Fertility Now with Dr. Spencer Richlin

Erin DiPietro BSc and MSc talks us through the past, present, and future of embryology. Erin is one of our senior embryologists at Illume and has a great perspective on all things embryology. To hear more about IVF have a listen!

A must listen if you're considering IVF. One of our IVF nurses at Illume Fertility, Jamie Dobos RN, shares her experience completing IVF and being successful. You get to hear her perspective of the journey as a patient and as a nurse, a very unique circumstance. Listen to Jamie walk through her experience from the beginning steps all the way through a successful pregnancy and delivery.

Lisa Rosenthal and myself talk about Federal Advocacy Day, April 25th 2023. This is a day for the reproductive community to discuss pro-family legislation with congress. Check it out and please sign-up to be an advocate in your state. Attendance is virtual this year!

I welcome back Monica Moore NP to discuss the initial testing that you may encounter on your first visit with an REI. Monica breaks down the various evaluations in a concise and digestible way. You'll know exactly what you're headed for during your initial consultation. This is part 1 of a 2 part series with Monica. Part 2 focuses on the different ways we can help you family build. 

I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Jen Morgan. She's a doctor of physical therapy and a pelvic health specialist. We discussed pregnancy and postpartum wellness, pelvic pain with intercourse, and self-care. This is a must-listen as Dr. Jen is a very unique provider in the space! 

I welcome back Monica Moore NP. PCOS is found in 15% of women worldwide and Monica is an expert in this area. She gives us tools to combat PCOS to make it more manageable!

Slightly switching gears, we talk about post-pregnancy. I welcome Susan Forrester, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) to discuss the best practices for successful breastfeeding. She walks us through how to prepare for baby, the benefits of breastfeeding, and common pitfalls people fall into. We also talk about formula feeding and pumping. A great listen pre-delivery!

Elective egg freezing has become very popular among my patients. Many are not able or ready to start a family right now. Alex Fontaine shares her egg freezing journey with us. She is a medical student who proactively froze her eggs as her academic journey is her priority for the coming years. Listen to her story to see how she removed the stress of 'what if' from her life in order to focus on current career goals and obligations. 

Ovarian cysts are a common finding on ultrasound during the reproductive journey. Many patients inherently assume the word 'cyst' is bad or something to worry about. In reality, reproductive physicians see them almost daily. Monica Moore NP and I explain what you need to know, the variety of cysts, how they initially form, and how to manage them during a reproductive cycle. 

This episode is all about embryo testing. Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) gives us the ability to test and transfer the most competent embryos. PGT is entering a whole new level where we can gain so much information from embryos prior to transfer. My distinguished guest on this episode is Nathan Treff PhD HCLD. Dr. Treff is the Chief Scientific Officer / Lab Director of Genomic Prediction. He walks us through the various PGT options available.  

Join me in a conversation with Gila Block, Executive Director of Yesh Tikva. Yesh Tikva is a community which focuses on raising reproductive awareness in the Jewish Community. They provide psychosocial services bringing hope to those facing infertility. Additionally, Yesh Tikva encourages families who already have children to help support those who are struggling with their journey. 

Why did my cycle not work? IUIs and IVF cycles are not always successful. Monica Moore NP gives us insight into the variety of reasons why fertility treatment(s) may not work. Often times we both hear patients putting too much blame on themselves or overthinking what they could have done. In this episode we discuss the reality of these fertility treatments and shed light on the many variables that can contribute to a cycle not working. Although daunting, we have remedies and solutions in place that can help uplift your spirits to give you confidence to keep pushing.   

I had the opportunity to speak with Dan Nayot M.D. in this week's episode. Dan is the Medical Director at The Fertility Partners (TFP). The field of reproductive medicine has improved so much over the years due to advancements in technology. Now, in 2022, the future looks even brighter. AI has been moving its way into many fields in medicine. The potential it has in store for reproductive medicine is incredible. Dan walks us through Violet, a non-invasive AI solution designed to detect features in eggs that are invisible to the human eye. This technology can forecast and predict the likelihood of fertilization and embryo (blastocyst) development. Dan and I discuss the technology in layman's terms, but really try to focus on how this will continue to improve the patient experience in reproductive medicine. 

In this episode, I speak with Chloe Nunez, one of Illume's Medical Assistants. We discuss the integral role the MA plays in our practice. Not only are they imperative to the physician's success, but they are the support system on the front lines of the patient journey. We demystify the various procedures you may experience from the perspective of a Medical Assistant. Giving you a glimpse into the common questions and concerns patients have before, during, and after a procedure(s). 

Monica Moore NP and I reframe how we all deal with and interpret stress. Family building is so important to many of us, when we are having a challenging time with it - treat yourself with compassion and acceptance. 

In this episode, Monica Moore NP gives a new way to think about exercise and definitely makes it more fun. Let's start moving our bodies!

Angela Linville, PhD, and I discuss ERA. We are now able to genetically test the uterine lining before embryo transfer. Have a listen as you are bound to hear more about this emerging technology. 

I talk to Jocelyn Crespo, one of our IVF nurse specialists. We discuss fertility preservation options for our patients with a recent diagnosis of cancer. We highlight egg freezing and embryo cryopreservation for our patients prior to chemotherapy. During a complicated time we want you to be proactive and entertain freezing your eggs or embryos.

Lisa Schuman and I talk about the reproductive journey for single moms to be. Most importantly, we cover how to choose a donor and how to introduce the topic to your child. 

Monica Moore NP joins me once again to discuss a more difficult topic. Pregnancy loss and infertility can take an emotional toll on people. Monica and I emphasize the importance of not blaming ourselves and provide strategies to cope and persevere. 

