Advertise on podcast: Fertility and Sterility On Air

Welcome everyone to Fertility and Sterility roundtable. I'm your host, Dr. Emily Barnard, and I'm joined by my producer and co-host, Dr. Ben Peipert. Today, we will be discussing the Fertile Battle featured in the August 2026 edition of Fertility and Sterility entitled "Fresh vs frozen donor oocytes in contemporary assisted reproductive technology."  We are fortunate to be joined by three of the esteemed authors of this Fertile Battle publication as well as the Editorial Editor to discuss the issue in depth.  Dr. Eric Widra currently serves as Executive Senior Medical officer and Vice President, Development, for Shady Grove Fertility and USFertility, respectively.  He was formerly Chief Medical Officer of SG Fertility, and Associate Director of the Combined Federal Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. Dr. Widra served on the SART Executive Committee and on the ASRM Practice Committee and was a contributing author to dozens of ASRM Practice Committee documents. He is currently an Editorial Editor for Fertility and Sterility. Dr. Oisin Fitzgerald is a research fellow at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Dr. Fitzgerald's work in reproductive medicine focuses on the use of real-world data (e.g. electronic medical records, registry data) as sources of evidence for open questions in clinical practice and to build prediction models that inform consumers and clinicians on IVF success rates. Dr. Kiley Hunkler is a recent graduate from fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology at the National Institutes of Health. She earned her masters degree from the University of Oxford and enjoys working on curriculum development and advancing patients' access to care.

Take a sneak peek at this month's Fertility & Sterility! Articles discussed this month are:   Articles: Male factor infertility diagnoses, but not male age, significantly affects the yield of usable embryos in donor oocyte cycles Preconception dietary patterns in association with live birth and pregnancy loss: a couples-based approach Systemic assessment of allele dropout in preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders: incidence, detection, and clinical testing strategies Infertility treatment associated with peripartum hysterectomy: a population-based cross-sectional study Deconstructing triglyceride glucose-body mass index in normal-weight women with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome   View October 2026 Volume 126 Issue 4 of Fertility and Sterility at https://www.fertstert.org/issue/S0015-0282(26)X2009-X View Fertility and Sterility at https://www.fertstert.org/

Take a sneak peek at this month's Fertility and Sterility! Articles discussed this month are:  (02:58) Optimal counseling and treatment of patients undergoing therapeutic donor insemination         (04:20) Do we still have a Scientific Mission?       (05:31) Propensity score matching is too good to be true             (06:30) ASRM Position Statement on Rho(d) Immune Globulin Administration in the First Trimester        (08:16) Artificial intelligence in the in vitro fertilization laboratory: a committee opinion;  Clinical Embryology in the United States: Current Landscape and Considerations for Professional Development and Standardization          (10:07) Segmental aneuploidy in human embryos is frequently mosaic with evidence of meiotic origin: insights from trophectoderm and inner cell mass analyses   (21:51) Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy in Donor Egg Recipients Does Not Decrease Number of Embryo Transfers Needed to Achieve Live Birth   (35:40) Reproductive Outcomes in Programmed Ovulatory versus Modified Natural Cycle FET: A Propensity Score–Matched Analysis of Prospective and Retrospective Cohorts  (43:05) The efficacy of frozen-thawed oocytes compared to fresh oocytes: real-world evidence       (50:03) Intergenerational fecundity and infertility: a cohort study     View September 2026 Volume 126 Issue 3 of Fertility and Sterility at https://www.fertstert.org/issue/S0015-0282(26)X2008-8 View Fertility and Sterility at https://www.fertstert.org/

Fertility and Sterility on Air is at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology 42nd Annual Meeting in London (Part 3)! In this episode, our hosts Micah Hill and Eve Feinberg cover: (00:56) Cost-to-baby as a percentage of median household income predicts population-level access to assisted reproductive technology: a global health economics analysis of affordability with Steve Rooks  (12:50) Intrapatient variability in the number of retrieved oocytes and ovarian response categories between consecutive in vitro fertilization cycles with Ariel Hourvitz (30:11) Restoring Shugoshin-1 prevents chromosomal errors in aging human oocytes with Agata Zielinska (45:32) Restoring fertility after gonadotoxic treatment: first successful autologous transplant of immature cryopreserved testicular tissue in the human with Veerle Vloeberghs and Ellen Goossens

