This is Fertility

Today's guest is Progyny's own, Justin Smith. Prior to joining the Progyny team, Justin spent 17 years in the U.S. Military service as an Army Medic. During the peak of the war with Iraq and Afghanistan, Justin was on the brink of battling something he had yet to encounter, infertility.

In this episode, Justin takes us on the journey of what it was like to be in the military and go through fertility treatment. Looking back on the four IUI cycles and three IVF cycles that he had endured with his partner at the time, Justin believes in the importance of speaking up about your infertility before treatment is no longer an option.

Guest: Justin Smith, Progyny

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].

Today's guest has been on the podcast before. In Episode 54, Emily Rich shared her experience with freezing embryos prior to going through cancer treatment. Now, as that battle has passed, Emily shares with us something extremely special.

Throughout this episode, we go along with Emily on her family building journey in real-time. Through video updates, she documented her process from the moment she came off her cancer medication, to the moment she first heard her son's heartbeat. Emily takes us through the full frontal oncofertility experience, and every emotion that comes with it.

Guest: Emily Rich, Progyny member

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].

Today's guests are Demi and Tom Schweers. Once the couple got married and bought a home, they started thinking about creating a family, but things have proved a bit more complicated than originally planned. Demi was diagnosed with both multiple sclerosis (MS) and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and the couple suffered two miscarriages, but these challenges have only strengthened the couple, who are currently going through their first IVF cycle.

Throughout their journey, Demi and Tom have shared via social media (primarily to their nearly 2 million TikTok followers). Today, the couple share with us their tips for supporting your partner through loss and how partnership is the foundation of healing. For more from Demi and Tom, check out their TikTok @demiandtom.

Guest: Demi and Tom Schweers

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].

Today's guest enters the realm of fertility treatments despite never in her 38 years being diagnosed with infertility. Angela Hatem's journey began with seeking out a sperm donor to fulfill the one thing that she wanted but couldn't have without a partner: a child.

What she expected to be a fairly simple journey turned out to be quite complex. In today's episode, we hear how Angela goes from thinking fertility treatments are a guarantee to conquering Clomid, ovarian cysts, seven rounds of IUI, and three rounds of IVF, all on her quest to motherhood.

Guest: Angela Hatem, freelance writer

Host: Lissa Kline, Progyny

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].

Marilyn Gomez is a mother to a rainbow baby named Mila. But like many Latin women, she faced many stereotypical assumptions and comments as she worked to grow her family. After five and a half years of Clomid, IUI, and IVF, she and her husband finally found success after pairing their treatment with pre-implantation genetic testing, increasing their odds of a healthy pregnancy and baby.

In this episode, we hear from Marilyn about something that changed her life completely — the infertility community. This community became the support system she needed during her treatment. These friends have been through the thick of infertility with her, and inspired her to create her own community with inspirational t-shirts called, Infertile Tees.

We're also hosting a webinar called, "Infertility in the Latinx and Hispanic Communities", that will feature Marilyn Gomez and dive into common myths about infertility in these communities, how to get the support you need, and where to access information and care. This discussion is open to anyone who wants to learn more about a family building journey and is free and open to anyone who would like to attend. For more information and to register for this webinar, see here.

Guest: Marilyn Gomez

Host: Crystal Cid, Patient Care Advocate at Progyny

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].

There are few things scarier than excruciating, physical pain for a reason unknown. Except, maybe, experiencing the worst pain of your life while on a three-hour flight, fainting, and waking up with an oxygen mask, surrounded by concerned flight attendants urging the pilot to make an emergency landing.

That is exactly what happened to today's guest, Dontaria Terrell, when a cyst burst 30,000 feet in the air. Dontaria had been ignoring her pain, assuming it was normal. Her emergency surgery led to the discovery of Uterine Fibroids, propelling Dontaria to think critically about her health, reproductive future and fertility preservation.

Guest: Dontaira Terrell, Entertainment Journalist and On-Air Host

Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny

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].

"Do you want to have kids?"

For some people this question may come with ease, for others, it may raise more questions and emotions. Today's guest is comfortable with not knowing whether or not she sees herself as a parent but most importantly she's given the ability to pursue a treatment that can preserve her fertility if she decided to change her mind.

In this episode, we hear from Sarah Fisher Lu on why she deferred her decision to have a child by freezing her eggs with Progyny. She explains what this experience was like, how Progyny's Patient Care Advocates (PCA) made her feel comfortable and supported, and she will never regret this decision.

Guest: Sarah Fisher Lu, Progyny Member

Host: Lola Lorber, Progyny

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].

Going through IVF is challenging no matter what, but the difference between going through treatment without coverage and then again with coverage, can make a big difference.

Today's guest shares her experiences with IVF before and after receiving the Progyny benefit through her employer. Caitlin Day expresses the overwhelming process of managing every aspect of her fertility treatment, and how much of a relief it was to find assistance and personalization through Progyny.

She emphasizes that fertility treatments are not a one size fits all solution. After receiving the benefit, Caitlin felt empowered – like her journey was unique to her – and not dictated by dollar maximums or "run of the mill" care.

Guest: Caitlin Day, Progyny Member

Host: Russ Freyman, Progyny

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 explore Endometrial Receptivity Testing, a clinical aspect of embryo transfer and implantation. Mike Large, from CooperSurgical, walks us through the process and breaks down some of the complicated language and mechanics that go with it.

Mike explains the proper window of implantation, how it isn't the same for everyone, and how a test called ERPeak can help determine this timing. He provides a step-by-step description of the process women go through to pinpoint the most valuable time to implant an embryo, shedding light on a process commonly discussed by doctors and embryologists, but not always talked about with patients.

Guest: Mike Large, Senior Director of Life Sciences Innovation at CooperSurgical

Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny

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].

o two fertility journeys are the same, and with unique nuances of the emotional, physical, and financial strains on the parent(s), the path to parenthood is often long and strenuous. While immediate success with treatment like IUI or IVF is ideal, sometimes a happy ending takes time.

In this episode, we hear from Hilary Patterson, a Progyny member with a diagnosis of diminished ovarian reserve, and hear how she persevered through her fertility challenges. Hilary's experience includes trying to conceive for a year, attempting IUI for six months, and going through IVF as a last resort after learning she had the Progyny benefit. Her path to parenthood was surely not what she was expecting, but the journey was well worth the result.

Guest: Hilary Patterson, Teacher, Infertility Advocate, and Progyny Member

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].