Whether you’re convinced of their medicinal properties or not, the pineapple is a wonderful and long-lived symbol of hope and strength in the fertility community.

In this episode, Dr. Lora Shahine explains a little about where the symbol comes from, a couple myths to watch out for, and how the pineapple symbol can help you on your fertility journey.

Many people struggling with infertility are curious about the claims that acupuncture will improve fertility and decrease time to pregnancy, but they don’t explore this option because of…needles.

What if you could get the potential fertility-boosting benefits of acupuncture without the sticks?

In this episode, doctor of acupuncture, teacher, researcher, and practitioner of integrative East-Asian Medicine Dr. Lee Hullender Rubin talks with Dr. Shahine about the recent research and claims that Laser Photobiomodulation (PBM) (or needless acupuncture) can improve fertility, PCOS, male factor infertility, and more.

Many say raising children “takes a village,” but what about the team you create on your family building journey through infertility, miscarriage, IVF and early pregnancy? The “trying to conceive” village can include doctors, nurses, therapists, acupuncturists, friends, family, and maybe a fertility coach.

If you’re curious about what a fertility coach is and are considering working with one, you’ll learn all about it in this episode in which Dr. Shahine interviews fertility coach Ceire Nevins.

PGT-A, PGT-M, PGT-SR, Carrier Screening, Karyotype — oh my! The options available for genetic screening in fertility testing and IVF treatment can get confusing. Understanding testing available to you BEFORE treatment as well as DURING the IVF process is key. These tests can decrease risk of disease and miscarriage and improve success rates with a single embryo transfer, but there are pros and cons for every intervention. It can be difficult to keep it all straight and overwhelming to know what to do.

In this episode, Dr. Lora Shahine goes in depth on what tests are available, what they are screening for, who is a good candidate for genetic testing, and what your options are when the results come in.

Infertility advocate and health enthusiast Adelaide White is an invaluable source of light and hope to so many on TikTok and Instagram, Dr. Shahine included.

In this episode, the tables are flipped as Adelaide interviews Lora on All Things Fertility Journey, from the educational journey of a reproductive endocrinologist to the differences among the fertility treatment choices to the many causes of infertility to the heartbreak of recurrent pregnancy loss.

Those undergoing IVF sometimes hear they shouldn’t exercise or they might put the process at risk. However, we know a sedentary lifestyle isn’t healthy for your fertility either.

For many, exercise doesn’t just keep their bodies healthy, it’s also critical to managing stress, aiding sleep, and managing mental health — which can also impact fertility. So how much exercise is too much when trying to conceive and in early pregnancy? In this episode, Dr. Shahine helps us understand the facts and decide what is right for your personal situation.

We considered posting this episode on New Year's Eve, when toasting in the New Year is likely to happen, rather than New Year's Day, when many celebrants are waking up to a sore head, a fuzzy tongue, and second thoughts about that third round of shots.

It's OK to celebrate — but alcohol is a tricky question when it comes to fertility. How much is too much?

If you’ve ever wondered where Dr. Shahine gets her ferocity from, well, meet Charlene. Inspired by Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Wiser Than Me podcast, Dr. Shahine interviews a woman she truly admires: her mother, Charlene Kelly Ewing. Despite being “all of 5 feet,” according to daughter Lora, Charlene meets every challenge head-on and, at age 79, still pushes herself to do what she’s afraid of. The diminutive Southern belle may have a soft voice, but Dr Shahine knows to listen: her mom has been a guiding force as well as her daughter’s biggest cheerleader. Have a listen, then give yourself the gift of talking with a woman you admire.

In this episode, Dr. Lora Shahine and Toni Weschler talk about the origin of this amazing work. (Hint: it has to do with women being really angry.) And despite the title, it’s not all about helping people who are hoping to become pregnant. It’s about, says the author, “teaching women on a day-to-day basis what is going on with their body on that day” and taking advantage of all the insights into your health charting your cycle can give you.

No two fertility journeys are alike, but Tara Lipinski’s experience is perhaps even more unique than most. The champion, gold-medal-ice-skater-turned-sports-analyst was 35 and still not necessarily ready to start building her family. So she decided to put her options “on ice” — literally preserving eggs and/or embryos until she and her husband Todd were ready. However, the process turned out to be more complicated than it appeared when a diagnosis of endometriosis sent them down a different path.

The good news: IUIs can work! Intrauterine insemination (sometimes laughingly referred to as “the turkey baster method”), or IUI, can help overcome issues like low sperm count or low sperm motility by getting sperm closer to where it needs to be around the time of ovulation. This method of dealing with infertility is also less expensive and much less invasive for the person hoping to carry the pregnancy. It can also be a great method if you’re planning on using donor sperm.

Weight loss for fertility is controversial and complicated, and to be perfectly honest, more research is needed to fully understand the link between body weight and fertility. Whatever studies find, weight loss for fertility should never involve shaming or guilt. In this episode, Dr. Shahine talks weight and fertility with Stephanie Fein, MD. Dr. Fein started in social psychology, then moved to Internal Medicine, where she completed a residency program. She then went on to obtain a Masters in Public Health.

Holiday events can mean facing some awkward questions about family building - are you ready? “So, when are you having another?” “You had a baby? It’s about time!” “When are you going to make your mom a grandma?” “Baby weight, huh?” “Should you be drinking that when you’re breastfeeding?” UGH. Holiday conversations — especially when alcohol and holiday conviviality reduces people’s inhibitions — can be kind of awful. So this year, please put yourself first. Dr. Shahine has some great tips on how you can do that.

In this episode, Dr. Shahine explores the benefits and research supporting Yoga for Fertility with master instructor and author of the first book on the subject, Lynn Jensen. People on fertility journeys often say they feel like their bodies don’t belong to them anymore. Between the tests and the treatments and the theories, it’s easy to understand how people might feel disconnected physically and emotionally.

In this episode of Baby or Bust, Dr. Lora Shahine takes us through what an egg retrieval process should be like and is like, the majority of the time. Dr. Shahine also explores the history of women and the medical community and why women so often have to advocate for themselves to get even a minimum of care. She leaves with tips on how to advocate for yourself so you receive the attention and care you deserve

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) is one of the scariest risk factors of IVF, but it doesn’t have to be. With preparation, treatment choices, and prevention, you can avoid this uncomfortable and potentially dangerous risk factor from ovarian stimulation.

Like our own expert Siri, Leslie Schrock should be available on-demand for anyone who’s struggling with fertility. And she can be! With two books and now on an episode of Baby or Bust, everyone can access her informed and sensitive approach to miscarriage, medically necessary abortion, and other fertility challenges.

After a little break, your podcast about all things fertility is back. Same host, Dr. Lora Shahine, same goals to educate and support the fertility community but new format and new production team. We’re moving away from Seasons and delivering weekly content. We listened to your feedback and will continue interviews but adding episodes with in-depth education from Dr. Shahine on certain topics.

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, reproductive rights have been called into question—including IVF. On this episode of Baby or Bust, our host Dr. Lora Shahine meets with Chris Charbonneau, the longest-serving CEO of Planned Parenthood and host of the Fall of Roe podcast for her take on what's coming.

If you're struggling with infertility, you'll often try anything to get that family you desire—including acupuncture. Dr. Lee Hullender Rubin, an internationally recognized and award-winning doctor of acupuncture, meets with host Dr. Lora Shahine to dispel myths and share truths about Eastern Medicine and fertility.