Today, Ali is talking to Dr. Nirali Jain, a Reproductive Endocrinologist at RMA, about the importance of fertility preservation for cancer patients. "I do feel like the system failed us a little bit, and I tell all my patients when they come in for their first visit, your entire life, you learned how to not get pregnant, and you never thought you'd be sitting in this office learning about timed intercourse and figuring out when you're ovulating," Dr. Jain says. Ali and Dr. Jain talk about how ch...
Jul 03, 2025•16 min•Season 4Ep. 334
On this episode, Ali talks to Julia Midwinter, a Fertility and Pregnancy Mindset Coach who supports women struggling to conceive or who are pregnant after IVF or miscarriage. Julia shares her own infertility journey, including her diagnosis of endometriosis, her five year journey to conceive her son through IVF, and her two miscarriages. She talks about ovarian cysts, fertility acupuncture, and how she felt navigating all of the above. She also talks about what she learned from her own infertili...
Jun 27, 2025•34 min•Season 1Ep. 333
Today, Ali is talking to Marea Goodman, licensed midwife, author, and founder of PregnantTogether , a virtual community supporting queer folks and solo parents from preconception through parenting. Marea co-authored the book, Baby Making for Everybody–Fertility and Family Building for LGBTQ+ and Solo Parents , and today, they share their family building story, including having an early loss via IUI, and also having their son through IUI. They talk about their passion for empowering people with t...
Jun 20, 2025•33 min•Season 4Ep. 332
It's another Expert Minisode! Did you know that when it comes to storing your reproductive tissue—including eggs, sperm, and embryos—you have a choice? Most clinics automatically store your tissues—or hand you off to their partner. But guess what? It doesn’t have to be that way. Today, Ali is talking to Courtney Dennewitz, Chief Operations Officer and Co-Founder of Generations CryoVault, which is driven by a deep passion to “do things right” in the world of fertility preservation, armed with the...
Jun 13, 2025•34 min•Season 4Ep. 331
On today's episode, Ali talks to Whitney, a surrogate, and her husband, Geremi, about working with ConceiveAbilities, a leading egg donor and surrogacy agency. When people think about surrogacy, they often focus on the surrogate herself—but what about her partner? The truth is, a strong, supportive partner can make all the difference. Emotional strength, physical support, shared sacrifice—surrogacy is a team effort in every sense. Today, we're getting a behind-the-scenes look at what that partne...
Jun 06, 2025•32 min•Season 4Ep. 330
Welcome back to another expert minisode! Today Ali is talking to Dr. Molly Quinn, is a Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility specialist with HRC Fertility. Dr, Quinn prioritizes direct communication with patients and will always make herself available to patients for any questions, and today, she is answering ALL the things about Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, or "RPL." Ali and Dr. Quinn talk about how recurrent pregnancy loss is medically defined, how common it is, who is most at risk, what the...
May 30, 2025•22 min•Season 4Ep. 329
Do not miss our celeb guest today! Ali is talking to the incredible Riki Lindome, a prolific, Emmy nominated comedian and actress from Knives Out; Wednesday; The Big Bang Theory; her musical duo, Garfunkel and Oates; and her one-woman show about her infertility journey, Dead Inside. Riki gets real with Ali about her family building journey, including how she navigated infertility, IVF, a devastating pregnancy loss, an adoption journey and finally, surrogacy. Riki also talks about her new solo co...
May 22, 2025•54 min
Today, Ali sits down with her dear friend and Fertility Rally member, Caitlin Trabert, for a raw and powerful conversation about her long and deeply emotional path to parenthood. Caitlin opens up about the heartbreak of multiple pregnancies and subsequent losses, her husband's balanced translocation, and the toll of IVF—physically, emotionally, and mentally. From the crushing "egg winner" high to the "zero embryos" low, a surprise pregnancy that ended in miscarriage, and learning her mom had bre...
May 16, 2025•49 min•Season 4Ep. 273
Today, Ali is talking to Lana Manikowski, a fellow Chicagoan, a certified life coach and the author of "So Now What?" -- a roadmap to help you create a life you love without the children you always dreamed about. Lana tells Ali about her years-long infertility journey, starting with an "unexplained infertility" diagnosis and 7 IUIs. Lana explains moving on to IVF, traveling to get treatment in Colorado, doing several rounds of IVF, and how she and her husband decided to stop treatment and embrac...
May 09, 2025•48 min•Season 4Ep. 326
Today Ali is talking to Libby Wicks, a surrogacy mama who went through a five-plus year struggle to have her baby girl. Libby talks about her not one, but two ectopic pregnancies, her emergency tube removal, and being diagnosed (wrongly, she would find out much later) with Asherman's Syndrome. She also talks about IVF and how her infertility journey affected her mental health. "I was suffering from anxiety," she says. "There were many days I wasn't able to leave the house. I wasn't able to work,...
