Infertile AF: Infertility and Modern Family Building through ART

Today, Ali is talking to London-born photographer Rashmi Gill about her decade-plus infertility journey, and the many ups and downs and heartbreak that finally resulted in her two IVF babies. Rashmi talks about her Punjabi Sikh heritage, and how her culture perceived the stigmas of infertility and not being able to have babies. She talks about doing IVF in London versus America, why she waited 10 years to see a doctor when she was having trouble, and the many hurtful things people said to her while she was on her journey. She also talks about the financial aspects of infertility, and how her most recent failed transfer left her heartbroken once again.  

Find out more at rashmigill.com 

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Unexplained infertility; IVF; IVF in London vs. America; finances; grief and heartbreak; Punjabi Sikh heritage; failed transfers; successful transfers; women supporting women

For podcast sponsorship or partnership inquiries, please email [email protected]

EPISODE SPONSORS:

FERTILITY RALLY @fertilityrally www.fertilityrally.com

No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com. We offer 4 to 5 support groups per week, 4 private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey.

Join now at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com

MIRA

How does Mira help to track ovulation? Mira measures actual fertility hormone concentrations with 99% accuracy. Mira is unlike other fertility trackers–it uses technology that’s similar to what’s used in the fertility lab, so it’s just like having your own mini-lab at home. Order the Mira Starter Kit or Mira Plus starter Kit online on miracare.com with promo code INFERTILEAF to get an exclusive discount.

For more, go to https://www.miracare.com/

RECEPTIVA DX

ReceptivaDx is the only test that can identify endometriosis, progesterone resistance and endometritis in a single sample, all causes for unexplained infertility and thus success rates of IVF treatments. ReceptivaDx includes BCL6, a marker that identifies uterine inflammation most often associated with asymptomatic (silent) endometriosis. BCL6 is found in more than 50% of women with unexplained infertility and over 65% of women with two or more IVF failures. If positive for the ReceptivaDx test, treatment options can improve the chances for a successful live birth 5 fold! Learn more at receptivadx.com or download our app “Receptivadx" -- and USE CODE INFERTILEAF23 for $75 off the test

Support this podcast at: https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today, Ali is talking to Maureen Brown, CEO and Co-founder of Mosie Baby, a revolutionary at-home insemination device that she created with her husband. Maureen tells Ali all about her infertility journey, being diagnosed with unexplained infertility, how she didn't want to go through IVF, how "it broke our hearts, and it broke us mentally, thinking about the financial constraints," and how they finally created the product that was missing in the fertility world. 

Find out more at mosiebaby.com 

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Unexplained infertility; IVF; not wanting to do IVF; artificial insemination; at-home insemination; financial constraints; babies born through IUI; babies born through at-home insemination

For podcast sponsorship or partnership inquiries, please email [email protected]

EPISODE SPONSORS:

FERTILITY RALLY @fertilityrally www.fertilityrally.com

No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com. We offer 4 to 5 support groups per week, 4 private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey.

Join now at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com

RECEPTIVA DX

ReceptivaDx is the only test that can identify endometriosis, progesterone resistance and endometritis in a single sample, all causes for unexplained infertility and thus success rates of IVF treatments. ReceptivaDx includes BCL6, a marker that identifies uterine inflammation most often associated with asymptomatic (silent) endometriosis. BCL6 is found in more than 50% of women with unexplained infertility and over 65% of women with two or more IVF failures. If positive for the ReceptivaDx test, treatment options can improve the chances for a successful live birth 5 fold! Learn more at receptivadx.com or download our app “Receptivadx" -- and USE CODE INFERTILEAF23 for $75 off the test

Support this podcast at: https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today, Ali is talking to mama, speaker, activist, and New York Times Bestselling author Alexis Jones, whose memoir, "Joy Hunter," talks about her infertility journey -- and so much more. Alexis gets into it all with Ali, including five frustrating years of unexplained infertility, navigating the world of IVF, a heartbreaking miscarriage, working with an expensive egg donor, finally getting pregnant, and what happened when she went into labor seven weeks early. A self-described “productivity junkie,” Alexis talks about what happened when she was forced to slow down for the first time in her life. She also talks about how "Joy, it turns out, is not a destination; it’s a way of life."

