Held Together: Infertility, Loss, and the Stories That Carry Us with Dr. Rebecca N. Thompson
Release Date: 06/03/2026
Healing After Miscarriage with guests Stefanie Bonnell and Dr. Dana McQueen
The Egg Whisperer Show
In this episode of The Egg Whisperer Show, I’m joined by Stefanie Bonnell, a licensed therapist who specializes in perinatal loss and trauma, and Dr. Dana McQueen, a reproductive endocrinologist with a focus on recurrent miscarriage and endometriosis. Together, we dive into one of the most heartbreaking experiences in reproductive health: miscarriage, and talk about how to support healing both emotionally and physically. Stefanie shares her own personal story and the insights she's gained as a therapist supporting others through loss. Dr. McQueen brings her clinical perspective on the...
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Testicular Sperm May Improve Pregnancy Rates, a discussion with Dr. Blake Evans
The Egg Whisperer Show
I love sharing the latest studies with you. I’m so excited to interview Dr. Blake Evans on the Egg Whisperer Show podcast today to share his published findings about testicular sperm and IVF outcomes. Testicular sperm (or sperm taken from the testicle as opposed to ejaculated sperm) in some cases may improve the rate of blastocyst development and pregnancy rates for those who have first tried IVF unsuccessfully with ejaculated sperm. I’m delighted to have Dr. Evans on the podcast to share his findings, and to talk about what you can do to optimize sperm quality and increase your own IVF...
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Understanding PGTA: 7 Steps To Testing Your Embryos Before Transfer
The Egg Whisperer Show
In this episode of The Egg Whisperer Show, I explain Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy (PGTA) and share the seven essential steps to help you test your embryos wisely. I outline how to approach PGTA efficiently so you can feel more informed and empowered in your fertility journey. This episode offers practical advice for anyone considering PGTA before embryo transfer. In this episode, we cover: Step 1: Plan for multiple retrievals if needed Step 2: Understand that embryo quality still matters Step 3: Be prepared for inconclusive results Step 4: Get clarity on mosaic and...
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An OB-GYNs Journey of Inspiration, Passion, and Patient Care with guest Dr. Justin Thompson
The Egg Whisperer Show
I'm thrilled to share the latest episode of The Egg Whisperer Show where I had the honor of chatting with Dr. Justin Thompson, one of the most inspiring and dedicated OB-GYNs I know! Justin joins me to share his incredible journey through the medical field: early on, he made an unexpected shift from oncology to obstetrics, inspired by personal experiences. He’s crafted an innovative practice focused on personalized patient care, and we share similar views on the importance of building close-knit relationships with patients. Our conversation delves into the challenges and...
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Are You Asking Your Doctor the Right Questions Before You're Pregnant? with Dr. Justin Thompson
The Egg Whisperer Show
How do you choose the right OB-GYN before you're pregnant? Whether you're trying to conceive naturally, planning IVF, or already thinking about starting a family, choosing the right obstetrician is one of the most important decisions you'll make. In this episode, you'll learn the questions to ask, when to start looking for an OB-GYN, how to advocate for yourself throughout pregnancy, and what makes pregnancy care different for IVF patients. In this episode, I'm joined by one my favorite OB-GYNs, Dr. Justin Thompson, to talk about his journey into obstetrics and what every patient should know...
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The Best Tips for Surviving Infertility with guest Dr. Deborah Simmons
The Egg Whisperer Show
Dr. Deborah Simmons provides specialized counseling for infertility-related trauma and pregnancy loss. She works with clinics around the country. She is passionate about helping fertility patients (she calls them "pre-parents") as they work through the journey of becoming a parent, whether that be through IUI, IVF, donor eggs, donor sperm, donor embryos, or surrogacy. She shares so many great insights about how to handle the mental-wellness side of things when you're going through fertility treatment. Here are few key items she shares: For yourself: Find compassion for yourself throughout...