May 02, 2025•56 min•Season 4Ep. 325
Dr. Jessica Zucker is a Los Angeles-based psychologist specializing in reproductive and maternal mental health . Today, Ali is talking to Jessica about her new book, "Normalize It," her first book, "I Had a Miscarriage," and Jessica's own infertility journey, including a devastating pregnancy loss at 16 weeks. "I felt like I was living in a documentary, like, How is this my life?" Jessica says. They also talk about women lifting each other up; normalizing the conversation around IVF; miscarriage...
Apr 24, 2025•41 min•Season 4Ep. 324
It'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 Ali talk about sex ed, fertility, birth control, secondary infertility, endometriosis, and advocating for yourself in terms of healthcare and your medic...
Apr 16, 2025•27 min•Season 6Ep. 323
On 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 endometriosis (but no symptoms). She talks about connecting with others in the single mom by choice community, and says, "In the single mother by choice co...
Apr 10, 2025•54 min•Season 4Ep. 322
Today, 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, in June. Kristen talks about the sex education (or lack thereof) she got growing up in Michigan; how, when she met Luke, she was about to be 40 "and n...
Apr 02, 2025•45 min•Season 4Ep. 321
Today, 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 have children, she'd have to "lose weight and do IVF." Roxy talks about how Arnold put her on a "very robust" lifestyle program, including fitness chan...
Mar 26, 2025•33 min•Season 4Ep. 320
Today, 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 pregnancy, followed by a "lot of disappointing cycles." She shares how having timed intercourse is "stressful and not sexy," what happened when they ...
Mar 20, 2025•56 min•Season 4Ep. 319
Today, 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 broken before Hudson -- and she fills Ali in on the rest of her infertility journey, including navigating Covid with a toddler; feeling like she coul...
Mar 11, 2025•24 min•Season 4Ep. 318
It'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, and why Ali wrote her children's book about IVF, "Work of ART." Ali shares some of her infertility story, the doctors talk about their own fertility ch...
Mar 04, 2025•42 min
On 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 that wasn't successful, she pivoted to surrogacy, after she and Matt were matched with Jessie. Jessie talks about being a nurse, why there are so man...
Feb 26, 2025•57 min•Season 4Ep. 316
It'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 in terms of egg freezing and IVF. He explains how Fertilo can shorten IVF and egg freezing cycles, who the best candidates are, and what research and...
Feb 18, 2025•24 min•Season 4Ep. 315
Today, 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 happened when she was finally diagnosed with stage-4 endometriosis. She also talks about her husband's semen analysis, pivoting to IVF, OHSS, endo surge...
Feb 14, 2025•38 min•Season 4Ep. 314
Today, 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 weeks, and later, after her doctor said, "I think we need to accept that you have unexplained infertility," how she went down the IVF road with her hus...
Feb 08, 2025•48 min•Season 4Ep. 313
It’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 IVF labs? How is AI going to affect IVF and ART? And what about Ozempic babies? Does Ozempic affect fertility? He rapid fire answers the Qs -- you mi...
Jan 30, 2025•13 min•Season 4Ep. 312
It'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 had been diagnosed with a very rare condition called Limb Body Wall Complex. Blair talks about traveling from her home in Austin, TX to Colorado to un...
Jan 22, 2025•43 min•Season 4Ep. 311
It’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 husband’s engineering skills, Jenn invented a sterile, at-home insemination device that ultimately helped her conceive. Tune in to hear Jenn’s story and...
Jan 17, 2025•13 min•Season 4Ep. 310
Get 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 and Kellie talk about how she launched her career, and also about the difficult infertility journey she is navigating currently. Kellie shares the jour...
Jan 10, 2025•46 min•Season 4Ep. 309
Time 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 medical and psychological support systems play a vital role in ensuring the well-being of all parties involved in the surrogacy and donation proc...
Dec 31, 2024•13 min•Season 4Ep. 308
Today, 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. He also talks about meeting the love of his life, Biff, and the discussions they had about Trystan becoming pregnant. "I’m a transgender man, I’ve be...
Dec 24, 2024•56 min•Season 4Ep. 307
Today Ali is talking to Marni Wandner, VP of Brand Marketing for Pixel Care, and Mandy Messinger, Director of Marketing for Pixel Care, about their respective journeys through infertility, IVF, and more. Mandy talks about meeting and falling in love with her wife, Lauren, and the challenges they faced as part of the LGBTQ community when they decided they wanted to build a family. She shares their experience with both known sperm donation and going through a sperm bank; a chemical pregnancy; a de...
Dec 18, 2024•55 min•Season 4Ep. 306
Today, Ali is talking to the brilliant singer-songwriter-guitarist Kina Grannis about her five year-long infertility journey. Kina talks about adopting a super clean diet and reading all the books before she started to try getting pregnant; why she was hesitant to share her infertility journey at first; and how the mention of the word, "IVF" made her want to die. She talks about going through IVF transfers; how "holding it all in was like this poison pressure cooker inside of me," and her "needl...
Dec 12, 2024•51 min•Season 4Ep. 305
