In this episode of Dismantling You, I sit down with Dr. Randi Goldman, a fertility specialist, to have an honest conversation about what the fertility world actually looks like today. We dig into the realities of IVF success rates, why one cycle does not equal one baby, and how age remains the single most important factor in fertility outcomes. Dr. Goldman shares what she wishes more patients knew before walking through her doors, from the importance of early education to the limitations of egg freezing as a backup plan.

We also explore endometriosis and its often silent impact on fertility, the difference between ovarian reserve and egg quality, and why so many people are caught off guard by their own biology. Dr. Goldman breaks down the role of lifestyle factors like nutrition, sleep, stress, and environmental toxins, and explains what patients can actually control in a process that often feels completely out of their hands. This is one of those conversations that cuts through the noise and gives you clarity you can act on.

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Key Highlights

🔬 The Biggest IVF Misconception: Dr. Goldman explains why one IVF cycle does not equal one baby and how success rates are often misunderstood by patients starting their fertility journey.

🥚 Egg Freezing Reality Check: Egg freezing was likely "over-promised" for years. Dr. Goldman discusses who it actually benefits and why it is not a guaranteed insurance policy for future fertility.

🩺 Endometriosis and Infertility: Many patients do not realize endometriosis can silently affect fertility. Early diagnosis and treatment can make a significant difference in outcomes.

📊 Ovarian Reserve vs. Egg Quality: The number of eggs you have is not the same as the quality of those eggs. Dr. Goldman breaks down what testing can and cannot tell you about your fertility potential.

🥗 Lifestyle Factors That Actually Matter: From nutrition and sleep to stress management and environmental toxins, Dr. Goldman shares what patients can control in a process that often feels uncontrollable.

⏰ The Power of Early Education: Dr. Goldman emphasizes that knowing your options sooner can change everything. Many patients say they wish they had started the conversation years earlier.

💡 Embryo vs. Egg Freezing: There is a meaningful difference between freezing embryos and freezing eggs, and the right choice depends on your life circumstances and timeline.

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Resources & Next Steps:

👩‍⚕️ Follow Dr. Randi Goldman on Instagram @randihgoldman_fertilityddoc and LinkedIn for fertility education and updates

Bio:

Dr. Randi Goldman is a reproductive health and infertility specialist at Northwell Fertility and the Program Director for their Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility fellowship program. She is an Associate Professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, and is the Chairperson for the Patient Experience Committee for Northwell Health Physician Partners.

Dr. Goldman’s clinical and research interests span a broad range of reproductive health topics, including endometriosis, Oncofertility, fertility preservation and treatment outcomes, and patient experience.

She has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications, and her research on oocyte cryopreservation has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Boston Magazine, and TODAY, among others, and has been translated into a web application by MDCalc.Dr. Goldman completed her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Brigham and Women's Hospital/Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in 2015, and her fellowship in REI at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in 2018.

In this episode of Dismantling You, I sit down with Johannes Soulages, a scientist, corporate executive, and fertility coach for men, to have a raw and honest conversation about male factor infertility, one of the most overlooked and stigmatized topics in reproductive health. Johannes shares his personal journey from a diagnosis of oligospermia (critically low sperm count) through IVF, surgery, and the emotional toll of keeping it all a secret. We explore how his background in science, including a post doc at MIT, ETH Zurich and projects at NASA, intersected with the deeply emotional reality of infertility, and why his initial reaction was denial, anger, and shame.

We also dig into the broader conversation about why men rarely speak up about infertility, the misconceptions around masculinity and reproductive health, and how Johannes channeled his own pain into purpose by launching a free monthly men's support group called Resolve for Men. He opens up about the guilt of watching his wife go through IVF injections, finding the right therapist through what he calls "an act of sabotage," and the transformative power of vulnerability in a group setting. Whether you're navigating an infertility diagnosis, supporting a partner, or simply want to understand the male side of this journey, this episode is a must-listen.

Key Highlights

🔬 From Scientist to Fertility Coach: Johannes's career path from MIT and NASA to the beauty industry, and how a personal infertility diagnosis led him to launch a coaching practice for men.

💔 The Diagnosis That Changed Everything: How hearing "oligospermia" with a sperm count of 0.5 million (vs. the normal 20 million) triggered denial, anger, shame, and guilt, emotions most men with infertility silently carry.

🧠 Masculinity and the Stigma of Infertility: Why men associate fertility issues with performance, avoid testing, and feel "less of a man," and how these misconceptions keep them isolated.

💪 The Therapist Who Changed His Life: Johannes chose a tattooed biker-type therapist expecting to go once and quit, but that session became a four-year journey that transformed his mental health.

👥 The Power of Men's Groups: How structured vulnerability in a group setting creates breakthroughs, with 99% of men opening up within the first hour, even those who joined determined to stay silent.

🤝 Supporting Your Partner by Getting Supported: Why the best thing a man can do for his partner during IVF is to seek his own support first, because you can't pour from an empty cup.

📊 The Numbers That Matter: One in six couples struggles with fertility, and roughly half the time the issue is male factor, yet men are often tested last, sometimes after multiple failed IVF rounds.

Resources & Next Steps

Contact Johannes Soulages on Instagram: @Four.Consulting

🔍 Search for Resolve for Men fertility support group

🎧 Subscribe to Dismantling You on Apple Podcasts

In this episode of the podcast, I sit down in person with Dr. Jaime Knopman, a leading reproductive endocrinologist and author of the book Own Your Fertility.

Dr. Knopman shares what inspired her to write a book that cuts through the noise and delivers accurate, relatable information on women's fertility. From her early inspiration by Elizabeth Blackwell to her specialization in reproductive medicine, she walks us through her journey and why she believes every woman deserves to make educated choices about her fertility before time becomes a factor.

We dive deep into the biological clock, the shame surrounding infertility, and why Dr. Knopman wants us to stop treating fertility as a given. She explains the global fertility crisis, the societal shifts driving it, and why she personally plans to have her own daughters freeze their eggs at 22. We also cover lifestyle factors, AI in fertility medicine, and a rapid fire round covering everything from supplements to saunas.

This is a must-listen conversation for any woman thinking about her reproductive health.

Key Highlights:

📖 Writing Own Your Fertility: Dr. Knopman explains that she wrote her book to fill a gap in the space for accurate, digestible fertility information.

⏳ Rethinking the Biological Clock: Rather than a cliff, Dr. Knopman describes fertility decline as a gradual slope.

🥚 The Case for Early Egg Freezing

🌍 A Global Fertility Crisis

🤖 AI and the Future of Fertility

Medicine Resources & Next Steps

📚 Get Dr. Knopman's book Own Your Fertility on Amazon

📖 Get the book at Barnes & Noble

📲 Follow Dr. Knopman on Instagram @drjaimekopman

👉Learn more about the Chick Mission, the nonprofit organization providing grants for fertility preservation to women diagnosed with cancer

I recently sat down with Janene Oleaga, a family formation attorney and reproductive rights advocate, to discuss why prenuptial agreements are becoming essential tools for modern couples, especially those navigating assisted reproductive technology (ART). Janene flew in from Maine to share her expertise on how prenups have evolved from outdated stereotypes into powerful instruments for equity and transparency in marriage. We explored why millennials and Gen Z are leading the charge in requesting prenups, how these agreements protect women's unpaid labor, and why discussing finances early can actually strengthen your relationship.Throughout our conversation, Janene emphasized that prenuptial agreements aren't just about divorce - they're about managing expectations, establishing financial equity, and planning for your family's future. We dove deep into embryo disposition clauses, the critical importance of separate legal counsel, and how these conversations can prevent devastating litigation down the road. Janene also shared insights on fertility insurance mandates, the current state of surrogacy laws, and her vision for expanded access to reproductive care. Whether you're considering IVF, planning your wedding, or simply want to protect your family's future, this episode offers invaluable guidance from a true expert in the field.

Key Highlights:

💍 The Prenup Renaissance: Janene explains why prenuptial agreements are being rebranded as tools for equity rather than signs of distrust, with millennials and Gen Z leading the conversation about transparency and financial planning in marriage.

🧬 Embryo Clauses Save Families: Learn why including an embryo disposition agreement in your prenup is crucial for couples pursuing IVF, how New York's statute provides a strong framework, and why early conversations prevent heartbreaking litigation over frozen embryos during divorce.

💰 Compensating Women's Work: Discover why more women are initiating prenups to ensure they're fairly compensated for taking time out of the workforce, staying home with children, and performing unpaid labor that traditionally goes unrecognized and undervalued.

⚖️ Managing Expectations Prevents Divorce: Janene shares how prenups aren't just about what happens if you divorce - they're about steering the course of your marriage, avoiding arguments, and ensuring both partners are aligned on critical issues like finances, childcare responsibilities, and family planning.

🏥 Fertility Insurance Mandates Matter: Hear about the success of fertility insurance mandates in states like Maine and New York, why they're essential for expanding access to care, and what legislative advocacy is needed to support families facing infertility across all income levels.

🤰 Surrogacy's True Story: Janene addresses recent negative headlines about surrogacy, emphasizing that while bad actors must be exposed, the vast majority of surrogacy journeys result in beautiful families and that broad-stroke condemnation unfairly stigmatizes a legitimate path to parenthood.

👥 Build Your Team with Intention: Whether you're pursuing IVF, surrogacy, or simply planning your future, Janene stresses the importance of choosing team members - from attorneys to doctors to mental health counselors - who align with your values, ethics, and expectations for your fertility journey.

