Trying with Dr. Sasha Hakman

Pregnancy loss affects 15–25% of clinically recognized pregnancies, yet so many people are left without answers — or without hope. In this solo episode, Dr. Sasha Hakman breaks down everything you need to know about miscarriage and recurrent pregnancy loss: the five major causes, how each one is diagnosed, what treatment actually looks like, and which lifestyle factors are (and aren't) worth worry...

In this solo episode, Dr. Sasha dives into one of the most requested topics on the podcast: trying to conceive and being pregnant after 40. She cuts through the noise of misleading celebrity headlines and online misinformation to give you a clear, honest, and compassionate look at the biology, statistics, and real options available to you. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why more women are having b...

If you've ever gone through a failed embryo transfer and wondered why , this episode is for you. Dr. Sasha sits down with Jeremy Grushcow, co-founder and CEO of Juniper Genomics, to break down a groundbreaking advancement in IVF: whole genome and transcriptome embryo testing. Jeremy holds a PhD in molecular genetics and cell biology from the University of Chicago, along with a law degree, and has...

What does it actually mean to try as a woman, as a patient, as a person navigating a healthcare system that wasn't built with you in mind? In this first solo episode of the newly rebranded Trying with Dr. Sasha Hakman, Dr. Sasha shares why she changed the name, what this podcast is really about, and who it's for. She opens up about the conversation that sparked the rebrand, the reality of practici...

Are you being told to stop exercising while trying to conceive or going through IVF? You're not alone and according to today's guest, you're also likely being given advice that isn't backed by science. In this episode, Dr. Shannon joins us for a conversation that is equal parts empowering and eye-opening. As both a physical therapist and a patient who exercised throughout her own fertility journey...

In this solo episode, Dr. Sasha goes deep on one of her most-requested topics: endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). What they are, where they're hiding, how they affect your hormones and fertility, and exactly what you can do about it. As a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist, she brings both clinical expertise and personal practice to this conversation. This episode is groun...

Dr. Sasha Hakman is finally joined by her husband, Dr. Eryk Hakman. In this honest, funny, and surprisingly emotional episode, Sasha and Eryk sit down together for the first time to share the full story: how they met on labor and delivery, why Eryk almost didn't commit, and what it has really been like to navigate three rounds of IVF as a couple, including a failed embryo transfer that hit them bo...

Dr. Sasha Hakman goes solo to finally answer the question her community has been asking for weeks: what exactly did she do differently for her second embryo transfer, the one that worked? Now 14 weeks pregnant, Dr. Sasha walks through her full protocol in detail, from the switch to a programmed FET to every medication, supplement, and lifestyle change she made. She also opens up about the emotiona...

Dr. Sasha Hakman sits down with Dr. Felice Chan, a Chinese medicine practitioner and licensed acupuncturist based in Los Angeles, to explore how traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can support women's health and fertility. What starts as a curiosity from a fertility doctor who regularly refers patients for acupuncture quickly turns into one of the most eye-opening conversations yet covering everyth...

Today, I’m breaking down one of the most misunderstood topics in women’s health: hormonal contraceptives. With so much misinformation online, it’s easy to feel confused or even scared about your options. As a reproductive endocrinologist, I want to give you the science-based facts so you can make informed decisions about your body and your future fertility. I walk you through the different types o...

What happens when you're the picture of health, crushing it in your career, and then find out you can't get your partner pregnant? In this episode, I sit down with Brian Mazza, entrepreneur, founder of High Performance Lifestyle Training, and one of the few men openly talking about male infertility. Brian shares his deeply personal journey from receiving devastating test results to navigating IVF,...

I see this all the time. You’re doing everything right, your tests look “normal,” and yet… you’re still not getting pregnant. What if something is being missed? In this episode, I’m breaking down one of the most underdiagnosed and misunderstood conditions in fertility: endometriosis. I walk you through what endometriosis actually is, how it impacts your body, and more importantly, how it can affec...

Can you really get pregnant after seven failed embryo transfers? What does it take to keep going when nothing seems to work? In this episode, I sit down with Abbe Feder to talk about one of the most intense fertility journeys I’ve ever heard. After 6 years of trying to conceive, 8 embryo transfers, a miscarriage, an ectopic pregnancy, and multiple failed IVF cycles, Abby finally got her miracle… t...

