In this episode, retired police officer Kelli Williams reflects on her secret life of infertility in the 90’s and how her heartbreaking experience as a foster parent inadvertently led her to become a foster care advocate.

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In this episode, Catrina Dupuis candidly discusses the combined infertility diagnoses of both she and her husband, advanced maternal age causing low egg reserve, and the alienation of experiencing infertility.

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In this episode, Dayna Mohan talks about her devastating losses, long-term mental and physical effects, and the inner-strength she found to transform pain into power and wounds into wisdom.

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In this episode, Sadie Tichelaar curiously discusses the highs and ‘often-stigmatized’ lows of being childfree by choice; also despite being confident in her decision, she finds herself undermined by society's inability to separate womanhood and motherhood.

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In this episode, Mandi Schwab opens up about experiencing multiple miscarriages, early menopause; and she breaks down the IVF process, causes of IVF failure and its heavy toll on physical and mental health.

Terms used:
Birth control pills: A daily medication that contains 2 hormones (estrogen and
progestin) to prevent pregnancy — or manage and suppress heavy periods.

Early Menopause (or premature menopause): A loss of normal function of the ovaries before age 40. In early menopause, the ovaries don't produce normal amounts of the hormone estrogen or release eggs regularly.

Endometriosis: A medical condition that involves the presence of tissue similar to the uterine lining in abnormal locations. This condition can affect both fertilization of the egg and embryo implantation.

Involuntarily childless: Someone who wants children or is open to children but can’t have them or unable to have children due to various circumstances.

IVF (or In vitro fertilization): In vitro which means outside the body, is a process of fertilization by extracting eggs, retrieving a sperm sample, and then manually combining an egg and sperm in a laboratory dish. The embryo(s) is then transferred to the uterus.

Miscarriage: The spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before the 20th week.

Ovulation: This occurs when an egg is released from your ovary. When the egg is released, it may or may not be fertilized by sperm.

Premature ovarian failure: Also known as primary ovarian insufficiency or early menopause, happens when a woman's ovaries stop working normally before she is 40.

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In this episode, cancer survivor Tish Smith explains endometrial cancer, while discussing early signs, causes, treatments, and aftereffects.

Terms used:
Endometrial cancer (uterine cancer): A cancer of the womb, or uterus, with adenocarcinoma of the endometrium the most common type. Endometrial cancer starts in the layer of cells that form the lining of the womb, called the endometrium.

Endometrial hyperplasia: Thickens the uterus lining, causing heavy or abnormal bleeding. Atypical endometrial hyperplasia raises the risk of endometrial cancer and uterine cancer. Endometrial hyperplasia is rare. It affects approximately 133 out of 100,000 women.

Laparoscopic hysterectomy: A minimally invasive surgical procedure to remove the uterus.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS): A common hormonal condition in which an imbalance in the sex hormones may cause menstrual abnormalities, skin and hairchanges, obesity, infertility and other long-term health problems. The name comes from the multiple small cysts which line the ovaries of most women with the disorder.

Uterine polyps: Growths attached to the inner wall of the uterus that extend into the uterine cavity. Overgrowth of cells in the lining of the uterus (endometrium) leads to the formation of uterine polyps, also known as endometrial polyps. These polyps are usually noncancerous (benign), although some can be cancerous or can eventually turn into cancer (precancerous polyps).

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In this episode, Courtney uncovers finding out in her early 30's that she had premature ovarian failure, while revealing her high-risk physical and emotional effects.

Terms used:
Bone scan (or bone scintigraphy): An imaging test used to help diagnose problems with your bones. It can help diagnose a number of bone conditions, including cancer of the bone or metastasis, location of bone inflammation and fractures, and bone infection.

Early Menopause (or premature menopause): A loss of normal function of the ovaries before age 40. In early menopause, the ovaries don't produce normal amounts of the hormone estrogen or release eggs regularly.

Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Levels: FSH helps control the menstrual cycle and stimulates the growth of eggs in the ovaries. FSH levels in women change throughout the menstrual cycle, with the highest levels happening just before an egg is released by the ovary. This is known as ovulation.

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): A medication that contains female hormones.

Hormonal Intrauterine Device (IUD): A long-term contraception T-shaped plastic frame device that's inserted into the uterus, where it releases a type of the hormone progestin.

Osteoporosis: A bone disease that occurs when the body loses too much bone, makes too little bone, or both. As a result, bones become weak and may break from a fall or, in serious cases, from sneezing or minor bumps.

Premature Ovarian Failure (primary ovarian insufficiency): This disorder occurs when the ovaries stop functioning normally before age 40. When this happens, your ovaries don't produce normal amounts of the hormone estrogen or release eggs regularly.

Thyroids (hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid): A common disorder. With hypothyroidism, your thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone.

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In this episode, Laurie Spellmeyer discusses her frustrating 10-year journey of unexplained infertility before proper diagnosis; she also shares her life-changing experience as a foster parent of over 20 children, while exposing the tedious adoption process.

