Explore every episode of the podcast AllPaths Podcast

This episode of the AllPaths podcast features Kallie Chausse, a baker and photographer, to discuss her journey to parenthood. After marrying the boy next door in her early 20s and trying to conceive without success, Kallie discovered at the age of 24 that she had the egg count of a woman in her 50s. This diagnosis launched her into the world of IUI treatments and strict hormonal monitoring. After a devastating first failure, Kallie successfully conceived her daughter Violet, though she candidly discusses the traumatic birth and postpartum depression that followed, which she believes were tied to "lingering infertility emotions" she hadn't yet processed.

The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic added a layer of complexity to Kallie's attempt for a second child, forcing her to navigate fertility treatments in isolation and manage stressful insurance delays that nearly canceled the cycle that ultimately led to her daughter Ivy. Kallie reflects on the "tunnel vision" of treatment and the intense pressure she felt to be the "perfect employee" while juggling medical appointments and the mental load of early motherhood. Through these challenges, she found strength in a supportive nurse and a growing online community of others who understood her "silent struggles," eventually leading her to let go of the shame she once felt.

Now an AllPaths Walk Ambassador, Kallie uses her experience to advocate for others, encouraging those in the trenches of fertility treatment and parenting after infertility to honor their feelings and seek validation and community support.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Fertility testing, infertility, fertility treatment, Clomid, IUI, irregular periods, reproductive health, diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), postpartum depression, parenting after infertility, community support, validation, fertility insurance, parental leave, AllPaths Family Building, Footsteps for Family Building Walk, family building support, emotional support for parents, infertility journey, coping with infertility, IUI process, family building community, navigating fertility challenges, fertility specialist consultation, egg count concerns, seeking emotional support, mental health during pregnancy, balancing work and family, fertility treatment experiences, support for new parents, listening and validating emotions, supportive friends during infertility

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode of the AllPaths podcast, we sit down with Jen Rogalski, Assistant Director of Empty Arms Bereavement Support, to discuss her journey through late-term pregnancy loss and her subsequent path to healing. Jen shares the heartbreaking story of losing her first son, Baby R, at 37 weeks after noticing decreased fetal movement. She describes the "robotic" days following the diagnosis, the challenges of navigating a loss after the initial swell of support passed, and the vital role that peer support from Empty Arms played in helping her and her husband, Eric, through the depths of grief. Now parenting a living son, two-year-old Drew, Jen shares how she used the Count the Kicks app during that pregnancy to monitor fetal movement, which provided her with a sense of empowerment and security by giving her tangible data and how the Empty Arms community continued to provide support as she navigated pregnancy and parenting after loss.

Jen’s personal experience also prompted a major career shift. After Drew’s birth, she began working for the organization that had provided such a lifeline for her, helping expand Empty Arms’ support services by creating regional "hubs" and developing bereavement resource bags for local hospitals, with items designed to provide immediate practical and emotional comfort as well as connection to the community so that other parents aren't left to find help on their own as she once was. Beyond local support, Jen is also a passionate advocate for stillbirth prevention. She has traveled to Washington, D.C., to speak with legislators about prevention measures and frequently shares her story to encourage others to find a voice for their own experiences. Her work aims to bridge the gap between medical trauma and community healing, ensuring no parent feels they are "floating on a pool raft" alone.

Throughout the conversation, Jen offers poignant advice for those starting their family-building journeys and for friends looking to support someone through loss. She emphasizes the power of consistent check-ins, sharing how a simple daily text message from a family member for an entire year provided a necessary lifeline during her darkest days. By speaking openly about her experience and transition from a grieving parent to a leader at Empty Arms, Jen’s story underscores the vital link between community support and healing, showing how peer connections can transform the isolation of loss into a shared journey of recovery.

Connect with Empty Arms at https://www.emptyarmsbereavement.org/.

Learn more about Count the Kicks and download the app at https://countthekicks.org/.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Pregnancy loss, late-term pregnancy loss, placental health, placental abnormalities, medical trauma, bereaved parents, community support, peer support, family building support, coping with pregnancy loss, stillbirth awareness, parenting after loss, grief support for parents, family building resources, emotional support for parents, navigating grief, nonprofit family support, bereavement support groups, advocacy for stillbirth prevention, Count the Kicks, pregnancy after loss, community support for parents, peer support for grieving parents, mental health after loss, connecting with bereaved parents, understanding pregnancy complications, grief, loss, peer support, peer support groups, Empty Arms Bereavement Support

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode of the AllPaths podcast, we sit down with Sarah Weiss, a New Jersey native who began documenting her family-building journey on day one on her social media. Sarah discusses the early days of her marriage in 2023 when she and her husband were diagnosed with male factor infertility after just three months of trying, a discovery made possible by a proactive OB-GYN who suggested also testing the male partner at the start. What Sarah initially expected to be a straightforward IVF process turned into a much longer journey with two egg retrievals and three frozen embryo transfers before the birth of her miracle, Mia. Sarah shares the emotional toll of failed cycles, the "dark place" of feeling hopeless despite doing everything "right," and navigating the compounding grief of multiple setbacks.

Beyond the medical logistics, Sarah reflects on the duality of maintaining her business and relationships while her fertility journey felt like a "hot mess express." Documenting her experiences on social media provided a vital sense of community and helped her process the emotional toll of failed cycles, support which has continued as the conversation has shifted to Sarah’s transition into motherhood and the reality of the “survivors guilt” and anxiety that often accompany pregnancy and parenting after infertility. Contemplating being “won and done,” Sarah emphasizes the importance of self-advocacy and allowing space for both grief and joy during difficult times for whatever lies ahead.

Connect with Sarah on Instagram @sarah.and.babes and TikTok @sarahandbabes.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Male-factor infertility, PCOS, PMOS, infertility, resentment, validation, community support, IVF, egg retrieval, genetic testing, embryo transfer, online community, pregnancy after infertility, anxiety, perinatal anxiety, family goals, won and done, one and done, remaining embryos, mental health support, bodily autonomy, self-advocacy, scheduled c-section, parenting after infertility, survivor’s guilt, relationships, isolation, friendship, family building, infertility support, IVF journey, male factor infertility, trying to conceive, TTC, fertility clinic, social media and infertility, emotional support during IVF, supportive friends during infertility, navigating fertility treatments, community support for infertility, documenting fertility journey, advocacy in fertility care, overcoming infertility challenges, parenting after infertility, survivor's guilt in infertility, sharing pregnancy journey, mental health and fertility

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

This episode of the AllPaths Podcast features women's health advocate La-Anna Douglas. La-Anna shares the complex story of her 16-year journey through infertility, which began with excruciating menstrual cycles in her teenage years that were often dismissed by medical professionals who simply labeled her the "girl with bad periods". After years of being "shut down" by doctors, a series of persistent self-advocacy efforts and fertility testing revealed a rare anatomical reality: La-Anna has two uteruses, two cervixes, endometriosis, and fibroids.

La-Anna candidly details the immense emotional and financial strain of her path, including a painful and failed IVF cycle that cost the couple over $12,000 out of pocket. She speaks openly about her lowest point

of despair and how she found healing through the unwavering support of her husband, who affirmed his love for her "with or without children." Her story ultimately leads to the joy of two "miracle" daughters born nine years apart, both conceived spontaneously to everyone’s shock.

Beyond her personal story, La-Anna discusses her transformation from someone "suffering in silence" to a bold reproductive health advocate who has shared her testimony on global platforms and even testified before Congress. She offers vital advice on the importance of self-advocacy, learning medical terminology to better communicate with doctors, and prioritizing self-care. This episode serves as a powerful testament to resilience, reminding listeners that their worth is inherent and that even in the most challenging family-building journeys, hope still stands.

Connect with La-Anna on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/hopestillstands/.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Infertility, fertility testing, hysterosalpingogram (HSG), uterus didelphys, endometriosis, IVF, financial burden of infertility, secondary infertility, fibroids, endometriosis, robotic laparoscopic myomectomy, secondary infertility, Hope Still Stands, advocacy, self-advocacy, hope, relationships and infertility, reproductive health, women’s health advocacy, reproductive healthcare, patient advocacy, empowerment, mental health, family building, infertility support, reproductive health issues, double uterus, endometriosis awareness, IVF journey, Clomid treatment, self-advocacy in healthcare, emotional support for infertility, hope in family planning, navigating fertility challenges, community support for women, overcoming infertility struggles, personal fertility stories, health empowerment for women, coping with infertility, fertility treatments explained, mental health and infertility

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode of the AllPaths Podcast, we sit down with journalist and author Ruthie Ackerman to discuss her memoir, The Mother Code, and her journey to parenthood. For much of her life, Ackerman resided in the "hell no" camp regarding children, driven by a family mythology that she possessed a "flaw" in her DNA inherited from a long line of women who abandoned their children. However, after researching her ancestors and uncovering that these stories were half-truths, she began to dismantle these narratives and open herself up to the possibility of building a family. This shift led her through a challenging path of maternal ambivalence, egg freezing, a divorce, and eventually into the world of assisted reproduction with her second husband.

The conversation dives deep into the realities of fertility preservation and the "gut punch" of discovering that the eggs Ackerman froze at 35 were not viable when she attempted to use them at 41. After enduring failed IVF rounds and the significant financial and emotional toll of fertility treatment, Ackerman and her husband considered donor conception. She candidly shares the "push and pull" of their decision to try IVF with donor eggs: the relief of not passing on rare genetic disorders contrasted with a profound sense of loss over the lack of a genetic connection and physical resemblance. Ultimately, she chose a donor based on a "spark" of connection—someone she felt she would want to have coffee with—rather than medical history, SAT scores, or physical similarities.

Now the mother of a nearly six-year-old daughter, Ackerman discusses the importance of breaking the silence and shame surrounding donor conception. She highlights the need for more honest, vulnerable stories of life and parenthood in a society that often presents binary choices as the only options. Through her writing and advocacy, she seeks to reassure others that while the journey can be terrifying, it is also filled with unexpected joy. Her story serves as a powerful reminder that there are many ways to have a good life and that it doesn't always look the way you’d imagined it would.

Get your copy of The Mother Code through the AllPaths Bookshop here and a portion of your purchase supports our mission at no extra cost to you!

A special thank you to CCRM Fertility of Boston for sponsoring this episode and for their support and commitment to the AllPaths community.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

family building, egg freezing, donor eggs, IVF journey, reproductive health, maternal ambivalence, fertility options, family narratives, emotional support in fertility, women's health, parenting choices, fertility challenges, stories of motherhood, egg viability, second opinions in fertility, donor conception, donor egg decision making, Ruthie Ackerman, The Mother Code, psychological aspects of fertility, support for parents, modern family planning, navigating fertility

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

This episode of the AllPaths podcast features Dr. Kim Murray, a licensed marriage and family therapist and certified perinatal mental health provider, candidly recounting her history of recurrent pregnancy loss, the physical and emotional toll of hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), and her and her husband’s struggles with postpartum depression. Dr. Murray’s family building journey was shaped by a generational history of loss where women in her family often experienced one loss for every live birth — a pattern she ultimately mirrored with two miscarriages and two live births. During the two pregnancies carried to term, she dealt with hyperemesis gravidarum, a rare condition that eventually led to the difficult decision to stop after two children despite her dream of having a large family.

Beyond her personal experience, Dr. Murray offers vital professional insights into perinatal mental health, emphasizing that Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) are biological and physiological crises, rooted in brain chemistry and hormones, rather than a lack of "grit." Dr. Murray talks about both her own and her husband’s experiences with postpartum depression and the stark differences in resources and understanding that existed for them. Dr. Murray also offers practical guidance on navigating changing relationships and family dynamics as you grow your family, such as how to talk to young children about pregnancy loss. Ultimately, Dr. Murray punctuates the discussion with a message of grace: if you’re struggling with mental or physical health during this complex time it is not your fault.

Connect with Dr. Murray at https://www.safehavenfamilytherapy.com/.

If you or someone you care about is struggling with perinatal mental health, reach out to Postpartum Support International for support and resources: https://postpartum.net/get-help/.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

family building, perinatal mental health, perinatal mental health support, postpartum support for dads, mental health support, pregnancy loss, miscarriage, recurrent pregnancy loss, postpartum depression, mental health therapy, emotional support for parents, navigating family growth, creating a family, coping with loss, family therapy, pregnancy, hyperemesis gravidarum, support for new parents, mental health resources, coping strategies for infertility, discussing pregnancy loss, parenting after loss, mental health

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode, Toronto-based coach Reema Kiran shares her personal experience of becoming a single mother by choice. Despite initial fertility assessments suggesting she would have a high egg yield, her attempts at egg freezing resulted in only two eggs, a result she realized was not a sufficient "insurance policy." This medical setback, combined with the feeling that her biological window was closing, propelled her into active family building in her mid-thirties. Reema’s decision to become a solo parent was also deeply influenced by her South Asian heritage and her parents’ arranged marriage which “wasn’t always a happy marriage.” Growing up in a culture where arranged marriage is common, she was determined to never settle for a relationship just to have children, even though choosing single parenthood was viewed by many as going against societal and familial expectations.

Once Reema made the decision to pursue motherhood on her own. She meticulously managed the donor selection process, eventually choosing an open donor whose personal values and upbringing closely aligned with her own, however her path was further complicated by unexplained infertility, leading to six unsuccessful rounds of medicated IUI before she transitioned to IVF. A pivotal turning point occurred after a devastating first round of IVF where none of her three embryos passed genetic testing, leaving her at the "lowest of the low." This experience triggered a critical mindset shift from a "type A" need for control to a state of surrender, where Reema utilized her professional coaching background to navigate the emotional toll. After making the strategic decision to switch donors for her second round of IVF, she achieved a successful pregnancy.

