Shows
Fertility ForwardEp 164: The Power of Knowledge with Dr. Taraneh Nazem and Carissa SimekHere on the Fertility Forward podcast, we often say that knowledge is power — and that you are your own best advocate! Joining Rena and Dara on the show today are two passionate guests who are dedicated to educating women about infertility, fertility benefits, healthcare coverage, and women’s health. We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Taraneh Nazem, a double board-certified Reproductive Endocrinologist, Infertility Specialist, and Obstetrician-Gynecologist at RMA of New York’s Westside office, along with Carissa Simek, one of Dr. Nazem’s patients. In today’s episode, Carissa opens up about how her desire f...2025-04-2439 minFertility ForwardEp 157: Reflecting on 2024 and Leveling Up for 2025 with Rena Gower and Dara GodfreyAs the year comes to an end, we’re reminded of the value of reflecting on the past, looking ahead, and setting meaningful goals. In this episode of the Fertility Forward podcast, join Rena and Dara as they take a moment to ground themselves and reflect on all that 2024 brought. They share their thoughts on words that have taken on new meaning, the transformative power of journaling, and the concept of life as a balance beam. They also discuss books they’ve read, those still on their to-read list, and the trends they’ve observed among patients and in their...2025-01-0940 minFertility ForwardEp 153: ASRM Abstract: The Effect of Trophectoderm Rebiopsy on Serum B-Human Chronic Gonadotropin Levels in Pregnancies Resulting in Live Births with Dr. Erkan BuyukJoining Rena and Dara on the Fertility Forward podcast today is Dr. Erkan Buyuk, who is a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist, infertility specialist, and OB-GYN practicing at RMA of New York’s Eastside office. He currently serves as the Director of the Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) Fellowship Program and as an examiner for the REI Division of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Before joining RMA of New York in 2019, Dr. Buyuk was the Director of the Fertility Preservation Program and Reproductive Tissue Bank and the Director of the REI Fellowship Program at Einstein/Montefiore Medical Center. We ar...2024-11-0720 minFertility ForwardEp 145: What You Didn’t Know About Celiac Disease with Jessica Lebovits, RD, CDNMost people know (or have at least heard) of gluten and understand that some may be affected by an intolerance of it, but many are unaware that this immune reaction to eating gluten is actually called celiac disease. Today on Fertility Forward, Jessica Lebovits, RD, CDN, joins us to discuss her journey with celiac disease and how the diagnosis ultimately affected her fertility. Jessica is now a celiac disease specialist (among others) and she explains how her positive outlook on her diagnosis led her to pursue and embrace it as a specialization in nutrition. We discuss the ins and...2024-07-2539 minFertility ForwardEp 141: Peripartum and Reproductive Depressions with Dr. Ida A. EdenWe need to be talking more about perinatal, postpartum, and peripartum depression to reduce the stigma around these disorders. Here today, to do just that, is Dr. Ida A. Eden. Dr. Eden is a board-certified psychiatrist with formalized training and expertise in women's reproductive mental health. She has particular interests in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and the psychological burdens of infertility and perinatal loss. She graduated with honors in Neuroscience and Medical Anthropology from the University of Michigan, earned her M.D. with honors from the University of Maryland, and completed her residency at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill...2024-05-3037 min
Toxic TangentsFertility and Mental Health with Rena Gower
Trying to conceive, carrying a child, giving birth, raising a child…all of this is hard work. We see the physical differences in mothers from their expanding bellies to carry their child, to the tired eyes of sleepless nights. However, many of us never witness the mental effects of fertility. One study of 122 women receiving fertility treatments found that 40% experienced anxiety, depression, or both.
That’s why we are so glad to be joined today by Rena Gower of Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York and co-host of the Fertility Forward podcast. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW...2024-05-0622 minFertility ForwardEp 131: A Wrap-Up of 2023 and What to Expect Next Year with Rena and DaraWelcome to our annual year-in-review for Fertility Forward! Today, we are delving into the highs and lows of 2023 and what we are looking forward to for next year. In this episode, you will hear what we love about this podcast, our favorite kinds of discussions, the good and bad of 2023, how things have changed in the world of fertility, and so much more! We discuss our goals for 2024 before talking about our self-care rituals and how we can prioritize them. From adapting to seasons, to reading great books, to what we are grateful for from 2023, to the excitement of 2024...2024-01-1134 min
Couples Therapy In Seven WordsHelping Couples Deal with Infertility: An Interview with Rena GowerThe video of this episode is at https://brucechalmer.com/helping-couples-deal-with-infertility-an-interview-with-rena-gower/.
