Brave & Curious with Dr Lora Shahine

Latest Episodes:

Ep 73 Fighting to Protect IVF with Barbara Collura, Head of RESOLVE, Part 1 May 28, 2024

Show notes

What does advocating for reproductive rights have to do with IVF? Surely people who want to have a baby wouldn't have to fight for that right in a post-Roe world?

Well, as it turns out, the reality is that the science behind IVF doesn't always mesh with the idea that life begins at conception.

This week, Dr. Lora Shahine welcomes Barb Collura, President and CEO of RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association dedicated to advocating for fertility treatments and ensuring that building a family is attainable for all.

In this episode, Barb shares her fertility journey, details the issues IVF and other reproductive rights are facing, and explains why fighting to protect IVF is necessary.

Many in the reproductive space saw the writing on the wall long ago. Here, Barb and Dr. Shahine break down how the overturning of Roe vs. Wade has threatened the process of IVF. They also discuss how Personhood Bills in various states end up impacting IVF — intentionally or unintentionally.

There is much more to the conversation between Barb Collura and Dr. Shahine, so make sure to come back for part two on the next episode of Baby or Bust!

In this episode you'll hear:

[1:06] Is IVF under threat?

[2:44] Meet Barb Collura, President and CEO of RESOLVE

[10:12] Learn about RESOLVE

[14:12] What does reproductive rights (and Roe vs. Wade) have to do with IVF?

[16:40] Personhood bills in different states

[22:06] A voice for infertility among the politics

[27:47] Stay tuned for more from Barb Collura

Resources mentioned:

resolve.org

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

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Ep 72 Infertility Changes You ... with Jesse and Doug from Infertility Feelings Podcast May 21, 2024

Show notes

Infertility changes a person, physically, mentally, and emotionally — it affects our identity, our relationships, our hopes and expectations for the future. How we manage these changes will be different for each person.

In this unique and personal episode, Dr. Lora Shahine is a guest on the Infertility Feelings podcast with hosts Doug and Jesse. Listeners will hear her share her own fertility journey and all the emotions she experienced being simultaneously doctor and patient.

Jesse and Doug also explain their process groups — safe spaces where members can talk about the issues and feelings that come with infertility. A great tool for managing the emotional toll that infertility takes, this form of group therapy could help members come out the other side understanding what their bodies and minds have gone through.

In this episode you'll hear:

[:46] Meet the hosts of the Infertility Feelings Podcast

[2:35] Dr. Lora Shahine shares her fertility journey through 2 pregnancies

[7:04] Being a Fertility Doctor and Fertility patient at the same time

[10:28] The impact of fertility on other parts of your life

[13:51] Acceptance of a new reality

[16:24] Infertility as a first "real" struggle

[18:47] How infertility changes you

[23:27] The changes your body goes through during infertility

[28:24] Dealing with feelings of failure

[30:19] Doug & Jesse's Process Groups

[36:06] Balancing patient's dreams with best course of action

Resources mentioned:

Uniquely Knitted www.uniquelyknitted.org

Process Groups: www.uniquelyknitted.org/programs/process-groups

Infertility Feelings Podcast: www.uniquelyknitted.org/podcast/infertility-feelings-podcast

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

Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books

Ep 71 The Real Price of Fertility Treatment: Financial Planning with Angela Rastegar From Sunfish May 14, 2024

Show notes

The cost of fertility treatments can be a huge stress on anyone navigating assisted reproduction. Unfortunately, those who are already dealing with the physical and emotional challenges of infertility may also be burdened with the financial challenge of fertility treatments. And it's important that those facing IVF, IUI, egg retrieval, surrogacy or any of the many, often costly procedures have the resources they need.

Fortunately, there is help: Angela Rastegar is the cofounder and CEO of Sunfish, a financial solutions company for family building of all kinds. and she has helped individuals and couples plan for the cost of fertility, make it affordable and accessible.

In this episode, Dr. Lora Shahine and Angela share their own experiences and highlight the need for affordable solutions so those exploring fertility options can build the families they dream of.

In this episode you'll hear:

[:59] Meet Angela Rastegar - founder and CEO of Sunfish

[3:48] Infertility is a disease; why is there such a gap between access and need?

[6:09] How much does IVF, donor egg, surrogacy, adoption really cost?