Terms used:
Appendix: A narrow, finger-shaped pouch that projects out from the colon.

Endometriosis: A medical condition that involves the presence of tissue similar to the uterine lining in abnormal locations. This condition can affect both fertilization of the egg and embryo implantation.

Low hormones (low estrogen): Estrogen is largely produced in the ovaries, and declining estrogen is primarily associated with female development during puberty and the reproductive cycle, and it affects everything from bone health to emotional well-being.

Low thyroids (hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid): A common disorder. With hypothyroidism, your thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone.

Unexplained infertility (or Idiopathic infertility): A diagnostic category used when no cause of infertility is found in either the woman or the man.

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In this episode, BonnieRuth Rolf shares in her experience that despite of uterine fibroids, polycystic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis, multiple miscarriages, and a life-changing hysterectomy; she was able to dig deep to find content and learn through her 19-year journey resulting in barrenness, that she was a whole woman who was not broken.

Terms used:
Barren: Incapable of producing offspring.

Birth control pills: A daily medication that contains 2 hormones (estrogen and progestin) to prevent pregnancy — or manage and suppress heavy periods.

Endometriosis: A medical condition in which tissue that's similar to the lining inside the uterus, called the endometrium, is found outside the uterus where it doesn't belong.

Hysterectomy: partial hysterectomy removes the uterus including, in some cases, the cervix.

Laparoscopy: A surgical procedure in which a fiber-optic instrument is inserted through the abdominal wall to view the organs in the abdomen or to permit a surgical procedure.

Miscarriage: Pregnancy loss that occurs when an embryo or fetus dies before the 20th week, which typically happens early in pregnancy — 8 out of 10 miscarriages occur in the first 3 months.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS): A common hormonal condition in which an imbalance in the sex hormones may cause menstrual abnormalities, skin and hair changes, obesity, infertility and other long-term health problems. The name comes from the multiple small cysts which line the ovaries of most women with the disorder.

Ovarian cyst: A fluid-filled sac inside the ovary. An ovarian cyst may be found in conjunction with ovulation disorders, tumors of the ovary, and endometriosis.

Uterine fibroids: Abnormal benign growth in the uterine wall.

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In this episode, Brandi Lytle candidly shares her 10-year infertility journey and its aftereffects, including unwarranted shame, living with severe endometriosis, debilitating pain, and intense side effects from induced medical menopause.

Terms used:
Birth control: Daily medication that contains 2 hormones (estrogen and progestin) to prevent pregnancy — or manage and suppress heavy periods.

CNBC: Childless Not By Choice

Endometriosis: A medical condition in which tissue that's similar to the lining inside the uterus, called the endometrium, is found outside the uterus where it doesn't belong.

Endo belly: A term used to describe the uncomfortable, often painful, swelling and bloating that's associated with endometriosis.

Endo pain (or endometriosis pain): Chronic painful period cramps, however pain may not be limited to the area around your uterus. In addition to sharp abdominal pain, some may experience back pain, rectal pain, painful bowel movements, leg pain, pain during intercourse.

Follicles (or ovarian follicles): Small sacs filled with fluid that are found inside a woman's ovaries. They secrete hormones which influence stages of the menstrual cycle and women begin puberty with about 300,000 to 400,000 of them. Each has the potential to release an egg for fertilization.
HSG (hysterosalpingogram): A test that uses x-rays and a special dye to detect scar tissue, polyps, fibroids, and other growths that may be blocking your tubes or preventing a fertilized egg from implanting properly in your uterus.

IUI (Intrauterine insemination): A technique in which sperm are introduced directly into a woman’s cervix or uterus to produce pregnancy, with or without ovarian stimulation to produce multiple ova.

IVF (or In vitro fertilization): In vitro which means outside the body, is a process of fertilization by extracting eggs, retrieving a sperm sample, and then manually combining an egg and sperm in a laboratory dish. The embryo(s) is then transferred to the uterus.

Lupron: A medication that lowers estrogen levels in the body, typically triggering menopause-like symptoms.

Male factor (or male infertility): Low sperm production, abnormal sperm function or blockages that prevent the delivery of sperm.

Medical menopause: Medical or induced menopause is when a woman stops producing eggs and her menstrual cycle ceases prematurely due to certain medical treatments. Unlike with natural menopause, which can take years, this process either occurs over a short period of transition time or abruptly.

Ovulation: This occurs when an egg is released from your ovary. When the egg is released, it may or may not be fertilized by sperm.

Ovulation predictor kits: At-home tests to determine when you're ovulating.

Perimenopause (or menopause transition): This transition begins several years before menopause, as the ovaries gradually begin to make less estrogen. Perimenopause lasts up until menopause, the point when the ovaries stop releasing eggs.

Scar tissue: Fibrous tissue that forms when normal tissue is destroyed by disease, injury, or surgery.

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