Infertility is a very common issue for couples, and dealing with the stresses, the losses, and the array of difficult choices often results in conflict for couples. Our guest in this episode, Rena Gower, is a clinical social worker who helps individuals and couples cope with a wide variety of issues related to the experience of infertility. She brings her own experiences with infertility to the work.
Rena’s website is https://renagower.com. Her book, “Infertility 101: A Quick and Concise Guide” is available on Amaz...2023-09-1535 min
Day 1 PodcastS3EP96 // Fertility Expert: Grief and Acceptance with Rena Gower, LCSWOn today's episode, Emily chats with Rena Gower, LCSW about how grief can show up in so many different ways in this journey. We connect on acceptance playing a major role in moving forward and how we can't go back, but we can make a choice to learn and grow.
What we discuss:
Different stages of grief and that moving through it isn't linear
Partnership and how each of you can be in a different stage and it acknowledging it is okay
How summer is the hardest season for those going through fertility (how COVID might...2023-07-1940 min
The Ultimate Pregnancy Prep PodcastTop mindset strategies for infertility with Rena GowerEvery person faces a unique set of challenges, mental, emotional, physical, and situational when struggling to get pregnant. When undergoing infertility, stress levels have been shown to be the same as someone who is going through AIDS, Cancer and Heart Disease. In today’s episode, I interview Rena Gower, a Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW) and Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. Today we discuss all things mindset and dive into everything from how to successfully communicate with loved ones, when to seek additional support, how to navigate big feelings of jealousy and envy and much more. I hope you enjoy th...2023-07-1635 minFertility ForwardEp 107: Goodbye Perfection and Hello Balance, with Katie DewhurstFinding balance and welcoming that balance into your life will help you create a lifestyle that leads to being a healthy person while also having room for the indulgences and other “good” parts of life you don’t want to miss out on. Our guest today is Katie Dewhurst, the founder, and CEO of Hello Balance, a health and wellness company helping millennial women optimize their health through food. She’s a certified functional medicine health coach and nutritionist, a cookbook author, and the founder of the Hello Baby Prenatal Nutrition course. Her health coaching approach is based on the late...2023-02-0242 minFertility ForwardEp 106: Immunology in Fertility Care with Dr. Daniel SteinThe health of your immune system can gravely affect your fertility and ability to become pregnant. Joining us today on Fertility Forward is specialist Dr. Daniel Stein, to talk about how immunology affects fertility care. In this episode, you will hear all about immunotolerance, how a functioning immune system is beneficial to pregnancy, when your immune system affects your ability to carry a pregnancy and how to know, as well as how to test for any immune system issues affecting your fertility. We also discuss why blood tests may not be helpful, how to spot treatments that aren’t go...2023-01-2620 minFertility ForwardEp 105: Reflections and Goal Setting as We Start the New Year“The beauty of being a human is that you’re never done growing.” These are the words of one of our hosts, Rena. In this episode, we take a moment to pause and reflect before looking ahead. We discuss how we’re going to approach the new year as we strive to grow, change, and evolve into better versions of ourselves. Tuning in, you’ll hear what we hope to achieve in 2023, from overcoming negative self-talk and being kinder to ourselves to challenging the labels we often use to define ourselves. You’ll learn about the power of "I am” dec...2023-01-1924 minFertility ForwardEp 90: Infertility 101Struggling with infertility and trying to conceive can often feel lonely and isolating. If only there was a simple and practical guide for those on this journey. Well, now there is! Join us today for an intimate conversation about Rena Gower’s new book, Infertility 101: A Quick & Concise Guide to the Club You Never Wanted to Join, which touches on a diverse range of topics and materials that those struggling with infertility may be grappling with. In this episode, Rena shares how she channeled her personal experience into writing the book, how she hopes to destigmatize the topic of in...2022-05-2630 minFertility ForwardEp 85: In Vitro Fertilization and Pregnancy Outcomes After COVID-19 Vaccination with Dr. Devora AharonThe COVID-19 pandemic has not made things any easier for pregnant women, or those who are planning to conceive. Pregnant women are at higher risk for severe infection from COVID-19 as well as an increased likelihood of ICU admission, deaths, preterm labor, stillbirth, and other complications. While the development of COVID-19 vaccines has posed its own questions, due to its novelty, a new study offers robust reassurance that vaccines are not only safe for pregnant women and their fetuses, they are also a beneficial protective measure. Today on the show we speak with Dr. Devora Aharon about her most...2022-02-2420 minFertility ForwardEp 84: The Black Fertility Myth with Dr. Tia Jackson-BeyThe dialogue around infertility is filled with cultural myths and enduring stereotypes