We're so excited to share with you our latest episode featuring Karen Jeffries of Hilariously Infertile. Karen is a dual language teacher outside of New York City and author of Hilariously Infertile: One Woman's Inappropriate Quest to Help Women Laugh Through Infertility. Listen along as Calisse and Karen discuss Karen's infertility journey and thoughts, including how the process can open up barriers with your partner, the irony of a fertility clinic feeling like a funeral home, and the importance of maintaining a sense of humor during a difficult situation.

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We’re back with our first remote interview since lockdown! Calisse joined Dr. Vuk Jovanovic for a coast-to-coast interview to discuss his practice and how they’ve adapted during COVID, why fertility practices and insurance coverage vary between countries, and how frozen embryos are like frozen pizzas—ready to go! 

Dr. Vuk Jovanovic ranks among the top fertility doctors in Los Angeles. He completed his fellowship training in Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility at Columbia University in 2010 and residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke University in 2007. During his fellowship in New York, Dr. Jovanovic also attended the Mailman School of Public Health. Dr. Jovanovic completed his medical school in Germany at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz in 2003. He was an exchange student with Harvard University, University of Texas, Baylor College of Medicine, and University of California San Diego. Dr. Jovanovic is double board-certified in Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Also, he is double board-certified in Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology in Germany. He is a multinational physician that has trained and worked in several countries and has treated patients from all over the world, and is fluent in German, Serbian and Russian.

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Kimberly LaRocque, PhD, is the IVF laboratory director of a large fertility clinic in Colorado. Kimberly got her start in the surprising field of equine reproduction at Colorado State University before shifting to human embryology. Calisse asks Kimberly about the stresses of creating embryos with sometimes sub-optimal eggs or sperm, and Kimberly discusses the importance of putting her best efforts into each process every time. Kimberly details her work in horse embryology (including how to collect semen from a stallion!), and shares her thoughts on an Ohio clinic that lost thousands of embryos due to storage failures. Calisse asks Kimberly about the pressure of creating embryos for royal families, and Kimberly discusses her own fertility journey and explains why she gives a little tap on the incubator after storing the embryos she created.

Paul Wexler, M.D., is hesitant to say when he went to medical school, but he will tell you that he began before the correct number of chromosomes had been discovered in humans. Through his illustrious career, Dr. Wexler has performed tens of thousands of abdominal diagnostic procedures and expanded the application of ultrasound technology in obstetrics. In 1980, he opened the Rose Medical Center Prenatal Diagnosis Program in Denver, CO. In this episode, Calisse and Dr. Wexler discuss DNA storage, "ethnic screening," the use of genetics in cancer detection, and genetic deficiencies or disorders that can be eradicated from one's future lineage by testing embryos. Dr. Wexler explains why CRISPR is exciting for the possibilities it holds, while admitting that many people in the scientific community often get too excited about "what's possible rather than what we should do." You'll also hear from Dr. Wexler's son and CFO of Genassist, Keith Wexler, who joins the conversation to discuss insurance coverage, eases the eugenics fears depicted in films like Gattaca, and explains why it's important to know and document your family's genetic history.

Dr. Wexler is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and a Clinical Professor in the Division of Genetics/The Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and The Children's Hospital. Dr. Wexler is also the Medical Director of the first female-owned genetics company, Genassist, founded by Dr. Wexler's wife, Hildegarde. 

Amanda Bird, MPAS, PA-C, is a Physician Assistant who is passionate about women's health and giving her patients the best care and reassurance in their journeys. Calisse invited Amanda (pre-social distancing) to discuss newly adopted telemedicine practices, reducing pain during hysteroscopies, azoospermia, crying with patients, the varied circumstances requiring sperm donations, and more. In this episode we find out more about the evolving role a PA plays during patients' cycles and procedures, and why Amanda's empathy and love for her job makes her such a special member of the fertility team. 

Dr. Ryan M. Riggs, MD, FACOG, has spent more than 10 years helping patients succeed in their fight against infertility. Prior to returning to the Kansas City area and opening Blue Sky Fertility, Dr. Riggs was the Physician IVF laboratory director at a large practice in Colorado (with Calisse!), where his team achieved some of the highest pregnancy rates in the world. Dr. Riggs was also named one of Kansas City's "Top Doctors" by 435 Magazine. In this episode, Calisse visits her friend Dr. Riggs at his office in Kansas City, MO (recorded pre-social distancing), where they discuss uterine anomalies, swimming with sharks, the latest technology at his practice, being wary of "fast food IVF," and treating each patient with special care at his office, "where everybody knows your name."

Today Calisse sits down with Kim Kluger-Bell, to whom Calisse has referred dozens of patients for their fertility counseling. Kim and Calisse discuss psychological issues regarding donor procedures, examining spousal and partnership disagreements around fertility choices, talking to children about their donor stories, and why speaking with a counselor prior to your procedure is often required and beneficial.
Kimberly Kluger-Bell is a licensed marriage and family therapist with decades of experience counseling those struggling with reproductive challenges. She works and consults for fertility clinics throughout the US and is especially interested in helping parents of donor-conceived children talk with them about their origins. She is the author of the acclaimed book Unspeakable Losses: Coping with Miscarriage and Other Pregnancy Losses and The Pea That Was Me series, which includes egg donation, sperm donation, and embryo donation. She is also the author of The Very Kind Koala: A Surrogacy Story.

In this episode, Calisse invites Jeffrey S. Faudem, L.Ac. Dipl. MSTOM. FABORM, to discuss his experience as a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine and how to improve fertility using holistic methods - often overlooked by Western medicine - that have been around for centuries. Calisse and Jeff discuss healthy lifestyles, complementing Western fertility treatments with acupuncture and other methods, balancing stress loads of work and family, needle fears, and everyone's favorite term: "Cervical mucus!" Jeff is a member of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine, truly a master of his craft, seeking to help people pursue their lifestyle goals in any way he can. Jeff is one of only about 100 Fertility Specialists in the United States and Canada who has demonstrated proficiency in both Western Reproductive Medicine and Oriental Reproductive Medicine by passing the rigorous Board Certification Examination. Please enjoy his conversation with Calisse!

*If you haven't listened to pt. 1 of Stephanie's story, please go back to last week to catch up!* In part two, we rejoin Stephanie as she continues her remarkable story, recounting her traumatic surgery and its lasting effects on her life and her loved ones. Calisse and Stephanie further discuss Stephanie's near-death experience, and her journey through triumph, loss, genetics, perseverance after tragedy, and the true meaning of "family." Expect to fall even more in love with Stephanie as you listen to part two!