The Whole Pineapple

Today's short snack is a listener story and a very special guest – Anne's husband, Nick! Nick is here to talk about his diagnosis of Severe Male Factor. He shares his and Anne's fertility journey from his point of view, from the surprise of their diagnosis to the challenges of unsuccessful initial treatments.

Have you ever wondered what can go wrong in a collection room? Nick shares some hilarious stories of uncooperative door locks and audiovisual "malfunctions." Nick also talks to Anne and Ruby about feeling guilty, watching and supporting Anne throughout their experience, and how nervous he was during her pregnancy.

Sperm is an issue in 50% of infertility cases, and we so appreciate having Nick share his point of view in such an honest, funny, and relatable way! This is a great episode to share with anyone with a male factor diagnosis to help them feel less alone and see the humor in a difficult situation.

As always, for more The Whole Pineapple, check out their website: https://thewholepineapple.com/ And don't forget to share, rate, and review!

In this week's short snack, we have Dr. Eleanor Stevenson back with us! This time we're talking about the research she's done on what it's like to be a provider in the fertility field.

Dr. Stevenson's research centers around the "compassion fatigue" that can weigh on fertility nurses who are not only providing care for their patients but also supporting them emotionally. Her research is based on information gathered from 200+ fertility nurses and focuses on if they experience compassion fatigue and if it leads them to want to leave this demanding profession.

Anne and Ruby discuss with Eleanor how even with all the challenges and demands of this specialized nursing field, most of these amazing professionals love their patients, love what they do, and want to keep doing it.

Finally, Eleanor shares where she wishes to take her research in the future, including defining the experience of fertility in developing countries where fertility has significant cultural stigma.

We loved talking to Dr. Eleanor Stevenson and hope you'll also listen to her full episode where she discusses some of the other research she has done in the area of fertility, particularly on the often-disregarded "male" experience.

Some resources on compassion fatigue:

https://scholars.duke.edu/person/eleanor.stevenson

https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/work-environment/health-safety/combating-stress/

https://libraryguides.mayo.edu/burnout

Today we're talking research! But don't "change the channel" — you're going to find this both fascinating and easy to digest.

In this conversation with Eleanor Stevenson, PhD, RN, FAAN, Ruby and Anne talk about the science behind fertility and why it's so important to patient safety and outcomes to keep up with the science.

Some questions they tackle include: How is research conducted? How does data inform treatment? What are researchers looking for? How do they ensure the results are accurate?

One special area of focus for Dr. Stevenson is stress and its effects on fertility. There's no question that the fertility journey can be very stressful for those with unexpected challenges: how does that stress impact the journey? What lingering effects might there be, even if treatment is successful?

Another area of focus is the experience of those who identify as cis-heterosexual men in fertility. Men are often left out of the process in many ways, but what happens when there's a challenge with male-factor fertility (eg low sperm count)?

Eleanor Stevenson, PhD, RN, FAAN, is a Clinical Professor of Nursing at Duke University School of Nursing. She received her BS in Nursing from Rutgers University College of Nursing–New Brunswick, and her MS as a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner from Rutgers University College of Nursing–Newark. She received her PhD in Nursing Research and Theory Development from New York University College of Nursing.

Her area of inquiry focuses on the multidimensional psychological stress women who have conceived pregnancies via in-vitro fertilization experience as well as the adaptive behaviors of men with male-factor infertility. She is also engaged in inquiry about how men can increase access to primary care via female-facing care models such as infertility treatment and family planning.

Dr. Stevenson's clinical career has focused on women's health issues including clinical practice in various settings such as high-risk labor and delivery, mother-baby, antepartum, family planning, and infertility services. Dr. Stevenson has also applied her clinical expertise in research and development of women's health and infertility medications.

Learn more about Dr. Stevenson here: https://scholars.duke.edu/person/eleanor.stevenson

Buying gifts for someone on a fertility journey can be really challenging — you need to know if the recipient is open to a funny gift, for example, or if it's best to avoid the subject altogether.