Reema describes her pregnancy and the unmedicated birth of her daughter as an empowering culmination of her journey, supported by her family and a doula. Throughout the process, she learned to navigate the complex emotions of "grieving the fairy tale" of a traditional family structure while embracing the unique advantages of being a single mother by choice, such as having the final say in all parenting decisions. Now an author, consultant, and mother of a three-and-a-half-year-old, Reema provides emotional support and coaching to women considering similar non-traditional paths to parenthood, hoping to fill the gaps in support that she encountered. Reflecting on her journey through her coaching practice and her book, Choice Mom, emphasizing that her only regret was not starting the process sooner.

Connect with Reema at Choice Mom Coaching.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

single mother by choice, solo parent, family building, fertility journey, fertility treatment, egg freezing, IUI, IVF, genetic testing (PGT-A), IVF success, fertility assessment, donor conception, sperm donor, donor selection, open vs. anonymous donors, sperm banks, cultural scarcity, unexplained infertility, emotional support in fertility, single parenting, Choice Mom Coaching, Reema Kiran, mindset, personal development, coaching, navigating infertility, parenting without a partner, fertility treatments, support for single mothers, fairy tales, coping with infertility, family planning, cultural perceptions of motherhood, personal development in parenting

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

This episode of the AllPaths Podcast features Alisa DeLage, LICSW, a clinical social worker who shares her personal and professional insights into the complexities of family building. Alisa’s own journey began with the excitement of a pregnancy and the feeling like her story, married to her high school sweetheart, was unfolding exactly how it was supposed to. However a traumatic miscarriage at 11 weeks kicked off an 18-month struggle with infertility and loss. Amidst this, she and her husband navigated the complexities of kinship foster care for a young family member. These profound losses and the experience fostering eventually forced a shift in Alisa and her husband’s perspective, leading them to redefine parenting not by biological ties, but by the shared goal of experiencing parenting together.

The conversation explores the resilience required to transition to private adoption, including the joy of welcoming two sons and the heartbreak of a disrupted adoption match. Alisa reflects on how her background as a social worker influenced her path, eventually leading her to specialize in reproductive mental health to support others navigating similar trauma. She introduces the vital concept of disenfranchised grief, emphasizing the importance of naming the loss of one's "story" as valid and worth grieving. By framing the choice to continue moving forward with treatments or appointments as a "quiet act of hope," Alisa offers a powerful perspective for those who feel depleted of energy but continue to take the next step.

Beyond her personal narrative, Alisa provides clinical insights into how the community and medical providers can better support those living under the "cloud" of infertility. She highlights the difference between intent and impact, urging supporters to ditch assumptions and instead offer specific choices—like bringing dinner or simply sitting in silence—to reduce the mental load on the person struggling. This episode is a compassionate exploration of the cognitive flexibility needed to adapt when life doesn't follow the planned script, ultimately finding peace and gratitude in a family structure that may look different than originally imagined.

Connect with Alisa at https://www.harmonywithintherapy.com/ and find other family building professionals in the AllPaths directory at https://allpathsfb.org/professional-directory/.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Pregnancy loss, TTC, kinship adoption, foster parents, miscarriage, loss, grief, adoption, private infant adoption, disrupted adoption, semi-open adoptions, first families, transracial family, adoptive families, social worker, disenfranchised grief, family building, infertility support, adoption journey, pregnancy loss, perinatal mental health, foster care experiences, grief and loss in parenting, emotional support during infertility, navigating family planning, maternal mental health, coping with miscarriage, parenting after loss, support for adoptive families, resources for infertility, private adoption process, understanding grief, mental health support for families, building a family through adoption, community support for parents, coping strategies for infertility

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this moving episode of the AllPaths podcast, we sit down with Katie Gilliam, a Massachusetts mom and community advocate, to discuss her complex and emotional journey to parenthood. After an initial PCOS diagnosis and a difficult encounter with a fertility specialist who labeled her "the problem" due to her body size, Katie and her husband Chris achieved a successful pregnancy through IUI. However, their joy was met with devastation at a 19-week anatomy scan when they learned their daughter, Elvera Claire (Ellie), had a severe brain abnormality called holoprosencephaly. Katie shares the heart-wrenching choice to terminate the pregnancy at 23 weeks, a decision she describes as her first as a mother, to ensure her child would never experience the pain and suffering her condition would have caused during her brief life.

The episode explores how Katie navigated the "absolute agony" of loss by leaning on support from AllPaths and pursuing genetic testing, which ultimately revealed a family mutation that helped other relatives navigate their own family-building journeys. Turning toward a new chapter, Katie details her subsequent IVF journey at Brigham Fertility, where specialized embryo testing led to the birth of her daughter Francesca, who is now a "wild" and thriving toddler. Now the Community Engagement Coordinator for The Lemon Grove, Katie reflects on her parenting after loss, the importance of mental health support, and the necessity of reproductive agency during traumatic family-building events. Her story is a powerful testament to the resilience required when navigating a "Plan Z" path to family and the power of sharing your story to help others feel less alone.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Fertility treatment, IUI, PCOS, PMOS, body neutral healthcare, fetal MRI, genetic counseling, Boston Children’s Hospital, neonatal neurology, holoprosencephaly, termination for medical reasons, TFMR, late-term abortion, abortion access, pregnancy loss, grief, anxiety, trauma, Brigham Fertility, IVF, genetic testing, pregnancy after loss, expecting after loss, peer support, mental health support, therapy, relationship support, couples therapy, body-neutral parenting, parenting after loss, for family and friends,

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode of the AllPaths podcast, we sit down with Darlene Pinkerton and Kaitlin Pinkerton-Locher, mother-daughter trailblazers who have spent decades at the forefront of third-party fertility. After a hysterectomy at age 25 left Darlene unable to carry a pregnancy, she and her husband, attorney Tom Pinkerton, provided the genetic "ingredients" to create their daughter, Kaitlin. Because Darlene’s "oven wasn't working," they turned to Tom’s sister, Judy, who volunteered to let them use her "oven" to bake the cake. This simple metaphor became the foundation for how their family explained gestational surrogacy, a process so new at the time that Kaitlin is believed to be one of the first people in the world to be born this way.

The conversation explores how this personal "recipe" for a family led to a landmark legal victory that changed reproductive rights forever. Because the hospital initially refused to put Darlene’s name on the birth certificate, Tom successfully argued that as the genetic parent Darlene should be on the birth certificate, not his sister. This historic case established the standards for pre-birth parentage orders and paved the way for same-sex couples to be recognized on birth certificates from the moment of birth.

Beyond their legal legacy, Darlene and Kaitlin share how open conversations about their family’s origins empowered Kaitlin to own her story from a young age, leading to a memorable moment when she proudly explained to her kindergarten class how she was created in a petri dish. Today, as leaders of A Perfect Match and Coast to Coast Sperm Donation, the mother-daughter duo continues to advocate for family autonomy, transparency, and child-centered decision-making. From known and identified donations where donors and families can establish relationships and low family limits for sperm donors, to prioritizing mental health, candid conversations, and accurate language for all people involved in the process, Darlene and Kaitlin are working to ensure that the families they help build today are founded on the same principles of openness and honesty that have defined their own journey.

🔸 Are you exploring donor conception or gestational surrogacy as a potential path for your family? Find support, resources, and community at AllPaths!

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Third-party reproduction, gestational carrier, gestational surrogacy, intended parents, parentage order, IVF, donor conception, egg donation, sperm donation, egg donor, sperm donor, gamete donation, AllPaths Family Building, donor conception, surrogacy journey, family planning, LGBTQ+ family building, legal aspects of surrogacy, donor rights, Coast to Coast Sperm Donation, A Perfect Match, mental health support, mental health support for gamete donors, mental health support for intended parents, conversations with children about donor conception, conversations with children about gestational surrogacy, family building, surrogacy, IVF, known donor programs, fertility support, reproductive health

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

This episode of the AllPaths podcast features Dana Rudolph, founder and publisher of the two-time GLAAD Media Award-winning LGBTQ+ parenting site Mombian. Dana shares her personal family-building story from the early 2000s, detailing her and her partner’s experience with reciprocal IVF. She reflects on the medical complexities of syncing cycles and the legal hurdles they faced in New Jersey, where they successfully petitioned for a pre-birth parentage order to ensure both parents were legally recognized from the moment of their son's birth.

The conversation explores the 21-year evolution of Mombian, which Dana started as a new parent to provide the queer-focused parenting news and commentary that she found was missing from mainstream media. A major cornerstone of her work is an extensive LGBTQ+ book database, created to help families find quality representation. Dana also discusses the inspiration behind LGBTQ Families Day, an annual celebration she founded to honor diverse family structures and foster community visibility during the "parental holiday season" each Spring.

Finally, Dana offers a nuanced look at the current state of LGBTQ+ family-building, noting that while there has been significant progress in marriage equality and inclusive fertility clinic practices, there is also a concerning "backsliding" through recent book bans and restrictive state legislation. She highlights the importance of organizations like COLAGE, elevates the voices of children of LGBTQ+ parents, and emphasizes that these families are "part of the world" with joys and challenges just like any other. To those just starting their journey, she offers a reminder that queer families have a long, rich history and that no one has to navigate the path to parenthood alone.

Connect with Dana at https://mombian.com/ and on social media @mombian.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

LGBTQ+ families, LGBTQ+ family building, fertility treatment, reciprocal IVF, donor conception, same-sex couples, parenting journey, legal parentage, family support, fertility clinics, assisted reproduction, queer families, Mombian, LGBTQ+ representation, LGBTQ+ family books, COLAGE, queerspawn, marriage equality, LGBTQ Families Day, family building, LGBTQ parenting, Mombian, parenting resources, LGBTQ Families Day, emotional support, family planning, parenting challenges, inclusive parenting, family stories, community support

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode of the AllPaths podcast, we sit down with Elana Frank, the CEO and founder of the Jewish Fertility Foundation (JFF), to discuss her journey to parenthood. Elana shares her experience navigating fertility treatments in both Israel and the United States, including the discovery of her blocked tubes after months of ineffective procedures and the eventual birth of her three sons through IVF and embryo donation. She speaks candidly about the emotional and financial hurdles of building a family, emphasizing the sense of isolation she felt before finding a community that understood her specific cultural and religious needs.

Elana also details how a realization about the staggering costs of fertility treatments in the U.S. compared to Israel's socialized medicine inspired her to launch JFF in 2015. Today, the foundation provides a holistic approach to support through financial grants, emotional mentorship via a "fertility buddies" program, and educational outreach to clergy and medical professionals. While JFF is rooted in the Jewish community, Elana explains how their support groups and educational programs are open to anyone, including specific programming for hopeful grandparents-to-be. Throughout the conversation, Elana emphasizes the importance of community-based support, open communication with children about their origins, and recognizing that one can experience both the joy of existing children and the desire to further grow their family at the same time.

Connect with the Jewish Fertility Foundation at https://jewishfertilityfoundation.org/.

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode of the AllPaths podcast, sit down with Carol McMurrich, the founder and director of Empty Arms Bereavement Support. Carol shares her deeply personal story of losing her first daughter, Charlotte, to stillbirth at 41 weeks after an uncomplicated pregnancy, an experience that left her feeling "totally floored" and disconnected from reality. She reflects on the "visceral fear" that accompanied her subsequent pregnancies and her later experience with secondary infertility, highlighting how such trauma fundamentally reshapes a person’s identity and their relationship with the world.

Carol’s own experiences inspired her work, which began by offering a single support group in 2007 and has since expanded into a robust nonprofit organization offering peer-to-peer support, hospital companion programs, provider education, and specialized resources for bereaved parents. Carol discusses the importance of creating safe, non-judgmental spaces where people can feel "normal" in their grief and getting to be their baby's parent is their primary identity. Ultimately, the episode highlights that while early grief is a minute-by-minute survival process, community support and the integration of grief and loss into one's identity rather than avoidance can eventually lead to a sense of wholeness and happiness again.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Pregnancy loss, stillbirth, pregnancy after loss, expecting after loss, infertility, secondary infertility, parenting after loss, peer support, validation, grief, family building, grief support, pregnancy loss, parenting after loss, emotional healing, family building journey, bereavement support, pregnancy and infant loss, support groups, community for parents, coping with loss, motherhood after loss, child loss awareness, support for bereaved parents, navigating loss, infertility support, community resources for families, family dynamics, healing after trauma, sharing your story

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode of the AllPaths podcast, hosts Emily and Liane sit down with Cynthia, a licensed social worker and seasoned health and wellness coach, who first connected with our organization over twenty years ago as a peer support group attendee. After enduring years of infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss, Cynthia finally welcomed her daughter through IVF. Following a later, life-threatening pregnancy that necessitated an emergency hysterectomy, she and her husband turned to gestational surrogacy to have their son. Cynthia describes this as an "incredibly powerful experience" that resulted not only in the birth of her child but also in a cherished, lifelong friendship with their carrier. This unique relationship endures and Cynthia shares how the conversations with her children about their origin stories have evolved over the years.

