Brave & Curious with Dr Lora Shahine

Latest Episodes:

Ep 83 Ectopic Pregnancy Explained Aug 06, 2024

Show notes

Ectopic pregnancies are scary, dangerous, and heart-breaking if you're trying to build your family. If you've been diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy and confused - you're not alone!

In this episode, Dr. Lora Shahine explains ectopic pregnancies — what they are, why they happen, and who may be most at risk. She discusses everything from how they are diagnosed to treatment options to what comes next.

No matter the circumstances, pregnancy losses are difficult. Please take care of yourself during this emotional time. And remember that your doctor is the best person to discuss your options with you.

In this episode you'll hear:

[1:21] What is an ectopic pregnancy and how can it happen?

[3:13] How common are ectopic pregnancies?

[3:25] The risk factors involved with ectopic pregnancy

[5:46] Diagnosis and why it's tricky

[10:17] Treatment options for ectopic pregnancy

[14:06] An important message for YOU

Resources mentioned:

Cleveland Clinic Overview of Ectopic Pregnancy: my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9687-ectopic-pregnancy#overview

Article on Recurrent Ectopic Pregnancy: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7414932/#:~:text=However%2C%20with%20a%2010%E2%80%9320,risk%20as%20much%20as%20possible

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Ep 82 What You Need to Know About the First Trimester Jul 30, 2024

Show notes

Do you find yourself Googling everything you feel or don't feel to find out if it's 'normal' in the first trimester of pregnancy? You're not alone. That's why there's so much information out there! The problem is: what sources can you trust?

In this episode, you'll get first-trimester information and questions answered by Dr. Lora Shahine – a source you already know and trust.

In this episode devoted entirely to the first trimester, Dr. Shahine talks about common experiences and things you might want to get checked out. She answers the top questions she hears from her own first-trimester patients and gives expert tips for a healthy start to your pregnancy.

If you're not quite ready for this episode yet, save it for later. Take care of yourself, and remember to always consult with your own doctor about your care.

In this episode you'll hear:

[2:24] What is going on in your body during the first trimester?

[4:45] Common symptoms during the first trimester

[10:10] Top first-trimester questions:

weight gain
cramping
bleeding/spotting
foods to avoid
exercise

[17:15] Tips for taking care of yourself during the first trimester

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Ep 81 Can CoQ10 Help You Get Pregnant Faster? Jul 23, 2024

Show notes

Do an internet search for "fertility supplements"... yeah, maybe don't. You can easily get overwhelmed by an avalanche of supplement information and advice when you're trying to conceive. But … what supplements can truly help you get pregnant faster? And whose advice can you trust?

Supplements and "super foods" go in and out of fashion faster than bangs-or-no-bangs, and the latest "hot" supplement is CoQ10. Coenzyme Q10 is an antioxidant our bodies make naturally, or that we can get from dietary sources. However, as with anything you add to your body in a concentrated fashion like a supplement, you need to know the benefits AND the risks.

In this episode, Dr. Shahine is separating fact from fiction when it comes to the supplement CoQ10 and your fertility. There are some benefits to CoQ10, such as improving egg quality and sperm parameters, but it's important to understand the evidence is still not definitive.

This episode will arm you with information you can take back to your healthcare provider. Then you'll know what questions to ask to get a supplement regimen that is most beneficial to you.

In this episode you'll hear:

[2:04] What is CoQ10?

[3:41] How CoQ10 works

[4:45] Possible side effects

[5:47] Evidence of CoQ10 for female fertility

[14:55] Evidence of CoQ10 for male factor

[17:46] What Dr. Shahine tells her own patients about CoQ10

Resources mentioned:

Review article of nutrients for IVF, Hart et al. 2024 RBMO www.rbmojournal.com/action/showPdf?pii=S1472-6483%2823%2900869-6

Review article CoQ10 info, Rodriguez-Valera 2021 J Molecular Science www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/17/9541

CoQ10 levels decrease in levels with age, Ben-Meir et al. 2015 Fert Stert www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001502821500374X

Animal studies showing improved egg and embryo quality with CoQ10 supplementation journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.4137/CMRH.S14681

Randomized controlled trial CoQ10 aneuploidy rates in women doing IVF/ICSI, Bentov et al. 2014 Sage

journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.4137/CMRH.S14681

Review article on antioxidants (including CoQ10) and male fertility, Kaltsas et al. Medicine 2023

www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/10/1769

Sperm motility improved in men given CoQ10, Balercia, G.2009 Fert Stert www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(08)00487-1/fulltext

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Ep 80 Finding Safer Products with Lanning Ardente: Let Sorette Do the Research for You Jul 16, 2024

Show notes

There is an overwhelmingly long list of what not to eat, use, or be around while trying to conceive and in early pregnancy. Knowing which products are safer — and which you should limit or avoid when pregnant — is challenging.

We know that toxins can be harmful, but what exactly is in the products you're using? The ingredients are confusing. The marketing is confusing. What if someone were already researching pregnancy-safe products? Well, have we got good news for you….