As usual, Ruby and Anne are stepping up to help out! In this episode, they offer a bunch of tips not only about items that are available but also how to think about the person on the other end.

From goofy to darkly funny to sweet and meaningful, there are some great ideas here to help you navigate a season that's challenging enough when there aren't fertility considerations.

Gifts don't have to be flashy or expensive: maybe a meal service so folks don't need to plan or cook; comfy, cozy socks can be great; a charm can subtly honor a meaningful day; "mocktail" recipes are terrific for those who aren't drinking alcohol.

Have a listen and start making your list! And here's a great free gift: Share this podcast with someone who might need it, and rate and review it to help make the podcast more discoverable.

Find more episodes on our website: https://thewholepineapple.com/

ResourcesThe Broken Brown Egg website: https://thebrokenbrownegg.org/ Previous episode with Jamie: https://thewholepineapple.com/snack-44-mindfulness-for-the-holidays/

In this short snack, Ruby and Anne are talking with counselor Melanie Mikkelsen about building or extending a family with donated embryos.

It's a great solution for families that are unable or prefer not to use their own genetic material. However, there are things to keep in mind when considering donating or using donated embryos:

• It's more complicated than you probably think.
• It likely takes more time than you think.
• It's probably more expensive than you imagine.

In this short snack, Melanie, Anne, and Ruby are talking about things donors and recipients should be aware of when deciding to participate in third-party reproduction, whether you know your donors/recipients personally or not.

Often, embryo donation is a path people take when they've exhausted their options for having a child with their own genetic material. And that can mean hopeful parents are coming to the process with some pre-existing grief or frustration, and that can make working with a counselor like Melanie invaluable.

If you're considering donating or accepting an embryo, or if you know someone who might be in this position, we hope you'll listen and share.

Hear a listener story about embryo donation: https://thewholepineapple.com/snack-20-listener-story-how-to-build-a-modern-family/

What is "third-party reproduction?" It's when fertility treatment involves genetic material from someone besides the intended parent(s), whether that's eggs, sperm, or embryos. Sometimes the use of donated eggs or sperm is always part of the plan, while for others the decision to use donated material can be complicated. Often there can be sadness or disappointment that a child does not share the parent(s)' DNA. Advances in consumer genetic testing have also changed how we counsel when someone hopes to use a donor anonymously. Melanie Mikkelsen L.C.S.W., M.S.W., is a counselor at Seattle Reproductive Medicine, and she helps potential parents and donors prepare for the realities of fertility treatment.

Why is counseling necessary? As Ruby, Anne, and Melanie discuss, all fertility treatment can be an emotional roller coaster for the hopeful parents. And with third-party donation, it's important for everyone involved to understand the process and repercussions and be prepared for the emotional journey.

To learn more about Melanie and third-party donation (and fertility treatments of all kinds), be sure to visit The Whole Pineapple's sponsor website, https://www.seattlefertility.com/.

As always, you can find more episodes as well as information about your hosts, Ruby and Anne, at https://thewholepineapple.com/.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology: https://www.sart.org/
• American Society for Reproductive Medicine: https://www.asrm.org/
• Resolve: https://resolve.org/

The holidays can bring up a whole lot of emotions: Joy and excitement, sure, but also anxiety, depression, and grief for many.

And are you, like us, a little out of practice with making "small talk"? That might lead to some "big talk," but that can bring its own stress!

Whatever you're feeling, practicing mindfulness and self care care can really help you have a healthier holiday season.

In this episode, Anne Judge and Jamie Mammenga talk about stresses — and solutions! — that come up at this time of the year. Listen in for some great tips about setting boundaries, dealing with invasive questions, recharging your energy when family and friends are burning you out, and more!

If you're loving The Whole Pineapple, please take a moment to "gift" us with a review on your favorite podcast app. It really does help make it easier for listeners to find us.

For more amazing episodes from Jamie, Anne, Ruby, and their expert guests, visit The Whole Pineapple website: https://thewholepineapple.com/.

Gut health and hormones — who knew that was a thing?