Are you wasting money on fertility supplements that don’t actually help you get pregnant? In this solo episode, I break down the truth about fertility supplements, what is worth taking when you are trying to conceive, and what may be overhyped or unnecessary. There is so much conflicting information online, especially around prenatal vitamins, folic acid, and trending supplements, so I wanted to w...

Should you freeze your eggs? And if you do, how many do you actually need to feel confident about your future fertility? In this episode, Dr. Sasha Hakman sits down with Dr. Jessica Ryniec, a reproductive endocrinologist based in Boston, to break down everything you need to know about fertility preservation. From egg freezing to embryo banking, this conversation covers the science, the process, th...

What really happens to your eggs once they leave the operating room? And how much does the embryology lab actually impact IVF success? In this episode, Dr. Sasha Hakman sits down with Shaun Reed, an experienced embryologist from Utah Fertility Center, to break down one of the most misunderstood parts of the fertility journey: the IVF lab. From egg retrieval to embryo transfer, Shaun walks through...

Could your PCOS diagnosis actually be something else? In this episode of the Trying to Conceive Podcast, Dr. Sasha Hakman breaks down polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), one of the most common and misunderstood hormonal conditions affecting fertility. She also shares her personal experience of believing she had PCOS for years before discovering through expanded genetic testing that she actually had...

How do you know if the prenatal vitamin you're taking actually contains what it claims? And why do some supplements promise everything but deliver almost nothing? In this episode, Dr. Sasha Hakman sits down with Sam Diamond, co-founder of Bird & Be to pull back the curtain on the supplement industry. From sourcing ingredients to third party testing, manufacturing challenges, and regulatory differe...

How many follicles are too many for an IUI? When should you move on to IVF? And is IUI ever a waste of time? In this episode, Dr. Sasha Hakman sits down with Dr. Blake Evans, a reproductive endocrinologist and researcher whose groundbreaking studies on ovarian stimulation and IUI have changed the way fertility specialists counsel patients every day. Dr. Evans breaks down his widely cited research...

I finally share something I know so many of you have been waiting for. My embryo transfer failed. In this episode, I walk you through what happened, what I felt as both a fertility doctor and a patient, and the real reasons embryo transfers sometimes do not work even when everything looks perfect. We talk about the science behind failed implantation, what recurrent implantation failure actually me...

What if your fertility struggles are not just bad luck? In this episode, I sit down with Dr Natalie Crawford to unpack one of the most overlooked drivers of infertility… chronic inflammation. We talk about why so many women are told to “just try for 12 months” before testing, why sperm counts have dropped dramatically over the last 50 years, and how inflammation quietly interferes with ovulation,...

Gestational surrogacy can be one of the most powerful—and misunderstood—paths to building a family. In this episode of Trying to Conceive, Dr. Sasha Hakman sits down with her partner and colleague, Dr. Shahin Ghadir, a double board-certified reproductive endocrinologist with nearly 20 years of experience in third-party reproduction. Together, they break down the essentials of gestational surrogacy...

In this solo Q&A episode, Dr. Sasha Hakman answers your most common and complex fertility questions with clarity and nuance. She breaks down topics like chronic endometritis and transfer timing, reasons for low egg maturity and fertilization rates, day 7 PGT-normal embryos, and what “normal” HCG rises really look like. Dr. Hakman also shares guidance on natural vs. programmed FETs, exercising duri...

Trying with Dr. Sasha Hakman is a women's health podcast hosted by a reproductive endocrinologist, covering everything from fertility and IVF to perimenopause, endometriosis, and hormonal health, all in plain, evidence-based language. No jargon, no shame, just the answers you've been searching for. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should you delay IVF or egg freezing to improve egg quality—or could waiting actually hurt your chances? In this episode of Trying to Conceive, Dr. Sasha Hakman is joined by renowned reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Philip Romanski to break down what the science really says about timing fertility treatment. They explore ovarian reserve testing, egg quality myths, lifestyle and supplement considera...