She reflects on the evolution of support networks in the family building space, noting that while she once navigated these challenges in relative isolation, she now advocates for openness and community resources. Cynthia’s professional expertise in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and resilience coaching has also changed her perspective on the emotional toll of infertility. She reflects on the intense anxiety of "giving up complete control" during the surrogacy process and how she wishes she had possessed her current toolkit of meditation and self-care strategies two decades ago. Now a group leader for AllPaths, Cynthia now helps create the community she once found so helpful and teaches the coping strategies that she wishes she had possessed during her own journey in our Mindfulness Group.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

family building, infertility support, recurrent pregnancy loss, gestational surrogacy, pregnancy loss, family growth, parenting journeys, mental health and wellness, support groups, mindfulness, emotional support for parents, coping with infertility, IVF, health and wellness coaching, community support, resilience, emotional impact of infertility, personal stories of family building, peer support, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, meditation, coping strategies, self-care, resilience

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode we meet Will, a Boston native living in Texas who offers a unique perspective on adoption as both an adoptee and a new adoptive father. Adopted at birth from a Brazilian birth mother by white parents, Will shares what it was like growing up in a multiracial household where adoption was a normal, open part of the conversation. He recounts his emotional journey to reconnect with his Brazilian heritage and birth family during a study abroad trip in college, a search that has since evolved into a 14-year relationship with his birth mother and siblings.

Will also discusses his transition into fatherhood, having recently adopted his daughter with his wife. He explains how his own history led him to view adoption as a way to "pay it forward" and why he and his wife prioritized an open adoption to ensure their daughter has the ties to her birth family that he lacked for the first 22 years of his life. Throughout the conversation, Will challenges the stigmas surrounding adoption, emphasizing the importance of normalizing it as just another way to build a family, advocating for better community resources for families, and challenging that the "identity issues" often attributed to adoptees are, in many ways, simply a universal part of the human experience that many experience, regardless of family structure.

Finally, Will provides practical advice for those navigating the often unknowns of family building, urging prospective parents to control what they can, remain flexible, and be their own best advocates. He highlights the power of intentionality over perfection when raising biracial children and encourages everyone to challenge the myth of ‘normal’ in family building.

Looking for community as you build your family through adoption? Join AllPaths’ free, virtual peer group at https://allpathsfb.org/support/.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

family building, adoption journey, multiracial adoption, open adoption, adoption support, parenting an adopted child, adoptive parenting, identity in adoption, adoption agency, resources for adoptive families, navigating adoption, family building stories, connections with birth families, adoption stigma, parenting advice for adoptive families, community support for adoption, cultural heritage in adoption, emotional support for adoptive parents, relationships in adoption, family planning through adoption

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode, Jessica Attime, a life-long New Englander, shares her transition from waiting for the "perfect time" to start a family to navigating the unpredictable reality of infertility. From the all-consuming effort to conceive to experiencing a heartbreaking miscarriage, Jessica and her husband were eventually given a diagnosis of unexplained infertility.

The conversation explores the emotional weight of moving to a process that suddenly becomes highly medicalized as Jessica describes her foray into IVF and her frustrations over communication gaps she’s experienced, specifically the overwhelming logistics of fertility pharmacies, the confusing "second language" of medical acronyms, and the physical toll of self-administering complex medication protocols. She also provides a candid look at the drop off numbers of her two retrieval cycles, detailing the "rude awakening" of her first cycle, which yielded only one viable embryo from eight blastocysts and the despair that can come when your results don’t match the expected statistics. Despite the lack of clear medical answers, Jessica has navigated various physical and emotional hurdles, including a recent hysteroscopy to remove a polyp, by relying on her powerful personal mantra: "I can do hard things."

As her journey continues, Jessica emphasizes the necessity of throwing out rigid "life planners" and finding a personal source of strength. She concludes with a sobering reminder that IVF is not an "easy button" or a guarantee, but a process that requires intense self-advocacy and a supportive community to survive the solitude and unknowns.

Trying to grow your family is hard, but you are not alone. Here are some resources we recommend for anyone navigating fertility challenges:

🔸 Peer Support Groups

Find community and understanding in one of our 20+ free, virtual groups each month.

🔸 WTH? Breaking Down Common Fertility Acronyms

This post and accompanying webinar with a reproductive endocrinologist breaks down the jargon and provides a comprehensive guide to the complex landscape of fertility acronyms.

🔸 A Beginner’s Guide to IVF

This step-by-step guide, written by a reproductive endocrinologist, covers both the IVF process and ways you can do to prepare for a cycle.

🔸 Exploring SART

This article shares how you can use tools and resources from the Society for Assisted Reproduction to help answer questions and make decisions throughout the IVF process.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

IVF, unexplained infertility, faith, fertility treatment, PGT testing, geriatric pregnancy, miscarriage, TTC, support, community, patient advocacy, communication, family and friends, support system, AllPaths Family Building, fertility acronyms, beginners guide to IVF, family building, infertility journey, trying to conceive, IVF process, emotional support, fertility treatment, family planning, hormonal health, miscarriage support, reproductive health, fertility resources, pregnancy journey, egg retrieval, IVF success stories, integrative medicine, women's health, stress management during IVF, navigating infertility

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode of the AllPaths podcast, we are excited to introduce the organization's new Executive Director, Lauren Hart Clancy. A longtime volunteer who has led peer support groups and co-chaired our annual Footsteps for Family Building Walk, Lauren brings personal family building experience as well as her professional background in public health, advocacy, and community building to this role.

The conversation touches on Lauren’s own family building journey, but for a deeper dive listen to Episode 30 where Lauren shared her family’s story. We also talk about Lauren’s previous volunteer work at AllPaths, including the often-overlooked emotional complexities of "expecting after" and "parenting after" infertility or loss and why “find your people” isn’t just a tagline for our organization, but an integral part of mission.

Lauren also outlines her vision for the future of AllPaths, including a major advocacy goal to help Vermont pass a fertility insurance law, which would make New England "six of six" for such legislation and a new community support program that is currently in development. The episode highlights upcoming community milestones like National Infertility Awareness Week and the Footsteps for Family Building walk in October. Finally, the conversation turns to the many ways for individuals and partners to get support and get involved in AllPaths work:

🔸 Find community and understanding in one of our 20+ Free, Virtual Peer Support Groups each month.

🔸 Stay informed and empowered every step of the way with our On-Demand Resource Library.

🔸 Connect with experts in this space through our Directory of Professional Services and Members.

🔸 Hear stories celebrating the many different paths that a family building journey can take families on the AllPaths Podcast each week.

🔸 Join us as we tirelessly Advocate for the Fertility and Family Building Community across New England and beyond.

🔸 Get Involved in our work as a volunteer and partner.

🔸 Donate and shop to help make sure no one walks alone.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

IVF, male factor infertility, family building, IVF journey, infertility, fertility treatment, AllPaths Family Building, parenting after infertility, emotional support for parents, community support for families, infertility awareness, family building advocacy, peer support groups, coping with miscarriage, resources for family building, family building education, support for new parents, challenges of parenting, expecting after loss, fertility treatment options, finding your community, nonprofit leadership, Lauren Hart Clancy, Executive Director

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Harrell Jordan, a nurse educator and author who discusses the often-overlooked perspective of male infertility within the Black community. After being diagnosed with a low sperm count and abnormalities early in his marriage, Dr. Jordan shares his multi-year struggle to conceive, which involved failed IVF cycles, surgeries, and the emotional strain of balancing personal faith with medical reality. The "tug of war" he faced while balancing his Christian faith with the biological realities of infertility led him to author his book, Faith vs. Fertility: A Black Man’s Battle Between Belief and Biology, with the goal of dismantling the cultural taboos surrounding reproductive health and encouraging other men to seek support.

Dr. Jordan offers a vital perspective on how infertility impacts Black men, noting a significant lack of support groups and the societal pressure that often places the fertility burden solely on women. He reflects on the strain the process placed on his marriage and explains why he and his wife eventually chose to limit who they told about their journey to protect their own emotional well-being. Through his story, he emphasizes the importance of proactive health testing for both partners and the need for a supportive community that offers practical help and listening ears rather than just standard platitudes.

Right before receiving his doctorate, Dr. Jordan and his wife discovered that they had surprisingly conceived on their own. The birth of their son, Elijah, Dr. Jordan credits “to God because many doctors, many test results don't line up to the results that we got.” This episode highlights his mission to destigmatize male infertility and encourage other men to embrace healthcare—including mental health counseling—without feeling it diminishes their masculinity. His message is one of openness and resilience, reminding listeners that "nothing is wasted" and that the strength of your relationship remains the most important factor in any family-building journey.

Order your copy of Faith vs. Fertility at https://thehjbrand.com/faith-vs.-fertility.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Fibroids, semen analysis, fertility treatment, male factor infertility, IVF, biopsy, varicocele, varicocelectomy, HCG, genetic testing, infertility and relationships, support, community support, prayer, support groups, Christian counselor, journaling, faith, mental health, couples counseling, family building, infertility support, IVF journey, Black men's health, fertility treatment options, emotional toll of infertility, mental health in fertility, male infertility, couples therapy, faith and fertility, support for infertility, navigating IVF, infertility community, coping with infertility, fostering and adoption, fertility journey stories, resources for fertility, understanding infertility, male perspective on infertility, sharing fertility experiences

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode of the AllPaths podcast, we sit down with Ruthie, a Boston-area school counselor and educator, to discuss her incredibly complex and high-stakes journey to motherhood. Ruthie’s story begins at age 34, when she and her husband, Chris, faced immediate fertility challenges including a blocked fallopian tube and IVF, soon followed by their first miscarriage, which tragically occurred just a week after the sudden death of her father-in-law. The journey grew even more harrowing during a subsequent twin pregnancy when one baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and hydrocephaly, while the other was found to have a potentially fatal chromosomal abnormality. During a procedure intended to manage these complications, both babies were lost and Ruthie suffered a life-threatening hemorrhage, requiring nine blood transfusions.

The trauma continued weeks after delivery when Ruthie experienced a near-fatal secondary hemorrhage at work, caused by a rare uterine arteriovenous malformation (AVM) that was narrowly caught by her fertility doctor just before a scheduled hysterectomy. Despite further setbacks with additional miscarriages and failed surrogacy attempts, Ruthie and Chris eventually turned to the "adoption gauntlet.” They first adopted their daughter from Florida during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and later navigated a sudden, complicated legal situation to adopt their daughter’s biological half-brother eighteen months later.

Today, Ruthie reflects on the mental health toll of these experiences, including her battle with severe postpartum anxiety and the years of therapy required to process her medical trauma. Her story serves a greater purpose of dismantling the stigma surrounding reproductive grief and serves as a testament to the diverse, often "messy" ways families are built. Throughout the conversation, Ruthie emphasizes the necessity of mental health support and encourages others navigating similar hardships to advocate for themselves and seek community rather than suffering in isolation.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Blocked tube, IVF, miscarriage, pregnancy loss, twin pregnancy, genetic testing, selective reduction, surrogacy, failed cycle, gestational carrier, adoption, private adoption, sibling adoption, family building, infertility journey, adoption stories, IVF experiences, miscarriage support, medical trauma, uterine arteriovenous malformation (AVM), emotional support for parents, surrogacy options, parenting challenges, navigating fertility issues, family growth options, coping with loss, adoption process insights, counseling for parents, pregnancy after loss, mental health in parenting, support for infertility, understanding adoption, family planning resources, building a family, sharing fertility stories

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode of the AllPaths podcast, hosts Emily and Liane sit down with author Amy Gallo Ryan to discuss her infertility memoir, You May Feel a Bit of Pressure: Observations from Infertility's Heart-Wrenching Ride. Amy shares her struggle with unexplained infertility, recounting the grueling process of multiple IVF rounds, the isolation of quitting her job to focus on treatment, and the heartbreak of an ectopic pregnancy followed by emergency surgeries. Despite these challenges, Amy eventually welcomed her daughter, Hazel, and later twins, through a journey that taught her the profound lesson of being out of control.

The conversation delves into the emotional "connective tissue" of the fertility experience, which inspired Amy to organize her book by universal emotions such as hope, courage, and shame rather than just medical diagnoses. She reflects on how infertility became an identity marker for her, leading her to transition from women's journalism to writing as a way to process her trauma and reclaim a sense of control. By sharing her story with profound vulnerability, Amy hopes to make others feel "seen" in a way she never was during her own treatment and offers a message of hope to those in the "darkest depths," reminding them that there is a future where this pain will not be their daily reality regardless of the outcome of their journey.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Unexplained infertility, infertility, clomid, IUI, IVF, support, community, control, fresh transfer, frozen transfer, failed cycle, chemical pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy, genetic testing, family building, infertility memoir, emotional support, navigating infertility, women's health, fertility treatment, IVF journey, unexplained infertility, support community, fertility podcast, coping with loss, hopeful stories, family planning, personal experiences, fertility challenges, emotional rollercoaster, sharing stories, women's experiences, building family, connecting through struggles

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode of the AllPaths Podcast, we are joined by Rachel Spekman, a therapist and career strategist from Massachusetts. Rachel shares her arduous three-year journey to motherhood, which involved multiple fertility treatments, multiple losses, and navigating the healthcare system as a same-sex, mixed-race couple. Eventually she had two successful frozen embryo transfers, leading to the birth of her seven-year-old son and three-year-old daughter. Rachel’s story highlights the emotional and physical toll of family building, the "naive innocence" often felt at the start of fertility treatments, and the importance of maintaining a sense of humor through the many "hoops" and administrative hurdles of the process. Rachel also touches upon the specific nuances of her family’s story, including the challenges of finding diverse donor pools and the unexpected joy of connecting with her children's "diblings" (donor siblings).

Beyond her path to parenthood, Rachel discusses how these life-altering experiences served as a catalyst for a complete career transformation, prompted in part by a lack of support from her corporate employer when she experienced complications requiring bedrest during her first pregnancy which unfortunately ended in a loss. Today, Rachel uses her personal experiences with grief and professional pivoting to help others navigate major life transitions. She emphasizes the importance of building a "board of advisors" for emotional support, sharing how a curated support system of medical professionals, therapists, and community members helped her navigate isolation and grief and encouraging anyone going through an identity transformation to embrace the philosophy that "grief shared is grief divided."