[10:34] What does Sunfish do?

[18:08] The IVF Success Program (Money Back) offered by Sunfish

[22:30] Financial Planning for building your family

[31:18] Closing

Resources mentioned:

www.joinsunfish.com

Follow Sunfish on IG @joinsunfish

Sunfish on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/joinsunfish

Sunfish on Twitter twitter.com/joinsunfish

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

Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books

Ep 70 Mother's Day with Infertility and Miscarriage: Tips for Coping, Surviving and Thriving May 07, 2024

Show notes

Mother's Day is not a celebration for everyone. When struggling with infertility and miscarriage - this particular holiday can be full of many mixed emotions. In this special episode of the Baby or Bust Fertility Podcast, Dr. Shahine shares many personal reflections on how tough Mother's Day can be for the fertility community and leaves you with tips on how to cope.

Finish this episode with ideas and inspiration to care for yourself this Mother's Day weekend.

In this episode you'll hear:

[:54 ] Mother's Day is full of mixed emotions

[3:11] This episode is dedicated to those that are struggling with fertility

[3:51] Tip #1 - Recognize and feel the emotions

[6:51] Tip #2 - Just say no

[9:50] Tip #3 - Ask for help

[12:25] Tip #4 - Indulge

[14:01] Tip #5 - Make plans

[15:51] Let's Recap

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

Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books

Ep 69 Marijuana and Reproductive Health: What You Need to Know Apr 29, 2024

Show notes

Did you know that 1 in 5 Americans have tried marijuana at least once in their life? It is the most commonly used recreational drug in the U.S. but many do not realize how it impacts fertility, success with IVF, miscarriage risk, and pregnancy health.

It's easy to assume that something that is legal medically and sometimes recreationally in many states could be harmful to your health, especially your reproductive health.

If you've been curious about marijuana use and fertility - this episode is a valuable resource full of studies on cannabis use on female and male fertility, time to pregnancy, menstrual cycles, IVF outcomes, and pregnancy risks.

In this episode you'll hear:

[0:59] Marijuana use in the U.S - both recreational & medical

[2:19] Facts about cannabis - THC and CBD

Risks to general health
Risks to reproductive health

[4:17] Let's review the evidence: Male fertility & marijuana

[9:13] Let's review the evidence: Female fertility & marijuana

[13:03] Recap and suggestions for next steps

Resources mentioned:

Association Between Use of Marijuana and Male Reproductive Hormones and Semen Quality: A Study Among 1,215 Healthy Young Men pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov26283092

Modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for poor sperm morphology (regular marijuana use associated with poor sperm morphology) pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24899128

Effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary psychoactive cannabinoid in marijuana, on human sperm function in vitro. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16500334

Human sperm express cannabinoid receptor Cb1, the activation of which inhibits motility, acrosome reaction, and mitochondrial function hpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15562018

A prospective study of the effects of female and male marijuana use on in vitro fertilization (IVF) and gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) outcomes pubmed-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.ucsf.idm.oclc.org/16458631

Male Preconception Marijuana Use and Spontaneous Abortion: A Prospective Cohort Study pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33165011

Impact of Tobacco and Marijuana on Infertility and Early Reproductive Wastage pubmed-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.ucsf.idm.oclc.org/35125388

Cannabis use while trying to conceive: a prospective cohort study evaluating associations with fecundability, live birth and pregnancy loss pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33421071

Marijuana smoking and outcomes of infertility treatment with assisted reproductive technologies pubmed-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.ucsf.idm.oclc.org/31505640

Cannabis use during pregnancy and postpartum pubmed-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.ucsf.idm.oclc.org/32060189

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

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Ep 68 Are your candles toxic for your fertility? Learn from Tristan Weholt from RoxHill Candle Company Apr 22, 2024

Show notes

Candles can be romantic, even sexy. But ironically, some can make it harder for you to get pregnant. Many common candles can have an impact on fertility, so if you're trying to build your family, you may want to reconsider how you set the mood.

Candles and scents may impact fertility, but never fear: information is power. On this episode of Baby or Bust, you will learn what you need to know about fertility and candles.

In this episode, Dr. Lora Shahine is chatting with Tristan Weholt, founder of Rox Hill Candle Co. Tristan is here to share her insight on parabens, paraffin wax, and the harmful chemicals that are present in some candles.

