Wait a Second(ary Infertility)

**Our Season 2 Finale Episode **

According to the CDC, 8% of Black women between 25-44 seek infertility treatment, compared to 15% of White women. Obviously this is a multi-layered, systemic issue: we have a complicated healthcare system, shitty and inequitable insurance policies which result in high costs to seek fertility treatments, medical racism when it comes to the ways medications are tested and the way providers interact with patients, and there is a lot of community bias about Black people being hyper-fertile (which is obviously not true, and super damaging).

We’re talking to Regina Townsend, founder of The Broken Brown Egg about her fertility journey and why she created The Broken Brown Egg. 

We also asked Regina:

• What were some of the biggest challenges you experienced during your fertility journey?
• What do you wish Black fertility warriors knew? What do you wish White fertility warriors knew?
• What inspired you to create The Broken Brown Egg?

If you’re a planner who loves control and updating your Google calendar, welp....infertility is probably your greatest nightmare. Infertility can bring even the most buttoned up, organized, over-functioners to their knees.

In this episode, Danielle and Patrick Hall, spouses and co-founders of MyVitro, share their own fertility journey alongside their favorite tips for getting through infertility when you’re Type A and why you should embrace your desire to organize and schedule if you’re gearing up for IVF.

To learn more, visit MyVitro.com.

The title “fertility coach” is one that’s creeped up quite a bit in the TTC community lately. But what is a fertility coach? How are they trained? And should you consider hiring one?

Today we’re asking Kela Smith about fertility coaching, her Hormone P.U.Z.Z.L.E. method and how you can become a fertility coach yourself.

Despite its high prevalence, PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) is a disorder that is shrouded in mystery. It is often misdiagnosed and unrecognized due the fact that its signs and symptoms can vary widely from one individual to the next and can fluctuate throughout a person’s lifetime.

Today, we're talking to Dr. Stephanie Dahl, a reproductive endocrinologist at CCRM Minneapolis and asking Dr. Dahl all about PCOS. Some of our questions include:

• What is PCOS?
• What are some common symptoms of PCOS? 
• How is it diagnosed?
• How does PCOS affect women’s health and also women’s fertility?
• What are some lifestyle changes that could help women with PCOS?

Of all infertility cases, approximately 40–50% is due to “male factor” infertility. And while this diagnosis can be devastating for men, it can be equally challenging for women who are trying to support their partners and also grow their families.

On this episode, TJ Peyten shares her story through infertility, a male factor diagnosis, questions about her faith and ultimately a family grown by adoption.

To learn more about TJ, you can check out this article she wrote for Fruitful or purchase her book "Semen Secrets."

A lot of people are surprised by the emotional challenges infertility kicks up. They're unexpected. They're big. And we mostly deal with them in private. What is it about infertility that makes you feel totally insane and what are some coping techniques that might alleviate some of the stress and big feelings that pop up?

On this episode, we're talking to mental health expert (and fertility warrior herself) Rena Gower LCSW about what makes infertility such a traumatic life event.

We're also asking Rena:

• What are some of the most common challenges you hear from people going through infertility? Are there common themes?
• What are some warning signs that a marriage or relationship might be straining under the pressure of TTC?
• How do you know it’s time to talk to a therapist or mental health expert?
• Are there any coping techniques or tips that listeners can implement to make going through infertility a bit easier for them?

And here's a link to the article referenced in the episode that Rena wrote for Fruitful about how infertility can affect your sex life and marriage:
https://www.fruitfulfertility.org/blog/2111/infertility-sex-and-marriage/

Diminished Ovarian Reserve is a serious diagnosis that can shock fertility patients and can easily send them into a “worst case scenario” spiral.

But what is Diminished Ovarian Reserve? How is it tested and can it be treated?

Today we’re asking Dr. Ellen Goldstein all our questions (the big, the small and the scary) about ovarian reserve, egg quality and what a DOR diagnosis means for your future family.

Fertility nurses play an integral role in both our reproductive treatments and also our experiences at clinics. They’re the ones who do our ultrasounds, explain our medication protocols and often are the ones calling us with our beta results post IUI or IVF.

In this episode we’re talking to fertility nurse Dori Gelfman about why she got into healthcare, what makes fertility patients special and what she’s reallyyyy thinking when her patients break down and cry (or accidentally wear a jumpsuit to an ultrasound appointment).

You can learn more about Dori and her new job working as Community Manager at Fruitful Fertility here: https://www.fruitfulfertility.org/blog/2077/meet-dori-gelfman/

Experiencing infertility and miscarriage can be one of the darkest, loneliest times of a person’s life. There’s not much to laugh about when you’re staring at a stark white pregnancy test for the 24th cycle in a row. And yet, keeping a good sense of humor can be an incredibly powerful coping mechanism.

Today we’re talking to Millie Brooks, actress, performer and host of the podcast Me, Myself & Millie, about her long path to parenthood, what she’s learned and how humor helped get her through some of the lowest lows.

We're asking Millie:

• What made you decide to begin sharing your story through your podcast?
• Was it easy for you to find humor in your fertility journey?
• How do you think humor can help add levity to an otherwise dark, lonely experience?
• What did you learn about yourself during your fertility journey?

 Women who become pregnant through IVF have an 80% higher risk for spontaneous preterm birth before both 37 and 34 weeks gestation, compared with those who conceived naturally, according to a 2017 study.

Today we’re talking to Monique Farook, the host of the podcast Infertility and Me, about her long path to parenthood after IUIs, IVF, a 24-week delivery and 129 days in the NICU. Warrior, indeed.