Everything I Know About IVF
I consider myself an engaged consumer, meaning I do my homework when it comes to any big purchases. Plus, I love taking complex concepts and breaking it down to help others better understand (it’s the teacher in me!). So facing infertility, and undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), led to an enormous deep dive into the industry. During that time, I was able to use my patient experience to start two companies (Natalist and Cofertility), back a few others (Kindbody, Concieve, Alife), and write a ton of content on the topic.
After 8 years, 7 egg retrievals, 16 embryo transfers, 11 miscarriages, and one amazing child, this chapter of my life is thankfully over. My husband suggested I pull together the top articles I’ve written in one place. Perhaps this can be helpful as you navigate fertility treatments.
The IVF Funnel: Understanding Your Chances of Success
When I did my first egg retrieval at 33 and got 14 mature eggs, I was so excited! Little did I know that the number of eggs retrieved ≠ the number of babies. There are many steps in between, and anyone starting the long, difficult, and expensive process of IVF deserves a good understanding of their chances of having a baby. Read more
Guide to IVF Embryo Grading
If you are going through IVF, you may have received an embryo report outlining the "grades" of your embryo(s). While an embryo grading chart is a useful tool for embryologists to use, the grades can be difficult to decipher. So, in this guide I walk you through how embryologists come up with this grade and what it means for your chances of success. Read more
What is a Good Beta hCG After an IVF Embryo Transfer?
There is no single hCG level or cut-off that defines a normal pregnancy. The beta hCG will vary based on the type of embryo you transferred (was it fresh? Frozen?) and when the hCG test is performed. In general, a beta hCG level of over 100 is generally considered a good, positive result. But what's more important than the absolute beta number that helps determine normal levels is the rate of increase over time (it should double every 48 hours). The higher the percentage of rise in hCG drawn two days following the initial beta, the better the chances for success. Read more
Supplements to Take During Fertility Treatments and IVF
Going into IVF we all hope for the best and to minimize the amount of egg retrievals and transfers required before taking home a baby. In addition to making lifestyle changes to ensure you are your healthiest self before IVF and pregnancy, you may be considering what supplements to take. But what supplements to take, if any at all, depends on your reason for going through fertility treatments in the first place. In this guide, I review the most common supplements to take during fertility treatments, and if there’s any data to back them up. Read more
10 Facts You Need To Know About Using Donor Eggs
According to the CDC, 12% of all IVF cycles in the U.S. involve eggs retrieved from a donor. Donor-egg IVF has the highest success rate of any fertility treatment, and is becoming an increasingly common way for families to grow. In this guide on donor eggs, I cover some important stats you should know. Read more
POI, POF, POR, DOR, FOR, TOR, Oh My! A Guide to Ovarian Reserve Acronyms
Decoding the mysteries of infertility can sometimes feel like navigating a maze of medical jargon — POI, POF, POR, DOR, FOR… it can be enough to make your head spin. The journey is often filled with complex terminologies and a multitude of acronyms like these, making the process feel even more overwhelming than it already is. This article is designed to guide you through the intricacies of these terms, what they signify, their implications, prevalence, and treatment options. Read more
Should I Do PGT Testing with Donor Eggs?
When it comes to starting or expanding a family, many couples and individuals may turn to assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as IVF to help them achieve their goal. One aspect of IVF that many patients are offered– whether using their own eggs or donor eggs – is preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). But is it necessary to do PGT testing with embryos made from donor eggs? Read more
How I Overcame Secondary Infertility
Secondary infertility, the inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term after successfully having one or more children, impacts 1 out of 8 women trying for another child. But those facing secondary infertility are less likely to talk about it. So, I wanted to talk about it. I wanted to share how I overcame secondary infertility, not by having another baby but by doing the work to find peace and self-love. This guide is for anyone struggling to have a second child. Read more
Fact or Fiction: Does IVF Increase the Risk of Cancer?
As IVF becomes increasingly popular, questions around the long-term safety of these interventions take on a sharp urgency. One concern that often surfaces is the possibility of an increased risk of cancer linked to fertility treatments. The logic is ostensibly simple but deeply unsettling: fertility treatments often involve hormonal manipulation, and some cancers, like breast cancer, are often hormonally sensitive. Ergo, could fertility treatments be a trigger? In this article, we attempt to address this rumor by looking at the existing research on the topic. Read more
8 Reasons Fertility Care Is Utterly Broken
IVF has come a long way since the first IVF baby, Louise Joy Brown, was born in 1978. Thirty years ago, your chances of bringing home a baby with each IVF try was 5%. Today, that number is around one third. While this is an impressive improvement, the fact is, the majority of patients will not go home with a baby after an invasive, emotional, and expensive round of IVF. There’s still much progress to be made.
But it goes beyond IVF, which is out of reach for many people facing infertility. The entire fertility care system is broken. In the “Iron Triangle” of healthcare (access, cost, and quality), fertility care fails each point. It’s not accessible, it costs too much, and the treatment outcomes are dismal. Read more