Connect with Rachel at http://www.rachelspekman.com.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

family building, infertility journey, LGBTQ family planning, donor conception, fertility support, emotional support in infertility, IVF process, miscarriage, loss, pregnancy loss, grief, LGBTQ+, same-sex family building, mixed-race donor conception, mixed-race couple, parenting after loss, fertility therapy, navigating pregnancy loss, community support for families, personal stories of infertility, coping with miscarriage, family building resources, peer support groups, fertility clinics, identity transformation, mental health in family planning, same-sex parenting, family building stories

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode, we speak with Lana Manikowski, an author and certified life coach who navigated a seven-year infertility journey that ended at age 44 after multiple rounds of IUIs and IVFs left her without a baby. Lana candidly discusses her decision to forgo further routes like adoption to avoid additional heartache, reframing the choice to stop treatment not as a failure, but as a courageous act of choosing oneself and one’s partnership. Lana opens up about the isolation, self-judgment, and "tiered grief" she experienced when her body didn't work as expected, and how she eventually found the strength to move forward with intention.

Lana shares how she transformed her struggle into a mission to help others rediscover their purpose beyond parenthood. The conversation explores practical strategies for reclaiming joy and relevance when the dream of motherhood does not come to fruition and the ways that Lana introduces a roadmap for life beyond infertility through her coaching program, Thrive After Infertility, her own podcast, and book, So Now What?. We also dive into her creation of The Other’s Day Brunch, an annual event in Chicago designed to provide a supportive community for childless women during Mother’s Day weekend, and her advocacy work with the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) to improve the continuum of care for patients whose treatments do not result in a baby and tips for people tackling the broader social challenges of being childless.

Connect with Lana at https://lanamanikowski.com/.

And get your ticket to the Other’s Day Brunch, May 8-9 2026 at https://lanamanikowski.com/othersday/.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Unexplained infertility, IUI, IVF, childfree, childless after infertility, childless, resources, stories, meaningful lives without children, fertility treatment, So Now What?, Lana Manikowski, ASRM, fertility clinic, guilt, grief, shame, failure, fertility journey, childless not by choice, family building support, infertility resources, navigating infertility, emotional support for infertility, adoption discussions, couples without children, life after infertility, coping with childlessness, infertility treatment options, community for childless individuals, grief and infertility, celebrating motherhood alternatives, connecting during infertility, life coaching for infertility, fertility treatment insights, infertility awareness, support for childless couples, understanding unexplained infertility

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode, we welcome Rijon Charne, the founding attorney of Sunray Fertility Law. Rijon’s specialization in reproductive health law was a direct result of her personal experience as a cancer survivor and the educational and financial hurdles she faced during her own fertility journey. Just two days after graduating from law school, Rijon was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. During this time, she encountered significant resistance and a lack of information regarding fertility preservation from her medical providers. Her initial oncologists failed to discuss the impact of chemotherapy on her fertility, and one even dismissed the idea of egg freezing because of the cost and time involved.

This struggle was compounded by insurance obstacles when her insurance company refused to cover her fertility preservation, claiming it was "not medically necessary". Rijon realized the inequity of this situation, noting that while her initial treatment carried a 20% risk of infertility, a potential relapse would require chemotherapy with a nearly 100% infertility rate. These experiences sparked a "fire" in her to address these inequities through legal advocacy.

Although she originally trained to be a litigator and had ignored earlier "signs" pointing toward reproductive law during law school, Rijon ultimately felt that her cancer journey was the catalyst that put her on her destined professional path. She has since collaborated with the Alliance for Fertility Preservation to advocate for and successfully pass a House bill in Texas that requires insurance companies to cover fertility preservation for cancer patients, and now helps others navigate the legal complexities of assisted reproduction, domestic and international surrogacy, and establishing legal parentage.

Connect with Rijon at https://sunrayfertility.com/.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

fertility preservation, cancer, fertility treatment, infertility, family building, Sunray Fertility Law, family building, fertility preservation, surrogacy journey, reproductive law, Hodgkin's lymphoma, cancer and fertility, egg freezing, IVF options, LGBTQ family planning, fertility advocacy, emotional support for infertility, navigating fertility treatments, nonprofit family building resources, legal rights for parents, fertility clinic support, surrogacy laws, building diverse families, family formation law, fertility education, support for cancer patients, intended parents, egg donation, sperm donation, gestational carrier, assisted reproduction, legal parentage rights, surrogacy, step-parent adoption, second parent adoption, LGBTQ+, confirmatory adoption, twiblings, gestational surrogacy, traditional surrogacy, international surrogacy, education, reproductive healthcare, reproductive education

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode, Kristy Koser, a licensed professional clinical counselor specializing in reproductive mental health, shares her family building journey. After years of struggling with infertility and experiencing multiple miscarriages during IUI and IVF cycles, Kristy and her husband eventually welcomed their daughter via surrogacy in 2017. Because Kristy and their gestational carrier lived close to one another in rural Virginia, she was able to be intimately involved in the process, attending every doctor's appointment and "vicariously living" for nine months. Kristy describes the experience as beautiful, but acknowledges the emotional and financial complexities she had to navigate. She struggled with the "mental load" of asking for help from a busy working mother and figuring out where she fit into the equation of her own child's birth. Financially, the couple relied on personal savings, "side hustles"- including a TTC greeting card company Kristy started - and a GoFundMe supported by their extended family.

After the birth of her daughter, their family moved back to Ohio and began considering a second child. Kristy reached out to her original carrier to see if she was available, but learned the woman was already preparing to carry for another family. Because they were unsure if they wanted to use a different gestational carrier, the couple began exploring the foster-to-adopt process. Shortly after, Kristy had a "wild, vivid dream" that her carrier was pregnant with another one of her children, but she soon discovered that she was actually the one who was pregnant. This came as a major surprise, as she had previously been told she likely could not carry a pregnancy herself.

Kristy’s pregnancy occurred during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which meant she experienced much of it at home with limited medical contact as appointments were scaled back. In August 2020, she gave birth to her son via an emergency C-section. Despite a difficult recovery, she valued the experience because it was something she never thought she would get to have. She now uses this experience with many different family building pathways to inform her work. From her PhD research, which examined how fertility treatments impact couple satisfaction, to training other mental health professionals on how to navigate the complexities of the fertility world, Kristy is dedicated to helping others navigate the challenges of family building with resilience.

Connect with Kristy at https://aporiacounseling.com/.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Mental health, Ohio, Virginia, therapist, couples therapist, Pennsylvania, LIC, infertility, reproductive mental health, fertility treatment, medicated cycle, clomid, letrozole, IUI, pregnancy loss, miscarriage, IVF, genetic testing, surrogacy, gestational carrier, grief, loss, intended parents, insurance coverage, PhD program, greeting card company, TTC Greeting Cards, couples, partners, relationships, couples therapy, resilience, parenting, new parenthood, newborn, pregnancy, expecting after infertility, expecting after loss, parenting after, professional development for mental health providers, coaching, McDonalds french fries, pomegranate juice, infertility support, family building journey, surrogacy process, emotional support for parents, navigating IVF, reproductive health counseling, coping with infertility, family planning resources, mental health in fertility treatment, building a family through surrogacy, personal stories of infertility, understanding IVF treatments, psychological support for fertility, infertility awareness, family building options, fertility clinic resources, emotional challenges in surrogacy, understanding reproductive endocrinology, counseling for intended parents, community support for infertility

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode of the AllPaths podcast, we welcome Jacqueline Fitzpatrick, who offers the rare perspective of being both a seasoned IVF nurse with over 15 years of experience and a former IVF patient. Jacqueline shares the candid details of her family building journey, which was complicated by a pituitary gland cyst that prevented her from ovulating. She discusses the clinical challenges she faced, including failing the Clomid challenge and struggling as a "terrible patient" whose hormones were nearly impossible to regulate during IVF cycles.

Our conversation highlights the importance of self-advocacy and listening to one's body, especially when clinical data and personal experience don't align. Jacqueline details her unconventional decision to pivot from IVF back to IUI, a move her doctors hadn't seen before, which eventually led to the birth of her two sons. She humorously recalls the "small victories" along the way, including the time she successfully administered a trigger shot in a bar bathroom in Newport while finally allowing herself to relax and "live her life". This episode also sheds light on contrasting experiences within families; despite sharing the same DNA, Jacqueline and her sister had “completely different experiences with fertility treatments,” reinforcing that there is no "cookie-cutter" path to parenthood.

Finally, Jacqueline discusses her passion project, Chasing Babies, a coaching service she founded to provide fertility coaching and postpartum guidance that clinical settings often lack. She provides insights into current fertility research and explains the medical basis behind popular rituals, such as eating McDonald's french fries after an egg retrieval to help prevent ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Whether discussing the depths of postpartum depression or the "superstitions" that provide hope, Jacqueline’s story serves as a reminder that while the journey may have twists and turns, every unique track is valid.

Connect with Jacqueline at https://chasingbabiesfertility.com/.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Fertility RN, pre-op, PACU nurse, nursing, clomid challenge, IUI, IVF, pregnancy loss, miscarriage, false positive, PCOS, infertility, parenting after IVF, fertility research, Boston IVF, fertility clinic, clinical research, family building, IVF journey, infertility support, fertility treatments, IVF nurse, IUI success stories, emotional support fertility, fertility coaching, navigating infertility, personal fertility journey, reproductive health, coping with infertility, patient advocacy in IVF, postpartum support, infertility awareness, assisted reproductive technology, fertility clinics, fertility resources, family planning, overcoming infertility challenges, PMAD, postpartum depression, postpartum support, fertility support, self-advocacy, support, fertility coach

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this special Valentine’s Day episode of the AllPaths podcast, host Emily is joined by her husband, Andy, for a candid conversation about the impact of fertility and family building challenges on relationships. Now 20 years into their marriage and parents to 13-year-old triplets via IVF, they draw on their own experience to answer a series of questions submitted by the community regarding the strain family building can place on a partnership. They tackle the difficult realities of the process, which they describe as a "0 out of 10" experience that fundamentally redefines one's understanding of being a partner and forces couples to reckon with constant, high-stakes stress. By addressing these listener concerns, they hope to help others navigating the "utter grind" of treatments feel less isolated in their struggle.

The discussion dives deep into the impact of medicalized family building on communication, intimacy, and grief. Emily and Andy address community-submitted queries regarding the "profound sense of powerlessness" often felt by non-carrying partners and the frustration of receiving a diagnosis of "unexplained infertility". They offer unflinchingly honest reflections on the pressure of "scheduled sex," the self-consciousness that arises when a partner feels their body is "failing," and the friction caused by different grieving styles. The couple shares practical strategies for maintaining connection, such as carving out intentional time to enjoy being with each other without talking about family building and using long walks to facilitate difficult conversations. Ultimately, Emily and Andy emphasize the necessity of approaching your partner with curiosity rather than assumptions and treating each other with grace throughout a process that can fundamentally change you as a person. Wherever you are on your journey, this episode provides validation and offers an honest perspective on prioritizing connection.

Resources for navigating family building with a partner:

1. The Arc of Sex and Intimacy During Family Building
2. We’re Not on the Same Page
3. Find a mental health provider

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Relationships, infertility, fertility, sex, intimacy, sex and infertility, Valentine’s Day, fertility treatment, grief, family building, IVF journey, infertility support, relationship challenges, couples communication, emotional support during IVF, navigating fertility treatments, mental health support, couples counseling, infertility and men, masculinity, mental health and infertility, family growth options, coping with pregnancy loss, intimate relationships during IVF, understanding infertility struggles, grief in family building, support for partners in IVF, communication tips for couples, emotional toll of fertility treatments, family planning discussions, overcoming infertility challenges, building a family together

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode of the AllPaths podcast, we sit down with Dr. Carmel Wiseman, a fertility optimization specialist who acts as a "detective" to uncover the hidden barriers preventing people from growing their families. Dr. Carmel shares her eight-year journey, which began at age 41 and included multiple miscarriages, IUIs, and IVF cycles in both the United States and Israel. She details the unique challenges she faced, including a significant childhood medical error where her thyroid was accidentally removed, and her eventual discovery that mycotoxin illness (mold exposure) was a primary factor in her own fertility struggles. Ultimately, her journey was resolved through an empowered choice rather than a medical success. She reached a point where she felt she could either continue trying to have a baby at age 50 or use her experience to help others avoid the same lengthy, confusing struggle. She chose the latter, becoming the guide she wished she had during her own journey. Today, she shares that “95% of the time, I'm just 100% at peace with it,” finding joy and fulfillment as an "auntie" and by contributing to the successful family-building stories of her clients.

The discussion explores Dr. Carmel’s comprehensive approach to fertility, which utilizes functional medicine and genomic testing to evaluate the health of both partners. She emphasizes the importance of looking beyond hormones to investigate environmental toxins, metabolic health, and male-factor issues such as sperm DNA fragmentation. Dr. Carmel advocates for couples to "get curious" and begin optimizing their health ideally a year or two before trying to conceive, as addressing issues like heavy metal toxicity or epigenetic risk factors requires time. She explains that while the goal is often a healthy baby, the process of functional optimization provides couples with health management tools that last a lifetime, regardless of the outcome.

Get in touch with Dr. Carmel:

1. WEBSITE: www.doctorcarmel.com
2. LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcarmeldc/
3. YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@DoctorCarmelHPHC
4. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/doctor.carmel/
5. FACEBOOK:https://www.facebook.com/DoctorCarmel/

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

IUI, fertility over 40, pregnancy loss, miscarriage, TTC over 40, international fertility treatment, IVF, thyroid, donor egg, egg donor IVF, cost of IVF, cost of fertility treatment, twin loss, miscarriage, functional medicine, environmental toxins, micotoxin exposure, micotoxin illness, childless after infertility, childless after family building challenges, integrative medicine, male factor infertility, sperm fragmentation, semen analysis, Israel, Australia, oxidative stress testing, first-trimester miscarriages, fertility optimization, GrowBaby, genetic testing

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Malcolm "Kip" McKenzie, a retired OBGYN with 35 years of experience with 20 years of focus on treatment of endometriosis, particularly complex surgical management. We discuss the complex and often misunderstood reality of living with endometriosis, which can impact many people’s ability to conceive. Reflecting on the misconceptions surrounding the condition, Kip acknowledges his own past errors in understanding and treatment, highlighting the need for better education and advocacy.

The conversation touches on the relationship between endometriosis and fertility, discussing how outdated views can hinder proper diagnosis and treatment. Kip emphasizes the importance of understanding the origins of endometriosis, moving away from myths and towards a more empowering and scientifically grounded paradigm. Kip explains that endometriosis is likely a single embryologic event occurring at six weeks gestation rather than the result of "retrograde menstruation” as doctors have incorrectly hypothesized for the past century. He candidly addresses his past clinical mistakes to highlight how inadequate provider training and medical gaslighting often leave patients feeling traumatized and ignored. To combat these issues, his clinical focus in semi-retirement is on a specialized surgical fellowship designed to teach doctors effective excision techniques for removing the disease entirely.

Beyond training surgeons, Kip is working to elevate patient voices, advocating for improved care and a greater understanding of the condition as a co-founder of The Endometriosis Alliance of Massachusetts (TEAM). TEAM is currently fighting for state legislation that will create a dedicated task force to address the lack of funding, public awareness, and research surrounding this serious condition. This episode serves as both a scientific deep-dive into endometriosis and a call to action for "EndoWarriors" and providers to continue pushing for systemic change in healthcare.

Visit https://allpathsfb.org/ma-advocacy/ to learn how you can advocate for improved care and understanding and find endometriosis resources and patient stories here.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Endometriosis, retrograde menstruation, advocacy, The Endometriosis Alliance of Massachusetts (TEAM), endowarriors, psycho-emotional trauma, medical gaslighting, infertility, fertility, excision surgery, self-advocacy, validation, specialized surgical fellowship, patient advocacy, hysterectomy, fertility struggles, family building, women's health, reproductive health, infertility awareness, endo advocacy, chronic pain, gynecological health, emotional support, patient empowerment, surgical treatment, endometriosis education, healthcare provider training, patient experiences, advocacy tools, mental health, hormonal health, pelvic pain, endometriosis community

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode, we talk with Nancy Weatherby, the Intended Parent Outreach Manager at Circle Surrogacy, about her personal and professional experience with family building through surrogacy. Nancy shares her story of being diagnosed at age 17 with MRKH syndrome, a rare birth defect that typically means a person is born with ovaries but without a uterus. She details the medical complexities of this condition, which for her included having only one kidney and facing significant hurdles during IVF. Despite these challenges, Nancy was encouraged by a forward-thinking doctor who "planted the seed" of hope by predicting that future advancements in IVF and surrogacy would one day allow her to become a parent.

Nancy’s path to parenthood involved two different surrogacy journeys that highlight the different ways to navigate the process. Her first child was born through an independent match after an initial agency experience proved to be a poor fit; however, Nancy notes that managing the legal, financial, and insurance aspects herself was like a "part-time job.” For her "sibling journey," she turned to her sister-in-law, who offered to be their surrogate after their previous gestational carrier was unable to move forward due to a medical complication. These experiences eventually led Nancy to a 22-year career at Circle Surrogacy, where she now uses her personal background to educate and advocate for intended parents. She strongly recommends working with an agency to ensure legal security and to allow parents to focus on building a bond with their surrogate rather than managing logistical "moving parts."

The conversation also provides valuable advice for those struggling with fertility, emphasizing the importance of thorough research and peer support. Nancy discusses the "grieving process" of realizing one cannot carry a pregnancy and suggests that connecting with a therapist or a support group can be vital for emotional health. She also highlights the success of normalizing birth stories with her now-adult children, who grew up knowing they were "special deliveries" made possible by the kindness of others. Ultimately, Nancy encourages intended parents to be open about their needs and to find a path that feels right for their specific family goals.

Are you looking for support as an intended parent? Get in touch with Nancy and Circle Surrogacy at nancy@circlesurrogacy.com and learn more about AllPaths support group and resources for intended parents at https://allpathsfb.org/resource-library/surrogacy-resources/.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Surrogacy, gestational carrier, Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) Syndrome, congenital disorder, fertility treatment, IVF, intended parent, surrogacy agency, independent match, Circle Surrogacy, peer groups, therapy, mental health support, grief, talking about surrogacy with children, family building, surrogacy journey, MRKH syndrome, IVF success, parenting options, emotional support, surrogacy agency, adoption process, intended parents, surrogacy stories, peer support groups, surrogacy laws, family growth, navigating infertility, building a family, surrogacy resources, surrogacy benefits, support for intended parents, surrogacy misconceptions, journey to parenthood

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

This episode features Emma Berens, the Federal Government Affairs Manager for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) who brings a unique perspective to her work as an IVF baby herself. Growing up in Massachusetts, Emma and her sister were born through IVF after their mother, Patrice, navigated unexplained infertility with the help of the state’s historic insurance coverage mandate. Emma shares how her family's open and positive framing of her "petri dish" origins instilled a deep appreciation for medical science and innovation from a young age, leading her to a career dedicated to protecting reproductive healthcare.

The conversation explores Emma’s transition into reproductive health advocacy, a path solidified by the overturning of Roe v. Wade and her mother's prescient warning that IVF access would eventually face opposition. Emma highlights her professional efforts to change policies and perspectives on the federal and state levels, emphasizing the power of patient stories to move the needle even among skeptical or religious lawmakers. She offers practical advice for those looking to get involved in the movement, suggesting that plugging into local coalitions is the most effective way to find community while protecting access to treatment.

A major portion of the discussion focuses on the rise of Restorative Reproductive Medicine (RRM), which Emma describes as an ideologically driven rebranding of diagnostics used to exclude or limit access to evidence-based treatments like IVF. She warns that RRM legislation can be deceptive by framing itself as "holistic" or "patient-centered" while it actually removes choices and can lead to detrimental delays in care. Ultimately, the episode serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of community support and the ongoing need for nonpartisan advocacy to ensure the right to build a family remains a protected, fundamental priority.

Visit https://allpathsfb.org/advocacy-work/ to get involved!

Today’s episode is brought to you by The Herbal Fertility Handbook by Liane Moccia. For a trusted, holistic resource to support your path to pregnancy, The Herbal Fertility Handbook is available wherever books are sold.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

IVF, insurance coverage, IVF baby, conceived through IVF, insurance coverage mandate, Massachusetts, ASRM, federal advocacy, advocacy, healthcare, infertility, unexplained infertility, miscarriage, pregnancy loss, fertility treatment, science, patient journey, patient advocate, Catholicism, religion, state-level advocacy, South Carolina, personhood, insurance mandate, California, Tennessee, regulate IVF clinics, pro-family, patient stories, restorative reproductive medicine, RRM, AMA, protecting access to care, patient-centered care, evidence-based treatment, reproductive health advocacy, infertility resources, patient advocacy in fertility, IVF experiences, reproductive endocrinology, mental health in fertility treatment, infertility awareness, community support for infertility, reproductive technology, advocacy for reproductive rights, fertility treatment options

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this first episode of 2026, we talk with Vermont State Representative Ashley Bartley, 2025 AllPaths Advocacy Award winner, about her intertwined journey of family building and political service. Ashley, a fourth-generation Vermonter, recounts her personal experience with pregnancy loss and how the desire to grow her family eventually led her to seek public office, in fact making the decision to run for office while she was in labor. Now a champion for legislative reforms aimed at improving the lives of growing Vermont families, Ashley emphasizes how housing, workforce retention, and healthcare are interconnected issues that affect the state’s ability to support young families.

Our conversation highlights Rep. Bartley's advocacy for bill H.302, which would require private and public insurance in Vermont to provide coverage for fertility care. Ashley explains how this legislation is vital for the state's economy and workforce, as it will help retain younger residents who might otherwise relocate to neighboring states for better reproductive health benefits, as Vermont is the only remaining state in the Northeast that does not have a fertility insurance law. She urges listeners, both Vermonters and those who live outside of the state, to become "squeaky wheels" in the effort to ensure these family building supports move off the "wall" and into law. Together our persistence and shared effort can help support the collective "family that is Vermont".

For the latest on Vermont Fertility Advocacy efforts, visit https://allpathsfb.org/vt-advocacy/ and join the Vermont Fertility Advocacy group on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/vtfertilityadvocacy/.

To share your story and support of H.302 with Rep. Bartley directly, you can email her at abartley@leg.state.vt.us.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Pregnancy loss, miscarriage, fertility healthcare, insurance coverage, Vermont, fertility insurance coverage, Vermont health care, VT, Vermont families, H.302, Noah Kahan, family building, fertility advocacy, Vermont family support, miscarriage support, child care crisis, maternal health, reproductive health, blended families, emotional support for families, family growth journey, navigating pregnancy loss, family planning resources, community support for families, infertility awareness, Vermont legislation, family building stories, emotional resilience in family growth, family planning challenges, supportive friendships in parenting, Vermont reproductive policies

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

This episode serves as a comprehensive guide to demystifying the advocacy process for those who want to support family-building issues, but are nervous or don’t know where to start. Hosts Kate and Emily share their own early anxieties about testifying and understanding policy to reassure listeners that even seasoned advocates started with the same fears. They emphasize that you do not need to be a policy expert or a professional lobbyist to be effective; in fact, your personal story is your "most powerful currency" because it provides a human frame of reference that can change a legislator's mind more effectively than statistics alone.

To help you get started, the episode outlines practical steps such as identifying your state-level elected officials and building relationships with them at your local coffee shop, a friendly chance encounter at a sunflower field, and community office hours. And while personal connections with legislators can lead to significant policy wins, it’s important to remember that advocacy is a team sport. Organizations like AllPaths provide resources for tracking bills and preparing testimony, whether you choose to participate in person, virtually, or through written submissions. From the powerful impact of a physical "preemie diaper" held up during a Senate debate to the simple act of sending a thank-you note during the "off-season," every authentic relationship with officials and story shared helps advance the collective goals of our community.

Visit https://allpathsfb.org/advocacy-work/ or reach out to us at admin@allpathsfb.org to get started on your advocacy journey!

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

family building, fertility advocacy, infertility support, share your story, personal advocacy, advocacy resources, family growth journey, advocate for change, family building community, fertility preservation, legislative advocacy, grassroots advocacy, emotional support for families, navigating infertility, state legislatures, writing to your representative, personal experiences in advocacy, infertility legislation, community support for families, becoming an advocate, advocacy 101

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode of the AllPaths podcast, hosts Kate and Emily sit down with Maya and Jen, the founders of EM•POWER with Moxi, to explore their experiences with embryo donation. Maya, a psychotherapist and creator of the documentary One More Shot, shares her four-and-a-half-year struggle with infertility that, after multiple unsuccessful rounds of IVF and egg donation, culminated with the birth of her daughter conceived via embryo donation. Jen offers the perspective of a donor, recounting her experience as a former IVF patient with a complete family and single remaining embryo that she chose to donate to a recipient who now has an eight-year-old son. Together, they highlight how their personal histories informed the creation of Moxie Matching, a platform designed to provide the education and logistical support they found lacking during their own journeys.

The discussion delves into the critical distinctions between directed donation and anonymous clinic programs when considering donor conception. Jen and Maya explain that "directed" donation allows for transparency regarding genetic origins, which they believe is essential for a child’s welfare as they grow. They also clarify the importance of terminology throughout the process, from why they prefer the term embryo donation over embryo adoption for important legal reasons, to how donor and recipient parents can normalize conversations about genetic origins and support children as they navigate their own definitions of family and connection. Ultimately, Maya and Jen’s own stories and work in this space, provide guidance into a unique and celebrated expansion of family while prioritizing the long-term well-being of the children involved.

Learn more about Talking to Kids about Embryo Donation (webinar).

Connect with Maya, Jen, and EM•POWER with Moxi at https://www.empowerwithmoxi.com/.

Watch One More Shot, Maya’s film chronicling her family building journey https://www.onemoreshotfilm.com/.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Fertility treatment, fertility clinic, IUI, IVF, diminished ovarian reserve, Clomid, donor egg, known donor, directed donor, embryo donation, embryo adoption, unsuccessful cycle, failed IVF cycle, insurance coverage, assisted reproduction, donor conception, genetic testing, DNA testing, genetics, One More Shot documentary, therapist, reproductive therapist, embryo donor, male factor infertility, ICSI, miscarriage, pregnancy loss, viable embryos, twin pregnancy, EM•POWER with Moxi, Moxi Matching, embryo disposition, donate to science, recipient, embryo donor support, emotional support, Embryo Donation Support, remaining embryos, family building, embryo donation, fertility journey, IVF experience, reproductive medicine, assisted reproduction, donor conception, parenting paths, support groups for infertility, emotional support for parents, family growth options, All Paths podcast, navigating fertility challenges, genetic counseling, embryo matching, donor egg cycles, community for fertility patients, parenting through IVF, connecting with embryo donors, family narratives in assisted reproduction, education, counseling, directed embryo donation, genetic counseling, mental health, legal counseling, donor conceived child, genetic connections, It’s Not the Stork book series, personhood rights

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

This episode features Karalyn Connolly, a longtime New Englander, parent of three, and professional in the fertility space. Over the course of the conversation, Karalyn recounts the unexpected challenge of facing unexplained secondary infertility after her first pregnancy was achieved easily. She describes the process as scary and isolating, leading to feelings of self-blame, immense pressure, and guilt. After initial conversations with her OBGYN and waiting the mandated 12 months of trying (as she was under 35), Karalyn moved through medicated cycles, timed intercourse, and eventually four unsuccessful IUI cycles. The lack of spousal agreement on continuing treatment added an additional layer of complication, forcing Karalyn to question if she should be satisfied with the family she already had.

