Fertility Forward

Today’s guest on the show is Dr. Taraneh Nazem, who is a reproductive endocrinologist, an infertility specialist, and a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, who cares for patients at RMA of New York’s Manhattan West Side office. Dr. Nazem came to RMA after completing her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the New York University School of Medicine and receiving her medical degree...

Many of us will experience some kind of trauma during our lifetime. Sometimes, we escape with no long-term effects but, for millions of people, those experiences linger, causing symptoms like flashbacks, nightmares, and negative thoughts that interfere with everyday life. Today’s guest is a well-known psychotherapist, clinical director, CEO, and published author. Joelle Rabow Maletis utilizes refl...

Margaret Marsh and Wanda Ronner are sisters who have been collaborating for the past three decades and writing about the history of infertility, reproductive medicine, and reproductive technology. Margaret Marsh, who is currently serving as the Interim Chancellor of Rutgers University–Camden, is a university professor of history at Rutgers, and Wanda Ronner is a professor of obstetrics and gynecol...

Amy Klein is the author of the new book The Trying Game: Get Through Fertility Treatment and Get Pregnant Without Losing Your Mind , a guide that is based on her successful ‘Fertility Diary’ column for The New York Times . She writes frequently about health, fertility, and reproductive rights for publications such as Newsweek , Slate , The Washington Post , and others. After four years of infertil...

Going through infertility treatment is already a stressful experience for many patients and, at the time of a global pandemic, the emotional burden is likely even more difficult. In today’s episode, host Rena Gower is joined by Dara Godfrey, nutritionist and Registered Dietician at RMA New York, and Dr. Kimberley Thornton, a reproductive endocrinologist at RMA New York, who share their perspective...

In the next installment of the Hope and Healing panel, host Rena Gower is joined by three guests, who each bring their unique experience and share their perspectives on the infertility journey. We welcome back Dr. Lucky Sekhon, a reproductive endocrinologist at RMA, and we also hear from Ariel Schnur, a fertility nurse at RMS, and Rachel Rachel Hess, who provides a patient perspective. Find out ab...

Today’s episode focuses on the impact of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis on fertility and pregnancy. Joining in to share her expertise on the topic is Dr. Rachel Gerber, a reproductive endocrinologist, infertility specialist, and board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist who cares for patients at RMA of New York’s Eastside and Westchester offices. She received her undergraduate degree f...

Today your host Rena Gower is joined by three guests who each bring their unique experience and perspective on the topic of pregnancy and infant loss. We have Dr. Lucky Sekhon, a reproductive endocrinologist at RMA, Nancy Berlow, a social worker who has her own practice and is a consultant for a pregnancy loss support group, and Jennifer Browder, an inspiring woman who shares her story. Listeners...

There has been a significant societal change concerning the economy, the science we have developed, as well as the medicine we now practice. Along with many contributing factors including increased life expectancy, a pushback in childbearing age, and other extrinsic factors like illnesses and respective treatments, many people, male and female, are now reaching out and going through the process of...

In this episode, we welcome the talented Dr. Tia Jackson-Bey to the RMA of New York, who has moved here after recently completing her OB-GYN Residency at Duke University Medical Centre. Tia is incredibly passionate about reproductive justice and increasing access to fertility care for all. Through her work with the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and the National Medical Associat...

The path to motherhood can feel isolating and overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. You are not alone. Rebekah Rosler wants to be there with you and the journey to and through motherhood, to help you through your challenges and celebrate your successes. Rebekah is a 40-year-old wife and mother to a 4-year-old and a set of 2-year-old twins, (in)fertility warrior, community builder, counselor, ad...

Sometimes in a woman’s fertility journey, they can feel completely overwhelmed because their body is failing them. Often times they also carry a pang of internal guilt, which they are fighting with constantly, and then on top of that, they have no idea what is really going on because they simply lack the knowledge. Their bodies are a black box. Today on the show we are excited to welcome Dr. Amy D...

