Could you have PMOS and not know it? For many women the answer is yes, and the wait for a proper diagnosis can take up to ten years.

In this episode of the Building Your Family podcast, Lisa Schuman, LCSW talks with Dr. Elizabeth Gardner about PMOS, formerly known as PCOS, a complex hormonal disorder that affects millions of women and goes far beyond fertility.

What you will learn in this episode:

What PMOS actually is, and why it starts as a communication problem in the brain Why diagnosis can take up to ten years and what to do if you suspect you have it The biggest misconceptions about PMOS that are still causing harm The role of genetics and environment in PMOS. Also discussed are serious health risks beyond fertility, including uterine cancer and metabolic issues, current treatment options and what is on the horizon including KIS peptin How to advocate for yourself with your doctor and get the individualized care you deserve.

Whether you have been diagnosed with PMOS or PCOS, are struggling with irregular cycles, or are navigating fertility treatment, this episode will give you information and tools you can use immediately.

Take the free quiz: familybuilding.net

Lisa Schuman, LCSW is the founder of The Center for Family Building, author of Building Your Family: The Complete Guide to Donor Conception, and host of the Building Your Family podcast.

Your feelings deserve attention. And your decisions deserve clarity.

#PMOS #PCOS #fertility #womenshealth #reproductivehealth #hormonalhealth #reproductivetherapist #ivf #fertilityjourney #endocrinology #donorconception #buildingafamily

What does sperm donation look like from the inside, from someone who is both donor conceived himself and a sperm donor?

In this episode of the Building Your Family podcast, Lisa Schuman, LCSW talks with Daniel Bayen, a sperm donor who grew up as a donor conceived person, about the evolving landscape of sperm donation, the importance of transparency and psychological screening, what it is like to meet donor siblings, and how he thinks about the ethical limits of donation.

What you will learn in this episode:

What modern sperm donation options look like beyond traditional banks What it was like growing up donor conceived, and how that shaped his decision to become a donor himself How he screens recipients and why transparency matters so much to him. He talks about what donor siblings mean to donor conceived people, and how it varies The psychological screening process and why he has completed five screenings His family limit of 50 families and how he thinks about what he wants other donors, and recipients, to understand

This is a rare and genuinely honest conversation about donor conception from a perspective you almost never hear.

Resources: Building Your Family Community: familybuilding.net Take the free quiz: familybuilding.net

Lisa Schuman, LCSW is the founder of The Center for Family Building, author of Building Your Family: The Complete Guide to Donor Conception, and host of the Building Your Family podcast.

Your feelings deserve attention. And your decisions deserve clarity.

#spermdonor #donorconception #donorconceived #familybuilding #donorsiblings #opendonation #modernfamilies #ivf #spermdonation #buildingafamily

Talking to your child about donor conception can feel terrifying. What do you say? When do you say it? And how do you do it without creating shame or confusion?

In this episode, reproductive therapist Lisa Schuman, LCSW, shares her Zoom Out Theory for talking to donor‑conceived children about their story. Instead of getting stuck in today’s anxiety, Lisa helps you think about your child’s long‑term emotional health and sense of self.

You’ll learn how to acknowledge your own feelings, and start (or continue) the conversation in a way that builds connection rather than fear.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why talking to your donor‑conceived child can feel so stressful and lonely

If you’re doing IVF or thinking about it, will more technology in the lab actually be better than a human embryologist handling your eggs and embryos – and what do two new breakthroughs mean for your chances?

In this episode of Building Your Family, I’m joined by Dr Richard Paulson, former president of ASRM and early IVF pioneer, to unpack what’s really happening behind the lab door: automation, AI, robotics, and why the lab may matter more than almost anything else for your IVF success rates and safety.

We cover:

How IVF labs have evolved since the 1980s and why embryology is so sensitive

Chapters:

Subscribe to Building Your Family for more expert‑led conversations that turn IVF science into real‑world guidance you can actually use.

Episode resources

School USC: https://keck.usc.edu/faculty-search/richard-j-paulson/

If you’re considering donor conception and feel like you “can’t see the forest for the trees,” this is your zoom‑out episode. Before you choose a donor, sign with a clinic, or pay an agency, you need the big picture.

In this video, we step back from the overwhelm and walk through the full donor conception landscape:

My goal with this episode is simple: to help you feel calmer, clearer, and better equipped to lead your family through donor conception without feeling lost or alone.