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How to Conceive at Home with the Ana Fertility App: Featuring Dr. Arnold Mahesan and Roxy Earle
The Egg Whisperer Show
In this heartfelt episode of The Egg Whisperer Show, I sit down with Dr. Arnold Mahesan and his wife, Roxy Earle, for a deeply personal and thought-provoking conversation about how fertility medicine is evolving—and how it needs to change. They share the story behind Ana, their AI-supported fertility tracking app, and how it was born from their own journey. But this episode goes far beyond the app. We talk about how to bring personalization, emotional support, and community-focused care back to the forefront of fertility treatment. In this episode, we cover: How Dr. Arnold and Roxy’s...
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Endometriosis and Advancements in Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery with Dr. Camran Nezhat
The Egg Whisperer Show
Dr. Camran Nezhat is world renowned for his work in minimally invasive and robotic surgery, and he specializes in treating people with endometriosis. He is best known for inventing video-assisted endoscopy and was the first to perform groundbreaking advances in minimally invasive surgical procedures that have helped millions of patients around the globe. Without his contributions, we would not have video-assisted laparoscopy as we know it. To say that it's an honor to have him on the show is an understatement! In 2020, Dr. Nezhat was chosen by the AMA as an exceptional innovator whose...
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How to Survive Your HSG Procedure
The Egg Whisperer Show
This episode is all about how to survive your HSG. Otherwise known as a hysterosalpingogram. That’s a big scary word so let’s break it down! Hystero = uterus Salpingo = tube Gram = picture of Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) is basically a picture of your fallopian tubes. I like to think of the fallopian tube as the embryo transport system. It’s where the egg and sperm come together and it’s how the embryo will travel to the uterus. Part of fertility screening is not just for FSH, estradiol, and AMH for women. It’s not just to see how fast the swimmers are swimming. It’s also important...
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Fertility Doctor Reveals Egg Freezing Rules, Ovulation Myths & Hidden Hormone Disrupters hosted by Sara Jensen
The Egg Whisperer Show
Wondering how hormone health, environmental toxins, and ovulation timing affect your chances of getting pregnant? In this episode of The Egg Whisperer Show, we explore the real-life challenges of unexplained infertility, secondary infertility, preconception testing, and the simple mistakes that can make it harder to conceive, along with practical, evidence-based advice you can use right away (like The TUSHY Method). I'm joined by Sara Jensen, co-founder and Co-CEO of Hugh &Grace @hughgrace5494 for an honest conversation about fertility, hormones, and hope. Sara opens up about...
info_outlineIn this episode, I sit down with Dr. Rebecca N. Thompson: a family medicine and public health physician specializing in women's and children's health, and the author of Held Together, a deeply personal and collaborative memoir that weaves her own fertility and pregnancy complications with the stories of 21 other women navigating infertility, loss, and complex paths to building families. Becca brings a rare dual perspective to this conversation: she has lived this journey as both a physician and a patient, surviving life-threatening pregnancy complications even as she was training to care for others.
Together, we explore the raw and often unspoken emotional terrain of the fertility journey, including the shame, isolation, and identity shifts that so many of my patients experience. We talk about how storytelling and community can be profoundly healing, why healers need healing too, and how grief and hope can coexist on the path to building the family you dream of, even when that path looks nothing like you planned.
In this episode, we cover:
- How Dr. Thompson's own string of pregnancy losses shaped her both as a patient and as a physician
- Why sharing personal stories about infertility and loss is one of the most powerful antidotes to shame and isolation
- How grief and hope can coexist, and why Held Together is ultimately an empowering book
- The way infertility reshapes identity, and how women can reclaim a sense of power and agency during reproductive challenges
- What it means to "heal the healer"
- How non-traditional paths to parenthood (adoption, surrogacy, fostering, and more) expand and redefine what family truly means
- Practical guidance on finding support: from therapy and journaling to community groups and simply knowing when it's okay to sit with uncertainty
Resources:
- Dr. Rebecca N. Thompson's website (book orders, signed copies, audiobook samples, endorsements): RebeccaNThompson.com
- Held Together: available on Amazon or purchase one that supports Postpartim Support International (PSI).
- Postpartum Support International: postpartum.net
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