Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, Dr. Mark Amols breaks down new research on male obesity and fertility and explains why a man’s weight may matter more in IVF than many people realize. This study looked at donor egg ICSI cycles and found that male obesity was associated with delayed early embryo development, lower inner cell mass quality, and a higher miscarriage rate, even though fertilization, blastocyst development, implantation, and clinical pregnancy rates were fairly similar across groups. 

Dr. Amols explains what this means in plain English for patients and clinicians, why a normal semen analysis does not always tell the whole story, how sperm health may affect embryo development after fertilization, and why fertility should be viewed as a couple’s issue, not just a female issue. If you want to understand the connection between male BMI, sperm quality, IVF outcomes, embryo development, and miscarriage risk, this episode breaks it down in a way that is clear, practical, and evidence-based. 

Thanks for listening to another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday with Dr. Mark Amols.

If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit—and don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Want to explore more fertility topics? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com, where you can search our entire episode library, find episodes about the questions that matter to you, try our interactive fertility tools, and submit questions or topic requests for future episodes.

Join us next Tuesday for another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, where we make fertility medicine easier to understand—one topic at a time.

Send us Fan Mail

Many patients assume that if they have gotten pregnant naturally before, IVF should be simple. But IVF and natural conception are not the same process.

In this episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, Dr. Mark Amols explains why IVF is incredibly powerful, but still cannot perfectly duplicate every hidden filter, timing system, and biological checkpoint that happens inside the body. From sperm selection and fertilization to fallopian tube transport, embryo transfer timing, uterine receptivity, egg recruitment, and embryo grading, IVF can reveal parts of reproduction that nature usually keeps hidden.

This episode explores why someone may have children naturally but still struggle with fertilization, embryo development, or implantation during IVF. It also explains why a failed IVF cycle does not mean failure — it may provide valuable clues that help guide the next step.

IVF is not worse than nature. Nature is not better than IVF. They are different routes toward the same goal. And sometimes in fertility, the route matters.

Thanks for listening to another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday with Dr. Mark Amols.

If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit—and don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Want to explore more fertility topics? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com, where you can search our entire episode library, find episodes about the questions that matter to you, try our interactive fertility tools, and submit questions or topic requests for future episodes.

Join us next Tuesday for another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, where we make fertility medicine easier to understand—one topic at a time.

Send us Fan Mail

Why can two embryos both be genetically normal, both be labeled AA, and even be tested by the same genetics company… yet still have very different chances of leading to pregnancy?

In this episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, Dr. Mark Amols breaks down one of the biggest misunderstandings in IVF: the idea that “normal” means “equal.” He explains what PGT-A really tells us, why embryo grading is useful but limited, and how two embryos with the same label can still have very different biologic potential. He also dives into why IVF lab quality matters so much — from culture conditions and air handling to biopsy skill, freezing, thawing, and transfer technique.

If you have ever wondered why one euploid embryo works while another does not, or why some clinics may have better outcomes than others, this episode helps make sense of it all in a clear, patient-friendly way. 

Thanks for listening to another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday with Dr. Mark Amols.

If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit—and don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Want to explore more fertility topics? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com, where you can search our entire episode library, find episodes about the questions that matter to you, try our interactive fertility tools, and submit questions or topic requests for future episodes.

Join us next Tuesday for another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, where we make fertility medicine easier to understand—one topic at a time.

Send us Fan Mail

Why do IUIs fail, even when everything seems to be done right? In this updated episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, Dr. Mark Amols breaks down what a failed IUI actually means. He explains the three biggest reasons IUIs fail: sometimes it is just bad luck, sometimes IUI is the wrong treatment for the biology, and sometimes there is a hidden problem that routine fertility testing cannot detect. This episode also covers newer data on IUI success rates, the role of male factor infertility, how age and time trying should affect treatment decisions, when it makes sense to keep trying IUI, and when it may be smarter to move on to IVF. If you have ever wondered whether a failed IUI means something is wrong or whether IVF is the next step, this episode will help you think about it more clearly. 

Thanks for listening to another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday with Dr. Mark Amols.

If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit—and don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Want to explore more fertility topics? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com, where you can search our entire episode library, find episodes about the questions that matter to you, try our interactive fertility tools, and submit questions or topic requests for future episodes.

Join us next Tuesday for another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, where we make fertility medicine easier to understand—one topic at a time.

Send us Fan Mail

In this replay episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, Dr. Mark Amols breaks down one of the most frustrating questions in fertility treatment: why IUIs sometimes fail even when everything seems like it should work. He explains the real success rates of IUI, why unexplained infertility is not the same as no problem, how sperm and tubes can look normal on paper but still not function normally, and why a failed IUI does not mean IVF will fail too. This is a helpful episode for anyone trying to understand realistic expectations for IUI and when it may be time to move on to IVF. Originally released in 2021. 

Thanks for listening to another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday with Dr. Mark Amols.

If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit—and don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Want to explore more fertility topics? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com, where you can search our entire episode library, find episodes about the questions that matter to you, try our interactive fertility tools, and submit questions or topic requests for future episodes.

Join us next Tuesday for another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, where we make fertility medicine easier to understand—one topic at a time.

Send us Fan Mail

Have you ever thought your top-tier insurance fully covered IVF, only to be hit with a $20,000 out-of-pocket bill? On this episode of Taco 'Bout Fertility Tuesday, Dr. Mark Amols pulls back the curtain on the confusing and frustrating world of reproductive medicine insurance.

We break down the two biggest financial illusions in fertility care:

• The ERISA Loophole: Discover the difference between fully insured and self-funded corporate plans, and learn why state IVF mandates might not legally apply to your employer.
• The Out-of-Network Lab Trap: Find out why your doctor might be in-network, but the embryology lab is not—and why the "No Surprises Act" won't protect you from these massive bills.

