In this unfiltered podcast about infertility, journalist and mom-of-two Ali Prato, who went through secondary infertility and IVF herself, talks to women—and some men—about the messy, frustrating, painful, heartbreaking, absurd and sometimes humorous journey to have a baby. Or in some cases, to not have a baby. Each episode tells a different story about family building, getting real about miscarriages, egg freezing, sperm and egg donation, IUIs, endometriosis, male factor infertility, adopti ...
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Welcome to Building Your Family, the only expert-guided community platform designed for parents and parents-to-be using reproductive medicine to build their families. We provide unique strategies to help make your path to parenthood smoother and more informed—empowering you to navigate the critical decisions that shape your family’s future. At Building Your Family, we’ve already helped thousands of people navigate the complexities of family building and parenting with confidence. Our goal is ...
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Listen as Scott and Steve Demme discuss ways to build faith and family.
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Welcome to Road to Building a Family. If you only dig traditional families this is not the place for you. We're talking about foster care, adoption, co parenting, single moms by choice, and sperm aka baby daddy in a bottle. So hop on take the ride. Enjoy!
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Dr. Danielle Lane on Equity, Inclusion & Improving Fertility Outcomes
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40:44This week’s episode may feel like listening in on a heartwarming chat between two fertility professionals — because it is. But it’s also full of meaningful insight on how to navigate some of the most complex and personal parts of family building. My guest, Dr. Danielle Lane, is not only a brilliant fertility specialist — she’s also someone setting …
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Psalm 132:9. "Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Your saints shout for joy.”Kirjoittanut Steve Demme
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Emily Oster, Professor of Economics at Brown University and founder of ParentData.org on how we can teach the next gen about fertility, sex ed, and more
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27:11It's another Infertile AF expert minisode! On today's episode, Ali welcomes Emily Oster, a Professor of Economics at Brown University, a bestselling author, and the founder of ParentData.org. Emily has a talent for translating complex data into practical advice—an approach that has made her a trusted voice for millions of parents. Today, she and Al…
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Donor-Conceived Half Sisters Reunited by DNA
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51:52What happens when two donor-conceived women, raised in different families, discover they're genetic half-sisters? In this powerful episode, we sit down with two women whose paths crossed thanks to DNA — not childhood. Raised by single parents in separate homes, they reflect on the moment they connected, what it was like growing up with questions, a…
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Single Mom by Choice Kristin Duncan on sperm donation, IVF, egg donation, and never regretting having a baby on her own
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54:02On today's episode, Ali interviews Kristin Duncan, a single mom by choice, about the journey to having her 2 1/2 year old son, Blake. Kristin explains why she made the decision to have a kiddo on her own and talks us through the entire process, from having a "sperm donor choosing party" with her sisters to finding out she had stage two silent endom…
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Joe was a dear brother that I have known and loved for over 50 years.Kirjoittanut Steve Demme
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When Medicine Meets Empathy: Patient Autonomy in Fertility Care
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39:50This week on the podcast, we sit down with the brilliant Dr. Janelle Luk—fertility expert, Ivy League-trained physician, and co-founder of Generation Next Fertility. Though classically trained, Dr. Luk takes a deeply personalized approach to fertility care. She shares how she helps patients make deeply personal decisions—like using donor conception…
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Washing of Water with the Word, #2
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25:22"You are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.” (John 15:3)Kirjoittanut Steve Demme
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"Vanderpump Rules" and "The Valley" star Kristen Doute on miscarriage, IUI and pregnancy after loss
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45:22Today, Ali is talking to the "Vanderpump Rules" and "The Valley" GOAT: Kristen Doute. Kristen shares her entire family building story, starting with back in the day, when she and co-star Scheana Shay talked about freezing their eggs (although Kristen didn't do it then) to today, when she is happily engaged and expecting her first baby, a daughter, …
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Donor Conception Is Her World: Kate Davies on Family & Identity
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42:44Author Kate Davies, known for her novel Nuclear Family, joins us to share her personal and literary journey through donor conception. As a donor-conceived person who pursued donor conception with her wife, Kate reflects on the evolving meaning of family, identity, and connection. Her experiences offer a powerful perspective on the complexities and …