Lanning Ardente, founder and CEO of Sorette, joins Dr. Shahine on this episode of Baby or Bust. Lanning explains toxins, so-called "blackbox" ingredients, and how to evaluate brands and products.

You'll walk away from this episode with useful information to help you check products on your own. Lanning also shares three things you can do right now to find safer products to use on a daily basis.

In this episode you'll hear:

[3:10] Meet Lanning Ardente

[8:41] Sorette's mission

[16:30] How does Sorette choose their products?

[18:45] Reading the box of products you purchase

[21:39] Hidden ingredients

[26:44] Sorette's brand partners

[28:15] Three things you can do today to find safer products

Resources mentioned:

shopsorette.com (Get 15% off at shopsorette.superfiliate.com/DRSHAHINE15)

madesafe.org

www.ewg.org

Dr. Shahine Budget Friendly Ways to Decrease Toxins

Baby or Bust, Episode 19: Environmental Toxins and Reproductive Health

Podcast: Verified-Dust Up

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Ep 79 Top Tips for Nausea & Vomiting in Pregnancy Jul 09, 2024

Show notes

"Morning sickness" is a misnomer - nausea and vomiting in pregnancy can occur any time of day and night and leave you feeling miserable.

In this episode, Dr. Lora Shahine covers the causes of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. She's also sharing her expert tips for prevention and relief. It's everything you've wondered, and need to know, right in one place!

In this episode you'll hear:

[01:48] How common is nausea in pregnancy?

[02:36] Risk factors for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy

[03:49] Causes for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy

[07:26] Tips for prevention

[07:35] Treatment options & tips for relief

[17:55] When to worry or ask for help

Resources mentioned:

ACOG review of Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29266076

www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/morning-sickness-nausea-and-vomiting-of-pregnancy

Acupressure point for relief: www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/acupressure-nausea-and-vomiting

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Ep 78 The Hard Choice of Choosing to Live Child-Free Jul 02, 2024

Show notes

Infertility is a deeply personal, often heart-wrenching experience. Suddenly, pregnancy and family building are completely out of your control. Fertility challenges can wreak havoc on your body, your mind, and your relationships.

In this episode of Baby or Bust, Dr. Lora Shahine talks openly with Carrie Hauskens, founder of Blooming with Care. Carrie is sharing her eight-year struggle with fertility — a journey that ultimately ended with the decision to live child-free.

Carrie talks about what she went through, why she and her husband decided to stop fertility treatment, and the ways they both dealt (and are still dealing) with their grief. Carrie found support in the infertility community, which is why she started sharing her own story.

Fertility treatment can be a roller coaster, and if the time comes when you need to say "enough" and step off, Carrie's story may help you make peace with that decision.

In this episode you'll hear:

[4:00] Carrie Hausken's personal story:

trying without assistance
IVF & stillbirth
Surrogacy
Considering adoption
Becoming child-free

[7:43] Honoring the grief

[9:58] Deciding to be child-free

[15:42] What does "stopping" really mean?

[17:27] The impact of trying, and stopping, on their relationship

[25:04] Being changed by Infertility

[31:49] Life for Carrie, now, child-free

[39:06] Connecting with Carrie Hauskens

Resources mentioned:

www.bloomingwithcare.com

IG - @bloomingwithcare

TikTok - @bloomingwithcare

Stay Up to Date in Fertility News and Events: Weekly Newsletter

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Ep 77 Pride in LGBTQI+ Family Building with Drs. Stephanie Rothenberg and Darcy Broughton Jun 25, 2024

Show notes

June 2024 is the 50th anniversary of Pride in Seattle. In honor and celebration of LGBTQ+ family building, Dr. Shahine welcomes colleagues Dr. Stephanie Rothenberg and Dr. Darcy Broughton to talk about the Center for LGBTQ+ Family Building at Pacific NW Fertility.

Although the fertility community hasn't always been inclusive and open to all family building options, Pacific NW Fertility (PNWF) has been proudly serving the Queer community since the organization opened its doors in 2005. In 2020, Drs. Rothenberg and Broughton co-founded the Center for LGBTQ+ Family Building at PNWF and they share what makes the Center unique.

'It's more than a website; it's creating a safe place for all family building journeys with inclusive language, trained team members, and feedback from our patients.'

In this episode you'll hear:

[1:00] LBGTQ+ Pride in Seattle, WA & at PNWF

[3:00] Meet Dr. Darcy Broughton

[4:20] Meet Dr. Stephanie Rothenberg

[6:15] The LGBTQ Center for Family Building at PNWF

[9:59] Learning to care for LGBTQ patients from a fertility standpoint

[12:14] Benefits of having a dedicated center for LGBTQ Family Builiding

[19:22] 50 years of Pride in Seattle

[21:42] What to look for in a clinic

Resources mentioned:

PNWF Center for LGBTQ+ Fertility: pnwfertility.com/center-for-lgbtq-fertility

Stay Up to Date in Fertility News and Events: Weekly Newsletter

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Ep 76 Anxiety Solutions with Somatic Trauma Professional Parijat Deshpande Jun 18, 2024

Show notes

If you've struggled to get pregnant, grappled through multiple IVF cycles, experienced a loss, or delivered early, you know first hand that pregnancy is NOT always blissful. Unfortunately for some, the process of building a family can border on traumatic.

