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 8 who, for many reasons, struggle with infertility.

Episode 10: What it Means to Be Pregnantish: Andrea Syrtash

Dealing with infertility can often be extremely physically and emotionally demanding. Sometimes, it may even feel like you’re living two different lives at once. One in public, pretending to be okay and going about life as you know it, and one behind the scenes, waiting, worrying, and wondering when your dream of having a family will finally come true.

Our guest came up with the perfect term that encapsulates this life in limbo: Pregnantish. Andrea Syrtash is a relationship expert, founder, and editor-in-chief of pregnantish.com, an online magazine dedicated to helping individuals navigate the emotional, personal, and practical realities of dealing with infertility and fertility treatments.  

In this episode, Andrea recounts her journey of undergoing both IUI and IVF, dealing with multiple devastating pregnancy losses and exploring gestational surrogacy. She shares her story of how she stopped focusing on getting pregnant and started focusing on becoming a parent, to build the family she always wanted.  

Guest: Andrea Syrtash, Founder at Pregnantish.com 

Expert: Dr. Brad Kolb, HRC Fertility 

Host: Dr. Georgia Witkin, Head of Patient Services Development at Progyny 

For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page, Pregnantish, and HRC Fertility.  

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. 

Host

Dr. Georgia Witkin, Head of Patient Services Development for Progyny

Dr. Witkin is also an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Ob/Gyn and Reproductive Sciences at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, and Director of Psychological Services for RMA of NY. She is the author of 12 acclaimed books, including The Female Stress Survival Guide, The Male Stress Survival Guide, and Stress Relief for Disasters Great and Small, and is a prolific writer of research articles about women, stress, and reproductive medicine. She has been honored by the AIA, AFA, Resolve, and City of Hope. She has also served as a health reporter/host for CNBC, WNBC, and the Fox News Channel, and has been featured as a guest expert on 20/20, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS Evening News, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and CNN.

Guests

Andrea Syrtash, Founder & Editor-in-chief of Pregnantish

Andrea is a Relationship Expert and the Founder of pregnantish.com, the first media site exclusively dedicated to helping singles, couples & LGBT navigate fertility treatments and infertility. A regular on-air personality, Andrea’s hosted television shows for Oprah’s OWN and Fox; and regularly appears as a guest expert on TV and radio shows across the country. She’s the author of popular books including, He’s Just Not Your Type (And That’s a Good Thing) and Cheat On Your Husband (With Your Husband). Andrea frequently speaks about how to improve relationships, most recently at the TEDx ‘Makers’ Conference. She is committed to breaking the taboo of infertility, and elevating the conversation about what it takes to start a family for millions of people today. Follow her @andreainny, www.andreasyrtash.com and find more @pregnantish.

Dr. Bradford Kolb, Reproductive Endocrinologist and Medical Director and Managing Partner of HRC Fertility in Southern California

Dr. Kolb is internationally known for his expertise in complex reproductive matters and is one of the largest providers of egg donation and surrogacy in the United States with patients traveling from around the world to HRC Fertility Pasadena to see him. His practice is known for helping to develop and implementing cutting edge technologies in the genetic screening of embryos, the development of new laboratory technologies and the development of highly efficient treatment.

Music From This Episode:

Artist: Jason Shaw
Track: Acoustic Meditation
URL: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Shaw/Audionautix_Acoustic/ACOUSTIC_MEDITATION_________3-14

Track: Words
URL: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Shaw/Audionautix_Acoustic/WORDS______________________________2-35

Artist: Doctor Turtle
Track: The Ants Built A City On His Chest
URL: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Doctor_Turtle/The_Double-Down_Two-Step/the_ants_built_a_city_on_his_chest_v3_1305

Artist: Lee Rosevere
Track: Everywhere
URL: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_For_Podcasts_5/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_For_Podcasts_5_-_06_Everywhere

Track: Betrayal
URL: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_For_Podcasts_5/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_For_Podcasts_5_-_08_Betrayal

Artist: Kai Engel
Track: Meekness
URL: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kai_Engel/Sustains/Kai_Engel_-_Sustains_-_02_Meekness

Artist: Swelling
Track: Dawn II
URL: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Swelling/Projector_Music_For_Visual_Media/Swelling_-_Projector-_Music_for_Visual_Media_-_07_Dawn_II

Artist: Rest You Sleeping Giant
Track: Leaving for Chicago
URL: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rest_You_Sleeping_Giant/Songs_for_a_Sad_Guitar/Rest_You_Sleeping_Giant_-_Songs_for_a_Sad_Guitar_-_10_Leaving_for_Chicago

Artist: Meydän
Track: Underwater
URL: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Meydan/For_Creators/Underwater_1569

Artist: Jahzzar
Track: Curves
URL: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/handmade/Curves