The Egg Whisperer Show

There is truly no greater gift than giving someone the gift of love and life. When I read this question recently, on Ask The Egg Whisperer, my heart skipped a beat. Oleha wrote in to ask about how she could be a great gestational carrier for her sister. Here’s what she wrote:  “How can I make sure I am a great surrogate carrier for my 33 y/o sister and her husband?  I am a 36-year-old mother of two (both uncomplicated pregnancies, but both required cesarean deliveries).  I have been offering to be a gestational carrier for my sister since she survived a terrible car accident as a teenager.  This summer I again offered to be a gestational carrier for her and her husband and they accepted!  We have completed our psych evaluations and will soon begin the medical bit (sperm and egg collection, embryo creation, and PGA testing). We are hoping to transfer one lucky embryo February or March.  What should I be doing now to help ensure a smooth transfer and a viable pregnancy?  Thank you!”   Here’s what I shared on this episode:  Oleha, your sister is so lucky to have you as a huge support person for her. What you're doing (for those of you who don't know) is called compassionate surrogacy. That’s when you work with a family member to help you grow your family. You're literally giving your sister the gift of life. So I can't imagine anything more rewarding that you can give your sister.    To answer your question, as far as what things you can do to give yourself the highest chance of a successful transfer, I would say number one:  Look at your lifestyle and make sure you're as healthy as possible. I'm sure you're already doing this but start your prenatals now.   I imagine your doctor already did a preconception panel, looking at things like vitamin D for example, your thyroid, and that they've probably looked to make sure that all your levels are optimized. Be sure you’re getting plenty of sleep.  If you want to be really picky, you can look at the environmental toxins in your life and see what you can do to reduce  exposure.   Make sure that your doctor also has on their checklist: doing a saline infusion sonogram. And then at the end of the day, when you know you’ve done all that you can, you’ve just got to say “let it go.”    It’s also a great time to find a therapist who can support you, as you support your sister and her husband. At the end of the day, you're dealing with your sister's biology and DNA. And we know that when we're using someone else's DNA, things may not necessarily work out the first time. And that's just part of being human. I imagine that you and your sister already have a super tight bond and if an embryo didn't implant, you guys will get through it just like you've gotten through everything else in your life together. I would recommend having a heart to heart with her about how you're going to handle bad news so that it doesn't affect your strong bond. that I think does having that heart to heart with her about how you're going to handle different results and how that's going to make you feel and to make sure that it's not going to affect your relationship.   There are also some other things that I recommend for anyone embarking on the compassionate surrogacy path, and I share the rest of those thoughts on the podcast episode, today. You can find the link in my profile. Be sure and look for episode #301 with the title “How can I be a great surrogate for my sister?”   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  

There’s so much to learn from each other, and I love that Melissa shared this question with us recently on an episode of Ask The Egg Whisperer. “I got pregnant pretty fast 3 times between 2018-2019 and they all miscarried at 5 weeks. I found out I had 2 fibroids 1.6 centimeters in my uterine cavity, and got them removed. I’m 35 and I haven’t been able to get pregnant since my surgery. Were the fibroids the real reason for my loss? Why can't I get pregnant as fast as before?” Thank you for bringing this up, Melissa. This is why I created the TUSHY Method, to give people a way to remember the five things to look into when they are having difficulty trying to conceive. This is what I’d suggest in figuring out your fertility diagnosis. U: Uterus: Based on your fibroids, we will then have an idea of what is going on with your uterus. Consider a saline infusion sonogram to look for scar tissue in the cavity. T: Fallopian Tubes: What else is happening? It’s important to consider your fallopian tubes and whether scar tissue is present. S: Sperm: Do a test (like meetfellow.com) to check how fast they're swimming. H: Hormones: Get your FSH, and Estradiol on cycle day three, along with your AMH level. This gives us an idea as to what's going on with your eggs. Y: Is Your genetic profile. Talk to your doc about the genetic tests they offer. In my answer (Melissa’s is the first question I answer in the episode), I also walk through the ANGEL Workup, which are the steps I recommend for anyone who has had a miscarriage. I hope this information helps Melissa get to the family that she deserves. If you want to tune in to the whole episode of “Ask the Egg Whisperer” you can find the link in my profile. You’ll be looking for episode 300, and the title is “Can fibroids cause pregnancy loss?” 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  