Fertility & Sterility on Air is at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology 42nd Annual Meeting in London (Part 2)! In this episode, our hosts Eve Feinberg, Kate Devine, and Yannick Hurni cover:  (00:56) Trends in first-cycle and cumulative live birth rates in the United States with Alexandra Herweck, SREI Landmark Articles podcast host (09:05) Impact of health optimization on reproductive outcomes and looking ahead to new REI innovations with Jim Toner, ASRM Vice President (20:07) Multiple sonographic markers of endometrial receptivity are significantly altered after hormonal intrauterine device (IUD) use among reproductive-aged women with proven fertility with Said Daneshmand (32:22) Effect of natural versus programmed cycle on the risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy following frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer: a randomized clinical trial in ovulatory women with Fang Gu (40:51) A look ahead to the 2026 ASRM Annual Meeting and impact of lifestyle factors on ART with Amy Sparks, ASRM President-Elect (47:19) Evaluating the safety and efficacy of IVF add-ons with Sarah Lensen (56:33) Clinical relevance of high-level mosaicism after PGT-A: mosaic segmental aneuploidies drive unexpected live birth outcomes with Francesca Spinella (01:06:23) Letrozole versus clomifene, with or without metformin, for ovulation induction in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (LOCI): a multicentre, 2x2 factorial design, randomised controlled trial with Pedro Melo View Fertility and Sterility at https://www.fertstert.org/

Take a sneak peek at this month's Fertility & Sterility! Articles discussed this month are:   Articles: Obesity is associated with an increased risk of early pregnancy loss after euploid frozen embryo transfer Testosterone-to-follicle stimulating hormone ratio predict sperm retrieval success in men with idiopathic nonobstructive azoospermia Postfertilization telomere marker testing in human embryos: a pilot study of a novel embryo evaluation assay Prognostic utility of serum beta human chorionic gonadotropin level following single euploid embryo transfer for live birth Emulating a target trial of surgical removal of uterine fibroids and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease Perceived weight gain and oral contraceptive pill discontinuation among women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome in a national survey View August 2026 Volume 124 Issue 2 of Fertility and Sterility at https://www.fertstert.org/issue/S0015-0282(25)X0008-X View Fertility and Sterility at https://www.fertstert.org/

(Please excuse any sound quality issues, as some interviews were recorded in a large hall where background noise and echoes were hard to avoid.) Fertility & Sterility on Air is at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology 42nd Annual Meeting in London (Part 1)! In this episode, our hosts Micah Hill and Yannick Hurni cover:  (01:49) ASRM President Robert Brannigan on the effect of lifestyle factors on male fertility and a look ahead at the 2026 ASRM Annual Meeting (07:25) The 2-shot protocol: a randomised controlled trial of a novel two-injection ovarian stimulation strategy with Valeria Donno (14:49) Paired trophectoderm and ICM analysis redefines segmental aneuploidy and embryo usability in poor-prognosis IVF patients with Balsam Al Hashimi View Fertility and Sterility at https://www.fertstert.org/

Welcome to Fertility & Sterility Roundtable, hosted by Dr. Emily Barnard and Dr. Ben Peipert! Each week, we will host a discussion with the authors of "Views and Reviews" and "Fertile Battle" articles published in a recent issue of Fertility & Sterility.  Today, we will be discussing the Views and Reviews from the May 2026 edition of Fertility and Sterility entitled "Male Infertility and Immune Function."  This Views and Reviews brought together experts, some of whom we will be interviewing today, who evaluated and summarized the evidence on how the immune system plays a role in male fertility and infertility in general. We know that infertility is caused, at least in part, by a male component in about 50% of cases, and we are appreciative to our guests for joining us in discussion today. We encourage all of our listeners to read the full articles in the journal as we will not be able to cover all the content in this episode. Dr. Michael L. Eisenberg is a Professor of Urology and Obstetrics & Gynecology at the Stanford University School of Medicine.  He is the director of Men's Health at Stanford.  Dr. Eisenberg's NIH-funded laboratory seeks to understand the association between a man's reproductive, sexual, and overall health.  Dr. Marcelo Mass Lindenbaum is a clinical research fellow at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, soon to be transitioning to his urology residency at Cleveland Clinic Akron General. His primary academic research focuses on male infertility and its relationship with the urologic microbiome, and infection risks associated with prosthetic surgery. Dr. Scott Lundy is a Staff Urologist and Surgeon Scientist at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation who specializes in male reproductive medicine, sexual dysfunction, and microsurgery. Beyond his clinical practice, Dr. Lundy leads significant research efforts, including establishing a multi-institutional consortium to advance the study and treatment of male infertility. View Fertility and Sterility at https://www.fertstert.org/