Dr. Shahine and Tristan also discuss the differences between store-bought, mass-produced candles and those that are purchased through smaller companies – like knowing what ingredients are in the products you purchase.

Protecting reproductive rights is more important now than ever. For National Infertility Awareness Week, here's how you can help:

This pineapple candle (citrus scent) was created in honor of infertility and reproductive rights.

Proceeds for candles purchased this week (April 21-27, 2024) will be donated to three non-profit organizations working hard to educate, advocate, and protect reproductive rights:

ASRM (The American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
Resolve
Doctors for Fertility

In this episode you'll hear:

[1:40] Meet Tristan Weholt, founder of Rox Hill Candle Co.

[5:11] What you need to know about the wax that goes into candles

[8:57] The importance of the wick for candles

[10:47] Considering the scent of your candle choices

[14:02] How to know if a candle is safe

[17:30] A candle for fertility

Resources mentioned:

www.roxhillcandleco.com

The Pineapple Candle: roxhillcandleco.com/products/roxhill-candle-co-x-dr-lora-shahine

Rox Hill Candle Co on IG: @roxhillcandleco

Fragrance & Oils from makesy.com

National Library of Medicine - Phthalates and Their Impacts on Human Health

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

Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books

Ep 67 Third Party Fertility Misconceptions with Center for Family Building Founder, Lisa Schuman, LCSW Apr 15, 2024

Show notes

For many struggling with infertility, building a family may take more than two people. Egg donation, sperm donation, surrogacy or using a gestational carrier can be a beautiful way to build a family, but the process can be full of many questions and misconceptions along the way.

Why do egg and sperm donors donate? Can third-party donors really be anonymous in this age of in-home genetic testing? Should parents be open with their children about their biological origins? If so, when is the right time to share or disclose this? Finally, is it possible a parent won't bond with their baby if there's no biological connection between them?

In Part Two of their discussion on the myths and misconceptions around fertility, Dr Shahine and licensed therapist Lisa Schuman tackle questions about third-party family building.

Lisa Schuman is an award-winning researcher, therapist, author, and expert in donor conception, surrogacy and fertility treatment. Her organization, The Center for Family Building, is dedicated to helping people have an easier journey to becoming parents.

In this episode you'll hear:

[0:00] What is "third-party reproduction"?

Why do egg and sperm donors donate?
The healing power of donation, a patient story
Lisa discusses the growing trend of knowing gamete donors

[6:24] Do you disclose to your children that they are the result of donation?

Is anonymity even possible any more?
Should you disclose to your child? Why and when?
Practice the conversation to make it easier for parent and child
Why it's a good and powerful thing to "own your story"

[13:50] Bonding with your child

Dealing with the continuing stigma of infertility
Understanding parents' concerns over bonding with donor-conceived children
Where does that bond truly come from?
Developing trust between parents and children

[20:29] Myths around third party family building

The role of genetics
How family bonds happen

Resources mentioned:

Center for Family Building

familybuilding.net/author/lisa-schuman-lcsw

Subscribe to Lisa's podcast, "Building Your Family": spotify.com/show/1iPTI62w2fANnkOLaSjsCe

Pacific Northwest Fertility Center Egg Donation Program: httpnwfertility.com/donor-egg-program/

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

Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books

Ep 66 Are At-Home Inseminations Right for You?: Learn with Maureen Brown Founder of Mosie Baby Apr 08, 2024

Show notes

Trying is supposed to be the fun part, right? Ask anyone struggling with infertility and they may share that intimacy can start to feel like a job after a while. Many fertility patients have found that at-home inseminations can be an option for trying to conceive at home.

At-home inseminations are not the same as intrauterine inseminations in a fertility clinic and cannot substitute for consults, testing, and guidance from a reproductive endocrinologist. However, they can be an option to consider as a first-line treatment, for those who have difficulty with intimacy, and for some people using frozen donor sperm from a sperm bank.

On this episode of Baby or Bust, Dr. Lora Shahine is talking all about at-home inseminations with Mauren Brown, founder of Mosie Baby. The Mosie Baby Kit for At-Home Insemination is the first FDA-cleared insemination syringe kit, and it has helped over 100,000 people access a fertility option that can take place in the comfort of their own home.

