Unexpecting: An interview with special guest Tara Lipinski
Release Date: 09/23/2024
The Egg Whisperer Show
Today, on the Egg Whisperer Show podcast, I'm excited to be joined by Dr. Andrea Vidali. He is a world renowned endometriosis specialist, surgeon, miscarriage specialist and reproductive immunologist. Dr. Vidali is the founder and CEO of Pregmune, a healthcare information company that leverages his research in the fields of IVF and its relation to miscarriage and Immunology. I’m delighted to have him join us to talk about Pregmune and the role immunological factors play in fertility. In today's interview, we are going to be talking about what fertility patients need to know about...
info_outline How Old is Too Old to Have a BabyThe Egg Whisperer Show
With women waiting to have children later in life, one of the most commonly asked questions I hear is "How Old is "Too Old" to have a Baby?" I'm excited to talk about this topic in this week's show, so you have all the #fertilityfacts you need to plan your fertility future. Regardless of your age, it is smart to get your fertility levels checked. We now live in a world where tests that can help paint a picture of your fertility levels and diagnosis are both more accessible and affordable. It’s for that reason that I recommend to anyone that thinks they may want a family someday to get their...
info_outline Hereditary Cancer Screening and Your Fertility Journey with Natalie Richeimer of JScreenThe Egg Whisperer Show
Dr. Aimee invites board-certified genetic counselor Natalie Richeimer to discuss the crucial intersection of genetic counseling, IVF, and cancer. Natalie explains the role of genetic counselors in the fertility space, particularly how they assist patients in understanding their risk for genetic conditions stemming from family history, personal health, or ethnicity. Dr. Aimee and Natalie talk about the important work done by JScreen, an organization providing accessible genetic testing for cancer and carrier screening. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding whether cancer...
info_outline Genetic Testing: To Test or Not to Test, That is The Question with guest Dr Nabil ArrachThe Egg Whisperer Show
Today on the Egg Whisperer Show, I’m excited to be joined by Dr. Nabil Arrach. Dr. Arrach is the Scientific Director at Progenesis, Inc. He has 20 years of research experience in molecular genetics, both in preclinical and clinical settings. He was the first scientist to optimize and validate next generation sequencing for PGT-A and PGT-M and he continues to work on new emerging fields in IVF. We will be talking about who should be testing their embryos, the difference between chromosomes and genes, mosaicism, and the importance and limitations of genetic testing. Do you have questions...
info_outline Common IVF Mistakes with Dr. Jenna McCarthy (Fertility Expert Series)The Egg Whisperer Show
Dr. Jenna McCarthy is a fellow fertility doctor and IVF specialist, and this discussion is all about common IVF mistakes. After our original interview aired, we got a lot of questions and comments from people who’d had their own mishaps during IVF. They were relieved to hear us talking about things that made them feel like they weren’t alone on their IVF journey. Mission accomplished! You are not alone, and there is a solution to just about every problem we’ve encountered (including sperm emergencies.)⠀⠀ I hope you’ll tune in to hear more about real life IVF mishaps. And, if you...
info_outline How to Talk to Your Doctor About Fertility if You Are Over 40The Egg Whisperer Show
Talking about your fertility when you’re over 40 is not easy, but I want women to stop apologizing for desiring a family. Times have changed. It’s okay to want a baby over 40. It’s not crazy, nor selfish. My approach is for all of my patients to be given their best chance at a healthy pregnancy in the shortest period of time. How do we do this? It starts by not believing everything you read. There’s an international headline I saw recently on BBC news that fertility doctors are exploiting older women and “dealing false hope”. Do I believe that fertility doctors...
info_outline Treating Endometriosis-Related Infertility with guest Dr. Geoffrey SherThe Egg Whisperer Show
It's a delight to have Dr. Geoffrey Sher back. He's been on the show several times, and our discussion on "How to Avoid Implantation Failure During IVF" is one of the most viewed on the channel! Today we're talking about treating Endometriosis - related infertility. Here are some facts about Endometriosis as shared by Dr. Sher: - Endometriosis is a condition where cells similar to the lining of the uterus (endometrium) grow outside of the uterus, in the pelvic cavity. - It occurs in about 10% of all women and can be symptom free or may cause a wide spectrum of...
info_outline A Guide to Mental Wellness While Trying to Conceive with Dr. Stacia MillsThe Egg Whisperer Show
Today on The Egg Whisperer Show, I’m so thrilled to welcome the insightful and compassionate Dr. Stacia Mills, a reproductive psychiatrist joining us from Oakland, California! Dr. Mills has a passion for supporting patients’ mental wellness on their fertility journey, and she’s here to share invaluable tips on how to keep your mental health strong while trying to conceive, navigating pregnancy, and throughout the postpartum period. One of the best parts? Dr. Mills shares wisdom from her ebook, A Brief Guide to Mental Wellness While Family Planning, packed with practical advice for...
info_outline Embryo Donation: One Doctor's Story with guest Dr. Paula AmatoThe Egg Whisperer Show
In today’s Egg Whisperer Show Podcast, I’m so excited to be joined by Dr. Paula Amato. She is a fertility specialist who froze embryos in her 30s using sperm from an anonymous donor. Later, Dr. Amato decided to donate her embryos. She shared about this journey and what she learned as a fertility doctor in a recent article published in Fertility and Sterility titled: "The fertile window: what donating my embryos taught me about being a fertility doctor." We’re going to talk all about her decision to donate her embryos, what looking into the genetics of those embryos taught her, and what...
info_outline Fertility Preservation Options for Cancer Patients w_ guest Tracy Weiss of The Chick Mission (Pt 2)The Egg Whisperer Show
Today on the podcast, I'm sharing part two of a two part series of interviews with the founders of The Chick Mission which is a national foundation that is working together to preserve hope, sanity, and choice for women battling cancer. They are focused on making sure that all women diagnosed with cancer have the financial support, educational information, and legislative advocacy to preserve their fertility. After personal experiences, founders Amanda Rice and Tracy Weiss came together to make sure that all cancer patients have a full life with options to grow a family, after they beat the...
info_outlineI'm honored to be hosting Tara Lipinski for a conversation about her fertility journey. You likely know Tara as an Olympic figure skater, winning gold in 1998. She's also been a commentator for NBC, and at 41 she and her husband Todd are now sharing the story of their journey towards parenthood.
In People, Tara shared that "In the last five years, I've been under anesthesia 24 times, had four miscarriages, four D&Cs [dilation and curettage], six failed transfers, eight retrievals and was diagnosed with endometriosis with two subsequent major surgeries."
While she's lived a good deal of her life in the spotlight, she is just now ready to step into sharing about this journey with others. She and her husband have started their own podcast, "Unexpecting." I know you'll be inspired by her strength, her openness, and her determination.
As she shared in People, " To get through this has really shown me how strong I am. You think as an athlete, 'Oh, I'm so strong and am able to get through anything,' and little did I know that this journey would actually teach me that I could do that. I was really put up to the test so many times where I thought, 'Oh, I have fallen down so hard I don't know how I'm going to get back up.'"
Through it all, I haven't given up," she says. "My urge to become a mother is what had gotten me through and has kept me going. I've never wanted anything more."
You can watch our conversation on Instagram, here.
And, you can find Unexpecting here.
Click here to join Dr. Aimee for The IVF Class.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more fertility tips!