Karalyn’s eventual IVF journey was extensive and emotionally draining, involving travel outside of New Hampshire due to insurance mandates. She underwent four retrievals and seven transfers, four of which ended in chemical pregnancies. At her breaking point, she tried one last retrieval, and though the fresh transfer failed, she transferred her final two frozen embryos, which resulted in the birth of her healthy boy/girl twins. She notes that the worry and fear associated with the losses never fully disappeared until she held her babies. After the delivery of her twins, Karalyn felt closure and knew her family building journey was finally complete.

Her personal journey came full circle when, years later, she joined Femasys, a biomedical company dedicated to women's health and fertility. Karalyn found this move fulfilling, giving her the opportunity to help families achieve their parenting goals. Learn more about Femasys and their work at https://femasys.com/.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Femasys, secondary infertility, trying for another, unexplained infertility, infertility, self-blame, fertility treatment, medicated cycles, timed intercourse, IUI, unsuccessful cycles, fertility benefits, IVF, guilt, insurance mandate, not on the same page, reproductive endocrinologist, egg retrieval, transfer, chemical pregnancy, frozen embryo transfer, twin pregnancy, multiples, full-term twin, medical sales, women’s healthcare company, insemination, FemVue, Sono-HSG, FemaSeed, intratubal insemination, ITI, family building, secondary infertility, fertility journey, fertility challenges, emotional support, family growth options, infertility resources, reproductive health, women's health, fertility treatments, parenting multiples, IUI procedures, IVF alternatives, pregnancy loss, family planning, support for infertility, personal stories of infertility, overcoming infertility, fertility awareness, infertility advocacy

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Natalie Crawford, a board-certified OB/GYN and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) specialist who practices in Austin, Texas, and who many will recognize as being one of the most well-known fertility doctors on social media. She has been active on social media for over a decade, hosting the As a Woman podcast and maintaining a YouTube channel, alongside her debut book, The Fertility Formula, scheduled for spring 2026. Her efforts are driven by a passion to provide fundamental knowledge to patients who she felt were seeing her too late and lacked basic understanding of their reproductive health.

Dr. Crawford opens up about her own family building story, which began during her residency and included multiple pregnancy losses and an ectopic pregnancy. Noting that she felt dismissed by her own doctor despite being an OB/GYN herself, this experience profoundly changed how she approaches patients, emphasizing compassion and the power of a physician's words. When conventional testing came back normal, leading to an unexplained infertility diagnosis, she decided to use her REI fellowship research to investigate natural fertility, focusing on topics like inflammation, vitamin D, ovarian reserve, and environmental toxins. Her personal "n of one study" involved anti-inflammatory lifestyle changes which, combined with Clomid, resulted in her pregnancy. Her later diagnosis of celiac disease served as a profound example of how autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, which are often overlooked, can impact fertility. 

Considered an "OG of fertility doctors on social media" for having pioneered this space, when Dr. Crawford first started sharing her personal story and professional insights online, she received "so much hate from our field and my colleagues" who believed physicians should maintain separation between their personal and professional lives. However, she stood firm, believing that being open about her experiences with pregnancy loss and infertility was crucial for building trust and connection with her patients, emphasizing that she is a person first. Ultimately, her commitment to transparency and education has significantly influenced how fertility expertise is shared and received in the public domain.

The conversation also touches on the debate surrounding Restorative Reproductive Medicine (RRM), with Dr. Crawford advocating for comprehensive care that includes conventional treatments like IVF, stressing that while root cause evaluation is crucial, it should not eliminate the option of IVF and that any method that seeks to eliminate or severely restrict standard fertility treatments should be concerning to patients and providers.

Connect with Dr. Crawford at nataliecrawfordmd.com or on social media @nataliecrawfordmd.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Reproductive Endocrinologist, OB/GYN, Fora Fertility, Dr. Natalie Crawford, pregnancy loss, infertility, unexplained infertility, ectopic pregnancy, fertility education, fertility treatment, IVF, restorative reproductive medicine, RRM, Celiac Disease, inflammation,  autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, fertility support, family building journey, pregnancy loss, infertility awareness, reproductive health education, natural fertility, hormone health, IVF process, cycle tracking, emotional support for infertility, lifestyle changes for fertility, fertility doctor insights, fertility and inflammation, understanding ovarian reserve, couples fertility health, patient advocacy in fertility, fertility resources, women’s health education, male fertility factors, compassionate care in fertility

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode we welcome Carrie Van Steen, a parent through IVF and professional in the fertility field. Carrie details her personal family building journey, which began more than two decades ago and was not the straightforward path she had always envisioned. After initial testing failed to find issues, Carrie’s gut instinct prompted her to push for more comprehensive testing, revealing that she and her husband had a less than 5% chance of achieving pregnancy even with IUI, meaning IVF was their only option. Following an unsuccessful first IVF cycle which depleted their savings, she experienced a devastating chemical pregnancy that triggered anxiety and depression. Success finally came with her last two embryos, only after a polypectomy and D&C treated polyps that had previously gone undetected. Carrie notes that she did not truly exhale and release the worry and stress until her daughters were actually in her arms.

Carrie’s own fertility journey started about a year after she entered the industry, initially working as an executive assistant for the president of a fertility company. Her professional role gave her close insight into the field, leading her to quickly advocate for more testing when her early attempts to conceive were unsuccessful. Driven by a desire to pay it forward every single day, Carrie found herself embedded in the fertility world even after her own family was complete, watching the industry "explode" in the early 2000s. 

Carrie now works daily to pay it forward as the Manager of Patient Experience & Clinic Success of BUNDL Fertility, a multi-cycle IVF refund guarantee program that she helped launch. The program allows patients who qualify to purchase a money-back guarantee, returning 100% of their money if they are not successful. Carrie stresses that this option provides patients with financial control in a journey where they often feel they have none over their bodies or outcomes. She offers critical advice to listeners: advocate for yourself, understand that no two IVF cycles are alike, and be kind to yourself regardless of your emotional state during treatment, offering her own story as an example of the importance of community, communication, and self-advocacy in family-building journeys.

Learn more about BUNDL at https://www.bundlfertility.com/.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

patient advocate, IVF mom, fertility treatment, twin pregnancy, TTC, trying to conceive, diagnostic testing, clomid, IUI, insurance coverage, relationships, IVF, ICSI, grief, saline sonogram, failed cycles, medical debt, out-of-pocket expenses, anxiety, depression, uterine polyps, polypectomy, D&C, frozen transfer, pregnancy after infertility, community support, support groups, peer support, IVF journey, infertility support, emotional support for infertility, reproductive health, fertility clinic advice, parenting after IVF, fertility treatment options, patient advocacy in fertility, financial assistance for IVF, fertility community support, coping with infertility, egg freezing, fertility awareness, IUI cycles, mental health and infertility, navigating IVF, fertility resources, healthcare, Inception Fertility, BUNDL Fertility, multi-cycle IVF refund program, for friends and family, setting boundaries, family building 

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Fallon Durant, a Laboratory Supervisor in the embryology lab at Boston IVF. Dr. Durant shares the seven-year journey that she and her husband endured while trying to grow their family, a path marked by recurrent pregnancy losses. As a scientist with a PhD and a subspecialty in Molecular Cell Biology and Development, she found herself becoming her own case study as she searched for answers regarding her unexplained recurrent loss, which she theorized was linked to her rare autoimmune diseases. Through it all, she turned to creative outlets like teaching yoga and using aerial circus arts to express the "unfathomable grief" she carried, even performing an entire act centered on the hurtful things people say to those experiencing loss.

Driven by her personal experience, Dr. Durant decided to shift her research focus to fertility science, specifically studying regeneration and how it applies to fibrotic diseases like endometriosis and uterine scarring. She eventually moved into the clinic, wanting to apply her technical skills to help patients daily. Describing embryologists as the "unseen warriors" and the "beating heart of the clinic," Dr. Durant offers a glimpse inside the lab, from sharing the personal mantra she repeats during ICSI (injecting sperm into an egg) to remind herself and the team of the significance of the work to demystifying the complex process of embryo grading, clarifying that it is a snapshot in time based on expansion, the inner cell mass, and the trophectoderm, rather than a guarantee of success. And most importantly, Dr. Durant wants fertility patients to know that even if they never talk to or see the embryologists, their cases are never treated as "just another number" and that she hopes each patient feels “the positive vibes and all the love and care” that's coming from everyone in the embryology lab.

If you are experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss and are looking for support, and/or are a professional looking for research opportunities, we recommend connecting with the Recurrent Pregnancy Loss Association.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Embryology, recurrent pregnancy loss, fertility challenges, IVF, embryologist, immunology, reproductive immunology, infertility, taboo, RPLA, aerial, circus, community, finding peace, science, medicine, hope, grief, vulnerability, holding space, family building, recurrent pregnancy loss, IVF journey, fertility support, emotional support, pregnancy loss experiences, fertility treatments, infertility journey, community support for infertility, embryo grading, IVF success stories, coping with miscarriage, fertility clinic insights, personal fertility journeys, Dr. Fallon Durant, All Paths podcast, navigating infertility, compassionate care in fertility, fertility science, support groups for loss

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

This episode features a conversation with Rachel Wilson, a therapist, yoga and meditation instructor, coach, and most recently, a postpartum doula and intended parent support coach. Rachel shares the difficult journey she and her husband undertook to welcome their son, Remiel, the "archangel of hope." After struggling with disappointment for a year, and facing financial limitations that closed the door on IUI/IVF, the couple chose international surrogacy in the country of Georgia in their early 40s.

Rachel recounts the myriad of emotional and logistical roadblocks they faced, difficulties finding an egg donor, navigating bureaucracy and cultural differences, and the stress of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine impacting the region. She describes how she maintained resilience and connection—bonding with her baby and the gestational carrier from thousands of miles away by sending music, recordings of her and her husband reading stories like Goodnight Moon, and knitting baby items. She leaned heavily on her husband’s solid support and her daily yoga and meditation practice, which helped her hold the paradoxical balance of having hope while being willing to surrender control and expectations. The journey culminated in a rush to a Georgian hospital where they met their surrogate for the first time during the birth. While her family is now complete, Rachel also shares the final chapter of her journey, donating her remaining embryo.

This experience led Rachel to embark on a new mission as an intended parent support coach, offering what she felt she lacked during her own process. She now hopes to help others prepare mentally and emotionally for their child’s arrival, assisting in creating necessary support “villages,” and focusing on supporting the critical transfer moment between the carrier and the intended parents. Rachel is particularly passionate about helping intended parents bond with their babies, sharing more about her journey, practical suggestions, and a bonding meditation in a recent article on our blog:  https://allpathsfb.org/bonding-with-your-unborn-child-during-surrogacy/.

Connect with Rachel at https://www.intendedparentssupportcoach.com/.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

TTC over 40, surrogacy, gestational carrier, international surrogacy, donor conception, egg donation, embryo donation, postpartum, postpartum support, parenting after infertility, parenting support, family building, surrogacy journey, intended parents support, postpartum doula, egg donation, infertility support, family growth, emotional rollercoaster of parenting, navigating family building challenges, bonding with unborn child, international surrogacy, personal journey to parenthood, overcoming obstacles in parenthood, connecting with gestational carrier, support for intended parents, coping with disappointment in family building, bonding from afar, yoga and meditation for parents, emotional support during pregnancy, building a family through surrogacy

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode we welcome Kristin Dillensnyder to discuss her family building journey and her subsequent work in the fertility space. Kristin, a former military spouse now living in South Carolina, navigated the complicated, messy, and lonely process of IVF and infertility while living in a new city (Montgomery, Alabama) where social supports were scarce. She pursued several IUIs without success before moving on to three rounds of IVF, which ultimately resulted in the birth of her daughter, but also included experiencing a miscarriage. A significant challenge during her experience was having to pay 100% out of pocket for care, a realization that shaped her future advocacy efforts.

Feeling a profound desire to stay in the fertility space and be the person she needed during her own struggle, Kristin developed the Two Week Wait Challenge, a free resource designed to help people stay busy, positive, and hopeful until they receive the results of their pregnancy test. Kristin’s business grew from there, becoming a self-proclaimed "Fairy God-Sister" who understands the specific lingo and emotional rollercoaster of IVF. In addition to her work as an IVF mindset coach through her business, Empowered Infertility, Kristin also hosts her own podcast, More Than Your Infertility, which focuses on reminding listeners that their fertility journey is not their only identity. 