Recently, Dr. Blake Evans and his colleagues released a paper entitled "COVID-19 vaccine and infertility: baseless claims and unfounded social media panic." The paper discusses some of the rumors that have been hitting social media about false claims that the COVID vaccine is unsafe for women.  The vaccine is safe in pregnancy. It does not cause infertility, and it does not cause miscarriages - both things are rumors that have been circulating.   I'm excited that I got to speak with Dr. Blake Evans last week, and I'm airing our conversation today on the podcast (it's also up on YouTube and on IGTV). In it, Dr. Evans shares the most accurate information about the COVID 19 vaccine and fertility, pregnancy and breastfeeding. The paper was published in "Sterility and Fertility" and is backed by ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine). Here is a direct quote from the paper: COVID-19 vaccine truths for patients desiring conception or who are pregnant include: • Available data indicate that COVID-19 vaccines do not cause infertility in women or men. • In the randomized blinded Pfizer-BioNTech trial, a similar number of women conceived after receiving the vaccine as those who received the placebo. • The coronavirus’s spike protein and syncytin-1 (protein that mediates placental cell fusion) share small stretches of the same genetic code but are otherwise completely different in structure. The vaccine does not induce an immune reaction against the syncytin-1 placental protein. • mRNA vaccines are taken up rapidly by muscle cells at the injection site and the mRNA is degraded in the cell once the protein is made so it does not cross the placenta. • COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for women who are contemplating pregnancy or who are pregnant in order to minimize risks to themselves and their pregnancy. These findings offer reassuring information based on what they have found to be true about the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. Of course, You should always speak to your own doctor about getting the vaccine if you have any concerns or questions and make a decision based on what is right for you.   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.

If you’re hoping to get pregnant at some point, a question on your mind may be, “how old is too old to have a baby?” It’s a question I get all of the time, and so I want to shed some light on factors to consider when it comes to age and your fertility. One of the things you’ll want to look at is your Chronological Age versus your Biological Age. One will tell you the age of your eggs based on how long you’ve been on the planet (chronological), and one will give a sense of the age of your eggs based on your age, genetics, and environmental factors (biological). Some women’s eggs age faster or slower than others, and you can determine that by getting your hormones checked (the “H” of the TUSHY method). Visit TUSHYMethod.com for more information. In this episode, I am also sharing what I like to call my Egg Whisperer pearls of wisdom, which are six things you should be aware of about your fertility and how they change over time. 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, the first question is from Elena. She shares, “I had an endometriosis removing surgery in June of 2019, and I didn't get pregnant. Then we started IVF. With a long protocol and I got 12 eggs, but only two of them made it to a blastocyst. I was overstimulated and we scheduled the transfer for December 1st. I also had elevated natural killer cells which were treated with cortisone. Now I got a negative pregnancy test. What would you do next? How can I help to improve my egg quality?” Here are my thoughts for Elena. Endometriosis can decrease egg quality,the number of mature eggs in an IVF cycle, reduce implantation potential and cause tubal issues. I would have you take supplements like: coq10 and N-Acetyl Cysteine.  Since you had 12 eggs and two of them made it to blast, there's hope! Hope means to “Have Only Practical and Positive Expectations.” This means being realistic, while keeping hope in your heart.  To hear the whole answer that I give to Elena’s question, tune in to today’s podcast episode. You’ll find Elena’s question at the very beginning. 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 this episode of Ask the Egg Whisperer, I take a question from Jamie. She writes,  "Hi Dr. Aimee! I just turned 40 in October and had a miscarriage in November.  I am starting IVF to get pregnant again more quickly due to my age and the length of time it usually takes me to get pregnant.  Is it worth focusing on completing more than 1 cycle (say up to 3) if I only get 1 normal embryo from my first cycle? And then, focus on transfers with what I have? I am worried about transfers taking time due to failed transfers and/or miscarriage and losing more ovarian reserve due to time lost. I am awaiting the results of my AMH test. I am optimistic since I was just pregnant, however I know that age 40 is the beginning of a steep decline in fertility and every month counts.” And here’s what I would focus on, for Jamie and others in similar situations: What is your diagnosis? This is the first part of the Egg Whisperer DIET.  Be sure and work through the TUSHY Method and speak to your doctor about completing those tests if you don't have a diagnosis. (The full explanation is at TUSHYMethod.com) The I of the diet is IVF and after your embryos are created you want to make sure you understand all the parts of embryo DIAMONDS.  The other thing is preparing for your embryo transfer (This is the E of the egg whisperer diEt). This is what I refer to as endometrial testing or embryo transfer preparation.   Sit down with your doctor and ask, “what is the likelihood that the embryo is going to implant? Should I try to do bank more?” I do think that it does make sense to consider more than one cycle before you complete the DIET. T = Transfer!  If you’d like to hear the full answer to Jamie’s question, tune in to today’s Egg Whisperer Show podcast. The answer is the first one you’ll hear.  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 one of the 20 Ask the Egg Whisperer questions I’m answering comes from Helen, who asks if she should move on to donor eggs after having one failed IVF. She is 45. My short answer for Helen focuses on two things: The likelihood of being able to find a good egg at 45 is maybe 2% to 3%. A 45 yo may still have a healthy egg left. It is possible but chances are low. When I have a patient in a similar spot to Helen, I share this: If you're going to live the rest of your life wondering what might happen if you didn’t do just one more cycle, you should give it a try. However, if you're ready to move towards something that's going to give you a much higher chance of pregnancy, my suggestion is to move on to donor 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  

