Redefining Belonging – Jessica’s Journey from Adoptee to Advocacy
Release Date: 11/18/2024
Fertility 101: The Basics of Genetics and Genetic Testing
This is Infertility
Guest: Jay Shaw, MS, CGC, Senior Product Manager, Fulgent Genetics Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny The Fertility 101 Series, because there’s no shortage of daunting terms to keep your mind running, is a quick and dirty breakdown on a specific topic with insights from a fertility expert. Today’s episode is a deep dive into the role of care and planning. We’re joined by Jay Shaw, a certified genetic counselor and Senior Product Manager at , who walks us through the basics and beyond when it comes to genetic testing. We start with a foundational...
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Beating the Odds: From Cystic Fibrosis to Fatherhood
This is Infertility
Guest: Dustin and Tequila Menken, Progyny Members at TE Connectivity Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny “I grew up with an expiration date.” Dustin Menken was born with cystic fibrosis, a genetic condition that brought him lifelong health challenges and made him part of the 98% of men with CF who are infertile. He never imagined he’d live to see 40, let alone become a father. But with persistence, support from his wife Tequila and a critical fertility benefit from his employer, TE Connectivity, through Progyny, Dustin beat the odds. Again. In this episode,...
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UFCW Local 152: How Personal Pain Led to Life Changing Benefits
This is Infertility
Guest: Danny Ross, Jr., UFCW Local 152 President Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny Danny and Elizabeth Ross got married at 26, excited to start their lives together and hopeful about growing a family. When they started trying, they were met with a series of challenges that changed everything. Elizabeth was diagnosed with and . Danny had male factor infertility. After a year of trying to conceive, they were told their best option was . At the time, they had no fertility coverage. They started with . One attempt turned into two, then six, then thirteen....
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Fertility 101: Sperm with Dr. Turek: Everything You Didn’t Learn in Health Class
This is Infertility
Guest: Paul Turek, MD, FACS, FRSM, Founder of The Turek Clinic Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny The Fertility 101 Series, because there’s no shortage of daunting terms to keep your mind running, is a quick and dirty breakdown on a specific topic with insights from a fertility expert. When it comes to fertility, men are half of the equation, but too often, they’re the half that gets forgotten or overlooked. This Men’s Health Month, we’re joined by Dr. Paul Turek, a world-renowned urologist and male fertility expert, to talk all things sperm, from how it’s made...
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Reimagining LGBTQ+ Family Building: A Midwife’s Perspective
This is Infertility
Guest: Marea Goodman, Co-Founder of PregnantTogether Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny For LGBTQ+ individuals and couples going through their family building journeys, having a medical support system that truly understand their lived experience can make all the difference. In this episode, we hear from Marea Goodman, a licensed midwife, parent of three, and co-author of about the role and importance of a midwife. Marea explains how midwives operate across a wide range of settings, from hospitals and fertility clinics to birth centers and home births. While midwives...
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Family Building Without Barriers: Maggie’s Reciprocal IVF Journey
This is Infertility
Guest: Maggie Garnsey, Progyny Member at Santander Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny For LGBTQ+ couples, traditional with little to no access to the actual coverage. Many are forced to undergo unnecessary, emotionally taxing procedures to meet outdated definitions of infertility. For Maggie and her wife, Alli, they thought they would need to pursue , like many of their friends. However, Maggie discovered that her employer, Santander Bank, offered through Progyny and that they had something rare: options. In this episode, Maggie takes us through their family...
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From Struggle to Storybook: The Journey Behind Cupcakes Everywhere
This is Infertility
Guest: Erin Sarris, Progyny Member Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny When Erin Sarris and her husband first visited a fertility clinic, they were hit with unexpected news: severe male factor infertility and an immediate recommendation to pursue IVF. What followed was a long, winding, and often painful journey filled with setbacks, from failed cycles to loss and emotional isolation. Now a mother of three and author of , Erin shares how infertility reshaped her view and inspired a metaphorical children's book that captures the bittersweet reality of struggling to...
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Building Better Benefits—for Bread Financial and Herself
This is Infertility
In this episode, we hear a deeply personal and professional journey. As a benefit’s leader, Deanna Allison was on a mission to bring better fertility and family building benefits to her company, Bread Financial. Simultaneously, Deanna had also just set out on her own path to parenthood, realizing she would likely need support to build a family. Deanna shares how her team's search for better benefits led them to adopt Progyny, a decision driven by lived experience, better outcomes, and the desire to truly meet their associates' needs. Deanna was able to utilize...
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Love & Surrogacy: A Broken Brown Egg AHA Grant Winner's Story
This is Infertility
When Kristina and Lorenzo set out to build their family, they knew their path wouldn’t be traditional. Kristina’s complex medical history including epilepsy, , and thalassemia made pregnancy unsafe, but that didn’t stop them from pursuing their dream of having a child. In this episode, they share their deeply personal journey of sacrifice in pursuit of a surrogate—highlighting the emotional highs and lows along the way, from downsizing their apartment to postponing their wedding. They open up about the importance of trust in the surrogacy process and the unwavering love...
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Healing Through Song: Nelly Joy’s Journey Through Endometriosis, IVF, and Grief
This is Infertility
Infertility is a deeply personal and often isolating experience, but for singer-songwriter Nelly Joy, music became both an outlet and a source of connection. In this episode, Nelly shares her raw and emotional journey with and the struggles she faced while , which pushed her limits physically and emotionally. From touring with country music legends to navigating the complexities of infertility, Nelly’s story is one of physical resilience, partner support, and using art to heal. Listen to her song to discover how Nelly Joy is turning her experiences into then reminder that we are not alone....
info_outlineThis National Adoption Month, we hear from Jessica Luciere, a transracial, transnational adoptee, who shares her journey of self-discovery. Growing up with the love and support of her parents, Jessica also yearned for a sense of community to help her navigate her identity. She ultimately realized the importance of representation and the power of connecting to others with similar backgrounds.
Today, Jessica works alongside adoptees, families, and professionals, as a program facilitator and adoptee advocate, creating spaces that celebrate and honor diverse backgrounds and foster deeper connections. Join us as Jessica dives into the importance of community, mentorship, and how she’s using her experience to support others.
Guest: Jessica Luciere
Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny
A note from our host: My parents were foster parents throughout my life. Over time, they helped over 100 kids before they retired. In fact, my younger brother was adopted through that program. Being a kid, I had a different family life than my friends and neighbors. For me, it was a source of pride, and I still believe my parents are heroes.
For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility. Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at [email protected].