The Egg Whisperer Show

Today on The Egg Whisperer Show, my dear friend Dr. Jenna McCarthy is joining me to talk all about the most common IVF mistakes. Our intent is to share as much information as we can with you so you'll go into an IVF cycle aware, empowered and feeling comfortable with what is going on. We want people to avoid these mistakes and also hear that they're common, they happen, and there's always something you can do if you're dealing with an issue.⠀ We're talking about troubleshooting needle and syringe issues, the importance of not eating or drinking before your egg retrieval, timing of the trigger shot, sperm emergencies, and medication dosage issues and more. We're basically talking about everything we've seen in our combined 20+ years of doing IVF. ⠀ Read the full show notes on Dr. Aimee's website Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more fertility tips! Join Egg Whisperer School Subscribe to the newsletter to get updates Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh is one of America's most well known fertility doctors. Her success rate at baby-making is what gives future parents hope when all hope is lost. She pioneered the TUSHY Method and BALLS Method to decrease your time to pregnancy. Learn more about the TUSHY Method and find a wealth of fertility resources at www.draimee.org.

The time to talk about "everything I can possibly do to give myself the best chance of pregnancy success" is BEFORE your embryo transfer. Not after. This is why I discuss tests like the ERA test and Receptivadx test with all my patients before transfer. Every embryo is important to me and I want to make sure I'm doing the very best job for every patient I meet.⠀⁠ I also know that there's a virtual alphabet soup of three letter abbreviations that surround the whole fertility journey, so today on the podcast, I'm breaking down the steps that I take when doing the ERA (Endometrial Receptivity Analysis) test, and how it could help you. The ERA tells us exactly when to start progesterone before a transfer to give the embryo the highest chance of implantation success. Think of it as a personal evite to your Embryo Transfer Party! In a way, the test tells you exactly when to show up for the party. I will also talk about the Receptivadx test that basically tells you what to wear to the party (the protocol you should use).⠀⁠ If you know me, you know that I love using the latest technology, mixed with personalized care, to set patients up for the best chance of success.⠀⁠ So, how does it work? How do I do it? What's involved? What's the technology behind ERA? Find out all the behind the scenes info on this week's podcast episode.⠀⁠ Read the full show notes on Dr. Aimee's website Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more fertility tips! Join Egg Whisperer School Subscribe to the newsletter to get updates Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh is one of America's most well known fertility doctors. Her success rate at baby-making is what gives future parents hope when all hope is lost. She pioneered the TUSHY Method and BALLS Method to decrease your time to pregnancy. Learn more about the TUSHY Method and find a wealth of fertility resources at www.draimee.org.

I'm answering questions from a recent Ask The Egg Whisperer show. The first one I answer is from Leigh. Here's what she asks, "I am wondering what size follicle you consider to be too large to trigger for an egg freeze cycle. If eggs are collected from very large follicles (23-30mm on day of trigger), and are deemed MII to be frozen - what is the risk of them being "overmature" at time of thawing/fertilization? Is there any drawback to allowing several follicles (~10) to get so large for the benefit of allowing a roughly equal amount to "catchup" to be closer to a desirable size?" Here's the short answer to Leigh's question (and you can tune in to the episode to learn more): Kind of like the IVF pyramid, there's also an egg freezing pyramid. You start the cycle with a number of small follicles. And you'll have fewer larger follicles when you're ready to trigger. And at the top of the pyramid, you have the number of mature eggs that you get at the end. And that mature number is so important and egg freezers know this as well, because it's only mature eggs that can be turned into embryos. So, I would not be too worried about seeing some larger follicles (going up to 24mm), if that means I can get some others to catch up. In that range, I don't get too worried about having over mature or over cooked eggs. To submit your own question to Dr. Aimee for a future episode of Ask The Egg Whisperer, click here. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more fertility tips! Join Egg Whisperer School

Today on the podcast, I'm sharing a recent Ask the Egg Whisperer episode. I love answering your questions, and Natalie sent in a great one about a bicornuate uterus. Here's what she wrote, "Does having a bicornuate uterus affect fertility? What can be done to make sure the pregnancy sticks and remains healthy so the baby is born full term?" Having a bicornuate uterus is very special. When I see someone who comes to me with a bicornuate uterus, I like to learn more about the patient's anatomy so we can create a plan and build a team to support the patient. First, make sure that you have an accurate diagnosis. You'll also want to get an understanding of your own unique bicornuate uterus' anatomy. Depending on your anatomy and diagnosis, the good news is that it is possible to deliver a healthy full-term baby. It's also true that a bicornuate uterus may cause pregnancy complications. I would recommend talking to your OB GYN to see what they think, and ask what their experiences with patients just like you. Ask for their approach on managing your bicornuate uterus. To submit your own question to Dr. Aimee for a future episode of Ask The Egg Whisperer, click here. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more fertility tips! Join Egg Whisperer School