According to Dr. B., these microbes that hang out in our gut are so intertwined with our hormonal balance that the gut microbiome is basically an endocrine organ.

Your brain has the most nerves in your body. The second? Your gut. FIVE TIMES more nerves than your spinal cord. With so much going on in our guts, do you think maybe it's time we pay attention to what our guts are telling us?

We're living in a scientific revolution, Dr. B tells Ruby and Anne — the information we're gathering about our bodies, our health, and our gut are changing how we consider food, medicine, wellness, and disease.

Be sure to listen to Dr. B's full episode on The Whole Pineapple as well as this short, then share share share! And please don't forget to rate and review to make our podcast more discoverable.

Find us here: https://thewholepineapple.com/

Welcome to Ruby's Happy Place! We're talking healthy food today — especially fiber! Because #EverybodyLovesAGoodPoop.

Dr. Will Bulsiewicz (hereafter "Dr. B") is a clinician, researcher, author, gut health expert, and Ruby and Anne's guest for episode 22.

If you're operating under the belief that fibrous foods taste about as good as the paper Dr. B's books are written on, listen on. There's so much good here, in information AND flavor.

Gut health is more critical than most of us know — sure, it affects our weight and muscle mass, but it can also impact our mood, energy levels, even our fertility.

Finding the right diet can help us feel like ourselves again, says Dr. B, and when he found the right nutrition for him, he knew he had to share his journey with his patients.

Will Bulsiewicz is a board certified gastroenterologist. He graduated from medical school at Georgetown School of Medicine and was Chief Medical Resident at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Chief Gastroenterology Fellow at The University of North Carolina Hospitals. He also holds a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation from Northwestern University and a Certificate in Nutrition from Cornell University.

Dr. B has won multiple awards and distinctions for his work as a clinician and researcher. His goal as a gut health doc is to be a trusted, research-based source helping people to create positive change in their lives. At the core of his philosophy is what he calls "lifestyle medicine," which uses food, exercise, and other lifestyle factors to optimize your gut and get you back in control of your health.

When he is not working as a full-time gastroenterologist, Dr. B is writing and is twice now a New York Times bestselling author, first with Fiber Fueled and as of May 2022, with The Fiber Fueled Cookbook.

You can find more about Dr. B's approach, his books, and his 2023 Masterclass on his website ThePlantFedGut.com or on social @TheGutHealthMD

And of course, you can find out more about your hosts, Ruby and Anne, at https://thewholepineapple.com/.

What do scary movies (or not-so-scary movies), nutrition, wellness, and fertility journeys have in common?

Listen to this special Halloween Spooky Snack to find out!

It's nearly All Hallows' Eve here in the US, and Ruby and Anne are sharing some of their Halloween favorites — with an eye to wellness and fertility, of course.

Pick up some great information on wellness villains (Count Inflammation has a lot of explaining to do) and managing your fertility journey (please don't go down those dark paths alone).

And it's OK to indulge in the full-size candy bars once a year. As long as you remember to brush your teeth.

Learn more about Ruby, Anne, The Whole Pineapple, and Seattle Reproductive Medicine at https://thewholepineapple.com/.

Resources from this episode:

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/2015/11/03/report-says-eating-processed-meat-is-carcinogenic-understanding-the-findings/

https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2021/red-meat-colorectal-cancer-genetic-signature#:~:text=In%202015%2C%20based%20on%20data,probable%20carcinogen%20(Group%202A).

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/2015/11/03/report-says-eating-processed-meat-is-carcinogenic-understanding-the-findings/

https://www.bmj.com/company/newsroom/new-evidence-links-ultra-processed-foods-with-a-range-of-health-risks/

https://www.nami.org/Press-Media/In-The-News/2021/What-you-need-to-know-about-the-cost-and-accessibility-of-mental-health-care-in-America?feed=In-the-news

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soylent_Green#Cast

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-019-0675-0

https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2021/red-meat-colorectal-cancer-genetic-signature#:~:text=In%202015%2C%20based%20on%20data,probable%20carcinogen%20(Group%202A).