This is Infertility

There is nothing more fundamental to life than the urge to continue it. But while it may be the most natural thing in the world, childbirth is far from the easiest and no two fertility journeys are the same. For that reason, we are breaking from the typical podcast form. Each episode is hosted by a different voice who brings their own unique point of view to the complex and ever-changing world of infertility. Our hosts are licensed clinical social workers, patient care advocates, clinical psychiatrists, reproductive endocrinologists, real fertility patients, and others who are, in one way or another, experts in the world of fertility. We fuse narrative storytelling with experience and science to give you a new perspective on what it’s really like to go through this journey.

Episode 35: #InfertilityUncovered: In the Spotlight with Jamie Stelter

National Infertility Awareness Week falls on April 21 – April 27 and this year’s theme from RESOLVE is #InfertilityUncovered. In honor of this week, we’re doing a four-part series on what it’s like to truly uncover the world of infertility.  

In the first episode of the series, we hear from Jamie Stelter, the morning transit and traffic reporter for NY1 and co-host with Pat Kiernan on Morning’s on 1. She’s been smiling on TV for so long that many who watch her feel like they know her, but of course, we never really know what’s going on in people’s lives… not until they tell us.  

After months of trying to conceive naturally with no results, Jamie and her husband Brian visited a fertility specialist, where they discovered that Jamie had Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). The complexity of their infertility journey didn’t stop there. Jamie was later able to get pregnant both from IUI and naturally, but the pregnancies unfortunately were unable to carry to term, which left the couple hopeless and devastated.  

In today’s episode, Jamie shares the emotional and physical challenges of her infertility journey, what is was like having to endure it all while managing her job as a public figure, and how she was able to eventually get pregnant with her daughter Sunny through IVF. We also learn about what inspired Jamie to become a vocal infertility advocate, spreading her message about the realities of infertility both on social media and on-air.  

Guest: Jamie Stelter, Traffic Anchor at NY1 

Host: Julie Hunt, Manager of Business Development at Progyny 

For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources on how to best handle a miscarriage.  

To ask your HR/benefits team for a fertility benefit, visit Talk to HR to start the conversation. 

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

Julie Hunt, Manager of Business Development at Progyny

Julie has been working in the fertility industry for the last six years. She started her career as a Patient Care Advocate (PCA), a fertility specialist that helps a patient navigate through their fertility journey. Through her experience, Julie was able to expand her role within Progyny and transition into Business Development as a Manager. Today, she leverages her PCA experience and passion for helping individuals achieve their dreams of having a family by helping employers understand infertility and comprehensively cover fertility treatment as part of their healthcare benefit. Julie was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in March of 2018. As a proud sister of a gay brother, she passionately supports and empowers the LGBTQ+ community and is an avid advocate for inclusivity and equality.

Guests

Jamie Stelter, NY1 Traffic Anchor and Mornings On 1 Co-Host

What is there to say about Jamie Stelter that hasn’t already been said? The NY1 Traffic Anchor and Mornings On 1 co-host has been a mainstay on the network since 2010, bringing viewers the latest from the trains, tunnels, and all modes of transportation around the city. She’s been dubbed the “Trans-It Girl” by the New York Post and “New York’s Wake Up Call” by Variety.

Jamie is from Philadelphia, but this Eagles fan is as New York as they come. She hops the subway home to her apartment near Columbus Circle every day after work and loves instagramming all the quirks of New York City life.

Jamie’s husband Brian is the anchor of “Reliable Sources” and Chief Media Correspondent at CNN. The two have been open about their fertility struggles — including the miscarriages and IVF they went through to have their daughter, Sunny, and their second child, due this August.