23 | Carly - PCOS, Late Term Twin Pregnancy Loss, IVF, Cerclage, Chord Prolapse, Stat C-Section

In this episode of Bigger Than Birth, we sit down with Carly from Omaha, Nebraska, to hear a fertility and pregnancy journey shaped by PCOS, medical dismissal, and remarkable resilience. Carly opens up about the heartbreak of being told by a fertility doctor to lose 100 pounds before treatment — only to later learn her real barriers were an undiagnosed thyroid condition and, eventually, a life-threatening parathyroid tumor discovered mid-pregnancy with twins. It's a candid look at weight bias in fertility care, and what changes when a patient finally finds a provider who treats the actual problem instead of the number on a scale. Carly shares the devastating loss of her twin girls, Ember and Estelle, born at just over 21 weeks after an emergency surgery and premature delivery, and how she and her husband made the impossible decision to say goodbye a week later. This part of the conversation includes honest, detailed discussion of miscarriage and late-term loss. Carly speaks openly about grief, the experience of invisible loss, and the local and online support communities that helped her heal. The conversation also covers Carly's months-long fight with her health insurance company to secure IVF coverage, the emotional reality of egg retrieval and embryo attrition with PCOS, and a second miscarriage before her successful embryo transfer. She walks us through a high-risk pregnancy, a preventive cerclage, gestational diabetes, and a traumatic emergency C-section after a cord prolapse — all leading to the birth of her son, Granger, on Christmas Eve. She closes out with real talk on postpartum anxiety, infant feeding after loss and NICU pumping, and what actually helps when supporting a friend through miscarriage or infant loss. This episode is a powerful, unfiltered look at pregnancy after loss and infertility for plus size women — honest, hard-won, and full of hope for anyone walking a similar road **Resources Mentioned:** - Collective For Hope (Loss Support Groups) - Dr. Maud Doherty - Fertility Specialist in Omaha, NE - Dr. Todd Lovgren, - Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist in Omaha, NE **Connect With Us:** - TikTok - Instagram - Facebook - YouTube If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and subscribe! Your support helps us reach more plus-size women and share the stories that matter. Medical Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider regarding your specific pregnancy and health needs.