The Egg Whisperer Show

Today on The Egg Whisperer podcast, my dear friend Dr. Jenna McCarthy is joining me to talk all about the most common IVF mistakes. Our intent is to share as much information as we can with you so you’ll go into an IVF cycle aware, empowered and feeling comfortable with what is going on. We want people to avoid these mistakes and also hear that they're common, they happen, and there’s always something you can do if you’re dealing with an issue.⠀

We’re talking about troubleshooting needle and syringe issues, the importance of not eating or drinking before your egg retrieval, timing of the trigger shot, sperm emergencies, and medication dosage issues and more. We’re basically talking about everything we’ve seen in our combined 20+ years of doing IVF. ⠀

Read the full show notes here. 

I get asked questions about IVF daily, from my patients and from those seeking treatment elsewhere in the United States and beyond. While the steps involved in IVF are generally the same, the factors to consider and the patient’s needs are all unique. While I can’t cover all scenarios in a single show (or blog post), I do want to recap some of the most common questions I get and answer some specific inquiries that were emailed to me. There’s a chance you have the same question as someone else.

Read all of the show notes on Dr. Aimee's website

I’m so excited to have Maya, Jen, and Gina of EM•POWER with Moxi back for part two of our discussion about embryo donation! Today, we’re talking all about becoming a parent through embryo donation. Maya became a mother through embryo donation, and she is sharing about the emotional shift that comes with choosing to become a parent to a baby that doesn’t share your DNA. She also talks about some things to consider when you’re deciding if embryo donation is the right choice for you to grow your family.

We also talk about genetic counseling, Empower with Moxi’s “Moxi Matching” service, and other ways that Empower with Moxi is supporting the community. The journey of becoming a parent through embryo donation is very special, and I’m so honored to have Maya, Jen, and Gina back to share more about the options, considerations, and beauty of embryo donation. 

Read the full transcript of our conversation on the website.

Check out part one of this conversation.

Learn more about EM•POWER with Moxi.

I am dedicating this whole week to sharing stories and  information about embryo donation, and the beautiful role embryo donation has played in so many patients' lives. From what to think about if considering donating your embryos, to stories of how families have decided to embrace embryo donation to grow their families, I'm know this will give you new insights and inspiration around this option in growing a family. I hope you'll tune in and share these stories with others, too.

I have patients that come to me from all over the world. There’s one question I always ask when reviewing their IVF cycle history.

What was your embryo quality?

I hear time and time again from patients that they don’t know it because their doctor told them embryo quality doesn’t matter with IVF. That’s simply not true!

Just like diamonds in a jewelry store. Quality matters. Just like there is a grading system for diamonds, there is also a grading system for embryos. It’s important for you to know that this exists and to ask for your embryo grade.

When it comes to getting pregnant and IVF, the implantation rate is determined by the embryo quality and rating. 

Read the full show notes at Dr. Aimee's website.

Did you know that fertility rates have dropped 50% in the last 5 decades, and more and more people are requiring help to grow their family? Some are calling it "Spermageddon." I'm not one to run with fantastical headlines, but the truth is that we are facing an infertility epidemic. And, this is all heartbreaking for the people dealing with infertility, and for us as a society. Today, I'm honored to be joined by Dr. Shanna Swan on The Egg Whisperer Show to talk about this upsetting truth.

Dr. Swan is one of the world’s leading environmental and reproductive epidemiologists and a Professor of environmental medicine and public health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. An award-winning scientist, her work examines the impact of environmental exposures including chemicals such as phthalates and Bisphenol A, on men’s and women’s reproductive health and the neurodevelopment of children. She just recently published her book, “Countdown: How Our Modern World Is Threatening Sperm Counts, Altering Male and Female Reproductive Development, and Imperiling the Future of the Human Race.”

We will be talking about the data and information that Dr. Swan has gathered, the environmental factors that are playing a role, and what we can do to reverse some of the impact. I hope you'll tune in and share this information far and wide. CountMeIn on changing this epidemic - and thank you for writing your eye-opening book, Dr. Swan.

Read the full show notes on Dr. Aimee's website

The aim of lifestyle medicine is to prevent disease and reverse chronic disease using nutrition, physical activity, community, and lifestyle changes. I’m excited to have Dr. Sneha Kishore, an internal medicine doctor and lifestyle medicine expert joining me on The Egg Whisperer Show podcast today to talk all about how to start living well.

Implementing a healthy lifestyle, and finding the way to do that in a way that works for you, can be a challenge. She’ll be sharing how you can take her evidence based, proactive approach to bring about a more balanced, healthier you.

Read the full show notes on Dr. Aimee's website

Visit Dr. Sneha Kishore's site.

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Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh is one of America’s most well known fertility doctors. Her success rate at baby-making is what gives future parents hope when all hope is lost. She pioneered the TUSHY Method and BALLS Method to decrease your time to pregnancy. Learn more about the TUSHY Method and find a wealth of fertility resources at www.draimee.org.

1. Unhealthy BMI
2. Abnormal Sleep Patterns
3. Fibroids
4. Endometriosis
5. Blocked Fallopian Tubes
6. Abnormal Semen Parameters
7. Autoimmune Diseases
8. Reproductive Toxins

When seeing patients, I always recommend people to gather their Fertility TEAM, and the T is for therapist. I'm so excited to have Dr. Loree Johnson share her valuable info with all of you today.

In this conversation, we’re going to be talking about some of the mental health impacts of being a fertility patient. I’ll be asking Dr. Johnson about the difference between Infertility Stress and Infertility Trauma, we’re going to talk about grief as it relates to fertility (and how it’s different than other grief), and she’ll share how to navigate the stress of being pregnant after having loss.

Dr. Loree Johnson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with more than 25 years of experience as a clinician, educator, and clinical supervisor. After her first-hand experience with fertility challenges taught her the importance of self-care for managing the physical and emotional stress that come with the fertility process, coupled with the lack of representation she saw of therapists of color in the fertility space, Dr. Loree found her purpose supporting individuals and couples on their path to parenthood. She and her husband welcomed their rainbow baby in 2021 after 8 years of trying to conceive, three losses, and one TFMR.

Read the full show notes and transcript on Dr. Aimee's Website.

Visit Dr. Loree Johnson's website.

With women waiting to have children later in life, one of the most commonly asked questions I hear is "How Old is "Too Old" to have a Baby?" I'm excited to talk about this topic in this week's show, so you have all the #fertilityfacts you need to plan your fertility future.

Read the full transcript on my website.