Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday

Mark Amols, MD
  • 4.9 (130)
  • Medicine
  • Weekly

This podcast presents an in-depth exploration of fertility concerns and inquiries straight from those undergoing fertility treatment. Standing apart from the usual information found online, we dive headfirst into the real science and comprehensive research behind these challenges. Amidst all this, we never forget to honor our cherished tradition - celebrating the simple joys of Taco Tuesday!

  1. 5d ago

    Bleeding in Early Pregnancy: Spontaneous Pregnancy, IUI, and IVF

    Send us Fan Mail Three patients. All seven weeks pregnant. All experiencing vaginal bleeding—but their pregnancies began in different ways. One conceived spontaneously. One became pregnant after IUI and uses vaginal progesterone. One had a programmed frozen embryo transfer and takes progesterone injections. Does that change what their bleeding means? In this updated episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, Dr. Mark Amols explains how cycle type and progesterone support affect the picture—and why bleeding alone cannot tell you whether a pregnancy is progressing normally. We explore: • Progesterone supplementation versus replacement • Vaginal progesterone versus progesterone in oil (PIO) • Spotting, heavier bleeding, and possible sources • Subchorionic hematomas and what research shows about live birth • When to call your clinic, when monitoring may be appropriate, and when to seek emergency care • Why you shouldn’t change or stop prescribed hormone support on your own Drawing on newer research and his family’s experience, Dr. Amols offers practical guidance for a frightening moment: understanding what is known, what needs evaluation, and what happens next. Explore more episodes, fertility education, and interactive tools at TacoBoutFertility.com. Thanks for listening to another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday with Dr. Mark Amols. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit—and don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Want to explore more fertility topics? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com, where you can search our entire episode library, find episodes about the questions that matter to you, try our interactive fertility tools, and submit questions or topic requests for future episodes. Join us next Tuesday for another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, where we make fertility medicine easier to understand—one topic at a time.

    Bleeding in Early Pregnancy: Spontaneous Pregnancy, IUI, and IVF

  2. Oct 28

    Vaginal Bleeding in Early Pregnancy: The Original Episode Revisited

    Send us Fan Mail Bleeding in Early Pregnancy: What We Know Now Seeing blood after a positive pregnancy test can turn excitement into fear in an instant—especially when you’ve experienced infertility, IVF, or a previous pregnancy loss. In this replay of our original 2020 episode, Dr. Mark Amols shares his family’s experience with bleeding during pregnancy and explores the questions patients ask in those frightening moments: Where is the bleeding coming from? Does it mean a miscarriage? And what happens next? We revisit spotting, cervical bleeding, subchorionic hematomas, and the role of progesterone in fertility treatment, while recognizing the emotional weight of a pregnancy you’ve worked so hard to achieve. Then join us next week for “Bleeding in Early Pregnancy: What We Know Now,” featuring newer research, updated guidance, and a fresh look at the original discussion. Please note: This episode is presented as originally recorded in 2020. Some explanations and recommendations have changed or require additional context, which we’ll address next week. Bleeding patterns alone cannot confirm the cause or whether a pregnancy is progressing normally. Contact your care team about bleeding; heavy bleeding, severe pain, dizziness, or fainting warrant urgent medical assessment. Explore more episodes and submit your questions at TacoBoutFertility.com. Thanks for listening to another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday with Dr. Mark Amols. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit—and don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Want to explore more fertility topics? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com, where you can search our entire episode library, find episodes about the questions that matter to you, try our interactive fertility tools, and submit questions or topic requests for future episodes. Join us next Tuesday for another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, where we make fertility medicine easier to understand—one topic at a time.

    Vaginal Bleeding in Early Pregnancy: The Original Episode Revisited

  3. Oct 21

    Treating vs. Curing PCOS: Why Your Prescription Isn’t a Band-Aid (and When It Might Be)

    Send us Fan Mail “I feel like nobody is treating my problem. They just keep putting a Band-Aid on it.” If you have PCOS, you may have said this yourself. In this episode, Dr. Mark Amols takes the complaint seriously and explains what birth control, metformin, letrozole, and lifestyle changes actually do. He covers why symptoms can return when you stop treatment, and what the history of ovarian surgery tells us about treating PCOS without curing it. He also says plainly when a prescription is incomplete care. You’ll also get three questions to bring to your next appointment so you leave with a plan you understand. In this episode: Treating vs. curing, and why the difference mattersWhat each PCOS treatment is actually meant to accomplishOvarian drilling and what it teaches usWhat lifestyle treatment should look like beyond “just lose weight”What comprehensive PCOS care includesThree questions to ask your doctorHave a question for a future episode? Send it through the contact form at TacoBoutFertility.com Thanks for listening to another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday with Dr. Mark Amols. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit—and don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Want to explore more fertility topics? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com, where you can search our entire episode library, find episodes about the questions that matter to you, try our interactive fertility tools, and submit questions or topic requests for future episodes. Join us next Tuesday for another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, where we make fertility medicine easier to understand—one topic at a time.