If you found this helpful, you might also like my workshops on

#donorconception #ivf #eggdonor #spermdonor #lgbtqfamily  #familybuilding

Are your tampons quietly exposing you to toxic metals and chemicals that could affect your hormones and fertility?

Dr. Reame explains:

    The history of tampon safety and how Toxic Shock Syndrome changed regulations

We also talk about advocacy: how to push for better testing, transparency in ingredients, and stronger public health guidance for women’s health products.

#tamponsafety #toxicshocksyndrome #periodproducts #womenshealth #menstrualhealth #fertility #toxins #endocrinedisruptors #reproductivehealth #periodtalk  #buildingyourfamilypodcast

Your clinic and agency help you with the medical and legal parts of surrogacy. But who helps you zoom out and see the bigger picture for you, your surrogate, and your future child?

In this Zoom Out Theory episode, reproductive therapist Lisa Schuman, LCSW, talks about how to step back from the day‑to‑day stress of surrogacy so you can make clearer decisions and set your journey up for long‑term success. We explore how most surrogates are caring, altruistic people, how to build a healthy relationship and communication rhythm with your surrogate, and how to keep your future child in mind without getting overwhelmed.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

What the Zoom Out Theory is and how it applies to surrogacy

#surrogacy #familybuilding #donorconception

“No normal embryos” doesn’t always mean the end.

Have you been told you have “no normal embryos” and feel like you’re out of options?

In this episode of the Building Your Family Podcast, Lisa talks with Dr. Norbert Gleicher and Dr. David Barad from the Center for Human Reproduction about IVF for some of the toughest cases: older patients, “no normal embryos,” and cycles where many people are told there’s nothing else to try.

They discuss why careful diagnosis and truly individualized treatment matter so much, especially for older patients; how they think about embryos other clinics might not consider; and what current evidence actually shows about PGTA, aneuploid and mosaic embryos, and implantation. They also explore the role of immunology, inflammation, toxins like microplastics, supplements, and AI in embryo selection.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about:

    What “no normal embryos” really means (and what it doesn’t)

If you’ve been told there are no options left, this episode can help you ask better questions and understand what might still be possible for your family.

Subscribe to the Building Your Family Podcast for more evidence‑based conversations on fertility, donor conception, and surrogacy.

Episode resources

In this first episode of the Zoom Out series, reproductive therapist, researcher, and author Lisa Schuman, LCSW unpacks the most important question almost no one asks about egg freezing.

Lisa explains why “How many eggs can I freeze?” is only part of the story, and why you also need to understand how many cycles and eggs you’re likely to need for the kind of family you actually want in the future. She introduces her Zoom Out Theory – a simple framework to help you step back from panic, manage stress, and make clearer decisions about your fertility.

Drawing on decades of clinical experience and research, Lisa also shares surprising data about non‑genetic parenthood options: how many egg freezing patients are open to donor eggs, embryos, or other paths if needed, and why that matters for how aggressively you pursue more cycles now.

You’ll learn:

The critical egg freezing question almost no one thinks to ask

#eggfreezing #fertility #ivfjourney #fertilitypreservation

In this episode of Building Your Family, Lisa Schuman, LCSW sits down with Dr. Jessica Gray, a physician who has lived through infertility, miscarriage, and the intense pressures of medical training on her way to motherhood.

Jessica shares how a stressful childhood shaped her resilience, what it was like to face endometriosis and IVF as both a doctor and a patient, and how she coped when a long‑hoped‑for pregnancy ended in miscarriage. She talks candidly about binders of notes, hours of research, and the feeling of “doing everything right” and still not getting the outcome she hoped for.

Together, Lisa and Jessica explore the emotional burden of infertility on both partners, the importance of support systems, and the small planning behaviors that can create a sense of control in an uncertain journey. Jessica reflects on how she now gives back to the infertility and parenting community, and what she would say to her younger self who was just starting down this road.

If you’ve felt isolated, overwhelmed, or “not like yourself” during infertility or pregnancy, this conversation offers validation, practical coping ideas, and hope.

Dr. Jessica Gray resources:

#infertility #miscarriage #IVFjourney #endometriosis #ttccommunity #infertilitysupport #pregnancyloss #mentalhealth