The conversation culminates in a discussion of Kristin's passionate advocacy work, which started by fighting against the limited access to care for those without insurance coverage or the ability to pay out of pocket. Her efforts have evolved into actively fighting to keep medical care available for everyone, regardless of where they live or what their family looks like. Currently, she is actively fighting against the dangerous South Carolina Senate Bill S.323, an extreme total abortion ban that threatens to criminally charge women and those who assist them, and if passed, could be used as an example for other states to follow. While acknowledging the need to start small and develop your “advocacy muscles,” Kristin encourages people everywhere to get involved, emphasizing that action is key to regaining a sense of control when everything else, like infertility, feels out of control. Small actions, such as contacting their legislators, sharing social media posts, and spreading awareness, can add up to make a big impact, and importantly reminds us all to keep having joy in our lives, describing joy as a form of resistance.

Connect with Kristin at www.empoweredinfertilitycoaching.com or @kristindillensnyder on Instagram. And to get easy action items to help fight against SB. 323, join the SC Fertility Advocates Facebook Group. 

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

family building, infertility support, IVF journey, trying to conceive, reproductive health, family growth, assisted reproductive technology, emotional support for infertility, IVF coaching, military spouse infertility, parenting after infertility, infertility advocacy, two week wait support, coping with infertility, community support for parents, family planning resources, infertility awareness, mental health during IVF, navigating infertility, parenting stories, Military spouse, TriCare, TTC, IVF, coaching, life coach, infertility, Empowered Infertility, advocate, fertility advocate, IUI, HSG, support group, finsta account, church, religion and IVF, prayer warriors, fear, judgement, worry, two-week wait, two-week wait challenge, pee on a stick, positive pregnancy test, hopeful, infertility community, IVF mindset coach, fertility advocacy, access to care, pay-out-of-pocket, South Carolina, abortion ban, total abortion ban, S.323, Wren (SC), RESOLVE, State Strong, ASRM, ACOG, disappointment

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

This episode features Kerri Bicskei, an active duty military spouse, psychotherapist, and founder of the nonprofit organization Mindful Warrior Alliance. Kerri shares her ongoing family building journey, taking both holistic and Western medical approaches before being diagnosed with unexplained infertility, later complicated by endometriosis. Kerri and her husband ultimately decided to travel out of state for IVF, since as an active duty military family, lack of insurance coverage for treatment made cost a major barrier, fertility support at their local military installation had a several year waitlist, and they wanted to be closer to family for support during treatment. 

Throughout their journey, Kerri has experienced firsthand the unique and massive challenges military families face. Kerri explains how Tricare fails to cover most fertility expenses and how seeking mental health care through the military system is "truly not confidential," potentially flagging the service member's record and jeopardizing their career. She started Mindful Warrior Alliance to directly address these gaps, providing $5,000 financial scholarships to military members, spouses, Guard, Reserve, and veterans and offering six free mental health counseling sessions using a 100% confidential, HIPAA compliant platform, ensuring client information is not shared with command or insurance. Throughout the episode, Kerri highlights the importance of support systems, emphasizing the power of community, resilience, and the importance of seeking help and support during a complicated family building journey.

Connect with Kerri at Mindful Warrior Alliance at https://www.mindfulwarrioralliance.org/. 

Need additional support as a military-connected person navigating family building challenges? Check out AllPaths’ monthly free/virtual Building Military Families Support Group.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

family building, infertility, IVF journey, military families, military family, military member, military spouse, military veteran, emotional support, holistic fertility, mental health counseling, adoption, unexplained infertility, endometriosis, fertility scholarships, nonprofit organization, Mindful Warrior Alliance, military spouse support, reproductive health, mental health support, IVF success stories, fertility awareness, peer support groups, family planning, IVF, tricare, unexplained infertility, endometriosis, holistic fertility care, sibling, mental health, military families, support system, advocacy, patient advocacy, access to care, therapy, self-care, mindful warrior alliance, financial scholarships, grants 

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In our latest episode, we welcome Maria and Elizabeth, the co-founders and co-directors of The ART of Infertility, to share their personal experiences with infertility and their collaborative advocacy work. Though their individual family building journeys took different paths, both Elizabeth and Maria emphasize the importance of the supportive communities they found as they navigated infertility diagnoses and their subsequent experiences with fertility treatment, loss, adoption, and step-parenting. They both also found that creative outlets like visual art and writing were immensely helpful for processing their journeys.

Together Maria and Elizabeth founded The ART of Infertility, a national arts organization that challenges perceptions of infertility through visual art and storytelling and advocates for creativity to be incorporated as a therapeutic outlet for fertility patients as part of broader mental health support in clinical settings. Through exhibits, workshops, and their book Infertilities, A Curation, Elizabeth and Maria stress the need for open discussions about infertility to foster understanding and connection, and hope to inspire anyone feeling overwhelmed by their family building journey to explore creativity as a step towards healing.

Connect with Maria and Elizabeth at https://www.artofinfertility.org/ or reach out to them directly at elizabeth@artofinfertility.org and maria@artofinfertility.org.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

family building, infertility support, reproductive health, IVF experiences, adoption journeys, community support for infertility, coping with infertility, emotional impact of infertility, creative expression in fertility, infertility advocacy, peer support groups, family planning challenges, mental health and infertility, navigating infertility, stories of infertility, infertility awareness, support for couples, coping strategies for infertility, personal experiences with IVF, art and infertility, Infertility, clomid, timed intercourse, IUI, endometriosis, assisted reproductive technology, ART of Infertility, diminished ovarian reserve, DOR, IVF, male-factor infertility, grief, loss, reproductive loss, boundaries, visual art, egg retrieval, ovarian torsion, medical complications, medical trauma, miscarriage, pregnancy loss, embryo transfer, divorce after infertility, step-parent, step-parenting after infertility, community support, support group, peer support, RESOLVE the National Infertility Association, Progeny, fertility testing, couples support group, healing, fertility treatment, adoption, domestic infant adoption, open adoption, adoptive parent, parenting after infertility, advocacy, advocacy work, RESOLVE Advocacy Day, family building, family making, creative outlets, writing, art exhibit, identity and infertility, creative practices, mental health and creativity, creating awareness, reproductive rights, Infertiles, A Curation, blackout poetry, mixed media, painting, art exhibit, 

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode, we speak with Becca Levin Nayak, an attorney specializing in adoption and assisted reproduction in Pennsylvania. Becca shares her own family building journey, begun with her ex-wife, where the couple navigated donor conception. The process of choosing a sperm donor was overwhelming, which Becca likened to selecting a partner on a dating app. Despite the challenges, Becca's first attempt at IUI resulted in a successful pregnancy, leading to the birth of her son. However, her path was not without heartbreak, as she faced miscarriages and the dissolution of her marriage, which prompted her to consider single parenthood. This journey took an unexpected turn when she met her current wife, who had two children from a previous co-parenting arrangement. The creation of their blended family is a beautiful illustration of the fact that genetic ties are not what make a family.

The conversation then pivots to Becca's professional career, which was initially driven by her commitment to LGBTQ+ advocacy following decisions like Lawrence v. Texas. She discusses the evolving legal landscape for LGBTQ+ families, her shift to focusing on assisted reproduction and adoption law, and the importance of securing parental rights for non-biological or genetic parents. Currently, Becca is an active advocate for the Pennsylvania Uniform Parentage Act (House Bill 350), which will modernize and clarify parentage law in the state to recognize diverse family structures and protect the rights of all parent/child relationships, regardless of how their families are built.

LINKS:

Connect with Becca at https://www.hangley.com/team-member/rebecca-levin-nayak and learn how you can help advocate for the Pennsylvania Uniform Parentage Act at https://www.pennparentage.org/.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

family building, LGBTQ family, assisted reproduction, adoption attorney, blended family, parenting journey, sperm donor selection, intentional co-parenting, legal protections for families, family law advocacy, emotional support for parents, Pennsylvania Parentage Act, fertility clinic services, family structure diversity, parenting rights, miscarriage support, donor siblings, family formation resources, surrogacy laws, parenthood options, adoption, assisted reproduction, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, LGBTQ+, two moms, RMA Philadelphia, donor conception, donor sperm, donor siblings, IUI, miscarriage, pregnancy loss, intentional co-parenting, blended family, advocacy, parentage, LGBT Advocacy, family law, family formation lawyer, Pennsylvania Parentage Act, intent-based parenting, confirmatory adoption, legal protections, known donor, relationships, family groups

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

On this episode, we welcome Courtney, a current PhD student at the Fletcher School of Tufts whose research focuses on the intersections of conflict, reproductive health, and humanitarian programming, to talk about her ongoing reproductive health journey. Her long medical path, which began with life-threatening blood clots (DVT and pulmonary embolism) at age 17, leading to a diagnosis of Factor 2 and Factor 5 clotting disorders and resulting in significant medical trauma. She was later diagnosed with endometriosis at 23, after struggling with symptoms for three or four years. Courtney discusses the difficulties of being gaslit and dismissed by medical providers regarding both her blood clots and her reproductive pain. She describes how she was eventually guided toward proper endometriosis care by a friend and colleague who had also experienced endometriosis and adenomyosis, providing essential support and guidance through an isolating experience.

Courtney's severe pain and the eventual diagnosis of adenomyosis, the "evil cousin of endo," led her to the decision to pursue a medically indicated hysterectomy at 24. She explains that her clotting disorders meant that pregnancy would be dangerous due to the risk of increased clotting from estrogen flushes. She appreciated finding an endometriosis specialist, who respected her autonomy and supported her desire to reclaim her quality of life by rescinding the “ability to give life in a way.” While Courtney and her husband, Mark, aren’t quite ready to start growing their family yet, they plan to pursue international adoption.

Courtney has since channeled her experiences into advocacy, testifying at the Massachusetts State House in support of comprehensive bills aimed at improving endometriosis care. She has become involved in the Endometriosis Alliance of Massachusetts (TEAM), an organization bringing together providers, patients, and caregivers to improve the lives of those with endometriosis through education and advocacy, of which AllPaths is a founding member. This November, Courtney is also running the Cambridge Half Marathon as a fundraiser for TEAM and AllPaths Family Building to support endometriosis advocacy efforts in Massachusetts, showcase the resilience of the endo community, and demonstrate that life can improve with proper treatment. Ultimately, Courtney stresses that there is no "ideal" or "normative" family building process, realizing through her own journey to this point that "what works for you is what the ideal is."

LINKS

Support Courtney’s Half Marathon Fundraiser at https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-team-and-allpaths-family-building.

Learn more about the Mount Auburn Center for Endometriosis Care at https://mountauburnhospital.org/services/gynecology/endometriosis-treatment.

Get involved with endometriosis advocacy in Massachusetts at https://www.endoteam.org/ and https://allpathsfb.org/ma-advocacy/.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Endometriosis, medical gaslighting, patient education, medical trauma, adenomyosis, pelvic floor physical therapy, trust, TEAM, Endometriosis Alliance of Massachusetts, Mount Auburn Hospital, hysterectomy, uterus, uterus party, MIGS, minimally invasive gynecological surgery, fertility, family building, patient autonomy, MA legislature, MA state house, advocacy, advocacy work, MA advocacy, endo bills, endometriosis bills, reproductive health, medical advocacy, women's health, infertility support, adenomyosis, patient empowerment, healthcare navigation, emotional support, community support, endometriosis awareness, advocacy efforts, PhD student experiences, personal health journeys, intersectionality in healthcare, fertility options

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

Today’s episode features Marea Goodman, a licensed midwife, parent, co-author of the book Baby Making for Everybody, and founder of PregnantTogether, a virtual community supporting queer and solo parents from preconception through parenting. Marea’s family grew through a non-traditional and "growthful" journey that involved co-parenting, a romantic relationship developing unexpectedly, the use of a known donor, having a child of their own (after a chemical pregnancy and then successful IUI), and eventually navigating a separation. They described the fertility process, alongside their experiences of pregnancy, birth, and separation, as deeply "humbling" and realized that if the process was this overwhelming to them as an "quote unquote expert" with training, then they could only imagine how it felt for others. 

This feeling of overwhelm and the observation that people often do not see the narratives of their non-traditional families in the mainstream world, led to the creation of the PregnantTogether community. By creating a space for LGBTQ+ individuals and solo parents, Marea hopes to provide a space where the unique stories of queer folks and solo parents are normalized and people can find the tailored support and resources that they wished they had had on their journey. PregnantTogether is excited to host the first virtual queer family building conference called “Together” this November 4th and 5th. Our conversation highlights the importance of normalizing diverse family structures, addressing the grief and disappointment inherent in the process, and connecting people to help smooth out the bumps of the family-building challenges. 

Find Marea and the community on Instagram @pregnanttogether.community or the website www.pregnanttogether.com.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Reproductive justice, queer parenting, queer family building, midwife, doula, fertility care, IUI, donor sperm, queer family stories, Baby-Making for Every Body book, grief, relationships, family, spiritual growth, at-home insemination, unsolicited advice, compassionate listening, family building, queer parenting, solo parenting, reproductive justice, LGBTQ+ family support, insemination process, parenting community, family planning resources, fertility challenges, emotional support for parents, non-traditional families, midwifery care, online parenting support, community for queer families, navigating parenthood, parenting after divorce, inclusive parenting resources, support for trying to conceive, parenting workshops, LGBTQ+ family building conference

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

This week we’re celebrating the 50th episode of the AllPaths Podcast. For this milestone, we welcome special guest, friend, colleague, and AllPaths board member, Elizabeth Carr. Known worldwide as the first IVF baby born in the United States, Elizabeth shares the incredibly pioneering journey of her parents, Judy and Roger. Massachusetts residents who had to travel back and forth to Norfolk, Virginia because IVF was illegal in their home state at the time, they turned to IVF after medical complications from a ruptured appendix and three life-threatening ectopic pregnancies ultimately led to the removal of both fallopian tubes.

