for his beautiful wife. Joining Rena and Dara on the Fertility Forward podcast today is Jared Walker , the Founder and Executive Director for Dollar For . Dollar For , founded in 2015 in Portland, Oregon, is a national non-profit organization that help...

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of pregnancy loss and fertility challenges. Please take care while listening, and pause if you need to. Motherhood doesn’t always follow a traditional script, and you don’t need a fairytale to build a family. In this powerful episode of Fertility Forward, best-selling author, speaker, and life coach Cheri Bergeron joins us to share her extraordinar...

Discoveries made during fertility testing can sometimes reveal more than patients expect. In this episode of Fertility Forward, Dr. Emily Clarke , a third-year fellow in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at RMA of New York, shares new research on Mosaic Turner syndrome and what it can mean for patients undergoing IVF. She explains how many people discover this chromosomal condition incide...

Joining Rena and Dara on the podcast today are two special guests, a reproductive endocrinologist and partner, Dr. Daniel Stein , who leads a team at our West Side office, as well as an RMA Fellow and native New Yorker, Dr. Jensen Reckhow . Our guests have co-authored an abstract titled ‘Predicting treatment futility in patients undergoing autologous IVF’, which they’ll be presenting at the ASRM C...

Welcome back to another sneak peek of the upcoming ASRM Conference. Today, we welcome Dr. Erkan Buyuk back to the show to hear about his abstract at the ASRM Conference titled, ‘Time to Undetectable HCG Following Early Pregnancy Loss in ART Pregnancies: A Comparison of Management Strategies.’ Tuning in, you’ll hear about this one-of-a-kind study, the delicate way doctors have to handle miscarriage...