This is Infertility A Podcast by Progyny

Nothing makes you feel more deflated, angry, and misunderstood than when someone tells you to ‘just relax.’ This reaction can be expected in many situations, especially from someone who is struggling with building their family.  

In this episode, Bethany Johnson discusses her experience with infertility and how women have historically been blamed for "barrenness.” Over time, this blame has trickled down through generations, lingering in the language we use to discuss women’s health and consistently disregarding how male factor infertility contributes 30% to 40% of the time. Bethany and her colleague, Margaret Quinlan, took this historical context and applied it to the modern phrases and attitudes society has normalized surrounding a woman’s life. They co-authored the book, You're Doing it Wrong! Mothering, Media, and Medical Expertise, to educate others on the constant barraging of unsolicited advice the world seems to dump on motherhood constantly.  

As Dr. Georgia Witkin taught us last episode, there’s way more to infertility than stress management, exercise, and dieting. Motherhood isn't one size fits all either, so it’s important to advocate for yourself and continue on the path that works for you.  

Guest: Bethany Johnson, co-author of You're Doing it Wrong! Mothering, Media, and Medical Expertise 

Host: Dan Bulger 

Want to read Bethany’s book? Click here. 

For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources.  

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.     

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com.  

The Fertility 101 Series, because there’s no shortage of daunting terms to keep your mind running, is a quick and dirty breakdown on a specific topic with insights from a fertility expert. 

Today’s topic focuses on the link between stress and fertility. People often assume that stress is the cause of infertility, but stress frequently follows fertility treatments, as our expert will tell you. But stress is natural – there is no research to suggest that it is a direct cause of infertility. In this episode, you will learn how to make small changes in your lifestyle to relieve unhelpful stress, support yourself and support others during this taxing journey.  

There’s no better person to join us for this episode than Dr. Georgia Witkin. Dr. Witkin is a clinical psychologist, educator, and director, with roles at Progyny, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, and RMA of New York. She has her own column dedicated to mental health and fertility in Psychology Today.  

Feeling stressed out? Give this episode a listen.  

Expert: Dr. Georgia Witkin, Head of Member Services Development at Progyny, Assistant Professor of OB-GYN and Reproductive Sciences and Assistant Clinical Professor at Mount Sinai 

Host: Dan Bulger 

For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources.  

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.     

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com.  

It’s National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW), and Progyny is hosting a six-part series of back-to-back episodes featuring several experts who are fighting for fertility coverage. Our goal is to educate others on how they can advocate for themselves and ask for the support that's needed from their employer or state to build the family of their dreams. 

This is the last episode of the series, and it’s all about advocating for yourself. Today we hear from Sarah Barnes; she realized early on her employer didn’t provide coverage for fertility treatment. She first reached out to HR and asked, ‘why don’t you offer fertility coverage?’ It turns out they weren’t even aware this was something employees wanted in their plans. So, Sarah consistently reached out to HR, spoke to colleagues, gathered informative data, and accumulated over 100 signatures to show that this was a benefit that employees needed.  

Whether you are currently looking for fertility coverage or know someone who is, or you’re just here to learn, this episode will show you what the power of support, persistence, and advocacy can do for any organization.  

Guest: Sarah Barnes, Advisor, Integrated Marketing at ALSAC  

Host: Dan Bulger 

See RESOLVE's website for fertility advocacy resources in your state and Progyny’s Talk to HR page for assistance in requesting coverage from your employer. 

For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources.  

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.     

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com.  

It’s National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW), and Progyny is hosting a six-part series of back-to-back episodes featuring several experts who are fighting for fertility coverage. Our goal is to educate others on how they can advocate for themselves and ask for the support that's needed from their employer or state to build the family of their dreams. 

This episode features Davina Fankhauser, the co-founder and President of Fertility Within Reach. Davina started her organization after struggling with infertility herself. Since the age of 22, she knew she would have trouble conceiving due to an endometriosis diagnosis. Still, once she and her husband started trying, they discovered that male factor infertility was also a contributor. She went through countless treatments, spending all her savings, but eventually had two successful pregnancies. Thinking back on her experience, she felt she had suffered a deep injustice by not having access to sufficient fertility coverage. Her position on RESOLVE’s support line turned into helping Massachusetts change its definition of infertility, opening up coverage to many more people. Her work at Fertility Within Reach helps guide others to develop the courage and access the resources needed to make a legislative change in their state.  

Guest: Davina Fankhauser, Co-founder and President of Fertility Within Reach 

Host: Dan Bulger 

See RESOLVE's website for fertility advocacy resources in your state and Progyny’s Talk to HR page for assistance in requesting coverage from your employer. 

For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources.  

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.     

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com.  

It’s National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW), and Progyny is hosting a six-part series of back-to-back episodes featuring several experts who are fighting for fertility coverage. Our goal is to educate others on how they can advocate for themselves and ask for the support that's needed from their employer or state to build the family of their dreams. 

In this episode, you’ll hear from Christina Yannetsos, a key advocate for the expansion of fertility coverage in Colorado. Christina is a fighter in every sense of the word, competing in Judo at an Olympic level, putting her energy towards injured athletes, then lobbying for fertility warriors like herself. Since she made such an impact on families in Colorado, you’d think she would have coverage for her own fertility healthcare, right? Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Although she made progress on the state level, her employer is self-insured, so the state mandates don’t apply.  

As you can see, there is still much more work to be done! Christina is still working hard with RESOLVE and the Colorado Fertility Advocates to continue to make a difference. Tune in to learn how you can advocate for coverage in your state.  

 

 

Guest: Christina Yannetsos, Colorado Fertility Advocates, Emergency Physician, Assistant Professor University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Medical Director Forensic Examiner Program.  

Host: Dan Bulger 

See RESOLVE's website for fertility advocacy resources in your state and Progyny’s Talk to HR page for assistance in requesting coverage from your employer. 

For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources.  

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.     

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com.  

It’s National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW), and Progyny is hosting a six-part series of back-to-back episodes featuring several experts who are fighting for fertility coverage. Our goal is to educate others on how they can advocate for themselves and ask for the support that's needed from their employer or state to build the family of their dreams. 

This marks our 100th episode, and we wanted to make this one extra special by hosting an extraordinary guest. Today you'll hear from Risa Levine, a fertility advocacy superstar who's working with RESOLVE (Barb Collura, CEO of RESOLVE, was our first guest – listen here). Risa is a practicing attorney in New York City and is mainly responsible for New York's state mandate for fertility coverage. Risa's efforts stemmed from her own experience with infertility, which resulted in her spending roughly $270,000 out of pocket for treatment. With her background in advocacy and ties to Capitol Hill, Risa decided to organize the facts about fertility coverage (or lack thereof) to advocate for others in the same situation. She emphasizes how coverage allows for healthier decision-making, which makes it no longer about the cost, but what will be most effective.   

Guest: Risa Levine, attorney and fertility advocate with RESOLVE 

Host: Dan Bulger 

See RESOLVE’s website for fertility advocacy resources in your state and Progyny’s Talk to HR page for assistance in requesting coverage from your employer. 

For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources.  

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.     

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com.