Follow Alexis on IG @alexisjones

Find Joy Hunter here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/707008/joy-hunter-by-alexis-jones/

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Unexplained infertility; IVF; miscarriage; donor eggs; embryo transfer; pregnancy after loss and infertility; early labor; NICU life; finding joy

For podcast sponsorship or partnership inquiries, please email [email protected]

EPISODE SPONSORS:

FERTILITY RALLY @fertilityrally www.fertilityrally.com

No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com. We offer 4 to 5 support groups per week, 4 private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey.

Join now at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com

RECEPTIVA DX

ReceptivaDx is the only test that can identify endometriosis, progesterone resistance and endometritis in a single sample, all causes for unexplained infertility and thus success rates of IVF treatments. ReceptivaDx includes BCL6, a marker that identifies uterine inflammation most often associated with asymptomatic (silent) endometriosis. BCL6 is found in more than 50% of women with unexplained infertility and over 65% of women with two or more IVF failures. If positive for the ReceptivaDx test, treatment options can improve the chances for a successful live birth 5 fold! Learn more at receptivadx.com or download our app “Receptivadx" -- and USE CODE INFERTILEAF23 for $75 off the test

MIRA

How does Mira help to track ovulation? Mira measures actual fertility hormone concentrations with 99% accuracy. Mira is unlike other fertility trackers–it uses technology that’s similar to what’s used in the fertility lab, so it’s just like having your own mini-lab at home. Order the Mira Starter Kit or Mira Plus starter Kit online on miracare.com with promo code INFERTILEAF to get an exclusive discount.

For more, go to https://www.miracare.com/

Support this podcast at: https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today, author Tasha Van Howe shares her personal tale of tragedy and triumph, which includes navigating her marriage to her high school sweetheart through years of infertility; losing a son shortly after he was born; the inability to walk after labor; a roller coaster of failed attempts at IVF; suicidal thoughts; and an adoption gone wrong that ended in complete heartbreak. Now 43 with no living children at home, Tasha is here to talk about being hit with one tragic life event after another. In fact, she calls her own story, "a Lifetime movie." 

Follow Tasha on IG @authorvanhowe

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Infertility; unexplained infertility; IVF; infant and newborn loss; grief; suicidal thoughts and tendencies; surrogacy; adoption; adoption gone wrong

For podcast sponsorship or partnership inquiries, please email [email protected]

EPISODE SPONSORS:

FERTILITY RALLY @fertilityrally www.fertilityrally.com

No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com. We offer 4 to 5 support groups per week, 4 private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey.

Join now at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com

RECEPTIVA DX

ReceptivaDx is the only test that can identify endometriosis, progesterone resistance and endometritis in a single sample, all causes for unexplained infertility and thus success rates of IVF treatments. ReceptivaDx includes BCL6, a marker that identifies uterine inflammation most often associated with asymptomatic (silent) endometriosis. BCL6 is found in more than 50% of women with unexplained infertility and over 65% of women with two or more IVF failures. If positive for the ReceptivaDx test, treatment options can improve the chances for a successful live birth 5 fold! Learn more at receptivadx.com or download our app “Receptivadx" -- and USE CODE INFERTILEAF23 for $75 off the test

Support this podcast at: https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today, Ali is talking to Infertility Warrior and Peak and Valley Beads founder Rachel Sloan, about her family building journey. Included: male factor infertility; being a military family (& doing IVF at a military hospital), placenta complications attributed to the IVF process, deployment, postpartum depression, starting her own business, being pregnant with twins in the time of Roe v Wade being overturned, and so much more. 

Follow Rachel on IG @peakandvalley.beads 

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Infertility; IVF; IVF in a military hospital; male factor infertility; grief; placenta complications; twin pregnancy; pregnancy after loss and infertility; post-partum depression; Roe v. Wade

For podcast sponsorship or partnership inquiries, please email [email protected]

EPISODE SPONSORS:

FERTILITY RALLY @fertilityrally www.fertilityrally.com

No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com. We offer 4 to 5 support groups per week, 4 private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey.

