Ep 129 Fewer Shots, Same Success: A New IVF Protocol with Dr. Linnea Goodman
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
Release Date: 06/24/2025
Ep 140 Amanda Knox: Sentenced to Infertility
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
What happens when the most fertile years of your life are taken from you? How do you rebuild when trauma collides with your deepest hopes for motherhood? What does it mean to pursue fertility after prison? In this powerful episode of Brave & Curious, you’ll hear Dr. Lora Shahine’s conversation with Amanda Knox who spent four years in an Italian prison and eight years fighting a wrongful murder conviction. Amanda has turned her pain into purpose. With the recent release of her groundbreaking miniseries on Hulu ‘The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox’, she sheds light on an...
info_outline
Ep 139 To Fly or Not to Fly and Other Travel Tips for Fertility
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
Have you ever wondered if flying could impact your fertility? Worried about what happens if you need to travel after an egg retrieval? Curious whether that long-awaited vacation might interfere with success with embryo transfer? In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Shahine answers the most common questions about fertility, flying, travel and IVF. She includes practical tips for travel days and leaves you informed to make the right decisions for you with your own doctor’s guidelines. In this episode you’ll hear: [1:18] Flying & fertility treatments [2:20]...
info_outline
Ep 138 Fertility Over 40: What You REALLY Need to Know About Conception, Testing & IVF
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
Trying to get pregnant in your 40s and feeling bombarded with terms like “geriatric pregnancy” or “diminished ovarian reserve”? Wondering if age is the final word in fertility? Curious about what you can do instead of what you can't? In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine is getting real about trying to conceive after 40—with clarity, compassion, and science-backed strategies. She covers the impact of age on fertility, the power of early testing, and why aligning your family-building goals with real timelines is more important than ever. You’ll learn practical...
info_outline
Ep 137 CoQ10 and Fertility: What You Need for Egg and Sperm Health
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
Thinking about adding supplements to your fertility journey? A quick search online can leave you swimming in advice—or drowning. How do you know what really works and what’s just hype? In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine takes a deep dive into one of the most talked-about fertility supplements: CoQ10. This naturally occurring antioxidant has been linked to improvements in egg quality and sperm health—but is it right for you? Dr. Shahine breaks down what the research actually says, the potential benefits, and what risks to keep in mind. In this episode, you’re...
info_outline
Ep 136 How Much Caffeine Is Too Much? Understanding Caffeine and Fertility
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
Is your morning coffee helping or hurting your fertility? Should you quit caffeine cold turkey while trying to conceive—or during pregnancy? And where can you turn for solid, trustworthy advice? (Hint: NOT random internet forums) In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine breaks down what we really know about caffeine and reproductive health—from both Western and Eastern medical perspectives. Dr. Shahine shares the actual caffeine content in your favorite drinks, answers the most common questions she hears from patients, and offers guidance on how to personalize your...
info_outline
Ep 135 You’re Pregnant, Now What? Your Guide to the First Trimester
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
Wondering what’s actually ‘normal’ in the first trimester? You’re not the only one frantically Googling every twinge and symptom. Early pregnancy can feel like a rollercoaster of questions—and not always a fun one. In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine walks you through the first trimester with clarity and calm. She shares the most common concerns she hears from patients and what might warrant a closer look, all while offering practical advice to help you feel more grounded. This episode is a reassuring guide through those uncertain early weeks. And if it’s...
info_outline
Ep 134 Detox Your Home: Cleaning House with Lindsay Dahl
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
Is your makeup messing with your hormones? Could your cleaning products be impacting your fertility? And how do we make informed choices without spiraling into fear or perfectionism? In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine invites us to ask bold questions about the everyday products we use—and the hidden chemicals within them. Joining her is activist and author Lindsay Dahl, who’s spent her career fighting for consumer safety and pulling back the curtain on toxic chemicals. They talk about the science behind endocrine disruptors, the power of personal storytelling in...
info_outline
Ep 133 Is Your Tilted or Retroverted Uterus Harming Your Fertility?
