This is Infertility is a bi-weekly podcast where we fuse narrative storytelling with experience and science to give you a new perspective on what it’s really like to go through a family building journey. Each episode dives into the emotional, physical, and financial burdens carried by those who experience infertility on their path to parenthood. Be it IVF, IUI, egg freezing, surrogacy, adoption, etc., the path is never the same and it can be long, painful, and lonely. It’s our mission to give those struggling a platform to be heard, a community connection, and an opportunity to raise awareness of the 1 in 6 who, for many reasons, struggle with infertility.

Episode 28: IVF, Persistence, and Paying it Forward when Battling Infertility

When you fall, you get back up again. Although it’s an old saying, it teaches a lesson about persistence, and it can be applied to almost any aspect of life. But it’s not always easy to just get back up, especially if you are struggling with infertility.

In this episode, we’ll learn about the power of persistence through Lynn and Drew Polin’s fertility journey. They went through multiple rounds of IVF, and a life-threatening pregnancy to have a baby. But they found out that this was just the beginning of their fertility journey when they started trying for baby number two. After experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions during her journey of infertility, Lynn was motivated to help others and started her a peer-led support group through RESOLVE and a fundraising campaign by organizing a Walk of Hope.

Guests: Lynn Polin and Drew Polin

Host: Jaime Ford, Claims and Billing Specialist at Progyny

For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page, RESOLVE, and Walk of Hope NJ.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com.

About the Speakers

Host : Jaime C. Ford

Claims & Billing Specialist at Progyny

Guest : Lynn and Drew Polin

Host : Jaime C. Ford

Claims & Billing Specialist at Progyny

Jaime has been in the healthcare industry for over five years. She’s part of the Provider Relations department working alongside Progyny’s Patient Care Advocates to ensure members have a best-in-class experience by addressing any billing inquires and related issues. Previous to Progyny, Jaime was at Oscar Health and volunteered in the oncology unit at Montefiore’s Children’s hospital.

Guest : Lynn and Drew Polin

Lynn and Drew were high school friends who married nine years later. Six years into their marriage they agreed to grow their family yet had no success. After a diagnosis of bilateral hydrosalpinges (two blocked Fallopian tubes), Lynn’s only chance of conceiving was through IVF. In five years, Lynn experienced two rounds of IVF before conceiving their daughter, Kayla, who was born in May of 2014.

In an effort to expand their family, Lynn underwent eight additional IVF cycles, the final one being documented by a camera crew to show the “raw and real” of this journey. Altogether Lynn experienced ten rounds of IVF, five retrievals, sixty-one eggs retrieved, seven frozen transfers, four fresh transfers, one pregnancy loss, and one foster to adopt situation.

A third grade teacher by day, Lynn made it her mission to support others experiencing similar family building struggles and started her own peer-led support group through RESOLVE, The National Infertility Association. She later recruited Drew, the owner of a telecommunications consulting firm, to help her organize a DIY Walk of Hope to continue to validate those going through the journey while educating others. The Polin’s 2018 Walk of Hope was such a success that they were honored at RESOLVE’s 2018 Night of Hope with the Hope Award for Service.