This is Infertility

#NIAW: A Path to Parenthood Turned into a Path to Purpose

Today’s guest embodies the purpose of National Infertility Awareness Week. Each year the infertility community, led by RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, takes this week to amplify and educate the public about reproductive health and issues that make building a family difficult for many.   Danielle Zoll has dedicated herself to advocacy and awareness through her St. Louis based organization, Making a Miracle. The isolation Danielle felt along her path to parenthood with endom...

Becoming a Single Parent by Choice: How Gloria Met Emmet

With a focus on her career and a determination to find the right "other half” for her child, today’s guest shares her journey to being a single parent by choice.  Navigating the stress of her ticking biological clock, Gloria Soler went from realizing that the perfect parenting partner was not yet on her horizon to manifesting her own dreams of parenthood.  Gloria went to find the doctor, the right sperm donor, the right treatment, and with a comprehensive employer-sponsored benefit, Glori...

From Surgeries to Success: Haley's Path to Parenthood

The journey to ideal health is a constant battle. And when emergency surgery is needed, most may not think twice about the impact this will have on their future fertility. In today’s episode, we hear from Haley, who shares her family building journey. It’s one marked by multiple diagnoses, surgeries, and financial strain. Despite these setbacks, Haley was determined to become a parent. She advocated for herself and found a doctor that she could trust. She then learned her employer had a fe...

Fertility 101: Common Fertility Tests

The Fertility 101 Series, because there’s no shortage of daunting terms to keep your mind running, is a quick and dirty breakdown on a specific topic with insights from a fertility expert.    This week's guest, Dr. Paul Dudley, Medical Director of Pinnacle Fertility Atlanta, dives into what tests are expected during an initial consultation, including the need for a blood test, semen analysis (if a partner is involved), and comprehensive assessments like an ovarian reserve evaluation. H...

The Role of Doulas

Today’s episode delves into a supportive yet often overlooked contributor to the birthing process and much more: the role of doulas.   Our guest, Latham Thomas, Founder of Mama Glow, elaborates on the diverse responsibilities of doulas, ranging from offering emotional and physical support in co-creating your birth plan, to advocating for individuals and facilitating communication between patients and healthcare providers. She explains what to keep in mind when finding the right doula for ...

Building Families with Ferring — A Win-Win

Times are changing, and more employers are choosing to prioritize fertility and family building benefits to attract and retain talent. Investing in employee benefits isn't just about cost, it’s about fostering a positive employee experience, driving engagement, and ultimately enhancing business performance.   Today's guest, Purvi Tailor, Vice President of Human Resources at Ferring U.S., describes Ferring’s groundbreaking approach to employee benefits. With a focus on enhancing the family...

Unexplained Infertility, Diminished Ovarian Reserve, and Switching Doctors

Struggling with disbelief, enduring back-to-back treatments, cancelled appointments, and an overwhelming emotional toll - these experiences are all part of Sonya Heer's journey to building a family. How did she get here? Sonya and her husband embarked on what most couples do: they got married, spent some quality time together, and then wanted to expand their family. But, after months of not having success, Sonya turned to a specialist where she was diagnosed with unexplained infertility. T...

Becoming a Single Parent by Choice: IVF + a Sperm Donor

Today’s guest spent a great deal of time juggling a lot of things many tasks on a tight schedule – she was busy creating a successful career for herself , as she was creating a successful career for herself as a senior producer at a media and entertainment companySenior Producer at Warner Brothers Discovery Sports. Lakia Holmes  At 37 years old, Lakia Holmes realized one day that her to-do's at work may not be the only thing functioning on a tight schedule.  Aware of her biological clock...

Wrapping Season 6 with Your Burning Questions

As the sixth season of This Is Infertility comes to a close, we wanted to thank all of our incredible listeners for keeping us part of your journey.  This episode has been requested by many of our listeners, and certainly could not have been made without you.  Today our host sits down with 30 of our amazing in-network reproductive endocrinologist to answer your burning questions. Wondering what these doctors are thinking along your journey? Tune in for their expert medical opinions, taste...

A Mic for the LGBTQIA+ Community: The Queer Family Podcast

Almost three years ago, we published a list of our Top 17 Favorite Fertility Podcasts.  Topping that list was a podcast called, If These Ovaries Could Talk, a show centered around the lesbian experience of fertility and family building.   Today’s guest, Jaimie Kelton, created this podcast after going through the journey to build her family, and struggling to find relatable content and education for queer identities. As her following has grown, so has her podcast. Jaimie explains how her s...

