This Is Infertility

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 did. She sought out a school district with the kind of benefits she saw necessary for an employer to provide, access to a family building benefit.   In this episode, hear why Tara joined Tennessee Fertility Advocates, where she found support, and how she advocated for herself for herself and for family building benefits.   This is Progyny’s first video podcast. This episode is available for listening and watching. Find this episode, future video podcasts, and education content on Progyny’s YouTube.  Guest: Tara Stark,

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 benefit.   As smooth as her process may have been, life was throwing hurdles at Sarah simultaneously. She tells us how she navigated building a family while grieving the loss of her mother and how life has a way of presenting beautiful beginnings when they are most needed.  Guest: Sarah Liggett, Progyny Member and Dr. Barrett Cowan, Posterity Health  Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny  For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @

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.  In this episode we hear how Ashley S. went through her own infertility struggle that led to a diagnosis of PCOS and multiple prescriptions of Clomid. It also led her to realize that she could play a role in bringing family building benefits to a company that didn’t previously have them. Ashely advocated for a benefit, vetted through all the different options in the market, and realized that Progyny’s benefit plan design could meet the needs of her organization, including herself.  A reminder that if you’re looking to bri

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 something bigger, which today Kristyn and her co-founder Abby call, Rescripted.   In this episode, Kristyn walks us through her family building journey, the importance of having family building care, and creating a community filled with support.   Guest: Kristyn Hodgdon, Rescripted, Progyny Member  Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny  For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility. Have a

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 happening over the last few years, what the transition was like to carrying her own child, to how she found someone to carry her second. We also hear from Dr. Dorette Noorhasan a reproductive endocrinologist and fertility expert from CCRM Dallas Fort Worth. Dr. Noorhasan describes both her personal and professional experience with finding a gestational carrier, and how being the patient has altered her experience as the provider.  Guest: Samantha Busch, Bundle of Joy Foundation, and Dr. Dorette Noorhasan, CCRM Dallas

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 on her and her husband, and how she’s on a mission to change access to family building care in Canada with Fertility Matters Canada.   Guest: Carolynn Dubé, Executive Director, Fertility Matters Canada  Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny  For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility. Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com.

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. Shannon was starting to lose hope till one day her husband joined Microsoft. She quickly learned about the Progyny benefit offered through Microsoft and realized this journey wasn’t over.   Guest: Shannon Walker, Progyny Member  Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny  For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility. Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility

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 as a good starting place to ease any anxiety or questions about the family building journey.   For additional resources and answers to frequently asked questions, check out:  Frequently Asked Questions During a Fertility Journey  8 Tips To Getting Started with Fertility Treatments  Progyny Webinar: Your Family Building Journey with Progyny    Guests: Dr. Michael Drews from RMA of New Jersey, Dr. Jennifer Brown from Northeastern Reproductive Medicine, Dr. Linnea Goodman from Virginia Fertility and IVF, Dr. Thomas Molin

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 themselves hitting a wall. So, they decided to turn to medical intervention. While they were going through treatment, Russ and his wife kept reminding each other, there was nothing wrong with facing this challenge. People start their families in so many different ways and this was just part of their story. Russ dives into their diagnosis, different treatment paths, how Progyny’s Patient Care Advocate saved the day, and an unexpected twist at the end.   Guest: Russ Freyman, Progyny member   Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny  For more i

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.    

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 now know how important it is to advocate for fertility benefits in the workplace. If you want help and don’t know where to start, Progyny is here for that too, go to progyny.com/talktohr, and we’ll provide you with the information you need to start the conversation.     Here are the full episodes from our recap:  Episode 145: Infertility in the Military From a Male's POV  Episode 126: Unexpected Detours of Black Woman on the Journey to Parenthood  Episode 138: From “That’s Not Good Enough” to Parenthood  Episode 1

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 care. In this episode, we’ll hear about Amber’s journey and how she went through multiple Clomid prescriptions, three rounds of IVF, and a friend in the field, to get to where she is today.     Guest: Amber Walther, High School Teacher   Host: Julie Campbell, Progyny  For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility. Have a question, ocomment, or want to share your story? Email us at

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 provides fertility assistance to Veterans.   Guest: Anne Marie Dougherty, CEO of the Bob Woodruff Foundation  Host: Dan Bulger  For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility. Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com. 

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 with his partner at the time, Justin believes in the importance of speaking up about your infertility before treatment is no longer an option.  Guest: Justin Smith, Progyny  Host: Dan Bulger  For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility. Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com.

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 takes us through the full frontal oncofertility experience, and every emotion that comes with it.   Guest: Emily Rich, Progyny member  Host: Dan Bulger  For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility. Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com. 

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 have shared via social media (primarily to their nearly 2 million TikTok followers). Today, the couple share with us their tips for supporting your partner through loss and how partnership is the foundation of healing. For more from Demi and Tom, check out their TikTok @demiandtom.  Guest: Demi and Tom Schweers  Host: Dan Bulger  For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility. Ha

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 of IUI, and three rounds of IVF, all on her quest to motherhood.  Guest: Angela Hatem, freelance writer   Host: Lissa Kline, Progyny  For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources.   Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility. Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com. 

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 infertility community. This community became the support system she needed during her treatment. These friends have been through the thick of infertility with her, and inspired her to create her own community with inspirational t-shirts called, Infertile Tees.  We’re also hosting a webinar called, “Infertility in the Latinx and Hispanic Communities”, that will feature Marilyn Gomez and dive into common myths about infertility in these communities, how to get the support you need, and where to access information and care. This discus

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 surgery led to the discovery of Uterine Fibroids, propelling Dontaria to think critically about her health, reproductive future and fertility preservation.  Guest: Dontaira Terrell, Entertainment Journalist and On-Air Host   Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny  For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources.  Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.  Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@p

“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 explains what this experience was like, how Progyny’s Patient Care Advocates (PCA) made her feel comfortable and supported, and she will never regret this decision. Guest: Sarah Fisher Lu, Progyny Member Host: Lola Lorber, Progyny For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility. Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com.