In today's Egg Whisperer Show podcast episode, I'm sharing a recent Ask The Egg Whisperer. The first question I read is from Sylvia, and here's the question she sent in, "We have been trying for nearly two years with no luck. I have been diagnosed with adenomyosis and was wondering if this could be affecting my fertility as there doesn't seem to be much information out there. Most info is coupled with endometriosis but I don't have that. I was just wondering if you had any insight on this?" Here's what I share with Sylvia about adenomyosis: adenomyosis is a fertility threatening condition. It can decrease implantation rates, increase risk of miscarriage, and increase the risk of pregnancy complications. It's important to get an accurate diagnosis and a treatment plan as soon as possible when you have this. There are ways to treat adenomyosis and your fertility specialist or OBGYN can help. To submit your own question to Dr. Aimee for a future episode of Ask The Egg Whisperer, click here. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more fertility tips! Join Egg Whisperer School

Today, I'm joined by Michael Johnson-Ellis. Michael and his husband Wes make up TwoDads UK. They're proud fathers to Talulah and Duke (born via surrogacy). They're on a mission to help normalize surrogacy for same-sex families in the UK. Michael and Wes are very active in surrogacy law reform and have already influenced major changes in the UK! I'm so excited to have them share the news about their new non-profit agency: My Surrogacy Journey. Michael will answer some of the most commonly asked questions about surrogacy and he will share so many excellent tips! Read the full show notes on Dr. Aimee's website Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more fertility tips! Join Egg Whisperer School Subscribe to the newsletter to get updates Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh is one of America's most well known fertility doctors. Her success rate at baby-making is what gives future parents hope when all hope is lost. She pioneered the TUSHY Method and BALLS Method to decrease your time to pregnancy. Learn more about the TUSHY Method and find a wealth of fertility resources at www.draimee.org.

The last year has been especially challenging for those in fertility treatment. This episode is all about how to care for yourself, and includes loving tips on how family and friends can support someone in fertility treatment, too. Self-care is anything but selfish. It can come in the form of setting healthy boundaries in relationships, having clear communication or simply giving ourselves a break. As a fertility patient when we prioritize these things it helps us bring forward our best selves for every situation and makes the journey more supportive. In this Egg Whisperer show, I share suggestions for patients and friends and family members of patients to help their fertility journey be one where they feel supported and loved. My hope is that you're able to apply this, no matter your situation, and find your fertility journey is better as a result. Read the full show notes on Dr. Aimee's website Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more fertility tips! Join Egg Whisperer School Subscribe to the newsletter to get updates Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh is one of America's most well known fertility doctors. Her success rate at baby-making is what gives future parents hope when all hope is lost. She pioneered the TUSHY Method and BALLS Method to decrease your time to pregnancy. Learn more about the TUSHY Method and find a wealth of fertility resources at www.draimee.org.

In today's podcast episode, Michelle writes in to say, "I am 36 years old. I recently had an MRI that revealed 3 fibroids in the intramural uterine body that is mildly indenting my endometrial cavity. My GYNO has recommended surgery. I currently have embryos waiting. How soon after surgery can I transfer safely and be sure to have it successful?" Here's what I share with Michelle, and patients in her situation. What she's doing is really going to improve not only your implantation rate, but it's probably going to decrease your risk of pregnancy complications, like miscarriage and plantation failure, and preterm labor and preterm delivery. I applaud this. After the surgery, your doctor will share how long you'll need to wait. In general, it can be anywhere from three to even six months. It will depend on the extent to which they went into the wall of your uterus and even the cavity and how long they think that your uterus will need to heal before you're able to transfer. One question I would recommend that you ask your surgeon is "did you have to enter the cavity to remove my fibroids?" And then the other question you want to ask your doctor is, "is there a chance that any of these fibroids could be adenomyomas?" and to make sure that they're going to treat and remove endometriosis if found. All of these things will help you with understanding the recovery time and making sure that the surgery helps set you up for implantation when you're ready to transfer your embryos. To submit your own question to Dr. Aimee for a future episode of Ask The Egg Whisperer, click here. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more fertility tips! Join Egg Whisperer School

In today's podcast episode, I'm talking about egg and sperm quality. The topic was introduced in a recent Ask The Egg Whisperer session by Nicky who asked, "Are there any supplements or treatments you can recommend for helping Day 3 embryos reach blastocyst?" And to answer this, I want to share about a mnemonic, called AGE. Embryos, or blastocysts have everything to do with your Age Genetics Environment Of course, you can't control how old you are, nor can you control the genetics you were born with, or that your partner was born with. However, if you have the ability to freeze eggs, sperm, or embryos, then you can preserve your fertility by doing so. And, you can control your environment by sleeping well, exercising, most days of the week, having a diet rich in antioxidants and following an anti-inflammatory type diet, avoiding the environmental toxins. To submit your own question to Dr. Aimee for a future episode of Ask The Egg Whisperer, click here. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more fertility tips! Join Egg Whisperer School

In today's podcast episode, I'm answering questions from a recent Ask The Egg Whisperer show. The first one I answer is from Jessi. Here's what she asks, "I am 31 with PCOS. One two failed chemical pregnancies. Endo biopsy revealed no issues. Everything seems perfect each transfer. I have 5 PGS tested embryos left. What should I do?" Tune in for the answer. To submit your own question to Dr. Aimee for a future episode of Ask The Egg Whisperer, click here. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more fertility tips! Join Egg Whisperer School