Finding the Right... Everything: A Journey of Trial and Error

Today’s guest walks us through her experience with the wrong physician, the wrong clinic, the wrong treatment, the wrong coverage, and the wrong...well, everything. Sherri Sawyerr describes her experience of trial and error in pursuing parenthood, and how taking the wrong path can often pave the way for the right one.     During her journey with multiple physicians and IVF cycles, inadequate coverage, limited representation, and ultimately, the decision to use donor eggs: Sherri realize...

WorkLIFE Balance: The Need for Family Building Support in the Workplace

This Veteran’s Day, we’re featuring Brian Tucker, a Veteran who is outspoken about his experience with male factor infertility. He is also an HR disruptor who knows that employers, are, in part, responsible for executing the American Dream.   On the path to building a family, Brian and his wife, Jenny, found themselves at a financial crossroad. Their coverage for fertility treatment was miscommunicated, which left them confused about what they actually need to pay vs what was covered. Lef...

Transformative Benefits: An Inside Look at an Amazonian's Family Building Journey

In the LGBTQIA+ community, options for family building are often limited – some by the ways employers choose to define infertility, and who can gain access to the benefit. Today’s guest, Stephanie Kalili, always knew she wanted to be a mom, but she didn’t know what this journey might look like for her. After meeting her wife and building a life together, Stephanie knew she was interested in conception through reciprocal IVF. The only problem was access and affordability.  Luckily for Step...

Episode 168: Egg Freezing 101

The Fertility 101 Series, because there’s no shortage of daunting terms to keep your mind running, is a quick and dirty breakdown on a specific topic with insights from a fertility expert.  In today’s episode, our host speaks with Dr. Anate Brauer, IVF Director at Shady Grove Fertility New York about all things egg freezing. She answers questions ranging from, “Why do people freeze their eggs?” to “How does it even work?”   If you’re questioning whether you would like to freeze your egg...

Egg Freezing: The Backup Plan

People are increasingly having children later in life and for some, the decision is to have no children at all. Those who teeter between the options, unsure of their decision, know that one thing is true; time is ticking.   Today’s guest, Shannon Fender, wasn’t always certain about parenthood, but at one point she realized she should put things in place in case that was something she wanted to pursue in the future. In this episode, Shannon dives into her experience with egg freezing and he...

Reproductive Urologists and Endocrinologists: What’s the Difference?

September is Urology Awareness Month, which is quite necessary considering there are less than four hundred practicing Reproductive Urologists in the United States. This episode serves as an opportunity to understand the intense training it takes to become a Reproductive Urologist (RU), what role they play in men’s health and reproductive health, as well as how they work in conjunction with Reproductive Endocrinologists.    In today’s episode, Progyny’s Chief Medical Officer and Repro...

Fertility 101: Menopause

The Fertility 101 Series, because there’s no shortage of daunting terms to keep your mind running, is a quick and dirty breakdown on a specific topic with insights from a fertility expert.     In today’s episode, Progyny’s Chief Medical Officer and Reproductive Endocrinologist, Dr. Janet Choi gives an overview about all the things you need to know about menopause.     Menopause has long been an undiscussed and overlooked medical issue despite the fact that it will impact half of the po...

Endometriosis, Male-Factor Infertility, and the Waiting Game

Football is a waiting game. Fans all over America watch their teams anxiously for months with one common desire, a chance to win. Today’s guest, Patriots fan, Chris Callahan, knows this waiting game quite well and it may have even prepared him for the most worthwhile wait of his life – the journey to his son, Brady. In this episode, Chris dives into their dual diagnosis of endometriosis and male-factor infertility, and the obstacles he and his wife faced on their path to parenthood. W...

Empowering Resilience: A Broken Brown Egg AHA Grant Winner's Story

In Episode 86: The Broken Brown Egg, we were introduced to Regina Townsend, the passionate voice behind The Broken Brown Egg; a blog, resource hub, community, and nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering, informing, and advocating for those who are questioning or dealing with infertility, with a particular focus on the Black experience.   Today, we meet Sametra Thompson, an active-duty service member in the U.S Army. After receiving a diagnosis of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) a...