  4. Oct 14

    My Eggs Were Mature—Why Didn’t They Fertilize? Understanding IVF Attrition

    Send us Fan Mail You had 15 mature eggs and ended up with three embryos. What happened? In this episode, Dr. Mark Amols explains IVF attrition: the step-by-step drop-off from eggs retrieved, to mature eggs, to normal fertilization, to blastocysts and beyond. Your final embryo count tells you how many chances you have. Where the drop-off happened tells you what to ask about next. We cover: Why an MII (mature) egg is the starting line, not a guaranteeConventional IVF vs. ICSI, and what the evidence shows when sperm parameters are normalHow rescue ICSI differs from planned ICSIZymot, PICSI, and calcium ionophore: three tools for three different problemsLab benchmarks for fertilization and blastocyst rates, and why they aren’t a pass/fail line for one cycleThe questions to ask your physician after a disappointing cycleThis episode completes our egg maturity series (Episodes 38–40). This podcast is for education only and isn’t medical advice. Talk with your own physician about your care. Thanks for listening to another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday with Dr. Mark Amols. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit—and don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Want to explore more fertility topics? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com, where you can search our entire episode library, find episodes about the questions that matter to you, try our interactive fertility tools, and submit questions or topic requests for future episodes. Join us next Tuesday for another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, where we make fertility medicine easier to understand—one topic at a time.

  5. Oct 7

    Why Were My Eggs Immature? Is the IVF Trigger to Blame?

    Send us Fan Mail Why were some of your eggs immature after an IVF retrieval—and does it mean your trigger was wrong? In this episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, Dr. Mark Amols explains what low egg maturity really means, why a report may show GV, MI, and MII eggs, and why “we triggered too early” is only one possibility—not an automatic conclusion. Not every follicle and egg develops on the same clock. Dr. Amols walks through how follicle-size patterns, trigger timing, the body’s response to the trigger, and underlying egg biology can all affect maturity. He also explains why waiting an extra day may sometimes help smaller follicles—but can also push leading follicles too far ahead. You’ll hear the practical differences between hCG, Lupron, dual triggers, and double triggers; why a dual trigger may help selected patients but is not a universal rescue plan; and how OHSS risk shapes these decisions. Most importantly, this episode gives you a clear checklist for reviewing a disappointing maturity report with your fertility team. Low maturity is frustrating—but one cycle is data, not a diagnosis, and it is not a character judgment on your ovaries. Tiny ovaries, enormous emotions. In this episode: 00:00 — Why were my eggs immature? 01:36 — GV, MI, and MII: a quick maturity refresher 02:18 — How to read an IVF lab report in the right order 04:25 — Why follicle size does not perfectly predict egg maturity 05:54 — The tradeoff: waiting for smaller follicles vs. over-maturing leaders 07:08 — When trigger timing may matter 08:57 — hCG, Lupron, dual trigger, and double trigger explained 10:36 — Does dual trigger always improve maturity? 11:57 — Nuclear maturity vs. cytoplasmic maturity 13:24 — What may change in a future cycle 15:29 — Questions to ask your clinic after low maturity 17:01 — Next episode: “My Eggs Were Mature—Why Didn’t They Fertilize?” Have a fertility question or want help understanding your IVF report? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com. This podcast is for education and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Thanks for listening to another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday with Dr. Mark Amols. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit—and don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Want to explore more fertility topics? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com, where you can search our entire episode library, find episodes about the questions that matter to you, try our interactive fertility tools, and submit questions or topic requests for future episodes. Join us next Tuesday for another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, where we make fertility medicine easier to understand—one topic at a time.

  6. Sep 30

    IVF Egg Maturity Explained: GV, MI, MII, 2PN & 3PN

    Send us Fan Mail Why did 14 eggs retrieved become 10 mature eggs—and only 7 normally fertilized? In this episode, Dr. Mark Amols explains what IVF embryology reports really mean. Learn how egg meiosis works, why an MII egg is considered mature, and what GV (germinal vesicle), MI, and MII tell us about an egg’s development. We also break down polar bodies, pronuclei, normal 2PN fertilization, and what it can mean when the lab sees extra polar bodies, 0PN, 1PN, or 3PN. Most importantly: why a mature egg or normally fertilized embryo is an important checkpoint, but not a guarantee of embryo quality, euploidy, implantation, or a baby. IVF is a series of checkpoints—not one grade, one number, or one moment under the microscope. In this episode: 00:00 What does egg maturity mean in IVF? 00:29 Why retrieved eggs, mature eggs, and fertilized eggs are different counts 02:07 Meiosis: why eggs begin developing before birth 04:04 GV, MI, and MII eggs explained 06:05 Why an MII egg is ready for fertilization 08:20 Polar bodies and what they represent 09:05 Normal fertilization: 2 polar bodies and 2 pronuclei 10:10 Extra polar bodies: what they can—and cannot—mean 11:04 What 3PN fertilization means 12:08 1PN and 0PN: why timing matters 13:12 How to understand your embryology report 14:05 The fertilization-rate question patients should ask 14:41 Next week: what can cause low maturity or low fertilization? Have a fertility question for a future episode? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com. #IVF #EggMaturity #FertilityEducation Thanks for listening to another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday with Dr. Mark Amols. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit—and don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Want to explore more fertility topics? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com, where you can search our entire episode library, find episodes about the questions that matter to you, try our interactive fertility tools, and submit questions or topic requests for future episodes. Join us next Tuesday for another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, where we make fertility medicine easier to understand—one topic at a time.

