This Is Infertility

This is the last episode in our four-part series for National Infertility Awareness Week on #InfertilityUncovered. This episode is going to follow the experience of a patient who is covered by the Progyny Fertility Benefit, while taking a deep dive into an invaluable resource she found along the way, The Progyny Patient Care Advocate Team. Infertility is a disease that demands support, and today we will examine what real supportive care grounded by experience and devotion really looks like. Today’s host is Melissa Johnson, Director, National Accounts at Progyny. Guests include: Jennifer Kattula & the member of the Progyny Patient Care Advocate team: Janelle Branch, Selena Campbell, Katie Diana, Melissa Duffy, Marianela Felipe, Jennifer Flavin, Manuela Henderson, LaTisha Maxwell, LaShonda Mickens, Claire O'Neill, Jasmine Villa, Lily Xu, Claudia Zimmerman For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page: http://www.progyny.com/podcast To ask your HR/benefits team for a fertility benefit, visit progyny.com

This is the third episode in our four-part series for National Infertility Awareness Week on #InfertilityUncovered. Why, in 2019, are American workplaces still so bad at dealing with issues around infertility? That is the question that Katherine Goldstein, reporter and host of the podcast The Double Shift, asks in her article for Slate titled, “IVF & The Office.” Katherine has been researching and writing about issues relating to women and the workplace for years now, and when she turned her attention to infertility and the workplace she found herself with more questions than answers. In this episode Katherine uncovers what she’s learned while researching her article, the advice she has for women, and what workplaces can do to address these shortcomings. Today’s host is Cassandra Pratt, VP of People at Progyny. Guests include: Katherine Goldstein, The Double Shift podcast For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page: http://www.progyny.com/podcast and The Double Shift podcast: https://www.thedoubles

This is the second episode in our four-part series for National Infertility Awareness Week on #InfertilityUncovered. If a fertility benefit is offered, but there are no providers who accept it, is it really a benefit at all? In this episode we from Wajmah Yaqubi who found herself asking that very question when she researched her employer’s fertility benefit. Wajmah is still trying to conceive, and she’s doing it with very little coverage for her fertility treatments that she needs. Today’s host is Brandi Guthrie, Provider Account Manager at Progyny. Guests include: Wajmah Yaqubi For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page http://www.progyny.com/podcast To ask your HR/benefits team for a fertility benefit, visit progyny.com/talktohr to start the conversation Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

National Infertility Awareness Week falls on 4/21 – 4/27 and this year’s theme from RESOLVE is #InfertilityUncovered. For this week, we’re doing a four-part series on what it’s like to truly uncover the world of infertility. The first episode is with Jamie Stelter, the morning transit and traffic reporter for NY1 and a co-host with Pat Kiernan on Morning’s on 1. She’s been smiling on TV for so long that many who watch her feel like they know her, but of course, we don’t really know what’s going on in people’s lives… not until they tell us. In today’s episode Jamie shares her infertility journey, what she’s learned, and uncovers why she has decided to become a vocal infertility advocate spreading her message on social media and on-air. Today’s host is Julie Hunt, Manager of Business Development at Progyny. Guests include: Jamie Stelter from NY 1 For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page: http://www.progyny.com/podcast To ask your HR/benefits team for a fertility benefit, visit progyny.com/talktohr to

National Infertility Awareness Week is right around the corner, it’s from April 21st to the 27th, and this year Resolve, The National Infertility Awareness Association, chose the theme infertility uncovered. It got us thinking, what would an episode based off of that theme look like? Well, we couldn't decide on just one topic, so we will be releasing four episodes in four days from Monday, April 22 through Thursday April 25. Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss it! And follow us on instagram @thisisinfertilitypodcast to keep up to date.

Samantha Busch is the wife of NASCAR champion Kyle Busch. After utilizing IVF to conceive their son, Brexton, Samantha recently experienced a pregnancy loss when trying IVF for a second child. Today, we’re going to learn how she got here, what she’s learned along the way, and how she’s transforming her own pain into something more like joy - bundles of it! She co-founded Samantha & Kyle Busch Bundle of Joy Fund which provides grants to those who are struggling to afford fertility treatment in the Charlotte area. Today’s host is Lissa Kline, VP of Member and Provider Services at Progyny. Guests include: Samantha Busch, Bundle of Joy Fund For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page: http://www.progyny.com/podcast and The Samantha and Kyle Busch Bundle of Joy Fund: https://bundleofjoyfund.org Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