Fertility 101: Unexplained Infertility

The Fertility 101 Series, because there’s no shortage of daunting terms to keep your mind running, is a quick and dirty breakdown on a specific topic with insights from a fertility expert.  In today’s episode, Dr. Callum Potts breaks down the unexplained infertility diagnosis. He walks us through the four factors of fertility, how they work collectively to create a natural pregnancy, and why these four factors could test normally without positive results. Dr. Pott’s discusses treatment op...

The Hadwins: The Weight of the Wait

Jessica Hadwin, like many in this community, was given an incredibly frustrating diagnosis – unexplained infertility. Answers are typically comforting and for Jessica there were none until she experienced two devasting miscarriages.  But how do we find the answers? For Jessica it was through additional research from the lab. After a few tests, it revealed chromosomal abnormalities to be the reason why her previous pregnancies ended in a loss.   In this episode hear how Jessica navigated ...

Male-Factor Infertility: IVF & the Unexpected

Today’s guest, Lizzy Colas, went into her marriage knowing she would likely need IVF to have a baby since her partner was diagnosed with male-factor infertility. What the couple didn’t know was how frustrating this process would be. Lizzy shares how they were able to navigate their journey, the support from their loved ones, and why they advocated for themselves throughout the entire process. Lizzy makes a few things clear – the impact of having access to a comprehensive family building b...

Male Factor Infertility: IVF & the Unexpected

Today’s guest, Lizzy Colas, went into her marriage knowing she would likely need IVF to have a baby since her partner was diagnosed with male factor infertility. What the couple didn’t know was how frustrating this process would be. Lizzy shares how they were able to navigate their journey, the support from their loved ones, and why they advocated for themselves throughout the entire process. Lizzy makes a few things clear – the impact of having access to a comprehensive family building b...

LGBTQ+ Family Building: Pride and Path to xHood

June is Pride Month and with all the different paths to parenthood available for LGBTQ+ couples and individuals, it’s a great time to elevate these voices within the community.    Today’s episode features Mia Cooley, a Black, queer, mother of three whose desire to connect with families that looked like hers, created an inclusive community called xHood.   xHood is a safe space that supports Black and queer families through the journey of parenthood. It’s an area that’s often challenged by...

The Long Road to Building a Family

Seven years ago, Michelle Meyer and her husband, Alex, had no idea what was in store for them and their dreams of starting a family. Those years were filled with multiple diagnoses (from male factor infertility, Hashimoto thyroiditis, and endometriosis), fertility treatments (IUI, medicated cycles, and IVF), and a mix of emotions from failed transfers and miscarriages.  In this episode, Michelle shares the journey they’ve been on, the impact of Wayfair’s family building benefit through Pr...

A Teacher’s Quest to Parenthood

We always talk about enacting change on this podcast and that’s exactly what today’s guest did when she felt her journey was at a halt. In honor of National Teacher’s Appreciation Week, meet Tara Stark, a teacher, who shares her experience after being diagnosed with diminished ovarian reserve, faced multiple failed rounds of IVF, and a pregnancy loss. Tara was frustrated and knew she needed a change. She also needed financial support to afford these treatments. So that’s exactly what Tara ...

#NIAW: Building a Family After Loss

Today’s episode is a great example of the magic some people experience on their path to parenthood. When Sarah and her husband Brian started trying at a time that felt right for them, they realized other factors may be at play, in this case, male factor, to be exact. For Sarah, the IVF process ran smoothly and successfully. And part of this was due to the fact that she had access to an employer-sponsored benefit through AT&T, so her financial burden of treatment was relieved by the Progyny...

#NIAW: The Catalyst to Bringing Fertility and Family Building Benefits to Her Employer

It’s National Infertility Awareness Week and this year we have one central theme – one we discuss frequently on this podcast – the importance and need for employer-sponsored fertility and family building benefits. We’ve heard from previous guests about how to advocate for coverage from within an organization, the view point from a benefits consultant on why it’s important, and today’s guest sheds light on what it was like to find a family building benefit while being a patient herself.  ...

Rescripting the Conversation Around Fertility

Today’s guest was thrusted into the world of infertility and soon became a co-founder to address the lack of education when it came to reproductive health. Kristyn Hodgdon was first diagnosed with PCOS after getting married and embarked on a long journey which included IUI, IVF, miscarriage, twins, and everything in between.   Along this journey, Kristyn came to the conclusion that there was no reason to bear the experience of fertility treatment alone. A cathartic blog turned into someth...