  7. Sep 23

    You Froze Your Eggs. Now What? Thawing, ICSI & When to Actually Use Them | Egg Freezing Part 3

    Send us Fan Mail In Part 3 of our three-part Egg Freezing Series, Dr. Mark Amols answers one of the most overlooked questions in fertility preservation: Once you are finally ready to have a baby, should you actually use your frozen eggs? The answer is not always yes. If you froze eggs when you were younger and are still relatively young with good fertility when you are ready to conceive, it may make more sense to try with your current fertility first and keep those younger frozen eggs as a backup. In this episode, we discuss:  Why frozen eggs do not automatically need to be used first  When it may make sense to leave younger eggs in storage  How current age, ovarian reserve, sperm, tubes, and family-size goals affect the decision  Why someone who froze eggs at 28 may make a very different decision at 32 than at 42  What actually happens when frozen eggs are warmed  Why previously frozen eggs are generally fertilized using ICSI  Why not every egg survives warming  Why not every surviving egg fertilizes  How eggs move through the funnel from warming → fertilization → embryo development → blastocyst → transfer Why 20 frozen eggs do not equal 20 embryos or 20 babies  When PGT-A may or may not be considered  Whether eggs lose quality simply from being stored for many years  Why the age of the egg and the age of the pregnancy are two different things  What happens if you never use your frozen eggs One of the most important takeaways from the entire series is this: Egg freezing can preserve the age of your eggs, but it cannot freeze the age of the pregnancy. And sometimes, the best outcome of freezing your eggs is that you never need to use them at all. This is Part 3 and the final episode of our Egg Freezing Series. If you missed Parts 1 and 2, start from the beginning to learn who should consider egg freezing, when it makes sense, how many eggs you may need, and what actually happens during the stimulation and retrieval process. Explore the full series, search fertility topics, and try our interactive tools at TacoBoutFertility.com. Thanks for listening to another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday with Dr. Mark Amols. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit—and don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Want to explore more fertility topics? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com, where you can search our entire episode library, find episodes about the questions that matter to you, try our interactive fertility tools, and submit questions or topic requests for future episodes. Join us next Tuesday for another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, where we make fertility medicine easier to understand—one topic at a time.

  8. Sep 16

    What Really Happens When You Freeze Your Eggs? Shots, Retrieval & Vitrification | Egg Freezing Part 2

    Send us Fan Mail In Part 2 of our three-part egg freezing series, we walk through the entire egg-freezing process from start to finish. What medications do you take? How long are the injections? How often do you need ultrasounds and bloodwork? What happens during the trigger shot? Does the egg retrieval hurt? And what actually happens to your eggs once they reach the embryology lab? Dr. Mark Amols explains the process step by step, including:  What AMH and antral follicle count help predict before treatment  Why fertility medications do not “use up” your future eggs  How ovarian stimulation works  What patients can expect from the injections  How follicles are monitored during the cycle  Why trigger timing is so important  How modern protocols help reduce the risk of OHSS  What happens during the egg retrieval  Why the number of follicles, eggs retrieved, and mature eggs frozen are often different  What “MII” means  How vitrification works  What recovery is like after retrieval  Why some patients may need more than one egg-freezing cycle One of the most important concepts in egg freezing is understanding the difference between follicles, retrieved eggs, mature eggs, and the eggs that are actually frozen. Egg freezing is usually a much shorter process than many people expect—but every step matters. This is Part 2 of our Egg Freezing Series. In Part 3, we answer a question that almost nobody talks about: Once you are finally ready to have a baby, should you actually use your frozen eggs—or leave them in the freezer as your backup? Explore more fertility episodes and interactive tools at TacoBoutFertility.com. Thanks for listening to another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday with Dr. Mark Amols. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit—and don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Want to explore more fertility topics? Visit TacoBoutFertility.com, where you can search our entire episode library, find episodes about the questions that matter to you, try our interactive fertility tools, and submit questions or topic requests for future episodes. Join us next Tuesday for another episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, where we make fertility medicine easier to understand—one topic at a time.

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About

This podcast presents an in-depth exploration of fertility concerns and inquiries straight from those undergoing fertility treatment. Standing apart from the usual information found online, we dive headfirst into the real science and comprehensive research behind these challenges. Amidst all this, we never forget to honor our cherished tradition - celebrating the simple joys of Taco Tuesday!

Information

  • Creator
    Mark Amols, MD
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    260
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday
  • Show Website
    Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday

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