On this episode, Ali is talking to Sarah Freese about her infertility and IVF journey. Sarah shares the details on having irregular periods when she was a young woman, being on the birth control pill from age 18 to age 33, and how once she started to try to have kids, it was not as easy as she'd hoped. She talks about doing IVF, how her failed IVF transfer was "one of the worst calls" she's ever gotten, and about having implantation issues. She also talks about frozen embryo transfers versus fresh embryo transfers, and how they finally figured out the "secret sauce" to having their healthy babies through ART.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Infertility; IVF; egg retrieval; frozen embryo transfer; fresh embryo transfer; irregular periods; zero implantation; polyps; sibling cycle; modified natural cycle; IVF success; pregnancy after infertility

EPISODE SPONSORS:

WORK OF ART

Ali's Children's Book about IVF and Assisted Reproductive Technology

https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books

Do not miss Ali's children’s book about IVF! It's been getting rave reviews. “Work of ART” is the story of an IVF kiddo the day he learns he is a “work of ART” (born via IVF and ART). For young readers 4-8. Hardcover. Written by Ali Prato; Illustrated by Federico Bonifacini. Personalized and non-personalized versions are available. Order yours now at https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books

For bulk orders of 10 or more books at 20% off, go to https://www.infertileafgroup.com/bulk-order-request

FERTILITY RALLY

IG: @fertilityrally

www.fertilityrally.com

No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com. We offer 5 to 6 support groups per week, three private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey.

Join today at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com/membership

SAVE $40 on an annual membership with code RALLY2024

EMBRYO SOLUTION

If you’re navigating infertility, have you ever thought about embryo donation as a family building solution? Embryo donation is when one family that has gone through IVF donates their embryos to support the family-building efforts of another family. Embryo Solution is an agency with an important mission: to fill the gap between infertility and excess embryos by connecting all parties involved. Whether you’re looking to build your family or you've gone through IVF and you have embryos in storage that you're not sure what to do with, Embryo Solution can help. To find out more go to embryosolution.com

RECEPTIVA DX

https://receptivadx.com/

ReceptivaDx is the singular test capable of identifying endometriosis,progesterone resistance, and endometritis in one comprehensive analysis. These conditions are often the hidden culprits behind unexplained infertility, directly impacting the success rates of IVF treatments. Ask for the Receptvia DX test today, and use code INFERTILEAF24 for $75 off.

Today, Ali has two incredible guests: Eve Wiley is a leading advocate against fertility fraud after discovering that she was conceived with a different sperm donor than her parents were told. Dylan Morgan is the COO of Cascade Cryobank. Together, they are working on advocating against fertility fraud and increasing transparency when it comes to donor sperm protocols and procedures. What is Fertility Fraud? It’s when a doctor intentionally uses his own sperm to inseminate his patients without their knowledge or consent of the reproductive material. Eve talks about discovering that she was a victim of fertility fraud, and how she is combating it through legislature and her advocacy work. Dylan talks about being a sperm donor and the ways that Cascade is doing things differently than many other sperm banks. Eve also talks about her involvement with the Netflix documentary, "The Man with 1000 Kids," including how she narrates the doc.

For more info, go to https://evewiley.com/

https://cascadecryobank.com/

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Infertility; Sperm donation; conception deception; IVF; advocacy;

EPISODE SPONSORS:

WORK OF ART

Ali's Children's Book about IVF and Assisted Reproductive Technology

https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books

Do not miss Ali's children’s book about IVF! It's been getting rave reviews. “Work of ART” is the story of an IVF kiddo the day he learns he is a “work of ART” (born via IVF and ART). For young readers 4-8. Hardcover. Written by Ali Prato; Illustrated by Federico Bonifacini.

Personalized and non-personalized versions are available. Order yours now at https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books

For bulk orders of 10 or more books at 20% off, go to https://www.infertileafgroup.com/bulk-order-request

FERTILITY RALLY

IG: @fertilityrally

www.fertilityrally.com

No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com. We offer 5 to 6 support groups per week, three private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey.

