This is Fertility

Did you know that one in three infertility cases is due to male factor? Which is actually just as common as female factor infertility. Male factor infertility has always been a taboo topic, but it's time to start talking about male reproductive health and prioritizing a man's journey on his path to parenthood.

It can be hard to figure out where to start when it comes to tests, treatments, or just finding emotional support throughout the process. Join Dr. McCoy, a director of surgery and male fertility, and Dr. O'Shaughnessy, a reproductive endocrinologist, in learning how men can take the first step in maintaining a healthy lifestyle which contributes to their family building journey.

While this webinar is definitely worth the listen, we understand that life gets busy and have provided a summary for you here.

Experts: Travis W. McCoy, Director of Surgery and Male Infertility at Piedmont Reproductive Endocrinology Group, Althea O'Shaughnessy, Reproductive Endocrinologist at Conceptions Reproductive Associates of Colorado

Host: Dan Bulger, Producer and Host of This Is Infertility Podcast

For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page and Progyny's Education page for more resources.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at [email protected].

A lot of pressure is placed on women to start thinking about family building early in their lives due to the "fertility window" or "biological clock".

Katie Becker, a Progyny member through Hearst (she works at Elle Magazine), felt the weight of having to pick between starting a family or focusing on her career. Katie's journey led her to fertility preservation, aka egg freezing, which was made financially possible by her employer-sponsored coverage.

In this episode, Katie discusses the factors that went into her decision, and how sharing her story via Instagram helped build a safe space for other women going through the same process.

Check out Katie's article on all things egg freezing to learn more about her experience!

Guest: Katie Becker, Progyny member

Host: Dan Bulger

Interested in learning more about how to bring the Progyny benefit to your workplace? Visit www.progyny.com/talktohr to learn more!

For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page and Progyny's Education page for more resources.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at [email protected].

Due to advancements in assisted reproductive technology (ART) and more inclusive employer-sponsored family building coverage, the LGBTQ+ community has more options on their paths to parenthood than ever before. One of the most utilized technologies for LGBTQ+ singles or couples is donor tissue – the use of donor egg and/or sperm.

Tissue donation can be confusing to navigate, so Progyny recently hosted a webinar to discuss the ins and outs. Join Dr. Georgia Witkin, donor egg and sperm expert, as she explores how and why donor egg of sperm may be a good option, what to consider during the process, and the difference between a known donation vs. using an egg and sperm bank.

While this webinar is definitely worth the listen, we understand that life gets busy and have provided a summary for you here.

Experts: Jaime Shamonki, Chief Medical Officer at Generate Life Sciences, Juan P. Alvarez, Reproductive Endocrinologist at Fertility Centers of Illinois

Host: Dr. Georgia Witkin, Head of Member Services Development at Progyny, Assistant Professor of OB-GYN and Reproductive Sciences and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai

For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page and Progyny's Education page for more resources.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at [email protected].

Family building comes with its ups and downs, but as the old saying goes, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

That was the case for Matt Walters and his wife, Corinne. The couple went through IUI, IVF, and even a miscarriage, on their journey to create a family, but the difficult times gave way to a strengthened relationship and an appreciation of life's small moments.

Matt, who has the Progyny benefit through his employer, LinkedIn, talks about the reassurance he felt through the support system at Progyny and how the couple felt a sense of relief when exploring fertility options without the steep financial burden.

Guest: Matt Walters, Progyny Member, LinkedIn

Host: Julie Hunt

Interested in learning more about how to bring the Progyny benefit to your workplace? Visit www.progyny.com/talktohr to learn more!

For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page and Progyny's Education page for more resources.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at [email protected].

One of the largest misconceptions we hear is that infertility is a women's issue when in fact, female-factor infertility is only the cause a third of the time. One third is attributed to male-factor reasons, and a third of the time it is either unexplained or a combination.

That is why we at Progyny are launching a three-part webinar series on men and infertility.

Our first installment focused on the emotional impact infertility can have on men, who often suffer in silence. Our experts discussed how to ask for support, talk about the journey, and recover from a loss.

While this webinar is definitely worth the listen, we understand that life gets busy and have provided a summary for you here.

Experts: Will Rivera II, Co-founder, Fertility in Colour for Men, Denny Ceizyk, Author of Almost a Father, Arthur J. McGrath, LCSW, CST, BCN, MPA, Psychotherapist

Host: Dan Bulger

For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page and Progyny's Education page for more resources.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at [email protected].

The Fertility 101 Series, because there's no shortage of daunting terms to keep your mind running, is a quick and dirty breakdown on a specific topic with insights from a fertility expert.

In today's episode, we explain some of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to fertility, male-factor infertility, and how lifestyle choices impact fertility.

Dr. Natan Bar-Chama, a reproductive urologist and Progyny network specialist, walks us through everything you need to know on male-factor infertility. Tune into this episode to also learn about how a post-COVID environment has made it easier for men to take the first steps in their family building journey.

