When you have dreams of becoming a parent, infertility can delay or even squash those dreams entirely. It can affect both men and women and is more common than you might think.
The Mayo Clinic estimates as many as 10 to 15 percent of couples in the United States are infertile. In women, infertility may be a matter of hormonal imbalances, irregular menstrual cycles, fallopian tube obstruction, uterus conditions, menopause, and numerous
Treating infertility with the goal of a healthy pregnancy can take months and even years. It may involve medications, surgery, or artificial insemination. For the men and women who live with infertility, this period can be extremely difficult both physically and emotionally.
In addition to medical and lifestyle changes, people living with the inability to conceive can benefit from support, both in person and online. There are resources out there to assist in the journey. Check out some of these podcasts for information, support, and helpful resources.
Natalie of The Fertility Podcast is a case study in successful fertility treatment. She delivered a healthy baby boy after dealing with infertility. According to Natalie, her best friend was her saving grace during this difficult period, listening to her frustrations and just being there for her. In her ongoing podcast, Natalie hopes to bring this same level of support to other people struggling with conception. She’s talked with fertility doctors, researchers, nutritionists, and other hopeful parents nearly each week since 2014, providing a library of support and education.
Lisa is the founder of Fertility Friday. She started her site because she wanted to share what she’d learned about the female body and reproductive cycle with women around the world. Her premise: Too much of what young women are taught about fertility is incorrect or incomplete. This leaves those who aren’t fertile in a world of confusion. She broadcasts weekly, providing educational content in an engaging format. You’ll learn about hormone-free birth control methods, conception, fertility, and healthy pregnancy.
When getting pregnant is a challenge, couples are often taken through a very traditional set of treatments. These can include medication and sometimes insemination or surgery. But if you’re interested more in nontraditional methods, you may find what you’re after in Adrienne Wei’s How to Get Healthy and Get Pregnant. Wei is an acupuncturist, practitioner of Chinese medicine, and integrative fertility coach. Her weekly podcast is centered on creating the healthiest environment for fertility. It combines modern western and ancient Chinese approaches.
You often don’t know what you’re capable of living through until life puts you through the wringer. For Robyn Birkin, founder of Modern Day Missus and the Fertility Warriors Podcast, that wringer involved a stretch of infertility and a miscarriage. She knows the struggles many women with infertility face on a daily basis, and she understands how isolating infertility can be. Now a mother, Birkin hosts her podcast to help women living through the same experiences. She interviews experts and other women to create a safe place of support.
If you’re living with infertility, you’ve likely talked with several fertility experts, including your OB-GYN. With Fertility Talk, you also have access to the experts at the Reproductive Science Center of New Jersey. Drs. Martinez and Ziegler along with Hina Ahmed, MS, PA-C, rotate as hosts of their regular podcast, touching on a wide range of fertility-related topics. Recent episode topics include the effects of exercise on fertility, the role of a gestational carrier, ectopic pregnancy, and acupuncture. Yes, these are educational, medical programs, but they aren’t dry. Each host delivers high-impact information in an approachable and engaging way.