This Is Infertility

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 emphasizes that fertility treatments are not a one size fits all solution. After receiving the benefit, Caitlin felt empowered – like her journey was unique to her – and not dictated by dollar maximums or “run of the mill” care.   Guest: Caitlin Day, Progyny Member  Host: Russ Freyman, 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 st

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 implantation, how it isn’t the same for everyone, and how a test called ERPeak can help determine this timing. He provides a step-by-step description of the process women go through to pinpoint the most valuable time to implant an embryo, shedding light on a process commonly discussed by doctors and embryologists, but not always talked about with patients.  Guest: Mike Large, Senior Director of Life Sciences Innovation at CooperSurgical  Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny  For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s

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: Fertility 101: Male Factor Infertility  Guests: Dr. Lowell Ku, Dallas IVF  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.  

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 from the community.   In today’s episode, we meet Heather and Jess Camarillo, a same-sex couple from California who struggled to start their family and documented the process on their Instagram.   While the couple wasn’t surprised they needed to go through fertility treatment, a diagnosis of diminished ovarian reserve left them in shock. Hear how Heather and Jessica navigated multiple rounds of IVF, embryo adoption, and the impact of having Progyny through Heather’s employer, LinkedIn. The Camarillo’s are currently writing a book about their journey to parenthood and trying for baby number two.   Guests: Heather & Jess Camarillo, Progyny members  Host: Crystal Cid, 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 #Thi

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 explain holistic approaches that can often be additive when trying to conceive or struggling with infertility. Acupuncture, bodywork, and Eastern Medicine are used to treat stress, target inflammation, and promote energy flow, healing many ailments and potentially aiding in a healthy pregnancy. Dr. Daryl Thuroff from New York’s Yinova Center breaks down Eastern Medicine and fertility to how it works, what you can expect, and how it can integrate with treatment recommended by a fertility specialist.   Guest: Daryl Thuroff, DACM, LAc, LMT, Yinova Center  Host: Shannon Zuber  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

It’s National Infertility Awareness Week, and this year, we’ve crafted two episodes that address the age-old truth: it takes a village. Not only does it take a village to raise a child as the saying goes, but it also often takes a village to start or grow a family, especially with an infertility diagnosis. Reproductive endocrinologists, nurses, Patient Care Advocates, managers, and HR leaders all play a crucial role in the journey, but a personal support system – friends, family, or a partner, can be the crux of someone’s village.  Earlier this week, we talked to Cristina Loughrey, a Progyny Member who underwent IVF to conceive a baby girl, and while the journey was trying on Cristina, her partner, Ian, felt the emotional hardships of infertility, too. In today’s episode, Ian details his path to parenthood, from deciding to go through treatment, navigating the Progyny fertility benefit, supporting his partner through IVF, and the emotional burden infertility can have on a couple. Although their journey was

It’s National Infertility Awareness Week, and this year, we’ve crafted two episodes that address the age-old truth: it takes a village. Not only does it take a village to raise a child as the saying goes, but it also often takes a village to start or grow a family, especially when challenged with infertility. Reproductive Endocrinologists, Nurses, Patient Care Advocates, managers and HR leaders, partners, family members and friends may all step up, but at the end of the day, the journey starts with you. That was certainly true for Cristina Loughrey on her journey to motherhood. Cristina spent much of her 20’s and 30’s focused on building her career, and not having found the perfect partner, she began to accept that motherhood may not be in the cards for her. Then Cristina found Ian, and together, they found Progyny. Cristina’s village included her partner, her employer, her doctor, and care team who helped her through multiple rounds of IVF in a single year, and eventually a pregnancy. In this episode, Cristi

Two years ago, we shared the story of Chrissy Hogie’s long fertility journey which included IVF, pregnancy loss, and all the ups and downs she went through in the process. If you haven’t listened yet, here is Episode 77: Heart Shaped Uterus, Low Sperm, and a Successful Pregnancy.    Like many who are on this journey, Chrissy was inspired to change the way people accessed care for fertility treatments. She realized that she could be the one to “push” and work with her employer to add comprehensive fertility and family building coverage. In this episode, Chrissy discusses how she was able to support her HR and benefits team to find a fertility benefit solution that addressed all the needs of a fertility patient and was inclusive of the entire workforce.  If you’re inspired by this episode and would like to make the case to bring fertility benefits to your organization, visit Progyny.com/TalktoHR to get started.   Guests: Chrissy Hogie, Infertility Advocate  Host: Dan Bulger  For more information, visit Progy

Intimacy may not feel like an important aspect of someone’s infertility journey, but ultimately, it can be critical. There are more conversations about the physical and financial struggles that people face as opposed to the mental and emotional struggle – which are equally as important. In today’s episode, Dr. Jacqueline Sherman, an Intimacy and Relationship Coach, shares how she helps coach her patients through this important but often neglected issue. Drawing inspiration from her own experiences with loss and infertility, Dr. Jac offers some tips on how to re-establish that emotional connection with your partner while going through a fertility journey.  Guest: Dr. Jac Sherman, Intimacy & Relationship Coach  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 thisisinfertil

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.  Today’s topic focuses on surrogacy and what’s part of this process – especially from the legal slide. Dean Hutchinson from Circle Surrogacy gives insight into the different regulations for each state, the required psychological evaluations for in depth matching, legal parenting rights, and other intricacies that are part of this family building process.  Guests: Dean Hutchinson, Vice President of legal services at Circle Surrogacy  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.  

