Brave & Curious with Dr Lora Shahine

Ep 49 Olympic Champion Figure Skater to Fertility Advocate: What Tara Lipinski Learned while Unexpecting


Listen Later

No two fertility journeys are alike, but Tara Lipinski’s experience is perhaps even more unique than most. The champion, gold-medal-ice-skater-turned-sports-analyst was 35 and still not necessarily ready to start building her family. So she decided to put her options “on ice” — literally preserving eggs and/or embryos until she and her husband Todd were ready.

However, the process turned out to be more complicated than it appeared when a diagnosis of endometriosis sent them down a different path. 

What followed was two surgeries, four miscarriages, six failed transfers, and five years of treatment, hope, and heartbreak.

Spoiler alert: perfect Georgie was born in 2023, so there is a happy ending, but the picture on Instagram of Tara, curled up on her couch, heart-broken and clutching pregnancy tests, sent waves through the fertility community. Here was a very public figure speaking very publicly about her struggles to build her family.

Please listen and share to help us continue the conversation.

In this episode you’ll hear:

[07:74] Why Tara and Todd shared their story on their Unexpecting podcast

[13:19] How did Tara’s athletic career prepare her and NOT prepare her for infertility 

[19:51] Reflecting on relationships through infertility, men vs. women on coping

[30:02]When to share and not share the fertility journey 

[34:53] When we are surprised by infertility

[38:01] Misconceptions and reality about surrogacy

[46:12] Instagram Questions

  Amanda: Did you and Todd ever consider giving up?

  Marena: How did you and Todd keep going?

  Dana: Advice to someone who is struggling with infertility?

[55:21] Finding Tara and her podcast

Resources mentioned: 

Tara on Instagram: @taralipinski

Tara Lipinski: taralipinski.com

Tara Lipinski: Unexpecting Tara and Todd’s podcast

Babyquest Foundation Fertility Grants: babyquestfoundation.org

Sunfish financial solutions for fertility treatment:joinsunfish.com

Stay Up to Date in Fertility News and Events:  Weekly Newsletter

Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Brave & Curious with Dr Lora ShahineBy Dr. Lora Shahine

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

127 ratings


More shows like Brave & Curious with Dr Lora Shahine

View all
Food Psych Podcast with Christy Harrison by Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, CEDS

Food Psych Podcast with Christy Harrison

3,065 Listeners

Fertility Friday | Fertility Awareness Mastery for Women's Health Professionals by Lisa Hendrickson-Jack, FAE, HRHP

Fertility Friday | Fertility Awareness Mastery for Women's Health Professionals

792 Listeners

Respectful Parenting: Janet Lansbury Unruffled by JLML Press

Respectful Parenting: Janet Lansbury Unruffled

3,659 Listeners

40 Weeks Pregnancy Podcast by Vanessa Merten of the Pregnancy Podcast

40 Weeks Pregnancy Podcast

453 Listeners

The Egg Whisperer Show by Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh

The Egg Whisperer Show

233 Listeners

Big Fat Negative: TTC, fertility, infertility and IVF by Big Fat Negative

Big Fat Negative: TTC, fertility, infertility and IVF

375 Listeners

As a Woman by Natalie Crawford, MD

As a Woman

1,087 Listeners

Conversations with Cam by Dear Media

Conversations with Cam

1,567 Listeners

The Kick Pregnancy Podcast by Dr Patrick Moloney and Brigid Moloney

The Kick Pregnancy Podcast

50 Listeners

Raising Good Humans by Dear Media, Aliza Pressman

Raising Good Humans

1,854 Listeners

Fertility Docs Uncensored by Various

Fertility Docs Uncensored

253 Listeners

What To Expect by iHeartPodcasts

What To Expect

197 Listeners

Mind Your Hormones by Corinne Angelica

Mind Your Hormones

231 Listeners

Fertility Confidence Podcast by Dr. Kelsey Duncan ND

Fertility Confidence Podcast

81 Listeners

Is It Normal? The Pregnancy Podcast With Jessie Ware by Jessie Ware

Is It Normal? The Pregnancy Podcast With Jessie Ware

221 Listeners