🔗 Connect with Janene Oleaga on Instagram @ivfesq

🌐 Visit Janene's website at ivfesq.com

📚 Learn more about New York's embryo disposition statute that Janene references

🎯 Explore fertility insurance mandates and legislative advocacy resources in your state

In this powerful episode, host Lisa Pineda sits down with Rabbi Elan Segelman, Rabbanic Director at PUAH, to explore the unique intersection of Jewish law and fertility treatment. With one in six couples facing infertility challenges, Rabbi Segelman shares how PUAH has become the number one resource for the Jewish community navigating everything from IVF and IUI to egg freezing and male factor infertility. He opens up about the shame and guilt many couples experience, the complexities of observing Shabbat during treatment, and why modern reproductive technology is a gift from God, not a contradiction to faith. This conversation breaks down barriers and provides hope for anyone struggling with their fertility journey.

Rabbi Segelman walks through PUAH's groundbreaking lab supervision program, explaining how the organization was founded nearly 40 years ago to ensure genetic lineage integrity during IVF procedures. He discusses the rise of male factor infertility, breakthrough AI technologies like sperm identification systems, and why egg freezing should be an empowered choice for women. From addressing halakhic considerations during treatment cycles to the emotional toll of recurrent miscarriages, this episode covers the full spectrum of fertility challenges within the Orthodox Jewish community. Rabbi Segelman's message is clear: no one should face this journey alone, and resources like PUAH exist to provide both practical guidance and emotional support every step of the way.

Key Highlights:

🙏 Breaking the Stigma: Rabbi Segelman addresses the shame and guilt many Jewish couples feel when turning to assisted reproductive technology, emphasizing that modern fertility treatments are gifts from God, not contradictions to faith.

🕯️ Navigating Shabbat and Treatment: Learn how PUAH helps couples schedule fertility treatments around Shabbat observance, including creative solutions for ovulation testing, trigger shots, and monitoring appointments that respect Jewish law.

👨 Male Factor Infertility Rising: With nearly 50% of infertility cases involving male factors, Rabbi Segelman discusses halakhic approaches to semen analysis, the revolutionary impact of ICSI technology, and how AI is now identifying viable sperm in previously deemed azoospermic samples.

🧊 Egg Freezing as Empowerment: Why women should consider freezing eggs before age 35, how to approach the conversation without stigma, and Rabbi Segelman's heartfelt plea that no woman should ever look back with regret saying 'nobody told me about this option.'

🔬 Lab Supervision and Lineage: The fascinating origin story of PUAH's lab supervision program, developed 40 years ago to address rabbinic concerns about genetic material mixups and ensure the preservation of Jewish lineage during IVF procedures.

🤖 AI Revolutionizing Fertility: From AI-powered sperm identification systems at Columbia University to uterine imaging that detects issues doctors miss, Rabbi Segelman shares how artificial intelligence is expanding possibilities for couples facing severe infertility.

💔 Supporting Through Loss: Addressing the devastating reality of recurrent miscarriages and how new diagnostic tools, including AI-enhanced imaging, are helping identify previously unknown uterine issues that contribute to pregnancy loss.

🌍 Global Reach, Personal Touch: PUAH now operates internationally with offices from Israel to the United States, Mexico, France, and Australia, providing 24/7 support including Shabbat and holiday supervision for couples anywhere in the world.

Contact Rabbi Elan Segelman at Puah Fertility @puah_fertility

In this conversation, Dr. Tomer Singer shares his personal journey into reproductive medicine, influenced by his family's struggles with infertility. He discusses the unique challenges faced by Orthodox couples in fertility treatments and the importance of community engagement. The conversation also covers the rise of egg freezing as a viable option for women, the optimal age for freezing eggs, and the success rates of frozen eggs. Dr. Singer emphasizes the role of nutrition and AI in improving patient care and outcomes in reproductive medicine. He concludes with thoughts on the future of fertility treatments.

Chapters

00:00 The Journey into Fertility Medicine

02:50 Understanding Orthodox Fertility Practices

05:39 Navigating Religious and Medical Collaboration

08:54 Education and Communication in Fertility

11:40 The Rise of Egg Freezing

15:01 Optimal Age for Egg Freezing

17:58 Success Rates of Frozen Eggs

20:39 Improving Egg Quality and Patient Health

23:59 Future of Egg Freezing Technology

29:51 Understanding the Costs of Egg Freezing

32:59 The Importance of Egg Freezing for Future Fertility

34:08 The Age Visit: A New Approach to Women's Health

38:18 The Role of AI in Reproductive Medicine

41:25 Job Security in the Age of AI

45:23 Future Trends in Fertility Treatments

48:46 Rapid Fire Questions on Fertility Practices

52:28 Prioritizing Mental Health in a Busy Life

54:25 Connecting with Dr. Singer

About Dr. Tomer Singer:

Tomer Singer, MD, MBA is an internationally renowned Endocrinologist and Infertility Specialist. He serves as the System Chief of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Northwell Health where he is responsible for programmatic strategy and fosters academic and clinical growth. Dr. Singer earned his medical degree from the Sackler School of Medicine and an MBA in Health Care Management from the Hofstra Zarb School of Business. He is double board- certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. He is an Associate Professor of OB/GYN at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine. Dr. Singer has produced numerous publications, chapter reviews, and given presentations nationally and internationally in the field of Infertility, Reproductive Endocrinology, IVF, Pre-Implantation Genetic Testing (PGT), Egg Freezing, Egg Donation, and Gestational Surrogacy. He has performed hundreds of minimally invasive surgical procedures including laparoscopies and hysteroscopies. Dr. Singer has held several senior roles at Lenox Hill Hospital where he served as the Director of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, the Vice Chairman of the Department of OB/GYN, Director of Egg Freezing, and the OB/GYN Residency Program Director. Dr. Singer’s commitment to helping thousands of patients has earned him several awards including the Castle Conolly Top Doctor Award every year since 2017.

Contact Dr. Tomer SingerInstagram @tsingermd

In this conversation, Dr. Jenna McCarthy discusses the highlights of the ASRM conference, emphasizing the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in fertility care. She addresses new initiatives aimed at expanding fertility access, the complexities of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), and the significance of proper management and prevention strategies. The discussion also touches on rapid-fire fertility trends and concludes with insights on self-care and the importance of trusting healthcare providers in the fertility journey.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to ASRM 2025 Highlights

02:40 Importance of Multidisciplinary Collaboration in Fertility Care

05:13 Understanding Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS)

07:35 Preventing and Managing OHSS

10:16 Rapid Fire Questions on Fertility Trends

12:57 Final Thoughts and Self-Care Strategies

Contact Dr. Jenna McCarthy

Instagram @IVFMD @jupiterfertilitydoc

In this conversation, Asako Miyashita, a registered dietitian, shares her expertise on nutrition related to preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum health. She emphasizes the importance of a balanced diet, the role of specific nutrients in egg and sperm quality, and the impact of nutrition on gestational diabetes. Asako also discusses the differences between supplements and nutrition, the significance of organic food, and common myths surrounding fertility nutrition. The conversation concludes with insights on self-care and maintaining a healthy lifestyle during the journey to parenthood.

00:00 Introduction to Nutrition and Pregnancy

02:38 Asako's Journey and Background in Nutrition

05:34 Nutrition's Role in Egg Quality

08:26 Male Fertility and Nutrition

11:25 Nutrition During Pregnancy

14:20 Supplements vs. Nutrition

17:11 Organic Food and Fertility

19:54 Common Myths in Fertility Nutrition

22:54 Nutrition Trends and Their Impact

25:40 Optimizing Preconception Health

27:41 Self-Care and Closing Thoughts

Contact: Asako:Website: https://asakonutritionsalon.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nourishwithasako/

In this episode of the Dismantling You podcast, Dr. Beth McAvey shares her journey into fertility medicine, discussing the misconceptions surrounding fertility, the role of AMH in assessing reproductive health, and the complexities of miscarriage and recurrent pregnancy loss. She emphasizes the importance of understanding female biology, the significance of egg freezing, and the need for proper evaluations in fertility treatments. Dr. McAvey also touches on self-care practices and the importance of finding the right healthcare provider for fertility issues.

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Beth McAvey

04:28 Understanding Fertility Misconceptions

06:22 The Role of AMH in Fertility

09:22 Miscarriage: Signs and Understanding

11:39 Recurrent Pregnancy Loss Explained

13:46 Managing Miscarriage: Natural vs. D&C

15:35 Rapid-Fire Fertility Questions

17:43 Self-Care and Stress Management

18:59 Finding the Right Doctor for Fertility

20:21 Conclusion and Contact Information

Contact Dr. Beth McAvey :

RMA Long Island IVF

https://www.rmalongislandivf.com/physicians/dr-beth-mcavey

In this episode , Saira Painiagua shares her journey from being a massage therapist to becoming a mother through IVF and sperm donation. She discusses the challenges and joys of navigating fertility options as a same-sex couple, the importance of support systems for LGBTQ+ families, and the significance of self-care in her life. Saira emphasizes the uniqueness of each family's journey and the need for open communication and planning when building a family.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:36 Journey to Motherhood

09:34 Navigating Fertility Options

15:31 Support for LGBTQ+ Families

21:36 Self-Care and Personal Growth

Contact Saira:

Instagram @gardencityprenatalmassage