Many fertility care patients who already experience a wide range of emotions from infertility challenges are now encountering added stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode, Dr. Janie Lacy, LMHC, NCC, CSAT, relationship trauma expert and psychotherapist, joins host Mark P. Trolice, M.D., to discuss a noticeable increase in mental health…

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 Rache…

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 …

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 …

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 und…

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 epis…

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 legislature…

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 no…

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 …

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 h…

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…

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 pu…

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 episod…

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-cer…

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 …

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 qu…

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 Ass…

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, particula…

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 r…

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. O…

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 co…

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 endocrinologis…

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 …

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…

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 infertil…