If this is the case for you or someone you know, the information and insights from Parijat Deshpande could shed some light on how to work through the anxiety that lives alongside infertility and high-risk pregnancy.

Parijat is founder of Ruvelle, bestselling author, speaker, and high-risk pregnancy consultant. In this episode of Baby or Bust, Dr. Lora Shahine dives deep with Parijat into anxiety before and during a high-risk pregnancy and learning how to calm your nervous system so you can move through the trauma that causes your anxiety.

In this episode you'll hear:

[3:30] Meet Parijat Deshpande - she's been through it all

[8:15] An evolutionary benefit of anxiety in pregnancy

[10:41] Calming your nervous system when you're anxious

Learning to acknowledge your feelings
Recognizing what's going on in your body

[15:19] Tips for "completing the threat cycle" (calming down)

[21:33] Dr. Shahine answers a question from a YouTube listener about the HSG procedure

[25:00] Learning more about somatic trauma work

[30:04] Using somatic therapy to improve pregnancy outcomes

[32:50] Parijat's business Ruvelle - support for high-risk pregnancy

[35:56] Leaning into hope and ways to connect with Parijat

Resources mentioned:

ruvelle.com

IG - @healthy.highriskpregnancy

Pregnancy Brain by Parijat Deshpande

Delivering Miracles Podcast

What Women Need to Know About Pregnancy Anxiety episode on Delivering Miracles Podcast

Dr. Lora Shahine on Delivering Miracles Podcast | Episode 54

Dr. Lora Shahine on Delivering Miracles Podcast | Episode 69

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Ep 75 Father's Day with Infertility: Challenges & Coping Skills with Dr. Erica Bove Jun 11, 2024

Show notes

It's not just the big traditional holidays that can be triggering when you're struggling with fertility. It's the softer, sneak-up-on you days too, Father's Day being one of those.

So often the female partner is the focus of the fertility journey, but the male partner is on the ride too. It can be harder for men to express their feelings and take space for what they need when they are wearing the care-taker/problem-solver hat in the relationship.

So let's make a little space for the "other" partner today. Dr. Lora Shahine opens up the conversation with her guest Dr. Erica Bove who is an OBGYN, Reproductive Endocrinologist and Fertility Coach.

Dr. Bove wears her doctor coat and coaching badge simultaneously, which allows her to care for the patient but also help couples navigate the impact infertility can have on their relationship.

With Father's Day coming up in just a few days, you will walk away from this episode with tips on how to support the partner who isn't getting the treatments but is still emotionally invested in the process. Or you can pass this episode along to that partner, providing self-care tips for a hard day.

In this episode you'll hear:

[2:35] Meet Dr. Erica Bove–OBGYN, Reproductive Endocrinologist, & Fertility Coach

[9:20] Complicated feelings about Father's Day

[10:51] How the fertility journey impacts men

[14:16] The emotions that show up during infertility

[19:19] Focusing on the relationship in the midst of it all

Going back to the beginning
Zooming out on the big picture
Finding shared value

[32:42] Tips to support a loved one or to protect yourself on a hard day

Resources mentioned:

Love and Science Fertility Coaching w/ Dr. Erica Bove www.loveandsciencefertility.com

Love and Science Fertility Podcast: Mother's Day Episode

Baby or Bust: The Real Cost of Fertility Episode

Stay Up to Date in Fertility News and Events: Weekly Newsletter

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Ep 74 Fighting to Protect IVF with Barbara Collura, Head of RESOLVE, Part 2 Jun 04, 2024

Show notes

Who should have the power to decide on your future fertility options? What becomes of frozen gametes and embryos in this new, post-Roe political climate? And if you are ready to get involved, how do you actually advocate for reproductive rights?

This is part 2 of Dr. Lora Shahine's discussion with Barbara Collura, President and CEO of RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association. In this part of the discussion, Dr. Shahine and Barbara talk about the threats to IVF, access to fertility care, and effective ways to advocate for reproductive rights.

You'll finish this episode more informed and ready to take action with one, two, or all three of the action steps Barbara provides.

In this episode you'll hear:

[1:15] Review of part one & overview of part two

[2:30] RESOLVE's purpose and mission

[3:54] The history of a threat to IVF

[7:25] Access to fertility care

[12:06] Advocacy for reproductive rights: Spotlighting Alabama

[17:21] Reproductive rights

[23:59] Next steps to make a difference; including federal protection for IVF

[28:11] Three actionable steps

Resources mentioned:

resolve.org