Finally, we discuss the newly reintroduced HOPE Act—a federal bill designed to close the corporate insurance gap—and equip you with the three essential questions you must ask your financial coordinator before starting treatment so you don't get burned.

Thanks for listening to another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday with Dr. Mark Amols.

If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit—and don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Want to explore more fertility topics? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com, where you can search our entire episode library, find episodes about the questions that matter to you, try our interactive fertility tools, and submit questions or topic requests for future episodes.

Join us next Tuesday for another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, where we make fertility medicine easier to understand—one topic at a time.

Send us Fan Mail

If you’re going through IVF, you’ve probably heard it: “Just relax.” It sounds comforting, but for many patients it feels like blame.

In this episode of Taco ’Bout Fertility Tuesday, Dr. Mark Amols breaks down what stress actually does during fertility treatment, what it does not do, and why the science does not support the simplistic idea that anxiety is what makes IVF fail. He also explains where stress does matter—your mental health, your relationships, your ability to keep going, and why untreated fertility stress can become a very real burden.

This episode covers the difference between emotional distress and IVF outcomes, why cortisol is not the smoking gun people make it out to be, how failed cycles can increase distress, and what actually helps: counseling, CBT, support systems, and real emotional care. Because IVF is a medical process, not a relaxation contest.

Thanks for listening to another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday with Dr. Mark Amols.

If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit—and don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Want to explore more fertility topics? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com, where you can search our entire episode library, find episodes about the questions that matter to you, try our interactive fertility tools, and submit questions or topic requests for future episodes.

Join us next Tuesday for another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, where we make fertility medicine easier to understand—one topic at a time.

Send us Fan Mail

What does a messed-up Chipotle order have to do with a disappointing IVF cycle? More than you might think. In this episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, Dr. Mark Amols uses the burrito analogy to explain an important concept in fertility treatment: one bad outcome does not automatically mean the entire plan was wrong. Sometimes the issue is not the whole recipe, but one part of the process — like trigger timing, fertilization method, sperm quality that day, lab variables, or another unexpected outlier.

Dr. Amols breaks down why patients often feel the urge to change everything after a poor cycle, and why that is not always the smartest move. Instead of overhauling a protocol just because the outcome was disappointing, it is often more important to carefully review each step of the cycle and identify what actually failed. Was it poor maturation? Poor fertilization? A sperm issue? A timing issue? Or just a bad batch and bad luck?

This episode walks through how IVF protocols are built, what stimulation medications actually do, what they do not do, and why small targeted changes can sometimes matter more than a complete overhaul. If you have ever had a disappointing IVF cycle and wondered whether you should change everything next time, this episode will help you think about it more clearly and have a better conversation with your doctor.

Thanks for listening to another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday with Dr. Mark Amols.

If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit—and don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Want to explore more fertility topics? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com, where you can search our entire episode library, find episodes about the questions that matter to you, try our interactive fertility tools, and submit questions or topic requests for future episodes.

Join us next Tuesday for another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, where we make fertility medicine easier to understand—one topic at a time.

Send us Fan Mail

For thousands of years, humans have tried to influence whether they have a boy or a girl. From ancient myths about moon phases and food choices to modern scientific techniques, the desire to choose a baby’s sex has never gone away.

In this episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, Dr. Mark Amols breaks down the real science behind sex selection and separates fact from fiction.

You’ll learn:

• Why sex positions, foods, and timing methods like the Shettles Method don’t actually work
 • The fascinating biology behind X and Y sperm
 • Just how tiny the difference between male and female sperm really is
 • Why sperm sorting techniques have struggled to work reliably
 • The only method currently proven to determine a baby’s sex before pregnancy
 • The ethical debate surrounding gender selection
 • Why sex selection laws differ around the world
 • What future technologies may make possible

Dr. Amols also discusses the concept of family balancing, the controversial question of whether choosing a baby’s sex is “playing God,” and how advances in reproductive technology continue to push the boundaries of medicine.

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s truly possible to choose a boy or a girl—or why so many myths about sex selection still exist—this episode explains the science in a way that’s easy to understand.

Thanks for listening to another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday with Dr. Mark Amols.

If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit—and don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Want to explore more fertility topics? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com, where you can search our entire episode library, find episodes about the questions that matter to you, try our interactive fertility tools, and submit questions or topic requests for future episodes.

Join us next Tuesday for another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, where we make fertility medicine easier to understand—one topic at a time.

Send us Fan Mail

If you’re 38, you’ve been trying for 12 months, and every test comes back “normal,” this episode is your step-by-step game plan for what to do next. “Unexplained infertility” isn’t a diagnosis—it’s a sign we haven’t found the real bottleneck yet, and at 38, time is a real variable.

We walk through the highest-yield checklist to confirm what’s truly been evaluated (ovulation, uterine cavity, tubes, and the male factor), then cover the common “hidden” causes that don’t show up on basic workups—like egg quality/aneuploidy, subtle sperm issues (including DNA fragmentation), endometriosis, and timing problems.

Finally, I lay out a clear decision tree for your next move—minimal intervention vs a time-limited IUI trial vs moving to IVF sooner—plus my hard-stop rules, what I would NOT waste time or money on, and the exact questions to bring to your next appointment so you leave with a timeline instead of limbo.

Thanks for listening to another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday with Dr. Mark Amols.

If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit—and don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Want to explore more fertility topics? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com, where you can search our entire episode library, find episodes about the questions that matter to you, try our interactive fertility tools, and submit questions or topic requests for future episodes.

Join us next Tuesday for another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, where we make fertility medicine easier to understand—one topic at a time.