This Is Infertility

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and in light of this, we are dedicating four episodes to oncofertility – the bridge between oncology and reproductive research that explores and expands options for the reproductive future of cancer survivors.   In the fourth and final episode of our oncofertility series, we hear from Kristin Smith, who dedicated her life to helping educate young cancer patients about their fertility preservation options. As Program Manager for Fertility Preservation at Northwestern Medicine and the Oncofertility Consortium, Kristin helps patients navigate their treatment between their oncology team and their reproductive endocrinology team.   We’ll learn how fertility preservation has evolved over the past decade, how cancer patients are now being offered more preventive options, and how advocates like Kristin are offering individualized support to newly diagnosed patients.   Guest: Kristin Smith, Program Manager for Fertility Preservation at Northwestern Medicine  Experts: Dr. J

Oncofertility Series – Part 3 of 4. When Megan Connolly was 19, her whole world stopped and she entered a fight against Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Cancer threatened not only her life, but a lifelong dream of becoming a mother. In today’s episode we hear how Megan beat cancer (twice!) and with the help of patient navigator Kristin Smith of the Oncofertility Consortium, preserved her fertility. Today’s host is Lissa Kline, VP of Provider and Member Services at Progyny.

Oncofertility Series – Part 2 of 4. When Amanda Rice was diagnosed with breast cancer her doctors recommended an aggressive treatment protocol that would potentially threaten her fertility. She had some infertility health insurance but when she called the insurance company she found that they had illogical barriers that excluded her from coverage for fertility preservation. Now, a cancer survivor, Amanda has created Chick Mission, a non-profit organization relentlessly focused on critical issues unique to cancer patients – including fertility challenges that may follow after surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and drug treatment. Today’s host is Lissa Kline, VP of Provider and Member Services at Progyny. Guests include: Amanda Rice from Chick Mission, Dr. Jennifer Levine from Alliance of Fertility Preservation and Weill Cornell Medicine, and Dr. Thomas Molinaro from RMA of NJ. For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page: http://www.progyny.com/podcast Chick Mission: https://www.thechickmission.org Allian

Oncofertility Series – Part 1 of 4. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we are dedicating four episodes to oncofertility – the subfield of medicine that bridges oncology and reproductive research to explore and expand options for the reproductive future of cancer survivors. In today’s episode, we hear from Joyce Reinecke, who survived cancer, preserved her fertility, and is now dedicated to helping others do the same through her work with the Alliance for Fertility Preservation. Today’s host is Lissa Kline, VP of Provider and Member Services at Progyny. Guests: Joyce Reinecke of the Alliance for Fertility Preservation For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page: http://www.progyny.com/podcast or the Alliance for Fertility Preservation: http://www.allianceforfertilitypreservation.org Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

Description: October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, and this is the second of two episodes dedicated to a very related topic, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss. In this episode Dr. Zev Williams, Chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Columbia University Fertility Center, takes us on a deep dive into the causes, treatments, and even the future of this devastating condition. Today’s host is Taylor Burbach, Patient Care Supervisor at Progyny. Guests include: Dr. Zev Williams of Columbia University Fertility Center In case you missed it, listen to Karin Ajmani’s story on recurrent pregnancy loss: https://progyny.com/podcast/episode-2/ If you’ve recently had a miscarriage or know someone who has, sign up for our webinar: Expert Interview Series: Emotional Recovery from Loss - How to Move Forward: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2311497091401602562 For more information, visit http://www.progyny.com/podcast and http://columbiafertility.org Have a question, comment, or

Emily Simpson, of the Real Housewives of Orange County, had no difficulty getting pregnant, but she did have difficulty staying pregnant. She and her husband Shane suffered 6 devastating losses before finding their way through with an extremely generous gift from Emily’s sister. October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, so we are dedicating two episodes to a condition called Recurrent Pregnancy Loss. This is episode one. Today’s Host is Taylor Burbach, Patient Care Supervisor at Progyny. Guests include: Emily Simpson, Dr. Lora Shahine of Pacific NW Fertility. For more information visit: www.progyny.com/podcast http://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-orange-county http://www.pnwfertility.com/ In case you missed it, listen to Karin Ajmani’s story on recurrent pregnancy loss https://progyny.com/podcast/episode-2/ If you’ve recently had a miscarriage or know someone who has, sign up for our webinar: Expert Interview Series: Emotional Recovery from Loss - How to Move Forward: https://register.got

