gestationalcarrier

Some fertility patients are unable to carry a pregnancy to term.  For a variety of reasons, they may choose a gestational carrier, a woman who carries the intended parent’s embryo in their uterus until delivery.  In this episode, both the intended parents and gestational carrier share their experiences with Dr. William Petok, a reproductive psychologist. 

Find the #StartwithSART Fertility Experts series wherever you get your podcasts. Looking for advice on building a family? Ask the experts and #StartwithSART.

For more information about the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, visit our website at https://www.sart.org

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In this episode of YOUR FERTILITY STORY, I’m speaking with Maureen Rule. She’s an expert in the fertility world and also has some personal experience with infertility, which gives her a unique perspective on this journey. She is a licensed clinical mental health counselor in New Mexico, USA and she’s spent the majority of her years as a counselor working with people who are experiencing crisis situations such as loss of a child, addictions, homelessness.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

1. How Maureen Rule initially became involved in the fertility world and her own experience with infertility and pregnancy loss.
2. Why she believes grief and loss is cumulative and how she was affected by postpartum depression following the birth of her miracle baby.
3. What you can do to deal with your feelings of anger and betrayal while experiencing fertility issues.
4. Her advice for helping someone you know grieve and what not to say after a pregnancy or child loss.
5. How joining a support group can help you heal more quickly after a loss.
6. The reactions people have to grief and loss and why men and women grieve so differently.
7. The real reason couples often split up after suffering the loss of a child.
8. Maureen Rule’s advice for realizing there is hope beyond the grief.

Connect with Maria Feekes here:

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facebook.com/mariafeekes

instagram.com/mariafeekes

youtube.com/channel/UCWSEMH4ce2qkzW4mf4o0I6A

Adonisfertilityintl.com

In this episode of YOUR FERTILITY STORY, my guest is Lisa. Lisa and I are talking about how you see yourself as you experience infertility. Lisa and her husband are both attorneys and built a successful law firm. When they decided to start their family, Lisa was diagnosed with several health issues, which they had never considered before. After several rounds of IVF, the only option left for them was surrogacy. Their baby didn’t survive, and it left their lives reeling.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

1. Why not succeeding never seemed like an option until Lisa and her husband lost their child.
2. How Lisa found Maria and Adonis Fertility and found hope again.
3. Why Adonis allowed Lisa to have faith in the process as each of her questions had an answer.
4. The effect Lisa’s fertility struggles had on her self-esteem and belief in herself.
5. Why belief and trust are absolutely vital to getting to the other side of the journey.
6. What life is like for Lisa and her husband now that their daughter is here.
7. Lisa’s advice for getting through the worry and anxiety of infertility and having faith that you’ll have a happy ending.

Connect with Maria Feekes here:

mariafeekes.com

facebook.com/mariafeekes

instagram.com/mariafeekes

youtube.com/channel/UCWSEMH4ce2qkzW4mf4o0I6A

Adonisfertilityintl.com

In this episode of YOUR FERTILITY STORY, Maria welcomes her guest, Amanda. Amanda is a surrogate who is passionate about helping people complete their families. She shares her story with Maria and why she was so drawn to becoming a gestational carrier.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

1. How Amanda became a surrogate and why she is so passionate about helping families achieve their baby dreams.
2. The myths surrounding surrogacy and why they aren’t true.
3. The process for becoming a surrogate, what physical exams are required, and why it is so important to have emotional support along the way.
4. Why patience during this process is critical to success.
5. How the waiting game can bring families and surrogates closer together and the reason communication is critical during the surrogacy process.
6. The tragedy Amanda experienced as a gestational carrier and how it affected both her and the family she was assisting.
7. How she handled the blame after the tragedy and the mental toll it can take.
8. Why most surrogates enjoy the communication they get from their families and how it can create a trusting relationship.
9. What giving the baby to the parents feels like and why it’s so different to be a surrogate versus bringing home a baby that’s yours.
10. Amanda’s advice for making the surrogacy journey easier for both parties.

Connect with Maria Feekes here:

MariaFeekes.com

Adonisfertilityintl.com

facebook.com/AdonisFertilityInternational

instagram.com/adonis.fertility.international

youtube.com/channel/UCWSEMH4ce2qkzW4mf4o0I6A

We hope you have enjoyed listening to our second season. More episodes of SART Fertility Experts are planned for the future so stay tuned!

Find the #StartwithSART Fertility Experts series wherever you get your podcasts. Looking for advice on building a family? Ask the experts and #StartwithSART.

For more information about the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, visit our website at https://www.sart.org

Have a topic you'd like to hear? Tell Us!

Welcome to the second season of SART Fertility Experts. This series will feature a variety of dedicated professionals who make IVF and infertility treatment possible, provide invaluable counseling and education to our patients, and advocate to make treatment accessible to all. Check back in two weeks for the first episode.

Find the #StartwithSART Fertility Experts series wherever you get your podcasts. Looking for advice on building a family? Ask the experts and #StartwithSART.

For more information about the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, visit our website at https://www.sart.org

The ASRM Today podcast is supported in part by the ASRM Corporate Member Council.

In this episode, we speak with Alise Powell from the ASRM Office of Public Affairs about the recent state policy changes for infertility treatments and gestational carrier contracts. Alise shares the news that Colorado has enacted a new mandate providing insurance coverage for infertility treatments, including IVF and fertility preservation, effective from 2022. She also highlights the role ASRM played in getting this historic legislation enacted. In addition, Alise discusses the Child Parent Security Act passed in New York, which has overturned the state's longtime ban on gestational carrier contracts. Prior to this law, surrogacy arrangements were not legally binding. Alise explains the implications of these policy changes and their significance in the current COVID-19 pandemic. 

To keep up with ASRM Advocacy news, visit ASRM.org

The ASRM Today podcast is supported in part by the ASRM Corporate Member Council.

If you wondered why we said “gestational carrier” rather than “surrogate” on this podcast, this episode is for you. While this show typically features personal stories from people who have gone through their own fertility journeys, today we have an interview with Carrot’s Riley Steinmetz and Dr. Sheryl Vanderpoel. Carrot has a global perspective on the language of fertility, and why finding the right words to talk about fertility care is so important. 

Show notes

Carrot’s fertility language guide is a robust resource for learning how to communicate about fertility in an inclusive and accurate way.

The International Glossary on Infertility and Fertility Care is an additional resource Dr. Vanderpoel recommends for learning about fertility language. 

An educational project of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, this series is designed to provide up to date information about a variety of topics related to fertility testing and treatment such as IVF. The ”Experts” include accomplished professionals:  reproductive endocrinologists, reproductive urologists, genetic counselors and mental health professionals who share their knowledge and advice in an informal interview. Are you ready to take the next step towards building your family? Start With SART!

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