Fertility Health Podcast

In this special edition of the Fertility Health Podcast, you’ll be able to listen in on an expert physician panel recorded during a live webinar discussing how reproductive endocrinologists and OB/GYN’s are adjusting to “the new normal” in a COVID-19 environment. Moderated by Fertility Health Podcast host Mark P. Trolice M.D., he is joined by Rachel G. Humphrey, M.D., Director of Perinatology, High-Risk Pregnancy Consultants, AdventHealth Medical Group; Asim A. Jani, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C....

Did you know that certain things taken for granted in the environment can be toxic to your reproductive health? These environmental toxins can impact egg and sperm quality, lower success rates with IVF and fertility treatments, and increase the risk of miscarriage.In this episode, Lora Shahine, M.D., Director of the Center for Recurrent Pregnancy Loss at Pacific NW Fertility, joins host Mark P. Trolice, M.D., to discuss how environmental factors may play a role in impairing fertility. She als...

Women need to monitor their cervical and overall health before getting pregnant to avoid more serious complications for mother and baby down the road. However, cervical disease and even cervical cancer do not automatically spell the end for a woman’s fertility. Technological breakthroughs and modern medical advances now allow women to successfully treat cervical abnormalities, including cancer and still conceive, carry, and deliver a healthy baby.In this episode, Christopher Bryant, M.D....

How can infertility patients be well-informed, empowered, and get the right guidance throughout their family-building journey? From their first visit and throughout the road to fertility, it can be overwhelming, frustrating, and fearful for infertility patients as they are often overloaded with new information and processes they are expected to understand and deal with immediately.In this episode, Linda Scruggs, BSN, R.N., registered nurse, writer, blogger, and content creator, joins hos...

Pre-cancerous changes to the lining of the uterus do not get a lot of attention, but are a critical aspect of a woman’s fertility and overall gynecological health. Women, especially those who want to preserve their fertility, need to understand what the risks are for developing pre-cancerous cells and how they can mitigate those risks.In this episode, Shelly Seward, M.D., FACOG, gynecologic oncologist at Women’s Care Florida, joins host Mark P. Trolice, M.D., to break down how pre-cancerous c...

The state of New York recently passed legislation mandating fertility treatment. Since then, hope has sprung up that nationwide mandating of reproductive medicine may not be too far off. However, resistance to universal coverage, for both heterosexual and same-sex couples, continues to be present both at insurance companies and in state legislatures. In this episode, Sean Tipton, chief advocacy, policy, and development officer at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, joins host...

The journey to start or expand a family for aspiring mothers or couples can be long, arduous, and filled with emotional highs and lows. On their way to fertility, patients need to make many decisions such as which treatment option to pursue, whether or not to continue treatments, and whether it is a good idea to keep spending money on procedures not covered by insurance.Throughout this journey the quality of the patient-doctor relationship is vital. If the doctor-patient foundation is solid, ...

The field of reproductive medicine is about much more than in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine insemination. Patients may require surgery for an array of uterine conditions, including fibroids, polyps, chronic endometritis, and Asherman's disease. The good news is that many of these procedures, including a hysteroscopy, can now be done as outpatient procedures in the doctor’s office, making it more comfortable, less intimidating, and often less expensive than in the hospital.In this ...

Receiving a cancer diagnosis can disrupt and even destroy a hopeful parent’s dream of starting or growing a family. Cancer treatments, especially chemotherapy, can have harmful impacts on a woman’s eggs and a man’s sperm. However, recent advances in fertility treatment have allowed cancer patients to preserve their fertility and have provided new hope where little existed before.In this episode, Eve C. Feinberg, M.D., a reproductive endocrinologist and medical director of Northwestern Fertili...

Mosaic is the term assigned to embryos found to possess both normal and abnormal cells during preimplantation genetic screening (PGS). PGS is typically completed on day five of embryo development for in vitro fertilization (IVF). Through PGS, embryologists can detect, and often diagnose, potential chromosomal abnormalities including the presence of Down syndrome. Until very recently, any cell with noted defects was discarded and not considered for IVF transfer.However, recent developments hav...

Surrogacy and adoption can be incredibly fulfilling experiences, both for intended parents and gestational carriers. However, for hopeful parents considering surrogacy or adoption, legal processes and issues can be complicated and overwhelming at times, particularly as they relate to the parental rights of the surrogate or the biological parents putting a child up for adoption. What’s more, these legal labyrinths vary from state to state and from country to country, often catching aspiring pa...

Minimal stimulation IVF often referred to as, “mini IVF,” “soft IVF,” or “micro IVF,” has been a hot topic lately in the infertility world. The procedure is a relatively new advanced reproductive technology (ART) technique in the U.S. that offers a more holistic and gentler approach to ovarian stimulation compared to traditional IVF.In this episode, Eric A. Widra, M.D., chief medical officer of Shady Grove Fertility and double board certified in obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) and reproduc...