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
Is a tilted uterus stopping you from getting pregnant? Could it be the reason for painful periods or backaches? Has the term “retroverted uterus” been brought up at one of your recent doctor’s appointments? In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine is taking the mystery out of the retroverted (or tilted) uterus. She explains what it is, how common it is, and whether it impacts fertility or pregnancy. Good news: in most cases, it doesn’t. Dr. Shahine also sheds light on when a tilted uterus might signal something more—like endometriosis, pelvic infections, or...
info_outline
Ep 132 Unicornuate Uterus: What It Means for Fertility, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
Do you know that uteruses come in different shapes? How about a unicornuate uterus? You can have a uterine anomaly without symptoms and it can impact your reproductive health, miscarriage risk, and pregnancy outcomes. Inspired by Celina Spooky Boo’s fertility story, this episode of Brave & Curious explores unicornuate uterus. Dr. Lora Shahine explains this congenital anomaly, how it’s diagnosed, and the spectrum of potential outcomes it can create for fertility and pregnancy. Dr. Shahine also offers critical questions to ask your healthcare provider, helping you advocate...
info_outline
Ep 131 Considering IUI vs. IVF: Which One is Best for You?
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
What’s the difference between IUI and IVF? Which one is right for you? And how do you navigate the emotional and financial rollercoaster of fertility treatment with clarity and courage? In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine offers a compassionate, clear-eyed look at the two most common fertility treatments: Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). She goes through the pros, cons, and personal factors that should guide this deeply personal decision. In this episode, listeners will learn: [0:21] Understanding IUI and IVF [1:22] IUI: Process...
info_outlineWhat if IVF didn’t have to mean so many shots? Could a new protocol allow for fewer shots, less office visits, AND be less expensive?
In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine is joined by Dr. Linnea Goodman to answer these questions and more. They review Dr. Goodman’s research into a protocol, not new to the fertility field around the world, but new to most listeners in the United States that has many benefits to IVF patients.
Dr. Linnea Goodman is a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist. Throughout her career, Dr. Goodman has been dedicated to advancing the field of reproductive medicine through both clinical excellence and innovative research. Currently, Dr. Goodman practices at Virginia Fertility & IVF, where she specializes in minimally invasive office procedures aimed at optimizing fertility outcomes.
In this episode you’ll hear:
- [1:16] Meet Dr. Linnea Goodman: reproductive endocrinologist and researcher
- [2:24] IVF shots & their necessity
- [4:45] Provera Protocol is a game-changer
- [14:35] Research & evidence for the Provera Protocol
- [22:19] A patient-centered approach
- [25:00] Research Outcomes
- [27:07] Innovations in IVF: Progestins
- [29:32 The patient experience: benefits and side effects of progestins
- [32:36 What does the future hold?
Resources mentioned:
Massin N, et al. New stimulation regimens: endogenous and exogenous progesterone use to block the LH surge during ovarian stimulation for IVF. Hum Reprod Update. 2017 Mar 1;23(2):211-220. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmw047.PMID: 28062551
R Beguería, et al. Medroxyprogesterone acetate versus ganirelix in oocyte donation: a randomized controlled trial. Hum Reprod. 2019 May 1;34(5):872-880 doi:10.1093/humrep/dez034. PMID: 30927417
Giles J, et al. Medroxyprogeseterone acetate is a useful alternative to a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist in ooxyte-donation: a randomized controlled trial. Fert Stert 2021;116: 404-412. PMID: 33814126. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.02.036
Welp A, et al. Oral medroxyprogesterone acetate for the use of ovulation suppression in in vitro fertilization: a cohort trial. Fertil Steril 2024 May;121(5):806-813. PMID: 38253117 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2024.01.026
Dr. Shahine’s Weekly Newsletter on Fertility News and Recommendations
Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books