In this month's Fertility & Sterility: Unplugged, we take a look at articles from F&S's sister journals! Topics this month include: fertility preservation strategies in patients with Turner's syndrome (01:39), a delayed presentation of Sheehan syndrome (14:53),  a comparison of the immune cell and hormonal profile of menstrual effluent with peripheral blood (23:48), and the potential role of dysregulated extracellular vesicles signalling in the pathogenesis of endometriosis (34:17). F&S Reviews: https://www.fertstertreviews.org/article/S2666-5719(26)00001-0/abstract F&S Reports: https://www.fertstertreports.org/article/S2666-3341(26)00034-6/fulltext F&S Science: https://www.fertstertscience.org/article/S2666-335X(26)00038-8/abstract Consider this: https://www.fertstert.org/news-do/endometriosis-extracellular-vesicle-mediated-communication-disorder-implications-early View the sister journals at: https://www.fertstertreviews.org https://www.fertstertreports.org https://www.fertstertscience.org

Take a sneak peek at this month's Fertility & Sterility! Articles discussed this month are:   Articles: High-throughput imaging cytometry paired with artificial intelligence identifies ultra-rare sperm in men previously diagnosed with clinical azoospermia Euploidy rates are comparable between progestin protocol ovarian stimulation and gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist protocol ovarian stimulation cycles Association between serum estradiol level decline in the days preceding ovulatory trigger and assisted reproductive technology outcomes Association between trial registration and reporting large treatment effects in randomized controlled trials of infertility interventions: a meta-epidemiological study Atosiban as a potential treatment for endometriosis-related pain: results from the ENDOBAN pilot study Age may be a more important determinate of oocyte yield than antimüllerian hormone View Fertility and Sterility Volume 126 Issue 1 at https://www.fertstert.org/issue/S0015-0282(26)X2005-2 View Fertility and Sterility at https://www.fertstert.org/

Welcome to Fertility & Sterility Roundtable, hosted by Dr. Emily Barnard and Dr. Ben Peipert! Each week, we will host a discussion with the authors of "Views and Reviews" and "Fertile Battle" articles published in a recent issue of Fertility & Sterility.  Today, we will be discussing the Views and Reviews from the June 2026 edition of Fertility and Sterility entitled "Data Driven Analysis of Fertility Optimization"  This Views and Reviews brought together experts, some of whom we will be interviewing today, who evaluated and summarized the evidence on optimization of fertility using diet and lifestyle interventions, surgical restoration of anatomy, menstrual cycle tracking, and comparative data between these methods and in vitro fertilization. The authors discuss what we know and where knowledge gaps exist. I do encourage our listeners to read the full breadth of articles as I know this topic is something almost all my patients ask me about.  Dr. Eve Feinberg is a Professor and REI fellowship program director in the division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Feinberg is both an Editorial Editor at Fertility and Sterility and co-host of our big-sister podcast Fertility and Sterility On Air. Dr. David Boedeker is a first-year Reproductive Endocrinology fellow at the National Institutes of Health and an active duty physician in the United States Air Force. He completed his obstetrics and gynecology residency at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and earned a master's degree in health policy and administration from Columbia University.