Description: Being diagnosed with endometriosis is just the first step and now you’re left with more questions than answers. So what do you do? You start searching on the internet and you’re flooded with information. How could you possibly sort through it all? Well, there’s a special Facebook group called Nancy’s Nook that offers education around endometriosis to its 57,000 members. It’s such a trusted and authoritative group that even doctors refer patients to it. In the fourth and final episode of our special endometriosis series we hear from Donna Laux, one of the key administrators for the group, on how Nancy’s Nook was created and how it’s helped thousands of women. Today’s host is Taylor Burbach, Patient Care Supervisor at Progyny. Guests include: Donna Laux, from Nancy’s Nook For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page: http://www.progyny.com/podcast and Nancy’s Nook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418136991574617 Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertil

On the surface today’s episode is about two women. One, Shannon Cohn, an award-winning filmmaker, attorney, and activist, and the other, Mary Alice Hatch, an endometriosis and women’s health advocate. But it’s really an episode about almost 200 million women - that’s the estimated number of women who suffer from endometriosis in the world. Shannon and Mary Alice are co-founders of an endometriosis awareness organization called EndoWhat? In the third episode of our special Endo series, we hear how this organization was created, and how they’re changing the way we talk about endometriosis. Today’s host is Taylor Burbach, Patient Care Supervisor at Progyny. Guests include: Shannon Cohn and Mary Alice Hatch from Endo What? For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page: http://www.progyny.com/podcast and Endo What?: https://www.endowhat.org/ Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

This is the second episode in our four-part series on endometriosis and we’ve broken this episode into two parts. After paying out of pocket for four unsuccessful rounds of IVF, Amanda Lesesne had an exploratory laparoscopy which revealed grade three endometriosis. She had the endometriosis tissue removed and decided to try IVF for a fifth time. This time she entered the process with renewed hope, a new financial situation (she now has Progyny Fertility Benefits), and an audio recorder. In part two, we follow Amanda in real time as she experiences her fifth cycle of IVF. Today’s host is Taylor Burbach, Patient Care Supervisor at Progyny. Guests include: Amanda Lesesne, Sales Director at Progyny For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page. To learn more about endometriosis, check out Progyny’s What is Endometriosis Infographic. Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

This is the second episode in our four-part series on endometriosis and we’ve broken this episode into two parts. Amanda Lesesne went through four rounds of IVF before she was diagnosed with endometriosis, a disease she had never really heard of, but one that explained a lot of the symptoms she had experienced since she was a teenager. In part one, we will hear about Amanda’s past, what it was like to have to pay for multiple rounds of IVF, and how she finally came to have laparoscopic surgery for her endometriosis. Amanda will also discuss her decision to try IVF for the fifth time, and what she expects to be different now that she has dealt with her endometriosis and has the Progyny Fertility Benefit. Today’s host is Taylor Burbach, Patient Care Supervisor at Progyny. Guests include: Amanda Lesesne, Sales Director at Progyny For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page: http://www.progyny.com/podcast Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

March is Endometriosis Awareness Month! Endometriosis is a common, often painful, hard to diagnose condition, and it can affect a woman’s fertility. For this month, we’re doing a four-part series on this disease. In the first episode, we hear from Jessica Payne who experienced pain since she was a teenager. She tried to live a normal life but everything changed when she tried to get pregnant. We also hear from Dr. Kaylen Silverberg, a reproductive endocrinologist with Texas Fertility Center, who dives into how endometriosis is diagnosed, treatment options and how women can build the family of their dreams. Today’s host is Taylor Burbach, Patient Care Supervisor at Progyny. Guests include: Jessica Payne, Dr. Kaylen Silverberg from Texas Fertility Center. For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page: http://www.progyny.com/podcast and Texas Fertility Center: https://txfertility.com To learn more about endometriosis, check out Progyny’s What is Endometriosis Infographic: https://progyny.com/education/searc

March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. Endometriosis is a disease where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows in other parts of the body causing pain, infertility, and organ dysfunction. It is estimated that 10 to 20 percent of women have endometriosis, but it seems that most people have never heard of it. We are presenting a special series throughout March on this common, and often misunderstood condition. To engage with this series follow us on Instagram @thisisinfertilitypodcast, tell your friends, and make sure to subscribe wherever you get podcasts.