Expert: Dr. Bar-Chama, Progyny Network Specialist, RMA of New York, Mount Sinai Hospital

Host: Dan Bulger

For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page and Progyny's Education page for more resources.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at [email protected].

June is Pride Month, and this year we have an update from a couple we featured previously: Samantha and Jessica Pace. They shared their journey in this episode: Episode 75: LGBTQ+ Family Building: 10 IUIs Before IVF Success.

When we left off, Jessica and Samantha were expecting their first child through IVF, after going through 10 failed IUIs first. Excitedly awaiting their daughter, the Paces had no idea that the COVID-19 pandemic was just around the corner, and their first taste of motherhood would be very different than they expected.

In today's episode, Jessica and Samantha give us an update on motherhood, while Dr. Paula Amato of Oregon Health and Science University highlights family building options for same-sex couples.

Guests: Samantha and Jessica Pace, Progyny Members

Expert: Dr. Paula Amato, Fertility Specialist at Oregon Health and Science University

Host: Dan Bulger

You can find Jessica and Samantha Pace's first episode here.

For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page and Progyny's Education page for more resources.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at [email protected].

Mental health awareness and prioritization are certainly on the rise. As May was Mental Health Awareness Month, we at Progyny wanted to shed light on the serious intersection of mental health and fertility.

Family building and fertility treatment can be incredibly stressful. In fact, 55% of people feel infertility is more stressful than unemployment and 61% feel it is more stressful than divorce. That is why, on May 26, Progyny hosted a webinar featuring Dr. Alice Domar, Mollie Walker, and Dr. Georgia Witkin, dedicated to prioritizing mental health while on a fertility journey.

A fertility journey can feel all consuming, so in this episode, our experts emphasize putting yourself first, advise on how to maintain relationships with loved ones, and share resources for mental health support.

While this webinar is definitely worth the listen, we understand that life gets busy and have provided a summary for you here.

Experts: Alice Domar, Executive Director of the Domar Center for Mind/Body Health and the Director of Mind/Body Services at Boston IVF, Mollie Walker, Co-founder of Tennessee Fertility Advocates, Dr. Georgia Witkin, Head of Member Services Development at Progyny, Assistant Professor of OB-GYN and Reproductive Sciences and Assistant Clinical Professor at Mount Sinai

Host: Dan Bulger

For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page and Progyny's Education page for more resources.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at [email protected].

For some, infertility is a complete surprise, but for others, they know going into it that they might have trouble conceiving down the line. The latter situation is common for those who are diagnosed with endometriosis, PCOS, and other conditions that may lead to infertility. These diagnoses absolutely don't guarantee a negative impact, and each condition is treatable. Fertility troubles or not, endometriosis can cause serious pain in your everyday life, a topic we will get into with this week's guest.

In this episode, we hear from Andrea Ford about her experience with an endometriosis diagnosis, and how having access to fertility coverage enabled her to make better decisions about treatment. While more research is needed, Dr. Colleen Casey discusses current treatment options available for endometriosis, and explains core fertility testing options such as PGT-A and PGT-M.

We also hear from Andrea how she was able to afford treatment through employer sponsored coverage from Progyny.

Guest: Andrea Ford, Progyny Member

Expert: Dr. Colleen Casey, Center for Reproductive Medicine

Host: Dan Bulger

See RESOLVE's website for fertility advocacy resources in your state and Progyny's Talk to HR page for assistance in requesting coverage from your employer.

For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page and Progyny's Education page for more resources.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at [email protected].

Nothing makes you feel more deflated, angry, and misunderstood than when someone tells you to 'just relax.' This reaction can be expected in many situations, especially from someone who is struggling with building their family.

In this episode, Bethany Johnson discusses her experience with infertility and how women have historically been blamed for "barrenness." Over time, this blame has trickled down through generations, lingering in the language we use to discuss women's health and consistently disregarding how male factor infertility contributes 30% to 40% of the time. Bethany and her colleague, Margaret Quinlan, took this historical context and applied it to the modern phrases and attitudes society has normalized surrounding a woman's life. They co-authored the book, You're Doing it Wrong! Mothering, Media, and Medical Expertise, to educate others on the constant barraging of unsolicited advice the world seems to dump on motherhood constantly.

As Dr. Georgia Witkin taught us last episode, there's way more to infertility than stress management, exercise, and dieting. Motherhood isn't one size fits all either, so it's important to advocate for yourself and continue on the path that works for you.

Guest: Bethany Johnson, co-author of You're Doing it Wrong! Mothering, Media, and Medical Expertise

Host: Dan Bulger

Want to read Bethany's book? Click here.

For more information, visit Progyny's Podcast page and Progyny's Education page for more resources.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at [email protected].