that significantly shape the experiences of Black women. As a result, there are few spaces for marginalized individuals to discuss their fertility struggles and, as today’s guest explains, this could actually be impacting their access to care. For this thought-provoking discussion about Black fertility, we welcome recurring guest, Dr. Tia Jackson-Bey, a dedicated Reproductive Endocrinologist and Infertility Specialist at RMA of New York. Dr. Jackson-Bey recently gave a talk at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai on ‘The Black Fertility Myth’ as part of their...2022-02-1738 minFertility ForwardEp 83: Embryology and Embryo Grading with Christine Briton-JonesWhen one starts IVF and fertility treatments, it can be a lot to take in. There’s tons of jargon to familiarize yourself with and seemingly endless academic articles on every topic imaginable. This can be especially overwhelming when you are presented with embryo options and you don’t know which one to choose, or whether the single option you’re being presented with is worth pursuing. Here to help us make sense of embryo grading and offer much-needed peace of mind is Christine Briton-Jones, a clinical embryologist and Director of Laboratory Services at Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York...2021-12-1625 minFertility ForwardEp 82: Understanding Mosaicism with Teresa CacchioneOne of the hottest topics in IVF is mosaic embryos, but not many of us understand what this means, or how mosaic embryos happen. Joining us in conversation is genetic counselor at RMA New York, Teresa Cacchione. Teresa’s position at the junction of science and reproductive medicine gives her unique insight into the latest research and clinical outcomes of mosaic embryos in IVF, and she shares this expertise today. We discuss how mosaic embryos are formed, debunk common myths surrounding them (no, age is not a factor!), and dissect how the testing to identify a mosaic embryo works as...2021-12-0940 minFertility ForwardEp 81: Body Betrayal with Dr. Anna Flores LockeWomen from Latina and African-American communities are the least likely to seek medical advice when struggling with infertility. Today we talk to community leader, businesswoman, advocate, professor, writer, and mother, Dr. Anna Flores Locke about her new book (Body Betrayal: Understanding and Living with Infertility) and how she came to terms with her fertility struggles as a Latina woman. We hear how the COVID-19 lockdown allowed Anna the time to finally put her experience into writing, and how this was cathartic for her. We break down the stereotypes that are responsible for African-American and Latina women seldom seeking fertility...2021-12-0238 min
The Mayn Idea PodcastEpisode 009: Rena GowerRena Gower , LCWS is a clinical social worker and therapist. She is the Director of Social Work Services at RMA (Reproductive Medicines Association) of New York, and helps clients who are struggling with infertility through postpartum. Rena went through her own infertility journey before having her now 5 year old daughter.
Rena can be found on social media and via her website 2021-11-231h 07Fertility ForwardEp 80: Food and Fertility with Chloe LafosseFrom a career in finance before her foray into food, facing her fertility battles and more, join us as we talk to the inspirational Chloe Lafosse. Chloe launched her flagship zero-waste café, Ancolie, and her plastic-free vending machines, Fresh Bowl, in 2016… And then embarked on her pregnancy journey in 2017! After suffering two miscarriages and subsequently throwing herself into her work, Chloe realized that this was not a sustainable route to motherhood. By taking a step back, opening up to friends and family, and starting a blog, Chloe reached a healthy space, and she talks to us today about what thi...2021-11-1138 minFertility ForwardEp 79: Positive Focus with Leo SkepiWhen you are consumed with negative thoughts or going through a difficult time, it can be really hard to pull yourself out of these thought patterns. Although there are so many affirmations and self-help apps out there, when Leo Skepi was going through a challenging period in his own life, none of these platforms resonated with him, and so to solve this, he created his own. Positive Focus helps interrupt and replace thought patterns. The app helps sends messages that stimulate and prompt you to think help you gain self-awareness, and improve your overall mental state. In this episode...2021-11-0420 minFertility ForwardEp 78: Post Trauma Growth with Joelle Rabow MaletisTrauma affects people in different ways. Just because something is not traumatic for some else, doesn’t mean it won’t be traumatic for you. Talking to us today about acknowledging trauma, and Post Trauma Growth is psychotherapist Joelle Rabow Maletis. Joelle’s focus in this episode is on learning to shift from being a victim to a warrior, by choosing to take ownership of your trauma and honoring the impact a traumatic event has had on you. By asking, “So what?”, Joelle teaches us to give space to the trauma, but to also move forward. We cover the biochemica...2021-10-2838 minFertility ForwardEp 77: Mental Health and Conception and Pregnancy with Dr. Emily WattsMental health struggles are stigmatized and when women are pregnant or become mothers, these issues are almost completely overlooked. Dr. Emily Watts specializes in women's mental health and perinatal psychiatry and applies a holistic approach to the care of her patients. She sees the interplay between the physical, mental and social wellbeing of her patients as vital to their overall health. In today's episode, Emily explains how those on medication for their mental health can navigate conception and pregnancy. There is a not a universal answer and it depends on individual factors and circumstances. We talk about the prevalence...2021-10-2133 minFertility ForwardEp 76: Single Parenthood by Choice with Dr. Rachel GerberA growing awareness that you don't need to have a partner in order to become a parent is changing the narrative about parenthood. Today’s guest to discuss this topic is Dr. Rachel Gerber, a reproductive endocrinologist, infertility specialist, and board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist who cares for patients at RMA of New York’s Eastside and Westchester offices. In this episode, we discuss all aspects of single parenthood by choice or single motherhood by choice (SMC), from selecting a sperm donor to considerations regarding disclosure, artificial insemination, and fertility preservation, as well as the importance of prioritizing your mental heal...2021-10-1438 minFertility ForwardEp 75: PCOS and Fertility with Dr. Lucky SekhonThe month of September is PCOS Awareness Month and, in today’s episode, we are joined by Dr. Lucky Sekhon, OBGYN and fertility specialist based in New York City, to discuss polycystic ovarian syndrome and her unconventional approach to the disorder. We also dive a little deeper into the emotional impact of PCOS and the loss of control that patients often feel when diagnosed during their fertility journey, with Dr. Sekhon emphasizing the importance of reframing it as an ‘alternate state of being’ rather than a disease. We also share our expertise in nutrition, mental health, and physical health, weighi...2021-10-0725 minFertility ForwardEp 74: Vaccination and Pregnancy with Dr. Lucky SekhonThe COVID-19 vaccine is raising a lot of questions and anxiety, but it is particularly pertinent to those with a special interest in fertility. On today’s episode, we talk to Dr. Lucky Sekhon, OBGYN and fertility specialist based in New York City. We kick off our discussion by acknowledging that pregnant women are a vulnerable population when it comes to COVID before discussing the misinformation crisis that has emerged and some of the myths surrounding pregnancy and fertility. Dr. Sekhon gives us an overview of the three vaccine options available and shares what studies have shown about vaccination du...2021-09-2342 minFertility ForwardEp 73: PCOS Nutrition with Melissa Groves AzzaroSo often when women struggle with their fertility, they are told to follow treatments that may not work for their bodies. Perhaps they are told to lose weight or live healthier, but for many women, this is not enough. Melissa Groves Azzaro is an integrative dietician who helps women with hormone imbalances, PCOS, and fertility issues regain their periods and get pregnant naturally. Through her functional approach to figure out the root cause of infertility issues, Melissa is able to tailor nutrition, supplement, and lifestyle plans to meet her clients’ needs. In this episode, we talk about what PCOS is...2021-09-1647 minFertility ForwardEp 72: Real Food for Pregnancy with Lily NicholsChoosing to follow a healthy diet should be pretty straightforward, right? But with all the information available to us online it can often be difficult to know which sources to trust, especially when they contradict one another. Here to shed some well-informed light on the topic is registered dietician nutritionist, and certified diabetes educator, Lily Nichols. Lily is a researcher and author of two books Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Diabetes. She is also the co-founder of the Women’s Health Nutrition Academy. Her work is deeply informed by her passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. In ou...2021-09-0955 minFertility ForwardEp 71: Support for Donor-Assisted Families with Nancy KaufmanMany parents who pursue donor-assisted reproduction often feel alone in their journey, but the truth is they usually share the same fears. Today we welcome back Nancy Kaufman, a licensed clinical social worker, and psychoanalyst who has been practicing in New York City for over 30 years. Nancy works with individuals, couples, and groups dealing with infertility and parenting after infertility. For the past 15 years, she has led The Third Party Parenting Network, a support group for those pursuing donor-assisted reproduction with an emphasis on issues related to disclosure. Today we discuss the value of walking through this process with...2021-08-1234 minFertility ForwardEp 70: Growing Nutritional Knowledge to Reduce Stress During Your Fertility Journey with Erin ParekhToday, we speak with holistic nutritionist and women’s wellness expert, Erin Parekh, who specializes in guiding women to nurse themselves on their journey to and through motherhood. You’ll hear the story of how Erin’s own fertility journey sparked her special interest in women’s wellness and the pivotal moment when she realized how little clinics offered to those on a fertility journey. We touch on stigma and the role of communication to connect people, Erin’s self-care tools, and reframing the all-or-nothing mindset. Erin believes that mindset is an essential part of building holistic wellness and we talk ab...2021-08-0534 min