Jason Rudman and his husband Alvin utilized a gestational surrogate to start their family, and then, two years later, utilized another one to continue their family. Along the way Jason used his voice to change his employer’s paternity leave policy and ended up helping more than just his immediate family. Today’s host is Salaia DaCruz, Sr. Account Manager at Progyny. Guests: Jason Rudman If you missed it, we released a few episodes on family building for same-sex couples: https://progyny.com/podcast/episode-5/ https://progyny.com/podcast/episode-6/ https://progyny.com/podcast/episode-7/ https://progyny.com/podcast/episode-8/ For more information, visit http://www.progyny.com/podcast Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

Julie Hunt had been a Patient Care Advocate for years, and in that time she became an expert in all things related to fertility, like PCOS. How could it be that years later, at 27 years old, she discovered that she had PCOS the entire time? In the final episode of our three part series in honor of PCOS Awareness Month, host Julie Hunt, Business Development Associate at Progyny, discusses her own experience with PCOS, and her winding road to diagnosis with her good friend and colleague Lissa Kline, Director of Member Services at Progyny. Today’s Host is Julie Hunt. Guests: Lissa Kline Host: Julie Hunt For more information visit: www.progyny.com/pcos www.progyny.com/podcast Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

When Megan Stewart, founder of the PCOS Awareness Association (PCOSAA), was told to change her outlook on her condition she decided to change the world instead. In the second of the three-part series on PCOS, we hear from Megan who tells us about a traumatic experience that drove her to create the PCOS Awareness Association, how she’s are trying to help others with PCOS, and the different events and resources available. Today’s host is Julie Hunt, Business Development Associate at Progyny. Fertility For more information visit: www.progyny.com/pcos www.progyny.com/podcast  http://www.pcosaa.org/ Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

September is PCOS Awareness Month! Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a frustrating condition that can have symptoms like weight gain, excess hair on the face, stress, anxiety, depression, and…infertility. For this month, we’re doing a three-part series on PCOS. Today we hear from Satoya Foster, Co-Founder of the PCOS Awareness Association, who tells us about when she started experiencing symptoms, her diagnosis, and her infertility struggles. Today’s host is Julie Hunt, Business Development Associate at Progyny. For more information visit: www.progyny.com/pcos www.progyny.com/podcast  http://www.pcosaa.org/ Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

So many people just don’t know what to say when they find out that someone in their life is struggling with fertility. Today we hear from Jess Moran, who just started her fertility treatment journey. She has found speaking about her experience has not only helped her through this emotional and frustrating time, but it has also been her most valued resource. Jess’s story includes Tinder, unexplained infertility, intrauterine insemination, her good friend Johanna, and what really happens when people stop worrying about awkwardness and stigma and start saying the F word. Today’s host is Selena Campbell, Patient Care Supervisor at Progyny. For more information visit: https://resolve.org/infertility-101/what-is-infertility/infertility-diagnosis/ www.saythefword.com www.progyny.com/podcast Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

It’s often crucial for people going through fertility treatments to have an outlet for their emotions. Today’s guests, Matt Mira, and Doree Shafrir have created their own outlet: their hit podcast Matt and Doree’s Eggcellent Adventure. Matt is a television writer (ABC’s The Goldbergs) and veteran podcaster, and Doree is an author (Startup), and together they share their story of male factor infertility, unexpected hurdles, and what it’s like to podcast their way through all of it. Today’s host is LaTisha Maxwell, Patient Care Advocate at Progyny. Guests include: Matt Mira, Doree Shafrir, and Dr. Natan Bar-Chama of RMA of NY. For more information, visit https://progyny.com/podcast/ and https://eggcellentadventure.com/ We have a new instagram page! Find us at @thisisinfertilitypodcast Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

