5 episodes
PreConceived: 5 Stories of IVF and Surrogacy Bridgr Media
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- Society & Culture
Preconceived: Five Stories of IVF and Surrogacy is a collection of conversations with women who had very different experiences going through in vitro fertilization for that one outcome: a baby. Laura went through an IVF journey because of her PCOS diagnosis and a series of miscarriages. Kate went through IVF for a reason not commonly talked about. You'll also hear three surrogacy stories: Heidi was a gestational carrier* twice, working through an agency. Her story demonstrates the unpredictability of the process. Libby was a gestational carrier* for a friend without compensation. These stories dismantle our thinking about conception and parenthood. They also provoke, deepen our understanding, and give aspiring parents suffering with infertility, hope. Join Leila Jerusalem as she discovers more about an often silent struggle for many couples, and IVF, miscarriages, surrogacy and the disappointments and triumphs that go with it.
*Although Heidi and Libby were gestational carriers we refer to them as surrogates in this episode. These two terms are used interchangeably.
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5 of 5: Surrogacy, When a Friend Offers It for Free
Libby never thought about becoming a surrogate, until she did. And two families' lives will never be the same. Hers is a reminder that the infertility journey is unique for every couple and that IVF is a roller coaster no matter how perfect the situation.
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4 of 5: Surrogacy, When (Almost) Everything Goes Wrong
Part 2 of Heidi's story. In Episode 3 we heard Heidi's positive experience as a gestational carrier, for which we used the more common term of surrogate. In this episode, we hear her experience of becoming a gestational carrier once more. This time, things did not go as smoothly. Learn of the highs and lows from the surrogate's perspective. A must listen for anyone planning on becoming, working with or hiring a surrogate.
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3 of 5: Surrogacy, When Everything Goes Right
Heidi felt a call to become a gestational carrier, more commonly called a surrogate. After extensive research she jumped in. Anyone who's thinking about hiring a carrier through an agency or becoming a carrier through an agency should hear the story of everything going right, from the gestational carrier's perspective. We chat in depth about the process along with the highs, lows and lessons along the way.
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2 of 5: IVF as a Tool for Healthy Children
What would you do if you knew your child could be born with a genetic disorder? Kate and her husband, both carriers of Cystic Fibrosis (CF), knew their children could be born with CF, just as her nephew was. They decided to pursue IVF with preimplantation genetic diagnosis, through which they were able to test their embryo for the disorder prior to transfer. We chat about the discovery, the pursuit, the challenges and the outcome.
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1 of 5: Can IVF Be Laura’s Solution for PCOS and Recurrent Miscarriage?
Endless IVF or surrogacy? One couple's quest to having a baby reveals the complicated choices along the path for 1 in 8 couples who struggle to become parents. We talk with Laura about her discovery of the causes of her infertility including Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or PCOS, the recurring miscarriages that came after rounds of fertility treatments, and the physical and emotional complexities of the process. Anyone who wants to learn more about IVF, might be going through IVF, or wants to support those going through it should listen to this episode. We talk PCOS, miscarriage, stigma, pain, difficult decisions, support, and triumph! Share this story with someone who needs to hear it.