Bundle of Joy via a Gestational Surrogate

This episode features a guest who is not new to this podcast, or to Progyny at all. You may remember her from Episode 34: Transforming Pain into Bundles of Joy, where she described turning her experience with infertility into the Bundles of Joy foundation which has now distributed a million dollars in grant money to those struggling with infertility.   Today Samantha Busch joins us to discuss her most recent step on her family building journey, gestational surrogacy. She shares what’s been...

The Infertility Crisis in Canada

In today’s episode our guest, Carolynn Dubé, shares her family building journey with a few universal themes and emotions that many of our guests and this community has shared – the frustration, disappointment, sadness, and moments of hope. Carolynn also opens the question of, is Canada doing enough to support those struggling with infertility?  Join us as Carolynn shares her experience with male factor infertility, multiple rounds of IVF, the emotional and financial toll this journey took...

When the Right Decision is a Difficult One

In honor of Black History Month, we’re highlighting a story that we know all too well – the fight with fibroids. This condition impacts about 80% of Black women and while it’s common, many will never know they have it or require medical intervention.  In today’s episode, we speak to Shannon Walker about the barriers to expanding her family. She’s challenged with secondary infertility, fibroids, the COVID-19 pandemic, financial barriers, and physicians who didn’t understand her needs. Sha...

Fertility 101: Preparing for Your First Fertility Clinic Appointment

The Fertility 101 Series, because there’s no shortage of daunting terms to keep your mind running, is a quick and dirty breakdown on a specific topic with insights from a fertility expert.  In today’s episode, our host speaks with five doctors about how a person can prepare to meet with a fertility doctor. They answer questions ranging from, “What should you bring to the initial evaluation?” to, “What is a transvaginal ultrasound and how do you prepare for that?”   Let this episode serve...

How a Former Googler Formed His Family

Welcome back to season six of This is Infertility! As you may have heard from the trailer, we have a new season filled with new guests, new stories, and new twists and turns but one thing that has stayed constant through all the episodes and seasons – people who want to share their story with the infertility community.  In today’s episode, we hear from Russ Freyman, a former Google employee, who wanted to continue to build his family with his wife. After trying for some time, they found th...

This is Infertility - Season 6 Trailer

This is Infertility is back with a brand-new season! Join us on Jan 16th as we kick off season 6. We have new guests, new twists, new turns, and stories filled with hope, wonder, and everything in between.  Be sure to subscribe and share this podcast with your family, friends, and loved ones. We’ll be releasing a new episode every other week.    

Year End Recap: This is Infertility Season 5

At Progyny, we believe in the flexibility and power of giving patients the ability to choose -- choose their doctors, choose the best treatment plan, and ultimately choose what feels comfortable during their journey. For this season’s recap, we decided to highlight episodes that featured choice and adversity and how some of our guests have overcome the unfortunate realities we sometimes face on the path to parenthood.      As a result of physical, emotional, and financial roadblocks, we...

A Teacher’s Dream to Become a Mom

Today’s episode highlights something we talk about a lot on This Is Infertility — how a fertility doctor can make a huge difference in one’s journey. Today’s guest, Amber Walther, discovered soon after trying to start a family, that the process wouldn’t be so “cut and dry.” As a teacher, Amber’s plan was to take some time from school and hopefully return after the summer break with a new family member. Nowhere in her plan did she account for how much time it would take to find the right ca...

Infertility in the Military: Giving Hope to Our Heroes

Today’s episode is a little different than the usual personal encounters with infertility we share on this podcast, but in celebration of Veterans Day, we wanted to bring you a special episode. Today, we are joined by Anne Marie Dougherty, CEO of the Bob Woodruff Foundation. This foundation was started to support Veterans through physical care, beyond what they receive from Veteran health care. Join us as we learn more about this organization and about their VIVA program, a fund that provide...

Infertility in the Military: From the Male’s POV

Today’s guest is Progyny’s own, Justin Smith. Prior to joining the Progyny team, Justin spent 17 years in the U.S. Military service as an Army Medic. During the peak of the war with Iraq and Afghanistan, Justin was on the brink of battling something he had yet to encounter, infertility.  In this episode, Justin takes us on the journey of what it was like to be in the military and go through fertility treatment. Looking back on the four IUI cycles and three IVF cycles that he had endured w...

Oncofertility: Building a Family after Cancer

Today’s guest has been on the podcast before. In Episode 54, Emily Rich shared her experience with freezing embryos prior to going through cancer treatment. Now, as that battle has passed, Emily shares with us something extremely special.   Throughout this episode, we go along with Emily on her family building journey in real-time. Through video updates, she documented her process from the moment she came off her cancer medication, to the moment she first heard her son’s heartbeat. Emily...

Miscarriage Awareness: The Experience from Both Sides

Today’s guests are Demi and Tom Schweers. Once the couple got married and bought a home, they started thinking about creating a family, but things have proved a bit more complicated than originally planned. Demi was diagnosed with both multiple sclerosis (MS) and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and the couple suffered two miscarriages, but these challenges have only strengthened the couple, who are currently going through their first IVF cycle.   Throughout their journey, Demi and Tom...

Me, Myself, and Motherhood

Today’s guest enters the realm of fertility treatments despite never in her 38 years being diagnosed with infertility. Angela Hatem’s journey began with seeking out a sperm donor to fulfill the one thing that she wanted but couldn't have without a partner: a child.  What she expected to be a fairly simple journey turned out to be quite complex. In today’s episode, we hear how Angela goes from thinking fertility treatments are a guarantee to conquering Clomid, ovarian cysts, seven rounds ...

Infertile Tees

Marilyn Gomez is a mother to a rainbow baby named Mila. But like many Latin women, she faced many stereotypical assumptions and comments as she worked to grow her family. After five and a half years of Clomid, IUI, and IVF, she and her husband finally found success after pairing their treatment with pre-implantation genetic testing, increasing their odds of a healthy pregnancy and baby.   In this episode, we hear from Marilyn about something that changed her life completely — the infertil...

The Fight with Fibroids

There are few things scarier than excruciating, physical pain for a reason unknown. Except, maybe, experiencing the worst pain of your life while on a three-hour flight, fainting, and waking up with an oxygen mask, surrounded by concerned flight attendants urging the pilot to make an emergency landing.  That is exactly what happened to today’s guest, Dontaria Terrell, when a cyst burst 30,000 feet in the air. Dontaria had been ignoring her pain, assuming it was normal. Her emergency surger...

Egg Freezing: Love, Career, and Future Kids

“Do you want to have kids?” For some people this question may come with ease, for others, it may raise more questions and emotions. Today’s guest is comfortable with not knowing whether or not she sees herself as a parent but most importantly she’s given the ability to pursue a treatment that can preserve her fertility if she decided to change her mind. In this episode, we hear from Sarah Fisher Lu on why she deferred her decision to have a child by freezing her eggs with Progyny. She ex...

From "That's Not Good Enough" to Parenthood

Going through IVF is challenging no matter what, but the difference between going through treatment without coverage and then again with coverage, can make a big difference.   Today’s guest shares her experiences with IVF before and after receiving the Progyny benefit through her employer. Caitlin Day expresses the overwhelming process of managing every aspect of her fertility treatment, and how much of a relief it was to find assistance and personalization through Progyny.  She emphasi...

Fertility 101: Endometrial Receptivity Test

The Fertility 101 Series, because there’s no shortage of daunting terms to keep your mind running, is a quick and dirty breakdown on a specific topic with insights from a fertility expert.  In today’s episode, we explore Endometrial Receptivity Testing, a clinical aspect of embryo transfer and implantation. Mike Large, from CooperSurgical, walks us through the process and breaks down some of the complicated language and mechanics that go with it.   Mike explains the proper window of im...

Episode 136: When IVF Seems Unattainable

o two fertility journeys are the same, and with unique nuances of the emotional, physical, and financial strains on the parent(s), the path to parenthood is often long and strenuous. While immediate success with treatment like IUI or IVF is ideal, sometimes a happy ending takes time. In this episode, we hear from Hilary Patterson, a Progyny member with a diagnosis of diminished ovarian reserve, and hear how she persevered through her fertility challenges. Hilary’s experience includes tryin...

Ep 136 - Hilary Patterson

Fertility 101: The 4Ts of Male Fertility

The Fertility 101 Series, because there’s no shortage of daunting terms to keep your mind running, is a quick and dirty breakdown on a specific topic with insights from a fertility expert.  Dr. Lowell Ku from Dallas IVF will help break down what can lower sperm quality, thus impacting overall male fertility. Each of these causes start with the letter T and can serve as a good reminder to practice healthy habits.   To reference the episode around male infertility, check out Episode 108: ...