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?   In this episode you’ll hear: [00:00] Intro [2:20] Stopping alcohol in pregnancy message is out but what about while trying [4:28] Research of female fertility and alcohol intake – studies resources listed below [8:30] Research of male fertility and alcohol – studies and resources listed below [10:44] Recap of the evidence for reproductive health [11:23] What I tell my patients about alcohol and fertility  [14:23] Fertility Story – alcohol and fertility   Resources mentioned:  Female reproductive health research: Eggert, J et al. Effects of alcohol consumption on female fertility during an 18-year period Fert Ster 2004;81:379-383 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0015028203027171 Anwar MY, et al. The association between alcohol intake and fecundability during menstrual cycle phases. Hum Reprod 2021;36:2538-2538. https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/36/9/2538/6294415?login=false Mikkelsen EM, et al. Alcohol consumption and fecundability: prospective Danish cohort study. BMJ 2016;354:i4262 https://www.bmj.com/content/354/bmj.i4262.long Tolsrup JS, et al. Alcohol use as predictor for infertility in a representative population of Danish women. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2003 Aug;82(8):744-9. doi: 10.1034/j.1600-0412.2003.00164.x. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12848646/ What does ASRM say? In their Optimizing Natural Fertility Practice Committee Guideline: https://www.asrm.org/globalassets/asrm/asrm-content/news-and-publications/practice-guidelines/for-non-members/optimizing_natural_fertility.pdf   Male reproductive health research: Finelli R, et al. Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Male Fertility Potential: A Narrative Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jan; 19(1): 328. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8751073/ Hassan M, et al. Negative lifestyle is associated with a significant reduction in fecundity. Fert Ster 2004; 384-392. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0015028203028462 What does ASRM say? In their Optimizing Natural Fertility Practice Committee Guideline: https://www.asrm.org/globalassets/asrm/asrm-content/news-and-publications/practice-guidelines/for-non-members/optimizing_natural_fertility.pdf   Stay Up to Date in Fertility News and Events:  Weekly Newsletter Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books  

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.  Whether she’s impressed by her daughter’s ability to watch gnarly medical procedures and still eat pizza, or her drive to help others through not only health care but also health education, Charlene Ewing is as inspired by her daughter as her daughter is by her mom. Have a listen, then give yourself the gift of talking with a woman you admire.  Happy holidays from Baby or Bust! In this episode you’ll hear: [00:00] Intro and Why Dr. Shahine admires her Mom [05:02]2 Mom shares Dr. Shahine’s inspiration to be a physician and why she didn’t think it would really happen [10:23] Family Fertility Stories – What we share and don’t share and what it means – Mom’s fertility, endometriosis and period struggles  [16:02] Secondary infertility and the fear of having kids born far apart in age [19:42] On balancing work and motherhood – Why Mom worked and how she modeled independence [25:00] Leading with curiosity  [25:34] Outro Resources mentioned:  Wiser Than Me podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wiser-than-me-with-julia-louis-dreyfus/id1678559416 Stay Up to Date in Fertility News and Events:  Weekly Newsletter Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books  

“Why didn’t I know all this already?”        - Pretty much everyone who reads Toni Weschler’s book  The stigma around women’s reproductive systems isn’t just an inconvenience, it removes a critical way women get insight into their bodies and health overall: period power.  The menstrual cycle tells us a whole lot more than if we’re pregnant or not, or menopausal or not, says author Toni Weschler. Her seminal (oh, the irony of that adjective!) work, Taking Charge of Your Fertility, is all about understanding and taking charge of your reproductive health and being “cycle savvy.”  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.    In this episode you’ll hear: [00:00] Intro [02:26] What is ‘Taking Charge of Your Fertility’ and why Toni ‘hates’ the title [04:44] Toni’s inspiration to write the book [09:50] The difference between the rhythm method and fertility awareness  [11:22] The 3 signs of fertility explained  [14:56] What the menstrual cycle can teach you about your health [18:51] Being a pioneer: How did Toni research for her book in 1990s? [26:31] The difficult process of pitching the book – lesson in rejection from Toni [36:30] The challenges of writing the book – Toni fought for her vision Fertility Story:  [41:21] Toni’s ‘Birth Announcement’ [42:23]1 The responsibility of ‘Taking Charge of Your Fertility’ and what inspires Toni [44:42] Instagram Questions: Nikki: Is there another edition? Yes! 30th anniversary edition out in 2025 Alexa: What fertility or period apps does Toni recommend? Claudia: How can teens learn about their cycles?  [53:12] Final thoughts: Advocate for Your Care Resources mentioned: Toni’s website: www.tcoyf.com Taking Charge of Your Fertility the book: www.tcoyf.com/taking-charge-of-your-fertility Toni’s Cycle Savvy Smart Teen’s Guide to Her Body: www.cyclesavvy.com Stay Up to Date in Fertility News and Events:  Weekly Newsletter Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books 

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.  What followed was two surgeries, four miscarriages, six failed transfers, and five years of treatment, hope, and heartbreak. Spoiler alert: perfect Georgie was born in 2023, so there is a happy ending, but the picture on Instagram of Tara, curled up on her couch, heart-broken and clutching pregnancy tests, sent waves through the fertility community. Here was a very public figure speaking very publicly about her struggles to build her family. Please listen and share to help us continue the conversation. In this episode you’ll hear: [00:00] Intro [07:74] Why Tara and Todd shared their story on their Unexpecting podcast [13:19] How did Tara’s athletic career prepare her and NOT prepare her for infertility  [19:51] Reflecting on relationships through infertility, men vs. women on coping [30:02]When to share and not share the fertility journey  [34:53] When we are surprised by infertility [38:01] Misconceptions and reality about surrogacy [46:12] Instagram Questions   Amanda: Did you and Todd ever consider giving up?   Marena: How did you and Todd keep going?   Dana: Advice to someone who is struggling with infertility? [55:21] Outro and Finding Tara and her podcast Resources mentioned:  Tara on Instagram: @taralipinski Tara Lipinski: taralipinski.com Tara Lipinski: Unexpecting Tara and Todd’s podcast Babyquest Foundation Fertility Grants: babyquestfoundation.org Sunfish financial solutions for fertility treatment:joinsunfish.com Stay Up to Date in Fertility News and Events:  Weekly Newsletter Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books