Dr. Shahine and Maureen discuss the inspiration of Mosie Baby, how the syringe is designed, who might benefit from this option, and the future of at-home insemination.

This episode of Baby or Bust Fertility Podcast was not sponsored by Mosie Baby.

You can learn more at the Mosie Baby website and by watching Dr. Shahine's YouTube video on at-home inseminations.

In this episode you'll hear:

[1:02] Meet Maureen Brown – founder of Mosie Baby

The inspiration for Mosie Baby
Frank, Maureen's son is the first Mosie Baby

[5:42] Mosie Baby vs. IUI in the clinic

[8:03] The Mosie Baby design

[10:20] FDA clearance of Mosie Baby

[15:10] Is Mosie Baby right for you?

[19:27] When is a good time to try Mosie Baby?

[22:51] A few basics about conceiving

[25:49] The future of at-home insemination

[27:07] Other groups that could benefit from Mosie Baby

[29:08] Closing

Resources mentioned:

Mosie Baby: At Home Insemination Kit by Mosie Baby FSA/HSA approved

Dr. Shahine's YouTube Video on at-home inseminations: youtu.be/vQF1EL7u96I?si=LCnCiSg-4b7kDgXw

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

Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books

Ep 65 Busting Fertility Myths with Lisa Schuman, LCSW Apr 01, 2024

Show notes

There are many fertility misconceptions, but when you're trying to conceive, it is tough to tell the truth from the myths.

What really will help you get pregnant?

Stay pregnant?

And have a healthy baby?

Your friends can be convinced that certain positions helped them. Instagram can make you feel you are to blame for your miscarriage.

In this episode, first shared on Lisa Schuman's podcast, Building Your Family, Dr. Lora Shahine and host Lisa debunk some common fertility myths.

You'll finish this valuable episode knowing not only more about 5 common fertility assumptions but the why and rationale about why people can get so confused.

Host Lisa Schuman is an award-winning researcher, therapist, author, and expert in donor conception, surrogacy and fertility treatment. Her organization, The Center for Family Building, is dedicated to helping people have an easier journey to becoming parents.

In this episode you'll hear:

[0:00] Meet Lisa, founder of The Center for Family Building and host of Building Your Family

[3:25] Myth #1 - Positions matter for getting pregnant and determining the baby's sex

[8:40] Myth #2 - Myths around miscarriage, including the biggie: "It's the pregnant person's fault."

[12:12-15:35] Myth #4 Stress and Infertility

[16:36] Myth #4 - The body is "just an oven," and if it's not your egg, even though you're carrying it, you have no influence on the baby.

[16:36- 21:21] Myth #5 "Women Using Donor Egg Aren't Really Mothers" [22:04] Dr. Shahine reflects on how humbling infertility can be and why she loves educating on the topic

Resources mentioned:

familybuilding.net/author/lisa-schuman-lcsw

Subscribe to Lisa's podcast, "Building Your Family": spotify.com/show/1iPTI62w2fANnkOLaSjsCe

Pacific Northwest Fertility Center: pnwfertility.com

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

Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books

Ep 64 Understanding Endometriosis Signs and Symptoms Mar 25, 2024

Show notes

Endometriosis is a common yet often misdiagnosed chronic inflammatory disease associated with pain and infertility..

Never heard of endometriosis? You're not alone. Despite it being a painful condition, it can take, on average 7 - 8 years to get a correct diagnosis.

March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, and given the often debilitating pain this condition can cause — and how hard it can be for people in pain to be HEARD by medical professionals — we think it's really important for everyone to be aware of it.

If you know someone who experiences excessive pain during their period, please share this episode. And if that person is you, please continue to advocate for yourself and your health care — find a doctor who will listen and conduct the necessary tests.

In this episode you'll hear:

[0:00] What is endometriosis, and how common is it?

[3:38] What are the symptoms, and how is it diagnosed?

[7:23] What is the connection between hormonal contraception and endometriosis?

[10:02] Signals that endometriosis may be present

[14:46] The importance of advocating for yourself

Resources mentioned:

American Society of Reproductive Medicine:

www.asrm.org/news-and-events/asrm-news/latest-news/resource-roundup-endometriosis

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists:

www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/endometriosis

National Institutes of Health: