Brave & Curious with Dr Lora Shahine

How can you make the most out of your first fertility visit? What should you bring? What should you be prepared to talk about? And what questions can help you leave the consultation feeling informed, prepared, and confident about your next steps?
In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine explains how to prepare for an initial fertility consultation, whether you are trying to conceive, experiencing recurrent miscarriage, exploring egg freezing or embryo freezing, considering IVF, or looking for inclusive family-building options. 
She shares which medical records to send ahead of time, what health and reproductive history your doctor may ask about, and why partners are encouraged to participate in the appointment when possible.
Dr. Shahine also reviews possible fertility treatment options, from ovulation medications and IUI to IVF, donor eggs, donor sperm, and gestational surrogacy, and offers five essential questions to ask before leaving your first fertility specialist appointment.
In this episode you'll hear:
[2:36] Why See a Specialist
[8:12] Send Records Early
[9:44] What To Bring (hint: lists of things you don't want to forget)
[11:42] What Doctors Ask
[14:25] Testing Overview
[19:40] Treatment Options
[22:09] Five Questions To Ask
[24:48] Next Steps
 
Dr. Shahine's Weekly Newsletter on Fertility News and Recommendations
Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books
Join the Learn at Pinnacle app to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!
This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.

Why is PCOS being renamed? And what does the new name PMOS mean? Could irregular periods, acne, hair growth, hair loss, or insulin resistance be signs of a larger whole-body condition? And does a PCOS or PMOS diagnosis mean you will need IVF to get pregnant?
In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Allison Rodgers, reproductive endocrinologist, joins Dr. Lora Shahine for a hopeful, practical conversation about the shift from polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, or PMOS. 
They explain why the updated name better reflects the condition's effects on hormones, metabolism, ovulation, fertility, and lifelong health, not simply the appearance of the ovaries. They discuss common symptoms of PCOS and PMOS, how the condition is diagnosed, and why it can affect people of every body size. 
Dr. Shahine and Dr. Rodgers also explore fertility treatment options, nutrition, exercise, and supplements. They get into long-term risks including diabetes, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, and uterine cancer. Most importantly, they emphasize that PMOS is manageable, ovulation can often be restored, and there is plenty of reason to feel hopeful about building a family.
In this episode, you'll hear:
[0:25] Meet Dr. Rodgers
[2:42] PCOS Becomes PMOS
[7:38] Testing and Diagnosis
[10:15] Fertility Outlook
[13:58] Long-Term Health
[18:37] Lifestyle Support
[22:32] PMOS Medications
[36:11] Supplements and Nutrition
[44:53] Supplement Safety
[49:06] Egg Quality
[52:55] IVF Necessity
[54:09] Teen PMOS
[58:08] Hope and Advocacy
 
Resources Mentioned:
drallisonrodgers.com
https://www.fcionline.com/doctors/allison-rodgers/



Bird and Be Supplements
Review Article on Supplements for PCOS/PMOS
@dr.allison.rodgers on Instagram and TikTok
 
This episode is sponsored by Bird and Be.
Dr. Shahine's Weekly Newsletter on Fertility News and Recommendations
Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books
Join the Learn at Pinnacle app to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!
This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.

Can you be too old to conceive? What does it really mean when celebrities have babies over 50? And when fertility treatments like IVF, donor eggs, frozen eggs, and embryo transfer make pregnancy possible after menopause, how do we decide when it is safe, ethical, and medically appropriate?
In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine explores one of the biggest and most emotionally loaded questions in reproductive medicine: when is it too late to have a baby? Using the latest 2025 American Society for Reproductive Medicine guidelines as a starting point, Dr. Shahine breaks down advanced reproductive age, age-related infertility, IVF success with own eggs versus donor eggs, pregnancy after menopause, and the very real health risks that can come with pregnancy over 45 or 50. She also looks at paternal age, sperm health, and why age matters for both partners when building a family.
Listeners will understand that there is no one-size-fits-all answer—only thoughtful counseling, informed consent, and brave conversations about the risks, benefits, and possibilities of family building at an advanced reproductive age.
In this episode you'll hear:
[00:56] Age & Fertility overview 
[01:41] Record-breaking pregnancy stories
[02:37] Why does it get more difficult to get pregnant as we get older?
[07:52] Health risks of pregnancy
[09:15] Men: reproductive age and health of pregnancy
[10:07] Ethical considerations
[11:13] 2025 ASRM guidelines
[13:42] Next steps
Dr. Shahine's Weekly Newsletter on Fertility News and Recommendations
Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books
Join the Learn at Pinnacle app to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!
This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.

Can acupuncture really support IVF success? When should you start fertility acupuncture if you're trying to conceive? And how do you know whether an acupuncturist is truly trained in fertility care, or just really confident with a sign on the door?
In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine welcomes Hannah Pearn, a fertility acupuncturist based in London and host of the podcast. Together, they explore how acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, and Western fertility treatment can work side by side to support patients through IVF, embryo transfer, egg quality concerns, endometriosis, PCOS, recurrent pregnancy loss, male factor infertility, and the emotional stress of trying to conceive.
Listeners will learn what to expect at a first fertility acupuncture appointment, how acupuncture treatment may change during different stages of IVF, what questions to ask when choosing a practitioner, and why the evidence around acupuncture and fertility is promising but still complicated. 
Dr. Shahine and Hannah also answer listener questions about needle fear, PGT-A testing, microbiome testing, follicle count, and the balance between doing everything you can and remembering that infertility is never your fault.
In this episode you'll hear:
[1:09] Fertility acupuncture basics
[7:28] Hannah's acupuncture path
[11:18] Finding specialists and Questions to Ask
[29:46] Acupuncture meets IVF
[34:34] Needle fear
[36:58] PGT-A testing
[42:43] When to start
[47:31] Can you boost your egg count?
[50:38] Microbiome testing
[54:46] Evidence and acupuncture
Resources mentioned: 
donttellmetorelax.coc.uk
@donttellmetorelax on IG
 
Dr. Shahine's Weekly Newsletter on Fertility News and Recommendations
Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books
Join the Learn at Pinnacle app to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!
This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.

Can a hormonal IUD affect your fertility later? If you used a progestin IUD, should you take it out months before trying to conceive? And how do patients make sense of fertility advice when even doctors are debating the evidence in real time?
In this episode of Brave & Curious Dr. Said Daneshmand joins Dr. Lora Shahine for a thoughtful, nuanced conversation about hormonal IUDs, endometrial lining, uterine adhesions, and fertility planning. 
Their conversation is sparked by a recent online debate in the reproductive medicine community. Dr. Shahine and Dr. Daneshman explore what is known, what is still being studied, and why clinical experience matters alongside published research.
Listeners will learn how levonorgestrel IUDs may affect the uterine lining in a small subset of patients, what current research says about return to fertility after IUD removal, and why "rare" does not mean "impossible." 
This episode offers reassurance, context, and practical guidance for anyone using an IUD, planning pregnancy, navigating infertility, or trying to make informed decisions about contraception and reproductive health.
Ongoing Research Study through UCSF: FeRTILE Study  is being done to learn whether long-term use of an intrauterine device (IUD) affects how long it takes to become pregnant. By taking part, participants may help researchers learn more about fertility and birth outcomes after IUD use. Learn more here.
In this episode you'll hear:
[0:40] What is the IUD and Fertility Controversy?
[1:11] IUDs: Benefits and Context
[7:43] What We're Seeing in Our Practice
[15:25] Dr. D's Research on IUDs and Endometrial Lining 
[20:45] Reflection on Topic 
[33:56] Future Research Plans
Resources: 
Studies mentioned
Abel 2021 J Assist Reprod Genet
Carr 2021 Contraception
Peipert 2022 Am J OBGYN
Dr. Daneshmand Instagram
Fertilitea with Dr. D Podcast
 
Dr. Shahine's Weekly Newsletter on Fertility News and Recommendations
Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books
Join the Learn at Pinnacle app to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!
This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.