Dealing with infertility can often feel like you’re living two different lives. One in public, pretending to be ok and go about life as you know it, and one behind the scenes, worrying, waiting, wondering when your dream of having a family will finally come true. Our guest came up with the perfect term that incapsulates this life in limbo: Pregnantish. Andrea Syrtash is a relationship expert, founder, and editor-in-chief of pregnantish.com, and today she’ll share her story of how she stopped focusing on getting pregnant and started focusing on becoming a parent to build the family she always wanted. Today’s host is Dr. Georgia Witkin, Head of Patient Services Development at Progyny. Guests include: Andrea Syrtash and Dr. Brad Kolb For more information, visit www.progyny.com/podcast and www. pregnantish.com Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

In the previous episode, you heard about Gretchen Rossi and Slade Smiley’s fertility journey. In this episode you’ll hear their hilarious story about how they finally got to their reproductive endocrinologist, Dr. Mark Surrey from SCRC. Today’s host is Lissa Kline, Director of Member Services at Progyny. For those who are still searching for a fertility specialist, check out Progyny’s Provider Network. If you’re a Progyny member, please contact your dedicated Patient Care Advocate.

There are many reasons couples go through IVF, and for Gretchen Rossi and Slade Smiley they first tried IVF because of Slade’s vasectomy, a procedure that keeps the sperm from reaching the seminal fluid. While the idea seemed straight forward, the journey that followed tested their relationship and threatened to bring them to their breaking point. Today’s host is Lissa Kline, Director of Member Services at Progyny. Guests include, Gretchen Rossi, Slade Smiley, and Dr. Mark Surrey from Southern California Reproductive Center. For more information, visit www.progyny.com/podcast Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

According to a recent study by Reproductive Medicine Associates of NJ, almost 58% of people are forced to forego fertility treatment due to the anticipated financial burden. But what if your employer covered your treatment? We hear from Lindsey and Chrissy Callahan who were eager to start a family when they learned their employer-sponsored inclusive benefit would make their dream of having a child a reality. Today’s host is Manuela Henderson, Patient Care Advocate, Progyny. Guests include, Lindsey & Chrissy Callahan For more information, visit www.progyny.com/podcast For additional resources: www.resolve.org www.familyequality.org www.menhavingbabies.org www.progyny.com/education Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

Any fertility journey can be complex, but for same-sex couples there are additional legal and political challenges that vary state by state. We hear from Trystan Reese, a transgender activist who works to ensure that every LGBTQ person has the right and ability to start their own family at Family Equality Council, and Theresa Witherspoon who, with her wife, found their family through reciprocal IVF. Today’s host is Parawana Yasmin, Patient Care Advocate, Progyny. Guests include, Trystan Reese, Director of Family Formation at Family Equality Council, and Theresa Witherspoon. For more information visit: www.progyny.com/podcast and www.familyequality.org Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

Surrogacy can allow same-sex male couples, or single men, to have a biological child by using the intended parent’s sperm with the assistance of an egg donor and gestational carrier. We hear from Benjie and Jimmy Hyde, who found themselves at a crossroads when their original egg donor was unable to produce embryos. Today’s host is Justin Alvis, Manager of Member Services, Progyny. Guests include, Benjie and Jimmy Hyde, and Shelly Marsh, Marketing Director at Men Having Babies For more information visit: www.progyny.com/podcast www.menhavingbabies.com/ Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

For same sex female couples, one of the first decisions to make when you decide to start a family is who will carry the baby. But sometimes those roles don’t turn out as planned. We hear from Katie Acosta and Hilary Smith, a couple who had worked through those details. But when their chosen path didn’t work, they embarked on a new fertility journey called reciprocal IVF. Today’s host is Melissa Maldonado, Patient Care Supervisor, Progyny. Guests include, Katie Acosta, Hilary Smith, and Dr. Shahin Ghadir from Southern California Reproductive Center (SCRC). For more information visit: www.progyny.com/podcast Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com

Age is often the primary factor when it comes to fertility, but what happens when you encounter fertility struggles in your 20’s? We hear from Jenna Marinelli who shares her personal story of early menopause, difficult decisions, and a life without regret. Today’s host is Taylor Burbach, Patient Care Supervisor at Progyny. Guests include, Dr. Georgia Witkin, Clinical Psychologist, Mount Sanai, and Head of Patient Services Development at Progyny, and Dr. Marcy Maguire, a board certified Reproductive Endocrinologist, Obstetrician and Gynecologist, at Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey. For more information visit: www.progyny.com/podcast Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com