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John 15:3, “You are clean because of the Word that I have spoken to you.”Kirjoittanut Steve Demme
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Real Housewives star Roxy Earle and Dr. Arnold Mahesan on infertility, IVF and creating an app to help women conceive
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33:21Today, Ali is talking to Roxy Earle, an entrepreneur, influencer, and star of The Real Housewives of Toronto, alongside her husband, Dr. Arnold Mahesan, a respected fertility specialist. Roxy and Arnold share their family building journey, including how Roxy was told by a few doctors, before she met and fell in love with Arnold, that in order to ha…
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Choosing Donor Conception: Expert Insights & Personal Journey with Dr. Melnick
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37:49Thinking about choosing donor conception to build your family? Today’s episode is a must-watch! Dr. Melnick, Director of Third Party Reproduction at Cornell Fertility Center, shares expert insights on selecting a donor, making crucial fertility decisions, and balancing medical recommendations with personal values. But this isn’t just a clinical per…
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"For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14)Kirjoittanut Steve Demme
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Keren W. on recurrent pregnancy loss, low sperm count, IVF and the loss of her daughter at 17 weeks gestation
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55:43Today, Ali is talking to Fertility Rally member Keren, who is still in the thick of her years-long infertility journey. Keren talks about growing up with seven siblings in "evangelical spaces," how her parents opted her out of sex ed in school; and having one of her ovaries removed, due to a cyst, at the age of 16. She talks about having a chemical…
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Two Dads, One Dream: Jeff Levin’s Surrogacy & Egg Donation Journey
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45:21How do two dads navigate the journey to parenthood through surrogacy and egg donation? In this episode, I sit down with Jeff Levin, a therapist and proud dad, to hear the real story behind his path to fatherhood. From choosing an egg donor and surrogate to overcoming unexpected challenges, Jeff shares the highs, the hurdles, and the heartfelt momen…
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The Many Facets of the Blood of Jesus, #1
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29:16"The life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making atonement for your souls. It is the blood given in exchange for a life that makes purification possible.” (Leviticus 17:11)Kirjoittanut Steve Demme
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IVF Mom of Two and Start Asking Fertility Coach Nichelle Sublett, Part Two
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24:10Today, Ali is catching up with Mrs. North Carolina 2018 and IVF mom of two, Nichelle Sublett. Ali and Nichelle first spoke on Infertile AF back in 2019 -- and a lot has happened since then! At the time, Nichelle was 32 weeks pregnant with her first baby, son Hudson, who is now five. Nichelle had suffered five miscarriages and felt like her body was…
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Fertility & Stress: How Eastern Medicine Can Help with Dr. Susan Fox
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44:17Struggling with stress and fertility challenges? 🌱 Acupuncturist Dr. Susan Fox brings decades of experience blending Eastern and Western medicine to help you feel better. In this episode, she shares insights on managing stress, improving reproductive health, and finding balance on your fertility journey. 🔹 How Eastern medicine views fertility & wel…
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"He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him.” (Hebrews 7:25)Kirjoittanut Steve Demme
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Special Crossover Episode: Ali x Fertility Doctors Uncensored
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41:58It's a very special crossover episode! Today, Ali talks to the three brilliant and badass board certified reproductive endocrinologists from Fertility Doctors Uncensored, Dr. Carrie Bedient, Dr. Abby Eblen and Dr. Susan Hudson. Ali and the Doctors talk about separating fact from fiction, why community is so important in the infertility community, a…
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How Fertility Clinics Screen Egg Donors | Ethics & Process
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39:14Ever wondered what really happens when fertility clinics screen egg donors? Dr. Rudick, Director of Third Party Reproduction at Columbia University Fertility Center, shares the essential steps she takes to protect the emotional and physical well-being of both donors and recipients. With complex decisions and sometimes conflicting interests, she rev…
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Intended Parent Maggie and Surrogate Jessie on Family Building with ConceiveAbilities
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56:30On today's episode, Ali talks to Intended Parent, Maggie, and Surrogate, Jessie, about working with ConceiveAbilities, a leading egg donor and surrogacy agency. Maggie explains how she and her husband, Matt, started trying to conceive more than five years ago. She talks about seven rounds of Clomid, multiple miscarriages, and moving on to IVF. When…
