When IVF Fails: The 'What Now?' Moment and Finding Hope Through Donor Eggs with guest Victoria Nino
Release Date: 04/22/2026
Donor Eggs, Real Talk: The Emotional Journey and Telling Your Child Their Story with guest Sherri McDonald Sawyerr
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The Egg Whisperer Show
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The Egg Whisperer Show
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The Egg Whisperer Show
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What is Menopausal Pregnancy and How Are Celebrities Getting Pregnant After Age 50?
The Egg Whisperer Show
Did you know that pregnancy after menopause is possible? In this episode, Dr. Aimee dives into everything you need to know about menopausal pregnancy, including the science behind it, the role of egg donation, and how women over 50 are growing their families. She also shares important considerations for those thinking about this path to parenthood. In this episode, we cover: How pregnancy is possible after menopause The role of donor eggs in menopausal pregnancy Health risks and considerations for pregnancy at an older age Success rates and advancements in reproductive technology Emotional...
info_outlineI am talking to the incredible Victoria Nino, author of Our Hearts Match, donor conception advocate, and mom of two about one of the most vulnerable moments in a fertility journey: what happens after IVF fails.
Victoria has lived through multiple failed IVF cycles, stage three endometriosis, years of heartbreak, and ultimately became a mother twice over through donor egg conception via two very different paths. Her story is raw, honest, and full of the kind of hard-won wisdom that only comes from truly living it.
We dive deep into the emotional rollercoaster of failed IVF cycles, the grief that so often goes unacknowledged, and what it really takes to open the door to donor eggs, not out of defeat, but out of empowerment. Victoria shares how education, community, and even a spiritual trip to Thailand helped her find her footing, and why she believes you don't have to be 100% emotionally ready, you just have to be willing to take a peek.
In this episode, we cover:
- The grief of failed IVF cycles and why it deserves to be treated like any other profound loss
- The emotional tipping point between exhaustion and openness when considering donor eggs
- The difference between fresh and frozen donor eggs including cost, timeline, and access
- What an open donor relationship looks like and why Victoria wishes she'd had it from the start
- How epigenetics and bonding science can help shift your perspective on the mother-child relationship
- Overcoming shame, fear of judgment, and the "am I the real mom?" question
- Why Victoria's one regret is that she didn't do it sooner and what she'd tell anyone in the "what now" moment right now
Resources:
- Victoria Nino on Instagram: @expectinganything
- Victoria's website: expectinganything.com
- Victoria's support groups & classes: Infertility Unfiltered | @infertilityunfiltered
- Donor Nexus (frozen & fresh egg donation with open relationship options): https://www.instagram.com/donor.nexus/
- Book: Our Hearts Match by Victoria Nino
- Book: What Makes a Baby by Cory Silverberg
- The Egg Whisperer Show on YouTube and Spotify
Click here to join Dr. Aimee for The IVF Class.