in vitro fertilization

Hi, Drew and Josh.

My did it anyways that I've been so sensitized ever since coming off of my anxiety medication and my health anxiety, death anxiety, OCD, everything has been so bad and so hard, especially ever since our first IVF embryo transfer ended in a chemical pregnancy.

Over the summer, I've had all kinds of physical symptoms like the freeze response, ended up needing to get on a beta blocker because my PVC burden went up, etc.

Anyway, I just had my fourth IVF egg retrieval today.

Never thought that we would have to do another round, but here we are.

And I am so proud of myself because I was so afraid to have the anesthetic, especially with this kind of new heart issue, etc.

Over these years, I've watched my daughter grow from 18 months old to 7 years old.

Our family has been through IVF.

I started my business, the talent agency Frank Management, five years ago, then Frank Podcast four years ago, and Frank Speakers and MCs three years ago.

If you've ever started a business, you'll know the stress that comes with it.

Over these years, I've watched my daughter grow from 18 months old to 7 years old.

Our family has been through IVF.

I started my business, the talent agency Frank Management, five years ago, then Frank Podcast four years ago, and Frank Speakers and MCs three years ago.

If you've ever started a business, you'll know the stress that comes with it.

And

both my kids are IVF.

So when you have one via IVF, it's a bit of a miracle.

And then you think, oh, the next one could take years.

So we'll start soon.

And I got pregnant first time and second time straight away.

So mine are like 19 months apart.

look I was really lucky um with the IVF you know that they both worked first time so that's why it wasn't any plan if you know what I mean kind of planned but look at the draw

But we've developed a culture where getting pregnant and having children is considered to be a terrible thing that might happen to you.

And we lied to women and told them that their fertility was practically indefinite and that they could have children when they were 40 via IVF, which wasn't true.

And then we made it as expensive as possible.

Government policies have no incentives for having more children.

Do you not think that's sort of an issue? And I'm not sure how government can fix that.

No, but what I, yeah, but what I think is you're just talking there about Hungary and they did see an uptick from the policies, but what follows the policies is the culture.

I mean, you can't, you can't, something like this, this attitude of I'm not going to have kids until I'm in my thirties and, you know, I'll do IVF or whatever, that took 30 and 40 years to be created.

So it's going to take 10 years minimum of reinforcing a different message to row back on it.

Can't get pregnant.

Now we need IVF.

Now we have IVF.

Now we're having too many follicles being stimulated.

Now we have new problems.

Oh, now you need a hysterectomy.

Like, And, you know, IVF is like a $30 billion industry by itself.

And hysterectomies happen.

And we have to form a union now.

And like, it is the most compelling thing about women's sports to me, how many jobs... athletes and women's sports have beyond just the jobs that pay them the jobs they have to have to grow it um yeah so it's kind of a rant but it's just kind of interesting to hear you say that you have been like very outspoken about this process uh with trying to get pregnant through IVF um but I wanted to ask you not even really about the IVF journey but like I think a lot of times um people particularly women are tell their stories because they wish other people were telling their own stories and wish they had someone who could inspire them on these different journeys whether it's through something similar or not is there someone whose vulnerability inspires you that maybe it was a reason why you decided to be so open about this for you

I think it was players I will stay on the IVF topic because I think it was players who, a combination, Kaylin Sheridan, who had a partnership with a fertility clinic and was sharing her process and her journey with her wife and now their baby.

And then I, at the same time, had a partnership with a fertility, um, a device where you could track your fertility, which was amazing.

It's called Mira.

And the engagement that I've gotten.

And the women that I've connected with.

And I had people at the last Angel City Games I've been to coming up and introducing their IVF babies.

I do think there are still going to be some benefits or solutions in the benefit space that really are about retention, keeping employees happy.

IVF is a good example of that.

Nobody is going to argue that you can save money by offering IVF.

But people go work at companies because they have good fertility benefits.

Yep.

So I imagine in your 40s, again hormone changes was it harder than the other pregnancies what was it like

well it was hard to fall pregnant um me and my husband were trying for a little while so we went and had all the bloods done and checked all my hormone levels which came back very low um so the decision was we have to try um IVF so we we did one round which didn't even get to the end of um And it just made me feel incredibly sick, very emotional, very aggressive.

I was like on a protocol that brought testosterone in.

I don't know, it just made me like really anxious, couldn't sleep properly.