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"You are the God Who sees. You are El Roi.”Kirjoittanut Steve Demme
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Sperm Health & Testing: What You Need to Know | Dr. Justine Witzke
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39:58Want to boost fertility? Sperm health plays a critical role, yet it’s often overlooked. In this episode of Building Your Family, we sit down with Dr. Justine Witzke, a Cornell-trained fertility expert and founder of Aligneage Fertility, to discuss sperm testing, preservation, and proactive fertility planning. Why should you test sperm? How can you …
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Extend Fertility's Dr. Joshua Klein on Fertilo, a Groundbreaking New Fertility Treatment
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24:16It's another expert minisode! Today, Ali is talking to award-winning doctor Dr. Joshua U. Klein, co-founder of Extend Fertility, about a groundbreaking new fertility treatment called Fertilo, by Gameto. Dr. Klein (who, as you may know, is also the doctor who helped Ali and Vince have Sonny via IVF), explains exactly what Fertilo is and how it works…
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Fertility and Cancer: What You Need to Know
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40:01Before starting cancer treatment, fertility preservation can give patients the chance to have a family in the future. While many know this is possible, few understand what happens inside fertility clinics, how to navigate the process, or what questions to ask. In this episode, I talk with a leading mental health professional—also a cancer survivor—…
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Fertility Rally member Mesha Hardesty on stage-4 endometriosis, OHSS and having her two daughters via IVF
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38:13Today, Ali is talking to her dear friend and Fertility Rally member, Mesha Hardesty. Mesha tells Ali about getting her period at the age of 10, a cyst that led her to go on birth control at age 12, and painful periods that would "drop me to the floor." She talks about trying to have a baby, going through infertility during the pandemic, and what ha…
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Jesus the Man of Sorrows
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24:57Jesus is a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Isaiah 53Kirjoittanut Steve Demme
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Keeping Love Alive: Sex & Intimacy in Family Building w/ Dr. Elizabeth Grill
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37:33Struggling to keep the spark alive while navigating family building? In this Valentine’s Day special, we sit down with Dr. Elizabeth Grill to talk about sex, intimacy, and recalibrating your expectations when life gets overwhelming. Whether you're trying to conceive, in fertility treatment, or just looking for ways to reconnect, this episode will g…
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Investigative Reporter Ginanne Brownell on IVF, Surrogacy and having her twins
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47:36Today, Ali is talking to Ginanne Brownell, author of "Elusive Mommyhood: An Investigative Reporter’s Personal Journey into IVF and Surrogacy." Comedian and surrogacy mom Tig Notaro says of the book,"A very important book for everyone, relevant to our times." On the pod, Ginanne tells Ali about freezing her eggs, a devastating miscarriage at seven w…
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"I am gentle and humble.” “I and the Father are one.”Kirjoittanut Steve Demme
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Fertility & Health: What Really Works with Dr. Camille Hammond
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36:28Are you overwhelmed by social media advice on fertility and health? Dr. Camille Hammond joins Building Your Family to break down the basics of nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle choices when trying to conceive. She exposes false claims, shares science-backed insights, and helps you focus on real, effective ways to support your fertility. If you’re …
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Infertile AF Minisode: Ask an RE Anything with Dr. Armando Hernandez-Rey of Conceptions Florida
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13:20It’s an Infertile AF Minisode! On today’s episode, Ali chats with Dr. Armando Hernandez-Rey of Conceptions Florida about all things infertility. Included: What's the number one question he gets asked by fertility patients? Is there a good season to freeze your eggs? What are the biggest advances in the fertility world? What changes are happening in…
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Fertility & Solo Parenting: Trisha Cornwell on Thriving as a Single Mom
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55:06In this heartfelt episode, Trisha Cornwell, also known as the Solo Mama, opens up about her journey into solo parenthood with one child. She shares her experiences navigating fertility treatments, the emotional and practical realities of raising a child on her own, and how she balances it all with grace. Whether you're considering solo parenthood o…
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"There is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself as a ransom for all people.” (1 Timothy 2:5)Kirjoittanut Steve Demme
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Blair Nelson, Ali's Fertility Rally co-founder, on TFMR and having her "mosaic miracle" baby