Finding the right doctor can be difficult and finding one with a similar background or who looks like you can be even harder when you’re a part of an underserved community. This issue, which often impacts women of color, was exactly what Ashlee Wisdom and Eddwina Bright set out to solve.  Enter Health in Her Hue, a digital platform that connects Black women and women of color to culturally competent and sensitive healthcare providers and offers health information and content that centers their lived experience. Founded by Ashlee and Eddwina, Health in Her Hue helps Black women navigate the healthcare system and find doctors who address their unique concerns.   In today’s episode, Ashlee and Eddwina discuss the importance of advocacy, representation, and support when it comes to infertility in the Black community.   Guests: Ashlee Wisdom and Eddwina Bright, Health in Her Hue  Host: Dan Bulger  For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources.   Be sure to foll

Frustration, confusion, and disappointment may be common feelings when going through a family building journey. But to have those feelings directed towards your physician is entirely different. For Delaine Williams, she felt dismissed by her doctor and the weight and reality of navigating the healthcare system as a Black woman became a bigger challenge.  In this episode, we hear how Delaine had to advocate for herself, the split decisions she had to make about her body after being diagnosed with uterine fibroids and endometriosis, and how rounds of IUI and IVF lead to questioning what path was right.  Guest: Delaine Williams, 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. 

So, you have decided to grow your family – now what? Maybe you and your partner have been trying to conceive naturally for some time with no luck. Maybe you are in a same-sex partnership or choosing to become a single parent; either way, you’ll need to find a doctor to discuss and potentially pursue treatment options. On today’s episode, Dr. Paul Lin, from Seattle Reproductive Medicine, dives into how to choose a fertility clinic and doctor -- including how to identify clinic specialties, what factors to consider before and during a first visit, and tips on how to ensure you’re getting the best, specialized treatment for you.   Guest: Dr. Paul Lin  Host: Selena 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, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com.  

Many times, the family building journey can make someone feel alone and without help. This sentiment rang true to Priya Santhanam, Ph.D., a scientist and engineer in the STEM field.  In Priya’s culture, having children is an important life milestone and she, like so many others, imagined a life that followed the blueprint of get a degree, have a successful career, have kids, and maintain a harmonious work/life balance. Things didn’t exactly go as planned.   Her experience with miscarriage, IUI, IVF and successfully navigating her employer’s fertility benefit was the start of her advocacy. When Priya began her journey, she found the lack of women in STEM led to an inherent lack of women in STEM talking about fertility. This gap and her own experience led her to become a tireless advocate for infertility awareness in her field.  On today’s episode, Priya walks us through the importance of emotional support while on a fertility journey, the crucial impact of a robust family planning benefit, and the need

As we close the chapter of 2021, we’re also closing out season 4 of This is Infertility -- a season full of emotional first-hand stories, education from leading fertility doctors, and tales of tangible changes from the trailblazers and advocates in the fertility community.   This season's year-end episode highlights the six-part series we released in April as part of National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW) and features several experts who fight in different areas of their lives for fertility coverage.   There are so many ways to be an advocate, such as listening to and subscribing to this podcast, so we thank you for being part of this community. Our podcast is nothing without the collective knowledge and experience from the fertility patients and professionals that we feature.  Season 5 will be back on January 10!  Here are the six full-length episodes referenced in this recap:  Episode 98: Fighting for Fertility Coverage: State Mandate in North Dakota  Episode 99: Fighting for Fertility Cover

Scott McGahey and his wife were among the 1 in 8 that struggled with infertility – their attempts at IUI and IVF failed, and when their employer-sponsored coverage ran out, the couple started thinking their dream of starting a family was impossible.  Just as the couple started considering other options, Scott got amazing news. His employer, Willis Tower Watson, had enacted Progyny, meaning Scott and his wife could continue their family building journey on their own terms – with financial help and support from a Patient Care Advocate.  Today’s episode dives into Scott’s journey – filled with challenges, heartache, and the surprise of a lifetime – finally becoming a dad.   Guest: Scott McGahey, Progyny  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 thisi

When it comes to family building, the holidays can be a time of heightened anxiety, sensitive conversations, and awkward family encounters. Dealing with infertility can prove to be challenging on its own but paired with pressing questions from relatives can really make one feel as though it’s their fault.  Today’s episode features tips on how to handle tough situations and challenging questions about family building this holiday season, as well as leaning on partner support, distancing yourself when need be, and creating new traditions. Being around family during the holidays can bring up many emotions but it is important to remember that you are not alone.  While this episode is definitely worth the listen, we understand that life gets busy and have provided a summary for you here.  Experts: Dr. Georgia Witkin, Progyny; Regina Townsend, The Broken Brown Egg; Khaled Kteily, Legacy  Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny  For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more re