Join now at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com

RECEPTIVA DX

ReceptivaDx is the only test that can identify endometriosis, progesterone resistance and endometritis in a single sample, all causes for unexplained infertility and thus success rates of IVF treatments. ReceptivaDx includes BCL6, a marker that identifies uterine inflammation most often associated with asymptomatic (silent) endometriosis. BCL6 is found in more than 50% of women with unexplained infertility and over 65% of women with two or more IVF failures. If positive for the ReceptivaDx test, treatment options can improve the chances for a successful live birth 5 fold! Learn more at receptivadx.com or download our app “Receptivadx" -- and USE CODE INFERTILEAF23 for $75 off the test

MIRA

How does Mira help to track ovulation? Mira measures actual fertility hormone concentrations with 99% accuracy. Mira is unlike other fertility trackers–it uses technology that’s similar to what’s used in the fertility lab, so it’s just like having your own mini-lab at home. Order the Mira Starter Kit or Mira Plus starter Kit online on miracare.com with promo code INFERTILEAF to get an exclusive discount.

For more, go to https://www.miracare.com/

Support this podcast at: https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's episode, NYC-based Lifestyle influencer Esther Santer and husband, Avi Rosenberg, share their male factor infertility story. Esther and Avi talk about how not having children is an anomaly in their Jewish community, which has a "big emphasis on family;" her needle phobia and how she never thought she would have to do IVF; how everyone assumed she was the problem; and how it felt for Avi to get his male factor diagnosis of low sperm count. They also talk about paying for treatments 100 percent out of pocket; why they want to destigmatize the topic of male factor infertility, and finally, having their son through IVF. 

Follow her on IG @esthersanter 

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

IUI; IVF; male factor infertility; IVF in the Jewish community; breaking the taboos of male factor infertility; needle phobia; low sperm count

For podcast sponsorship or partnership inquiries, please email [email protected]

EPISODE SPONSORS:

FERTILITY RALLY @fertilityrally www.fertilityrally.com

No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com. We offer 4 to 5 support groups per week, 4 private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey.

Join now at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com

RECEPTIVA DX

ReceptivaDx is the only test that can identify endometriosis, progesterone resistance and endometritis in a single sample, all causes for unexplained infertility and thus success rates of IVF treatments. ReceptivaDx includes BCL6, a marker that identifies uterine inflammation most often associated with asymptomatic (silent) endometriosis. BCL6 is found in more than 50% of women with unexplained infertility and over 65% of women with two or more IVF failures. If positive for the ReceptivaDx test, treatment options can improve the chances for a successful live birth 5 fold! Learn more at receptivadx.com or download our app “Receptivadx" -- and USE CODE INFERTILEAF23 for $75 off the test

MIRA 

How does Mira help to track ovulation? Mira measures actual fertility hormone concentrations with 99% accuracy. Mira is unlike other fertility trackers–it uses technology that’s similar to what’s used in the fertility lab, so it’s just like having your own mini-lab at home. Order the Mira Starter Kit or Mira Plus starter Kit online on miracare.com with promo code INFERTILEAF to get an exclusive discount.

For more, go to https://www.miracare.com/

Support this podcast at: https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In 2017, Arielle Bogorad was diagnosed with unexplained infertility and, after more than a year of trying IVF drugs, she was told she was a “poor responder” to them and would have a hard time achieving chromosomally normal embryos. Today, Ali talks to her about her family building journey, including how, in 2019, she was able to obtain 2 normal embryos with one being transferred and resulting in her having a beautiful baby girl that September. The exorbitant cost of fertility treatment would have been too expensive for Arielle and her family, but she was able to move forward and have her daughter because her employer offered Progyny. Arielle explains to Ali why she joined Progyny in a role where she educates employers on how critical family building benefits are, the impact they have on DEI initiatives, and the cultural message it sends to employees. She also talks about how the trauma and grief of infertility lives on. 

For more, check out https://progyny.com/

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Unexplained infertility; IVF; cancelled cycles; trauma; frozen embryos; chromosomally abnormal embryos; fertility insurance and benefits; advocacy; grief

For sponsorship or partnership inquiries, please email [email protected]

EPISODE SPONSORS:

FERTILITY RALLY @fertilityrally www.fertilityrally.com

No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com. We offer 4 to 5 support groups per week, 4 private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey.