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42:39It's a very special episode! Ali's beloved PIBAC (Partner in Biz and Claw), Blair Nelson @fabivfmama, is back to share the third installment of her years-long infertility journey. Blair and Ali pick up where they left off during their last episode, in 2022, when Blair was pregnant with her son, Baron, but they had received devastating news that he …
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Understanding Fertility Ethics: Why ASRM’s Guidelines Matter with Dr. Elizabeth Ginsburg
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44:52In this episode, Dr. Elizabeth Ginsburg, Medical Director of the ART Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, professor at Harvard Medical School, and President of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), takes us behind the scenes of the ethical decision-making that shapes assisted reproductive technology (ART). Learn why it’s crucia…
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PherDal’s Jennifer Hintzsche on unexplained infertility and the device she invented that got her pregnant
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12:57It’s an Infertile AF Minisode! On today’s episode, Ali chats with Dr. Jennifer Hintzsche, Ph.D., a scientist and the founder of PherDal Fertility Science, Inc. Jenn shares her 16-month journey with unexplained infertility and how her frustration with the diagnosis led her to take matters into her own hands. Using her scientific expertise and her hu…
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‘You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it.” (Jeremiah 1:12)Kirjoittanut Steve Demme
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Alease the Embryologist: Egg Freezing, Fertility Treatment & Advocacy
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31:19In this episode of Building Your Family, Alease Daniel Barnes, aka Alease the Embryologist, shares her expertise as an embryologist and educator. Alease talks about her personal journey to freeze her eggs as a married woman and answers common questions she hears about the lab. Whether you’re going through fertility treatment or navigating your own …
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Astronaut and IVF Warrior Kellie Gerardi on Secondary Infertility and Her Next Trip to Space
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46:08Get ready for an amazing conversation with Kellie Gerardi, an astronaut, researcher, mom, and space industry sensation who made history when she flew as a payload specialist on the Galactic 05 research mission in 2023. "I had two dreams growing up: I was fascinated with space, and I always pictured myself having a family," Kellie says. Today, Ali a…
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God Wants to be Our Father
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26:51Kirjoittanut Steve Demme
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The First IVF Baby in the US: Elizabeth Carr's Story of Hope, Fertility, and Diminishing Shame
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37:58In this episode, we speak with Elizabeth Carr, the first IVF baby in the United States, whose story is not only fascinating but also filled with valuable lessons about hope, managing expectations, and diminishing the shame often associated with fertility struggles. As a trailblazer in the world of assisted reproduction, Elizabeth shares her persona…
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Kirjoittanut Steve Demme
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Infertile AF Minisode: Fertility Law Attorney Rachel Loftspring on surrogacy, donor conception and when it's key to have a fertility lawyer
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12:47Time for another Infertile AF minisode! Today, Ali is talking to Rachel Loftspring, a Fertility Law Attorney and Partner at The Family Law & Fertility Law Group. Rachel talks about Navigating the Legal Landscape of Collaborative Reproduction (including what intended parents need to know about surrogacy and egg, sperm, and embryo donation); how the …
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The best tips from our guests in 2024
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16:44
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16:44Sign up for our new membership community 👉 https://familybuilding.net/building-your-family-community/ 👈 It will educate and support you so you can achieve your family-building goals and more. It is the only community platform created by a family-building expert and designed to put you in the driver’s seat of your future family. In this episode, you…
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Kirjoittanut Steve Demme
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Transgender dad and LGBTQ+ Fertility Advocate Trystan Reese on being pregnant, going viral and more
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56:06Today, Ali is talking to Trystan Reese, a transgender gay dad who went viral when he gave birth to his son in 2017. Trystan, a major advocate for trans fertility, is now a dad of three. He tells Ali about the overwhelming odds to get pregnant, including hormonal challenges; finding the right medical team; and facing harsh criticism on social media.…
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An Actress's Inspiring Fertility Journey: Freezing Eggs, Embracing Hope
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38:27In this inspiring episode, we hear the story of a courageous actress, Kellee, Stewart, who took control of her fertility journey by freezing her eggs. Unmarried and full of hope for the future, she shares her empowering perspective on planning for possibilities, breaking societal norms, and embracing her own timeline. Her journey is a testament to …
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