Elizabeth details how her parents took a huge leap of faith based on a single, black-and-white, five-sentence flyer given to them by their OB/GYN. Their successful cycle involved developing the very first hormone protocol and resulted in only two eggs retrieved and one transfer. Despite facing intense media scrutiny around the birth, her parents immediately chose to forgo privacy so the world would know that this option was available and that their baby was "healthy and normal," a mission that Elizabeth actively carries on today. She explains that her work as a patient advocate, journalist, author, and board member is her deeply personal way of saying "thank you" to the entire fertility field—from doctors and nurses to therapists and organizations like AllPaths—for making her life possible.

Driven by a fear that IVF offspring might become an "endangered species" following the Alabama court decision in 2024, Elizabeth has taken on a more urgent and powerful role in advocacy. She has leveraged her experience growing up under media scrutiny to become a loud voice for the community, which resulted in her being invited to the State of the Union and helping to rally efforts to restart IVF services in Alabama. Elizabeth, who currently works in patient advocacy and marketing for a genetic testing company, offers advice to those navigating infertility and for those supporting a loved one, but most importantly emphasizes that while she chooses to share her story, there is "zero pressure" for others to do so, affirming that everyone has a valuable place in the community regardless of how they show up.

Connect with Elizabeth at https://ejordancarr.com/ or on Instagram @ejordan12

Today we want to give a very special shoutout to our Presenting Sponsor, EMD Serono. Thank you for helping to make sure that no one who struggles with building their family has to walk alone.

You can donate to or join the EMD Serono Walk team today at https://bit.ly/2025WalkTeamEMDSerono.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

family building, assisted reproductive technology, IVF support, infertility journey IVF, in vitro fertilization, family building community, emotional support for parents, infertility resources, personal IVF stories, connections through infertility, reproductive technology, infertility awareness, IVF success stories, patient advocacy, family planning options, fertility treatment, reproductive healthcare, insurance coverage, fertility advocacy

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

This episode features longtime member of the AllPaths community Colleen, who shares her journey through the emotional devastation of recurrent pregnancy loss and IVF. After five losses and two unsuccessful IVF cycles, Colleen and her husband decided to take a much-needed break, but in a shocking turn of events, discovered she was pregnant the day after the sudden death of her father. Despite her history of loss and initial expectation that it would end badly, the pregnancy defied the odds, with HCG numbers doubling quickly, leading to the confirmation of a viable pregnancy. Their son, Liam John (named after her father, John), was born prematurely at 33 weeks and six days and required a two-week stay in the NICU. After deciding to try for a second child with strict parameters, they successfully conceived their son Logan on the very first attempt, who was born full-term in May 2020 during the early stages of the pandemic lockdown.

Throughout the conversation, Colleen offers insights into coping with grief and the importance of community and advocates for using transparency and humor to break the isolation associated with loss, arguing that suffering in silence by "pretending I was okay" was the hardest part of the whole experience. From sharing about her experiences through her blog and social media and her volunteer work with AllPaths, Colleen has channeled her experiences into breaking the isolation and silence surrounding loss and the complexities of motherhood after loss, to help others feel less isolated while on their own difficult journeys.

Connect with Colleen on Instagram @notquitejustright.

A Special thank you to Mass General Brigham, for being a Champion Sponsor of our upcoming Footsteps for Family Building Walk!

If the Center for Infertility and Reproductive Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital or Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center have been an important part of your journey, you can donate to or join Team MGB at https://bit.ly/2025WalkTeamMGB.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

pregnancy loss, chemical pregnancy, HCG test, positive pregnancy test, miscarriage, recurrent pregnancy loss, unexplained infertility, fertility testing, IVF, genetic testing, ectopic pregnancy, methotrexate, NICU, humor as coping mechanism, blog, peer groups, relationships, grief, failed IVF cycles, pregnancy after loss, parenting after loss, parenting after infertility, family building, infertility support, pregnancy loss, recurrent miscarriage, IVF journey, emotional support, family growth, community support, pregnancy after loss, coping with grief, fertility treatments, parenting after loss, emotional wellness, support groups, navigating infertility, mental health in pregnancy

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

On this episode of the AllPaths podcast, we welcome Maggie Stryker, a former AllPaths group attendee and current volunteer to share her journey. Maggie and her partner began trying for a family in 2022, navigating a history of endometriosis while simultaneously undergoing multiple foot surgeries and recoveries. After eight or nine months of unsuccessful attempts, and facing physical and emotional pain, they pursued fertility testing, which ultimately led to the frustrating diagnosis of "unexplained infertility". This "worst diagnosis" meant discovering treatment effectiveness through trial and error, a process Maggie likened to being a "test bunny."

Maggie's path included medicated cycles with Clomid and three rounds of IUI, all without success, eventually leading her to IVF. During this time, the world around her questioned her decision to pursue fertility treatments alongside her ongoing medical issues, but found crucial support, community, and practical advice through AllPaths’ support groups. After multiple egg retrievals, Maggie underwent a successful embryo transfer on a leap day, experiencing an early scare but ultimately having a successful pregnancy with her baby girl, Charlie. Throughout the conversation, Maggie emphasizes the crucial role of self-advocacy in medical care, the profound impact of genuine support from loved ones, and how the AllPaths community provided invaluable understanding and practical advice that outsiders couldn't. Planning to try to grow her family through remaining embryos, Maggie also hopes to become a fertility doula, drawing on her experience to support others on their journeys.

A Special thank you to Champion Walk Sponsor Evernorth for their support and commitment to the fertility and family building community.

If you've been helped by Freedom Fertility or VFP Pharmacy Group along your journey, you can donate to or join Team Evernorth at https://bit.ly/2025WalkTeamEvernorth.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

family building, infertility journey, endometriosis and fertility, IVF experiences, unexplained infertility, fertility testing, emotional support in infertility, egg retrieval process, Clomid cycles, intrauterine insemination (IUI), coping with medical issues, support groups for fertility, community support in IVF, challenges of family planning, navigating fertility treatments, advocacy in infertility, dealing with pregnancy loss, emotional resilience in family building, personal stories of infertility, empowering friends in support, endometriosis, clomid, IUI, IVF, egg retrieval, rescue ICSI, frozen embryo transfer, hope, pregnancy after infertility, self-advocacy, patient advocacy  

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode, we are joined by Kristen Darcy, a long-time professional in the fertility industry, shares her personal family-building journey, which she describes as "months tricked into years" before she transitioned "out of the bedroom into...surgery and procedures." She recounts questionable diagnoses and fertility treatment, experiencing an ectopic pregnancy requiring emergency surgery, a challenging physical and emotional recovery, and eventually the births of her son and daughter. Kristen emphasizes the "invisible" nature of infertility, where individuals may appear "normal" outwardly but struggle immensely internally.

Kristen's experiences deeply impacted her professional path, transitioning her from a preschool teacher running an early childhood learning center to an author and fertility coach, driven by the desire that "no other woman should feel this way". Her coaching practice offers a holistic, energetic, and spiritual approach to fertility support, tailored to individual needs. And Kristen has authored three books based on her personal and professional experiences: Girlfriend to Girlfriend: A Fertility Companion, Love and Infertility, and Making Dads, co-written with Sara Naab. 

As Kristen has seen the fertility industry evolve, the ongoing need for emotional support has largely remained unchanged. Kristen advocates for self-empowerment, encouraging listeners to find balance, and leverage their inner strength as they navigate treatment, advising that anyone struggling with family building commit to doing "one nurturing thing every day" that will “remind you about how powerful you are and how you are enough.”

LINKS:

Connect with Kristen at https://www.kristendarcy.com/.

SPECIAL THANK YOU to The Lemon Grove: Doula Agency & Perinatal Wellness Collaborative, for being a Leader Sponsor of our upcoming Footsteps for Family Building Walk! 

Donate to or join their Walk team at https://bit.ly/2025WalkTeamLemonGrove.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Infertility, fertility treatment, IUI, IVF, ectopic pregnancy, pregnancy loss, secondary infertility, community support, support, author, coach, wellness, fertility planning, for family and friends, communication, setting boundaries, grief, emotional fatigue, hope, resilience, advocacy, women’s health, holistic health, family building journey, infertility support, emotional impact of infertility, fertility treatment options, coping with infertility, personal stories of infertility, support for parents, navigating fertility challenges, self-care during infertility, infertility coaching, resources for fertility, secondary infertility, emotional resilience in parenting, holistic fertility approaches, community support for infertility, fertility and relationships, understanding unexplained infertility, family building resources, advocacy in fertility care, the journey to parenthood

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

In this episode, we talk with Mirna Nova, founder of Fertility Inspired, about her 12-year-long journey to parenthood. Mirna opens up about her early diagnosis of PCOS, which she knew would make conceiving challenging, the physical toll of undergoing various treatments including Clomid, IUI, and multiple rounds of IVF, and the profound emotional impact of her journey. After over a decade Myrna's story took a hopeful turn when she decided to follow her gut and seek a new fertility specialist, resulting in the birth of her "little miracle," a daughter born at 26 weeks.

Despite the unwavering support of her husband, Mirna experienced deep feelings of isolation and self-blame throughout the years spent trying to conceive. Inspired by her own lack of resources and support during her arduous journey, Mirna founded "Fertility Inspired" offering connection and guidance for those who are still struggling to grow their families. By providing a safe space for people to share their stories and access resources, Fertility Inspired focuses on addressing the mental and emotional pressure of fertility treatments, beyond just the physical injections and hormonal changes.

In a few weeks, Fertility Inspired is hosting its first event, Let's Talk Fertility brunch on Sunday, September 14, at Granite Links in Quincy, MA featuring Mirna’s own Reproductive Endocrinologist Dr. Aaron Styer of CCRM Boston and other experts to educate and build community support in the New England area. This free event aims to create a beautiful, nurturing space for connection and friendship, recognizing that those facing infertility deserve a supportive and understanding community.

LINKS:

Connect with Mirna at https://linktr.ee/FertilityInspired

RSVP for the Let’s Talk Fertility brunch at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lets-talk-fertility-embracing-hope-on-the-journey-to-parenthood-tickets-1423799926909

THANK YOU to the Advocate Sponsors of our Footsteps for Family Building Walk! 

If any of these amazing clinics and organizations have been a part of your journey and you want a way to say thanks and give back, donate to or join their Walk team:

• Boston IVF - https://bit.ly/2025WalkTeamBostonIVF
• CCRM Boston - https://bit.ly/2025WalkTeamCCRMBoston
• Femasys - https://bit.ly/2025WalkTeamFemasys
• First Fertility - https://bit.ly/2025WalkTeamFirstFertility
• Grain Fertility - https://bit.ly/2025WalkTeamGrainFertility
• Labcorp - https://bit.ly/2025WalkTeamLabcorp
• Seattle Sperm Bank - https://bit.ly/2025WalkTeamSeattleSpermBank

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

family building, infertility support, PCOS and fertility, IVF journey, emotional toll of infertility, coping with miscarriage, resilience in family planning, natural remedies for fertility, fertility awareness, support for trying to conceive, navigating IVF, family building resources, community support for infertility, mental health and fertility, dealing with pregnancy loss, hope in infertility, Fertility Inspired, fertility inspired community, couples struggling to conceive, understanding infertility challenges, family planning journeys

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!

This episode of the AllPaths podcast features Olivia King, a Rhode Island-based singer-songwriter who, through sharing her fertility struggles on social media, has found purpose in helping others feel less alone as they navigate their own journeys. 

Olivia and her husband married with the immediate intention of starting a family. However, after trying unsuccessfully on their own and an unexplained infertility “diagnosis” despite normal or even "better than average" test results, they embarked on a difficult journey through three unsuccessful IUI cycles and multiple IVF attempts. Olivia recounts the devastating setbacks, including a first IVF cycle where only one out of fifteen retrieved eggs fertilized, and eventually no embryos were viable, leading to a significant decline in her mental health. A crucial turning point came when her husband encouraged her to seek support, leading her to AllPaths Support Groups, which provided her with much-needed hope, shared experiences, and practical advice, reflecting that, “just having someone who really understands the weight of infertility can make such a difference in how you cope with the struggles that come along with it.”

Despite switching doctors twice in pursuit of hope and solutions, Olivia's journey continued to be fraught with challenges, as doctors initially dismissed her long-standing, severe period pain. It was a third doctor who finally suspected and confirmed Stage 4 Endometriosis, a condition that had been "wreaking havoc" in her body for over 20 years and was likely the underlying cause of her "unexplained infertility". This diagnosis, despite prior dismissals from medical professionals, brought both validation and immense frustration at the systemic issues in endometriosis care and has made Olivia a vocal proponent of self-advocacy in the medical system. While Olivia doesn’t know where the next steps in her journey will lead, she now uses her platform and her music as a therapeutic outlet, partnering with Play it Forward to fundraise for AllPaths Family Building, turning her pain into a powerful purpose to educate and advocate for others.

Get a free download of Olivia’s song "In My Head" and watch the music video by donating to AllPath at https://www.playitforward.com/projects/olivia-king-fertility-fundraiser

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Fertility treatment, IUI, unexplained infertility, IVF, gallbladder, patient advocacy, self-advocacy, endometriosis, endometriosis, excision surgery, MIGS surgery, family building, fertility journey, unexplained infertility, IVF experiences, endometriosis awareness, support for infertility, self-advocacy in healthcare, emotional impact of infertility, coping with fertility challenges, mental health and infertility, finding purpose in struggle, community support for family building, fertility testing, navigating fertility treatments, emotional support groups, growing your family, personal stories of infertility

CONNECT WITH ALLPATHS FAMILY BUILDING: https://allpathsfb.org

Follow us on social media @allpathsfb

Want to share your story or ask a question? Get in touch at podcast@allpathsfb.org!