You all know that I talk about gathering a fertility TEAM when you are a fertility patient. TEAM stands for  T: Therapist E: Eating and Exercise A: Acupuncture M: Mindfulness and meditation I’m speaking with two Egg Whisperers visiting with us from Seattle, Washington, Stephanie Gianarelli and Dr. Lora Shahine. They are experts in all aspects of fertility.  I invited them on to discuss the A of TEAM = ACUPUNCTURE. Stephanie is a fertility acupuncturist in downtown Seattle. Dr. Lora Shahine is a reproductive endocrinologist specializing in infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss at Pacific NW Fertility and IVF Specialists in Seattle. Together, they have written a book called Planting the Seeds of Pregnancy.  We are talking about the role that Chinese Medicine plays in fertility treatment, and they will share the benefits of acupuncture during treatment, as well. 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 started throwing Egg Freezing parties as a fun way for people to learn about fertility. There is humor. There is honest talk. Mostly, I throw them because I want every person to be empowered with knowledge about their fertility. It’s really as simple. Egg Freezing parties are safe and surgery-free gatherings of women (and sometimes men) to learn more about the process of freezing your eggs (or sperm). Beyond that, we talk in general about fertility and how every woman (and man) can take a proactive role in preserving theirs. 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 Ask The Egg Whisperer podcast episode, Fernanda asks a question about endometriosis: “Can surgery help determine if I have endometriosis? We have been trying to conceive for over 5 years now. Everything seems to be fine with us both, the only thing left for us to do is for me to have surgery to check for endometriosis.  Is this something that you would recommend? Thank you so much!” I love Fernanda’s question. Yes! Patients with endometriosis may benefit from surgery. But first, go back and double check that she’s taken a look at everything I cover in a TUSHY check. She says she’s been trying for over five years, so here’s what I’d recommend before surgery: Check your tubes and do an ultrasound of the uterus and find out your follicle count.  Make sure that there's no anatomic abnormalities: polyps, fibroids, or septum. Look at the sperm quality again, maybe do a sperm DNA fragmentation test.  Look at all your preconception labs, including hormones, not just the FSH, estradiol, and  AMH, but also  thyroid vitamin D and prolactin.  Last but not least, make sure you've done enough genetic screening: chromosome analysis and carrier screens.. If you want to hear my full answer to Fernanda’s question, you can tune into episode 292 on the podcast, and go to the 10 minute mark. And, you’ll also hear my answer to 20 more questions, all sent in by listeners. 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