The two-week wait is a term used to describe the period of time in between a treatment cycle and the first blood pregnancy test. It can be a stressful time. In today’s episode Lissa Kline, a licensed clinical social worker, and Dr. Georgia Witkin, a clinical psychologist, sit down to discuss some survival and coping methods that can help alleviate some of the stress of waiting, and some ideas for how partners of those who’ve undergone treatment can better offer support during this critical time. Today’s host is Lissa Kline, VP of Provider and Member Services at Progyny. Guests include: Dr. Georgia Witkin For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page http://www.progyny.com/podcast You can find resources on the Two-Week Wait at Progyny’s Education page http://www.progyny.com/education Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

When you fall down, you get back up again. That’s an old saying. It’s a lesson in persistence, and it can be applied to all aspects of life. But it’s not always easy to just get back up, especially if you are struggling with infertility. Today we’re going to learn the power of persistence through Lynn and Drew Polin’s fertility journey. They went through multiple rounds of IVF, and a life-threatening pregnancy to have a baby. But they found out that this was just the beginning of their fertility journey when they started trying for baby number two. Today’s host is Jaime Ford, Claims and Billing Specialist at Progyny. Guests include: Lynn Polin and Drew Polin. For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page http://www.progyny.com/podcast and Walk of Hope NJ https://runsignup.com/Race/NJ/Sewell/WalkofHope2019 Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

Choice can really make all the difference. Tania always wanted to be a mother but realized she was running out of time. So, she decided to take matters into her own hands and through her journey connected with a community of likeminded women called Single Mothers by Choice. In this episode we hear about Tania’s decision and journey to becoming a single parent by choice. We also hear about the importance of having a community and what it takes to run one. Today’s host is Melissa Maldonado, Implementation Manager, at Progyny. Guests include: Tania, member of Single Mothers by Choice, and Jennifer Cruz, member of Single Mothers by Choice. For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page http://www.progyny.com/podcast and Singe Mothers by Choice https://www.singlemothersbychoice.org Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

Unless you’ve been through an identical experience it can be difficult to understand what it’s really like for those who are struggling to build their families. But what if there was a place where people could communicate their personal stories of infertility in a way that others could truly understand? The ART of Infertility, founded in 2014, curates innovative and emotionally provoking art exhibits to portray the realities, pains and joys of living with infertility. Today we hear from its founders, Elizabeth Walker and Maria Novotny, about each of their personal struggles with infertility, and how they came to create this innovative organization. Today’s host is Lissa Kline, VP of Member & Provider Services at Progyny. Guests include: Elizabeth Walker and Maria Novotny from The ART of Infertility. For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page http://www.progyny.com/podcast and The ART of Infertility http://www.artofinfertility.org Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at t

In 2018 we heard from some amazing people who shared their fertility stories with us. Stories of struggle, frustration, pain, sacrifice, hope, joy, and love. In this episode we look back at a season of This is Infertility, from the beginning to the end, as we try to get a true sense of what it means to build a family. Today’s host is Dan Bulger.

After years of trying to have a baby via fertility treatments, Becky Fawcett and her husband chose to adopt their first child. When deciding if they should try IVF for baby number two, Becky realized that adoption was now her preferred path to parenthood. The adoption process can be extremely complex and prohibitively expensive, which is why Becky founded an organization that helps bridge the financial gap for those looking to build their families through adoption: HelpUsAdopt.org. Today’s episode is hosted by Dan Bulger, Producer at Progyny. Guests include: Becky Fawcett from HelpUsAdopt.org For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page: http://www.progyny.com/podcast and HelpUsAdopt.org Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

When Laura Perez turned 35, she felt like she was running out of time. She was in a long-term relationship, but her partner already had children from a previous marriage and indicated that he didn’t want to have any more kids. So, Laura took things into her own hands and froze her eggs. For Laura, freezing her eggs was an empowering process that gave her peace of mind, and it also changed the nature of her relationship with her boyfriend (now husband!) Today’s host is Selena Campbell, Patient Care Supervisor at Progyny. Guests include: Laura Perez from Progyny and Dr. Spencer Richlin from RMA of CT. For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page http://www.progyny.com/podcast Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

Heather Huhman and her husband struggled with infertility for years, enduring trauma after trauma, until finally they met their daughter, Aurora. But Heather wanted some good to come out of her pain, so she has dedicated herself full time to helping others via her twice a week podcast, Beat Infertility. In this episode we will hear about her struggle, how she got through it, and learn why she says her podcast gave her the hope and perspective she needed to carry on. Today’s host is Janelle Branch, Patient Care Advocate at Progyny. Guests include: Heather Huhman from Beat Infertility For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page: http://www.progyny.com/podcast and Beat Infertility: https://beatinfertility.com Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com