Fertility preservation is receiving increased attention as an evolving area of reproductive medicine. It aims to preserve reproductive tissue for future use, but there are a lot of myths and misconceptions around the practice. Today’s guest is Dr. Lucky Sekhon, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist and board certified obstetrician and gynecologist who cares for patients at RMA...

Since “it takes two to tango”, this episode focuses on the necessary nutrition and lifestyle information that men who are trying to conceive need, and the role they play in IVF success, and the baby’s health, among other things. Our guest is an award-winning Registered Dietitian turned entrepreneur and author, Lauren Manaker. Lauren launched her business after struggling with infertility and becom...

PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome, is a common diagnosis that affects a lot of women, especially when they’re trying to conceive, and unfortunately, most of us don’t know too much about it. What does it look like? How does it affect our bodies? What causes it? Or how can we manage it with lifestyle changes and medications? This topic we are discussing today is near and dear to all of our hearts...

Today we are excited to welcome Aimee Raupp who is a women’s health and wellness expert and the bestselling author of Body Belief , Yes, You Can Get Pregnant, and Chill Out & Get Healthy. Aimee is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist who holds a Master of Science degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine and a Bachelor’s degree in biology from Rutg...

Whether individuals of Jewish faith are struggling with fertility, women's health, men's health, genetics, or intimacy, PUAH is here to help couples fulfill their dreams of building a healthy family in accordance with Jewish law. Today’s guest is Rabbi Segelman, the rabbinic advisor for PUAH in America. After studying in Israel for two years at Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh, Rabbi Segelman att...

If you’ve ever wondered how exercise can affect your fertility fitness journey, or if you’ve simply run out of ideas to motivate yourself to continue exercising through it, today’s podcast is meant for you. In this episode of Fertility Forward, we chat with Mahri Relin, a former professional dancer, and find out how it was through dancing that she discovered her passion for fitness. Mahri spent he...

After becoming a fertility patient in 2004, Risa Levine began working to ensure federal insurance coverage for infertility treatment, and worked closely with RESOLVE for the passage of the family act to provide a tax credit for medical expenses incurred for infertility treatment. She has now committed to securing coverage for IVF for veterans injured in the line of duty, and for exploding the New...

Have you ever wondered what the direct impact of what you’re eating has on your chances of getting pregnant? Today’s episode is all about food and fertility, and our guest is an expert in the field. Dr. Jorge Chavarro is the Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Co-Director of Epidemiology and Genetics Core at Boston Nutrition Obesity Research Center. His research focus...

Recurrent pregnancy loss or multiple miscarriages can be particularly challenging because they frequently cannot be medically explained. While couples may begin to feel hopeless after going through this difficult infertility obstacle, our guest today, Dr. Daniel Stein, shares that it’s not all doom and gloom, and that hope is still certainly there. Dr. Stein is the Director of RMA of New York’s We...

The handling of eggs and sperm in the culturing of embryos is delicate and complex and is performed by highly-trained embryology and andrology specialists. RMA of New York has a large and experienced lab team that is committed to upholding the highest standards of safety and precision to achieve superior success rates and healthy pregnancy outcomes for our patients. In this episode we talk to Seni...

If you have ever had a question about exercising while trying to conceive and during pregnancy, this episode is a must! Our guest today, Juliette Walle, is a personal trainer whose training style is deeply rooted in an understanding of biomechanics. With a love of athleticism and finding the fun in fitness, her sessions are energy filled and sweat-inducing, tailoring every workout to her client’s...

Having a solid support structure during your fertility journey is extremely important, whether that be a partner, a friend, or an established support group. Nancy Kaufman is a licensed psychoanalyst practicing in New York City for more than 30 years, working with individuals, couples, and groups dealing with infertility and parenting after infertility. Following her graduation from Columbia Univer...

We tend to use the terms jealousy and envy synonymously, but there’s a distinct difference between the two. Today’s guest is Dr. Lauren Appio, a licensed psychologist in the state of New York, who explains why this distinction can be important. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Appio about jealousy and envy and what exactly the difference is. We also discuss how to find balance when socializing wh...