The costs of in vitro fertilization (IVF) can make it hard for many women or couples trying to treat infertility; three-quarters of patients simply can’t afford conventional IVF treatment.Moreover, in states with insurance coverage, the use of IVF is four times higher than in states without coverage. In this episode, Kevin Doody, M.D., a board-certified OB/GYN and past president of the Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART), joins host Mark P. Trolice, M.D., to discuss the la...

Planning to have a baby is a significant undertaking. Of course, you want to ensure a smooth and healthy pregnancy, but what steps can you take before and during pregnancy to achieve that?In this episode, Brooke Rossi, M.D., a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist, joins host Mark P. Trolice, M.D., to discuss the impact that lifestyle plays on fertility and what lifestyle changes individuals can implement to maximize their chances of getting pregnant. Listen ...

The focus of infertility treatment traditionally has primarily been on the female. However, in almost 50% of couples, the male is in fact responsible for infertility. Recent research has shown that males now produce less than half as many sperm than males in the early 1970s. In addition to having lower quantities, sperm are now are also of lower quality.So, how can men improve their fertility?In this episode, Jamin Brahmbhatt, M.D., a board-certified urologist specializing in chronic testicul...

The psychological side of infertility is often neglected. However, it often plays a critical role in the physical and mental health of the couple and their ability to have a baby. How can you maintain a healthy relationship while dealing with the challenges of infertility?In this episode, Bill Petok, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and Clinical Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, joins host Mark P. Trolice, M.D., to discuss how infer...

Today’s infertility patients are more informed, empowered, and have more choice than ever before. 77% of patients search their physician online before booking an appointment, and almost three quarters (72%) of patients use online reviews as the very first step to finding a new doctor.Social media has become a go-to source of information, particularly where infertility patients are concerned. There is a lot of empowering and useful information on social media, but misleading and inaccurate dat...

Endometriosis is a debilitating condition that affects roughly 5-10% of the population. It can cause chronic pain or fertility problems or both. Of women with endometriosis, 30-50% are estimated to have infertility, and among women with infertility, 25-50% are believed to have endometriosis. How and why endometriosis affects fertility has largely remained a mystery to researchers, but some evidence suggests that it may be linked to the immune system. In this episode, J. Ricardo Loret de ...

In vitro fertilization (IVF) has been helping women and couples overcome fertility challenges for almost 40 years. Up until recently, IVF has traditionally used fresh eggs retrieved from a woman fertilized ‘in vitro’ in a laboratory with a spouse’s or donor’s sperm to create an embryo. However, egg freezing for future use has risen in popularity. Often, using frozen eggs comes with both cost and scheduling advantages over using fresh ones. So, which is better? We’ll find out in this episode.&...

Reproductive medicine has advanced dramatically and often presents couples with complex choices that can only be made on an individual basis. Preimplantation genetic screening or testing (PGS) is a powerful technology employed before implantation to help identify genetic defects within embryos. However, the process is extremely sophisticated and complex, therefore requiring a tremendous amount of experience and skill on the part of the reproductive endocrinologist. The procedure also comes wi...

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a solution that can assist couples having difficulty to conceive take the first steps on the path towards parenthood. However, how patients choose to undergo IVF should not be a “one size fits all” approach. Embryos from different women will react differently under specific conditions, and reproductive endocrinologists, as well as patients, need to keep an open mind regarding all potential treatment avenues.In this episode, Bradley S. Hurst, M.D., a board-certi...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most ancient disorders (around 50-60,000 years old) and affects up to one in five women regardless of race, nationality or ethnicity. For many women, diagnosis involves a long, enigmatic process including numerous physician visits. Its symptoms are not always clear, the condition has many nuances, and the healthcare system as a whole has a long way to go to be able to provide optimal care for PCOS patients.In this episode, Ricardo Azziz, M.D...

Of all the causes of infertility, a male factor is responsible for 40%. Yet the focus of infertility treatment traditionally has mainly been on the female. Recent research has indicated that males now produce less than half as many sperm and of lower quality compared with the early 1970s. So, what do you need to know about advances in male infertility treatment options with sperm blockages or severely low sperm counts?In this episode, Zamip Patel, M.D., a board-certified urologist, fellowship...

As more GYNs specialize in minimally invasive surgery and IVF, what does the future hold for the role of reproductive endocrinologists providing IVF treatment? The costs of fertility treatments like IVF can be significant, and it’s essential that patients play an active role in their treatment process. Patients who are lumped into one bucket by big-box surgery centers may end up feeling tremendous disappointment and frustration at failed fertility treatments, which is why individualized ...