In this month's Fertility & Sterility: Unplugged, we take a look at articles from F&S's sister journals! Topics this month include: a case report of recurrent spontaneous ovarian hyperstimulation in pregnancy due to a newly discovered genetic mutation (04:12), the impact of silymarin on chemotherapy-induced testicular injury in mice (13:30),  long-term reproductive complications in childhood cancer survivors (21:58), and the REI education gap in Ob/Gyn residency (35:47). F&S Reports: https://www.fertstertreports.org/article/S2666-3341(26)00053-X/fulltext F&S Science: https://www.fertstertscience.org/article/S2666-335X(26)00019-4/abstract F&S Reviews: https://www.fertstertreviews.org/article/S2666-5719(26)00006-X/fulltext Consider this:  https://www.fertstert.org/news-do/closing-rei-education-gap-ob-gyn-residency-training View the sister journals at: https://www.fertstertreviews.org https://www.fertstertreports.org https://www.fertstertscience.org

Take a sneak peek at this month's Fertility & Sterility! Articles discussed this month are:   (03:58) Views and Reviews: Data driven analysis of fertility optimization (06;29) Fertile Battle: The dilemma: Is it reasonable to freeze immature oocytes and, if so, when? (08:16) ASRM Pages: Recurrent pregnancy loss: a Committee Opinion & Recurrent Implantation Failure (RIF): A Committee Opinion 09:26) Birth outcomes after in vitro fertilization among cancer survivors  (17:14) Intra-Patient Variability in the Number of Retrieved Oocytes and Ovarian Response Categories Between Consecutive IVF Cycles (31:16) Racial/Ethnic Variation in Ovarian Responsiveness and Live Birth After In Vitro Fertilization  (38:16) Spindle dynamics and chromosome segregation in human preimplantation embryos  (44:47) One-Quarter of Men with AZFc Deletions Have Sperm within the Ejaculate at the Time of Planned Micro-TESE (53:22) Association between hereditary breast cancer gene variants and aneuploidy rates in IVF cycles using PGT-M View Fertility and Sterility at https://www.fertstert.org/

Fertility & Sterility on Air comes to you from the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society 2026 Annual Meeting in Rancho Mirage, CA! Join our host Pietro Bortoletto as he moderates a Fertility & Sterility Fellow Debate: Gestational Carrier Use Without a Medical Indication at the 2026 PCRS Annual Meeting. Fellows Anthony Bui, Bahar Yilmaz, and Jensen Reckhow argue on the pro side, while Howard Li, Francesca Barrett, and Adriana Wong make a case for the con side. View Fertility and Sterility at https://www.fertstert.org/

Welcome to Fertility & Sterility Roundtable, hosted by Dr. Emily Barnard and Dr. Ben Peipert! Each week, we will host a discussion with the authors of "Views and Reviews" and "Fertile Battle" articles published in a recent issue of Fertility & Sterility.  Today, we will be discussing the Fertile Battle episode from the April 2026 edition of Fertility and Sterility entitled "Is Concurrent Gestational Surrogacy an Ethical Practice?" Concurrent surrogacy involves two gestational carriers being engaged simultaneously—or whose pregnancies overlap—to allow a single intended parent or couple to have children born without the usual spacing between births  Dr. Michelle Bayefsky is a second year Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She has written a book and more than 30 peer-reviewed papers on issues related to reproductive ethics and fertility preservation. She is currently a member of the ASRM Ethics Committee. For the purposes of this discussion, Dr. Bayefsky authored the Pro side of the argument that concurrent gestational surrogacy is an ethical practice.  Dr. Caroline Violette is a second year Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility Fellow at Brown University. Prior to fellowship, Dr. Violette obtained her medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine and completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Southern California. Her research interests include oncofertility and addressing healthcare disparities related to access to fertility treatment in the United States. For the purposes of this discussion, Dr. Violette authored the "con" side of the argument that these concurrent surrogacy arrangements are unethical.  Dr. Arthur Caplan is a Professor and founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU School of Medicine in New York City. Dr. Caplan has served on a number of national and international committees, including chair of the Advisory Committee to the United Nations on Human Cloning, a member of the advisory committee to the International Olympic Committee on genetics and gene therapy, and co-director of the Joint Council of Europe/United Nations Study on Trafficking in Organs and Body Parts. He is the author or editor of thirty-five books and over 890 papers in peer reviewed journals. Dr. Caplan authored the pro side of the argument.  Read the Fertile Battle from Volume 125, Issue 4 p598-604 in the April 2026 issue View Fertility and Sterility at https://www.fertstert.org/