Join today at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com/membership

SAVE $40 on an annual membership with code RALLY2024

EMBRYO SOLUTION

If you’re navigating infertility, have you ever thought about embryo donation as a family building solution? Embryo donation is when one family that has gone through IVF donates their embryos to support the family-building efforts of another family. Embryo Solution is an agency with an important mission: to fill the gap between infertility and excess embryos by connecting all parties involved. Whether you’re looking to build your family or you've gone through IVF and you have embryos in storage that you're not sure what to do with, Embryo Solution can help. To find out more go to embryosolution.com

RECEPTIVA DX

https://receptivadx.com/

ReceptivaDx is the singular test capable of identifying endometriosis,progesterone resistance, and endometritis in one comprehensive analysis. These conditions are often the hidden culprits behind unexplained infertility, directly impacting the success rates of IVF treatments. Ask for the Receptvia DX test today, and use code INFERTILEAF24 for $75 off.

On today's episode, Ali talks to Komel Caruso, the Co-Founder of HerMD, about her infertility journey. Komel talks about growing up in a traditional Muslim household and the sex education (or lack thereof) she received as a Catholic school student. It was, "Don't have sex, you'll get pregnant. You'll just get pregnant every time you have sex. I was just so fearful that if I had sex, I would get pregnant. Even if I was using birth control, I could still get pregnant. That fear leads to a lot of anxiety," she says. Komel also talks about having a "wonderful surprise baby" in her early twenties, discovering that she had PCOS, and what happened when she started taking Clomid. She also talks about IUI, IVF, "feeling like a failure," and finally getting pregnant again via ART. She also talks about her sister and co-founder, Board Certified OBGYN Dr. Somi Javaid, and how they created HerMD, looking to revolutionize women's health and pivot away from "drive-thru gynecology."

For more, go to www.hermd.com/

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Infertility; PCOS; IUI; IVF; IVF cycles; IVF treatment; twin pregnancy; Clomid; pregnancy loss; pregnancy after infertility; motherhood after infertility; women's health; sisterhood; OBGYN; reproductive rights

EPISODE SPONSORS:

WORK OF ART

Ali's Children's Book about IVF and Assisted Reproductive Technology

https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books

Do not miss Ali's children’s book about IVF! It's been getting rave reviews. “Work of ART” is the story of an IVF kiddo the day he learns he is a “work of ART” (born via IVF and ART). For young readers 4-8. Hardcover. Written by Ali Prato; Illustrated by Federico Bonifacini.

Personalized and non-personalized versions are available. Order yours now at https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books

For bulk orders of 10 or more books at 20% off, go to https://www.infertileafgroup.com/bulk-order-request

FERTILITY RALLY

IG: @fertilityrally

www.fertilityrally.com

No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com. We offer 5 to 6 support groups per week, three private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey.

Join today at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com/membership

SAVE $40 on an annual membership with code RALLY2024

RECEPTIVA DX

https://receptivadx.com/

ReceptivaDx is the singular test capable of identifying endometriosis,progesterone resistance, and endometritis in one comprehensive analysis. These conditions are often the hidden culprits behind unexplained infertility, directly impacting the success rates of IVF treatments. Ask for the Receptvia DX test today, and use code INFERTILEAF24 for $75 off.

Today's guest, Amber Izzo, describes herself as "your oversharing, slightly chaotic mum friend and an IVF campaigner." Today, she's sharing her 7 1/2 year-long journey through infertility and family building, including blocked fallopian tubes, male factor infertility, and so much more. Amber talks about the deep toll everything took on her mental state, how she was "spiraling" and "became obsessed," how she felt brushed off by her doctors, and how, at one point, she had suicidal thoughts. She talks about navigating the mental health side of her journey; IVF treatments and advocacy in the UK, where she is based, and the work she is doing with Gaia Family, which believes that there's a better way to pay for IVF.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Infertility; depression; blocked fallopian tubes; laparoscopy; marriage issues; suicidal thoughts; male factor infertility; pregnancy after loss; IVF; IVF cycles; IVF treatment; motherhood after infertility

EPISODE SPONSORS:

WORK OF ART

Ali's Children's Book about IVF and Assisted Reproductive Technology

https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books

Do not miss Ali's children’s book about IVF! It's been getting rave reviews. “Work of ART” is the story of an IVF kiddo the day he learns he is a “work of ART” (born via IVF and ART). For young readers 4-8. Hardcover. Written by Ali Prato; Illustrated by Federico Bonifacini.

Personalized and non-personalized versions are available. Order yours now at https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books

For bulk orders of 10 or more books at 20% off, go to https://www.infertileafgroup.com/bulk-order-request

FERTILITY RALLY

IG: @fertilityrally

www.fertilityrally.com

No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com. We offer 5 to 6 support groups per week, three private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey.

Join today at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com/membership

SAVE $40 on an annual membership with code RALLY2024

RECEPTIVA DX

https://receptivadx.com/

ReceptivaDx is the singular test capable of identifying endometriosis,progesterone resistance, and endometritis in one comprehensive analysis. These conditions are often the hidden culprits behind unexplained infertility, directly impacting the success rates of IVF treatments. Ask for the Receptvia DX test today, and use code INFERTILEAF24 for $75 off.

Today's guest, Asima Ahmad, is a double board-certified in reproductive endocrinology and infertility and obstetrics and gynecology. She is also the co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Carrot Fertility, which believes in Fertility Care for All. On this episode, Ali and Asima talk about how Asima diagnosed herself with PCOS in her 20s; how her aunt had navigated multiple stillbirths; what it feels like being a fertility doctor and patient at the same time; and how, when Asima suffered her own pregnancy loss, she began to understand miscarriage on an even deeper level. She talks about the road that lead to her four children, and what she is doing now at Carrot to help increase access to fertility care.

Find out more at https://www.get-carrot.com/

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

PCOS; infertility; pregnancy loss; miscarriage; miscarriage awareness; IVF; IVF cycles; IVF treatment; fertility care for all

EPISODE SPONSORS:

WORK OF ART

Ali's Children's Book about IVF and Assisted Reproductive Technology

https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books

Do not miss Ali's children’s book about IVF! It's been getting rave reviews. “Work of ART” is the story of an IVF kiddo the day he learns he is a “work of ART” (born via IVF and ART). For young readers 4-8. Hardcover. Written by Ali Prato; Illustrated by Federico Bonifacini.

Personalized and non-personalized versions are available. Order yours now at https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books

For bulk orders of 10 or more books at 20% off, go to https://www.infertileafgroup.com/bulk-order-request

FERTILITY RALLY

IG: @fertilityrally

www.fertilityrally.com

No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com. We offer 5 to 6 support groups per week, three private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey.

Join today at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com/membership

SAVE $40 on an annual membership with code RALLY2024

RECEPTIVA DX

https://receptivadx.com/

ReceptivaDx is the singular test capable of identifying endometriosis,progesterone resistance, and endometritis in one comprehensive analysis. These conditions are often the hidden culprits behind unexplained infertility, directly impacting the success rates of IVF treatments. Ask for the Receptvia DX test today, and use code INFERTILEAF24 for $75 off.

S'MOO

S’moo’s best-selling hormone balance powder is formulated with 7 essential vitamins, minerals, and herbs that are all highly recommended for Hormone Balance, Fertility, and PCOS. S’moo was created by fellow PCOS Cyster, and has helped thousands of women manage their PCOS naturally.

Go to thesmooco.com and enjoy a generous 20% off site-wide using code 'InfertileAF20' at checkout.