Join now at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com

RECEPTIVA DX

ReceptivaDx is the only test that can identify endometriosis, progesterone resistance and endometritis in a single sample, all causes for unexplained infertility and thus success rates of IVF treatments. ReceptivaDx includes BCL6, a marker that identifies uterine inflammation most often associated with asymptomatic (silent) endometriosis. BCL6 is found in more than 50% of women with unexplained infertility and over 65% of women with two or more IVF failures. If positive for the ReceptivaDx test, treatment options can improve the chances for a successful live birth 5 fold! Learn more at receptivadx.com or download our app “Receptivadx" -- and USE CODE INFERTILEAF23 for $75 off the test

Fertility Coach Academy and Elizabeth King Fertility Coaching

Ready to turn your passion for fertility into a purpose-driven career? Visit www.fertilitycoachacademy.com. You’ll be empowered to make a difference, while embracing the mind, body, and spirit approach. Or are you seeking personalized guidance on your own journey. Visit www.elizabethking.com. Unleash your potential and unlock the doors to parenthood.

Use code "InfertileAF" on both for your special 25% discount.

Support this podcast at: https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today Ali is talking to an ART O.G.! It's Ellen Weir Casey, "The Original Fertility Advocate," who forged her own unique path to parenthood in the very early days of IVF. "Infertility wasn't even a word then," Ellen says. "It was, 'You're not getting pregnant. There's no way you're getting pregnant.'" Ellen tells Ali her entire family building journey, starting with how she got an unapproved IUD in her early 20s, which led to a severe internal infection that resulted in extreme scarring in both fallopian tubes. Ellen was around in the earliest days of Assisted Reproductive Technology, so she was doing research in the library basement. This was also way before email and iPhones and Facebook and Instagram, so she was typing up letters on her typewriter and sending them in the mail to doctors and clinics. She talks about her early miscarriage, being one of the first women in the world to have micro-surgery, and when IVF babies were called "test tube babies." She also talks about how having her daughter became an international news story, and her powerful memoir, "Unstoppable," a captivating story of loss, struggle, and perseverance. "I believe that it's important for women to know the stories of the women who went before them, who opened the doors, that they can walk through now," she says.  

To order her book, go to https://www.amazon.com/Unstoppable-Forging-Path-Motherhood-Early/dp/1632994976

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Miscarriage; early days of ART; IVF; micro-surgery; test tube babies; advocacy 

For sponsorship or partnership inquiries, please email [email protected]

EPISODE SPONSORS:

FERTILITY RALLY @fertilityrally www.fertilityrally.com

No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com. We offer 4 to 5 support groups per week, 4 private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey.

Join now at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com

RECEPTIVA DX

ReceptivaDx is the only test that can identify endometriosis, progesterone resistance and endometritis in a single sample, all causes for unexplained infertility and thus success rates of IVF treatments. ReceptivaDx includes BCL6, a marker that identifies uterine inflammation most often associated with asymptomatic (silent) endometriosis. BCL6 is found in more than 50% of women with unexplained infertility and over 65% of women with two or more IVF failures. If positive for the ReceptivaDx test, treatment options can improve the chances for a successful live birth 5 fold! Learn more at receptivadx.com or download our app “Receptivadx" -- and USE CODE INFERTILEAF23 for $75 off the test

Fertility Coach Academy and Elizabeth King Fertility Coaching

Ready to turn your passion for fertility into a purpose-driven career? Visit www.fertilitycoachacademy.com. You’ll be empowered to make a difference, while embracing the mind, body, and spirit approach. Or are you seeking personalized guidance on your own journey. Visit www.elizabethking.com. Unleash your potential and unlock the doors to parenthood.

Use code "InfertileAF" on both for your special 25% discount.

"There is so much about pregnancy and fertility health that no one talks about," says this week's guest, author and infertility warrior Leslie Schrock. Leslie has written two books, "Bumpin: The Modern Guide to Pregnancy," and "Fertility Rules," in which she debunks myths and empowers you to be your own advocate from preconception to pregnancy and beyond. Today, Ali talks to Leslie about her own family building journey, including ovulation tracking, her first miscarriage, and how she has been pregnant a total of five times (today, she has two sons). She talks about having a D&C, her thoughts on the turnover of Roe v. Wade, how she and her husband grieved differently at different stages of their journey, and how it felt to get -- and stay -- pregnant after loss. She also discusses why her friends call her "Pregnancy Siri" and why guys need to step it up in terms of getting involved in the fertility and reproduction conversation.  