Many of my patients are doing acupuncture during their reproductive journey. Dr. Elaine Malin and I talk about the various ways acupuncture can be utilized. Acupuncture can be used for stress relief, during ovarian stimulation, and at the time of embryo transfer. We review the mechanisms of how acupuncture is beneficial. Give it a try!

I welcome back Monica Moore NP for another episode. As a health coach, she knows how important lifestyle is to a healthy pregnancy. She outlines some great strategies for a healthy lifestyle pre and post pregnancy.

This is where it all comes together. Embryo transfer day is the pivotal point in the IVF journey. I break down what to expect, how embryos are transferred, and how to best prepare.  

If you have decided to do IVF, check out this episode. I walk you through and simplify the first 5 steps of IVF. The steps include ovarian stimulation, the trigger shot, egg retrieval, sperm source and embryology calls. I want you to see how completely approachable IVF is.

Many of my patients will end up having polyps once we start doing your reproductive evaluation. Take a listen as I dispel any worry about uterine polyps and their removal. 

I speak with Stephanie Ocasio-Gonzalez about her family building journey with her wife Denise. She was so open about her journey. We also discussed pride month and her integral involvement in the Connecticut Parentage Act (CPA) which was just passed.  

June 17th is Federal Advocacy Day sponsored by RESOLVE in partnership with ASRM. This is a national event where the infertility community comes together to educate legislators on issues within the fertility system. Lisa Rosenthal, patient advocate at RMACT and state captain for this year's event takes us through some of the pending bills and explains what advocacy day looks like. 

This episode focuses on preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). Dr. Cengiz Cinnioglu walks us through the process of PGT or embryo screening. Today we are able to biopsy embryos at the blastocyst stage and send the biopsy for genetic analysis prior to embryo transfer. The ability to test an embryo before embryo transfer is one of the greatest accomplishments in IVF.  

I speak with Gail Sexton Anderson, founder of Donor Concierge and Tulip. We unravel family building using a donor. This is truly a great option for some to help build their family. This can be a difficult decision but can oftentimes be the solution to building your perfect family. We discuss the impact of anonymous vs a known donor pregnancy, the importance of reproductive counseling, and how a donor becomes eligible for you to use their eggs in a pregnancy. 

Carmen Petrafesa RN at RMACT walks us through the most common questions reproductive nurses receive. We discuss everything from the basic fertility evaluation through super ovulation and egg retrieval. A great segment to listen to after you've had your first meeting with your REI. 

Embryologist Erica Paganetti joins me to talk about embryo transfer day. She walks us through the process of choosing the embryo for transfer. We end our conversation having described how an embryo transfer happens. 

I speak with Nina Garcia, one of RMACT's IVF recovery nurses. We walk you through the egg retrieval process. This episode is meant to make you comfortable before you come in for your retrieval.  

I welcome back Monica Moore, founder of Fertile Health. We give a shoutout to National Infertility Awareness Week. We then finish our discussion on IVF and bring you through fertilization, blastocyst formation, embryo testing/transfer and hopefully a positive pregnancy test. 

I spoke with Monica Moore, founder of Fertile Health. We discussed the indications of IVF, getting ready for a successful cycle, pre IVF testing, the suppression check, stimulation, and egg retrieval. Monica simplifies these topics and I think you'll love what she had to say!

I talk about egg freezing; a way to stop the biological clock. By doing the first part of the IVF process, we can stimulate your ovaries and do an egg retrieval to freeze your eggs for future family building. A great episode for anyone interested in learning the basics of egg freezing.

I welcome back Matt Wosnitzer M.D. to continue our conversation about male infertility. We talk about fertility options for men who are azoospermic, those who have had a vasectomy, and options prior to chemotherapy (fertility preservation).

Matt Wosnitzer M.D., and myself dive into male reproduction. This episode is great for men to familiarize themselves with their reproductive system. We cover the basics of sperm production and what a normal semen analysis looks like. Additionally, we touch upon when to visit a reproductive urologist. Dr. Wosnitzer goes through what your first visit will look like. Lastly, we talk about artificial insemination and the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

I welcome back Josh Hurwitz M.D., to talk about the different ways we help our patients become pregnant. Some topics we cover are: superovulation and intrauterine insemination, In Vitro Fertilization with and without preimplantation genetic testing, and single embryo transfer. We also touch on donor egg pregnancies, egg freezing, single-moms-to-be, and helping our same-sex couples build families.

Josh Hurwitz M.D., and myself discuss what we talk about with our patients during their first reproductive visit. This visit allows us to get to know you and help guide your family building path. We highlight the tests that you're likely going to complete in order for us to learn more about your reproductive system.

Part 2 of 'Getting ready for a healthy pregnancy'. I continue my discussion with Manijeh Kamyar M.D., Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist. This time we talk about hyperemesis of pregnancy, pregnancy loss, carrier screening, IVF/embryo testing and we finish with  coronavirus.

Part 1 of 'Getting ready for a healthy pregnancy'. I talk with Manijeh Kamyar M.D., Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist. She is one of the contributing editors to the 7th edition of "Your Pregnancy and Childbirth" by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). We discuss the many things you can do to prepare for a successful pregnancy and a healthy baby.

The first episode of Fertility Now. I introduce myself and explain the importance of being proactive with your reproductive options. There's never been a better time to seek out information and ask questions. We'll take a look at how the reproductive system works by navigating through the menstrual cycle and noting the best time to try for pregnancy. I comment on when you should seek out a reproductive physician.