The Fertility Answers Podcast

Women with insulin resistance not only struggle with their overall health but their fertility as well. Join your host Dr. Neil Chappell as he delves into the intricate relationship between insulin resistance and fertility. Learn the science behind insulin resistance, the best way to test for it and how this condition not only affects your metabolism and other important bodily functions, but also reproduction. Discover actionable st...

Join Dr. Neil Chappell in this entertaining and candid conversation with Olympian and former LSU track star Lolo Jones on her recent egg freezing journey with Fertility Answers. Approaching her 40th birthday and still single, Lolo feared she was running out of time to have children. Listen as they walk through her process of searching for information about egg freezing, costs and testing involved, and what her expectations were goi...

Marijuana and THC use has gained followers in recent years as many states have legalized it for medicinal or recreational purposes. But, there are still many questions surrounding how marijuana and THC can affect the fertility potential of both men and women. Join Fertility Answers Podcast host reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Neil Chappell as he delves into some of the recent research that attempts to determine the possible fertil...

Progesterone is a hormone secreted after ovulation that prepares the lining of the uterus for a potential pregnancy. Because of its important role at the beginning of conception and well into pregnancy, there is often a false assumption that low levels of progesterone are responsible for all pregnancy loss. In this episode, Fertility Answers Podcast reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Neil Chappell breaks down the role of progesterone...

While most women seeking fertility treatments eventually become pregnant, a small subset are never able to medically overcome infertility and seek other avenues to a family or resolve to live childless. When is it time to say enough is enough? How do you give yourself permission to admit that you've given it your best shot, but now is the time to stop treatment? In this episode, Dr. Neil Chappell tackles the tough subject of when a...

There is no doubt that assisted reproductive technologies used in fertility treatment, such as intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization, have contributed to the rise in the number of twins and triplets over the last several decades. It's not uncommon for our patients to even ask for a twin pregnancy. However, multiple gestation pregnancies bring risks to both the mother and the babies due to added health issues and pre-...

The level of stress experienced by individuals and couples diagnosed with infertility is nothing to dismiss. Experts equate the distress and trauma one gets with being diagnosed as infertile the same as getting a cancer diagnosis. Join us in this special conversation with Samantha Rauber, LPC, a licensed counselor certified in perinatal mental health in the Baton Rouge area, who discusses how a diagnosis of infertility can become a...

If you’re an IVF patient you’ve maybe heard your fertility specialist or embryologist use the term “mosaic” to describe your embryo after genetic testing. As embryo genetic testing has advanced over the last few years, geneticists are learning that not all embryos fall neatly into the classification of either normal or abnormal, but some can fall into a spectrum in between called mosaicism. Listen as our host Dr. Neil Chappell welc...

Uterine anomalies and structural problems with the female reproductive organs, such as uterine septums, are often associated with increased miscarriage. In this episode, Dr. Neil Chappell discusses uterine anomalies with Fertility Answers patient Emma who came to our center with a history of miscarriages and a uterine septum. Find out more about what that means, what to do about it, and what the journey can look like in this all en...

East meets West in this special episode featuring Dr. Jan Morello, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician in Baton Rouge. Her strong interest in holistic approaches and combining Eastern and Western medicine led her to become a licensed acupuncturist through Harvard Medical School. Based on thousands of years of practice in Eastern medicine, acupuncture uses tiny needles to restore the energy flow throughout the body. Whi...

It's been over eight months since the vaccines have come out and we've learned quite a bit in that time. With close to 170 million fully-vaccinated people in the U.S., the preliminary research shows that the vaccines are doing their job of saving lives. But there is a lot of varied information and opinions about the vaccines, and we know you want truthful answers from people you trust. In this episode, Dr. Neil Chappell updates you...

It's Pride Month and we've got a special podcast for our LGBTQ+ listeners who have been curious as to their options for family building. In this episode, Dr. Neil Chappell talks with patient Kaitlyn to take an in-depth look into the options she and her wife Alana considered, tried, and were successful at during their family building journey. Our discussion explores the pros and cons of home inseminations versus clinic-monitored ins...

What are the first line tests essential in the female fertility work-up? Join Dr. Neil Chappell and Fertility Answers physicians assistant Grace Pitt, PA, as they discuss anti-Mullerian hormone testing (AMH) and the hysterosalpingogram dye test (HSG) as the first two essential tests for diagnosing female infertility. AMH testing gives us clues to your remaining supply of eggs and fertility potential while an HSG tells us whether yo...

Cancer can be a devastating diagnosis, especially in younger women with a full life ahead of them. But in many cases, the conversation of fertility preservation can get missed or overlooked in a patient's consultations with oncologists in the rush to begin cancer treatment. In observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, join Dr. Neil Chappell as he discusses fertility preservation before cancer treatment with Baton Roug...

In this episode, Dr. Neil Chappell sits down with Hillary Janani, RN, MS, CGC, a licensed genetics counselor, to discuss carrier screening. Carrier screens are increasingly being discussed at routine doctor visits, and are a really important consideration for anyone in their reproductive years. So, we thought it worth a short discussion with an expert to arm patients with a few good facts to be prepared with! What is carrier screen...