Time To Talk Fertility

April 23 to 29 is National Infertility Awareness Week, a national week of action where the infertility community comes together to create a conversation about infertility and support those most in need. Today we are joined by Stephanie, a successful lawyer and lobbyist living in Chicago and a patient of Fertility Centers of Illinois. Her experience with infertility and treatment inspired her to be outspoken about navigating infertility and to lobby for IVF protection in Illinois. Today she is going to share her fertility journey and how she has advocated for access to family-building benefits, including helping pass two laws in Illinois.

We’re taught at a young age about how not to get pregnant, which is why many people are surprised to find out how difficult it can be when they are ready to grow their own family. It’s so important to understand fertility if you want to have kids someday, and getting fertility testing is a great first step towards understanding your own reproductive health. Dr. Allison Rodgers joined the Time to Talk Fertility Podcast to share some important (and sometimes surprising!) facts about fertility and fertility testing.

One in eight couples will have trouble conceiving or sustaining a pregnancy. While many are surprised by this, they certainly are not alone. The good news is there are now treatments available to help almost everyone conceive. Join Dr. Elie Hobeika as he discusses what you need to know about fertility and infertility.

Infertility affects approximately 1 in 8 couples. While it’s often thought about as a female reproductive issue, couples can also struggle to conceive due to male factor infertility. In honor of Movember, or Men’s Health Awareness Month, Dr. Samuel Ohlander, a board-certified Urologist at Fertility Centers of Illinois, is here to discuss symptoms, causes and what you can do about male factor infertility.

As your body changes over time so does your fertility. Join Dr. Jennifer Hirshfeld-Cytron, Reproductive Endocrinologist at Fertility Centers of Illinois, as she examines fertility in your 20s, 30s, and 40s—including potential obstacles and ways to boost your fertility.

One in eight couples will have trouble getting pregnant. To understand the reason for infertility, a doctor will order a series of tests for the couple and determine the best path forward. Sometimes during a fertility workup, there is no identifiable cause for infertility and these couples are given an unexplained infertility diagnosis. Not having a clear answer for why you can’t conceive can be frustrating, but the good news is that it doesn’t mean a fertility specialist can’t help grow your family.

Dr. Allison Rodgers is here to explain what it means if you are diagnosed with unexplained infertility and how seeing a fertility specialist can help you on your fertility journey.

If growing your family is taking longer than expected, you may be considering fertility treatment to help you on your journey. It is common for fertility specialists to use medication that helps with hormones and ovulation, either alone or in combination with other procedures like IUI or IVF, to improve a patient's chance of getting pregnant.
Join Dr. Elie Hobeika, a double board-certified reproductive endocrinologist, as he explains how and why fertility medications are prescribed, and what to expect when you take medication for fertility treatment.

Join Dr. Elie Hobeika, a double board-certified reproductive endocrinologist, as he explains how and why fertility medications are prescribed, and what to expect when you take medication for fertility treatment.

There are many paths to parenthood, and for some families that includes collaborative reproduction. Using donor eggs or sperm and/or a surrogate is particularly essential for our LGBTQ+ friends, so in honor of Pride Month Monica Nitschmann, M.A, donor program and development manager at FCI, is answering the most common questions we receive about third party reproduction for the Time to Talk Fertility Podcast.

Join Dr. Tiffany Edwards and Susan Rizzato, MSW as they share what it is like to attend a fertility support group and why it can benefit your fertility journey. They will also discuss their role as Behavioral Health Specialists, how they interact with patients, and when a patient may see them during their fertility journey.

Join Dr. Burks Chatmon as she shares valuable insights that can help women and couples in the black community on their fertility journey. She covers the basics on fertility, common diagnoses that can lead to infertility, tips for finding a doctor you can trust and how to improve your chances of conceiving.