For more or to order her books, go to https://leslieschrock.com/

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Miscarriage; D&C; mental health; ovulation tracking; pregnancy after loss; grief; acupuncture; C-section

For sponsorship or partnership inquiries, please email [email protected]

EPISODE SPONSORS:

FERTILITY RALLY @fertilityrally www.fertilityrally.com

No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com. We offer 4 to 5 support groups per week, 4 private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey.

Join now at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com

RECEPTIVA DX

ReceptivaDx is the only test that can identify endometriosis, progesterone resistance and endometritis in a single sample, all causes for unexplained infertility and thus success rates of IVF treatments. ReceptivaDx includes BCL6, a marker that identifies uterine inflammation most often associated with asymptomatic (silent) endometriosis. BCL6 is found in more than 50% of women with unexplained infertility and over 65% of women with two or more IVF failures. If positive for the ReceptivaDx test, treatment options can improve the chances for a successful live birth 5 fold! Learn more at receptivadx.com or download our app “Receptivadx" -- and USE CODE INFERTILEAF23 for $75 off the test

Fertility Coach Academy and Elizabeth King Fertility Coaching

Ready to turn your passion for fertility into a purpose-driven career? Visit www.fertilitycoachacademy.com. You’ll be empowered to make a difference, while embracing the mind, body, and spirit approach. Or are you seeking personalized guidance on your own journey. Visit www.elizabethking.com. Unleash your potential and unlock the doors to parenthood.

Use code "InfertileAF" on both for your special 25% discount.

Meridian Psychiatric Partners

Meridian Psychiatric Partners’ Reproductive Psychiatry & Women’s Wellness Division is Chicagoland’s premier women’s mental health private practice. They have specialty-trained psychiatrists and therapists who offer 

• pre-pregnancy and TTC consultations
• postpartum consultations
• medication management and psychotherapy for individuals and couplesIf you would like to know more about Meridian or make an appointment, you can find them online at meridianpsychiatricpartners.com or call their intake line at 312-640-7743.
• Make sure to mention that you heard about MPP on Infertile AF the podcast.

Support this podcast at: https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today, Ali talks to Jewish Fertility Foundation founder Elana Frank about getting married but not getting pregnant right away, going through fertility treatments in Israel, getting put on Clomid without even getting an exam, and so much more. She also talks about IUIs, IVF, transferring multiple embryos, embryo donation, having her babies, and why she started the JFF. 

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Infertility; IVF; Jewish infertility; IUIs; infertility treatment in Israel; Clomid; embryo donation 

For sponsorship or partnership inquiries, please email [email protected]

EPISODE SPONSORS:

FERTILITY RALLY @fertilityrally www.fertilityrally.com

No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com. We offer 4 to 5 support groups per week, 4 private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey.

Join now at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com

RECEPTIVA DX

ReceptivaDx is the only test that can identify endometriosis, progesterone resistance and endometritis in a single sample, all causes for unexplained infertility and thus success rates of IVF treatments. ReceptivaDx includes BCL6, a marker that identifies uterine inflammation most often associated with asymptomatic (silent) endometriosis. BCL6 is found in more than 50% of women with unexplained infertility and over 65% of women with two or more IVF failures. If positive for the ReceptivaDx test, treatment options can improve the chances for a successful live birth 5 fold! Learn more at receptivadx.com or download our app “Receptivadx" -- and USE CODE INFERTILEAF23 for $75 off the test

Fertility Coach Academy and Elizabeth King Fertility Coaching

Ready to turn your passion for fertility into a purpose-driven career? Visit www.fertilitycoachacademy.com. You’ll be empowered to make a difference, while embracing the mind, body, and spirit approach. Or are you seeking personalized guidance on your own journey? Visit www.elizabethking.com. Unleash your potential and unlock the doors to parenthood.

Use code "InfertileAF" on both for your special 25% discount.

Support this podcast at: https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy