Too many people walk into an OB GYN appointment with uncertainty, unanswered questions, or years of silent symptoms.

In this powerful conversation, Eloise Drane sits down with Board Certified OB GYN Dr. Renita White, MD to unpack the real state of women’s healthcare today and the steps every person can take to advocate for themselves.

Dr. White shares why she entered the field of obstetrics and gynecology, what she witnessed during training, and how racism and systemic gaps leave many women confused about their own bodies. She explains the challenges of limited appointment times, lack of access, and medical misinformation, and offers practical tools for improving trust and communication with healthcare providers.

Together, Eloise and Dr. White break down essential topics including fertility education, AMH testing, preventive care, maternal mortality, racism in medicine, pregnancy fears, and the realities of navigating care in a post-Dobbs world. Dr. White also outlines what a “normal” period should look like and when to seek additional support.

This episode empowers listeners with clarity, compassion, and practical steps for better reproductive health.

Guest Bio:

Dr. Renita White, MD is a board-certified obstetrician & gynecologist and women’s health advocate. With a passion for women’s health and wellness, Dr. White loves to take care of women in all stages of life, educating them about their bodies and encouraging them to address their physical and emotional health to improve their overall wellness and longevity. Originally from Georgia, Dr. White received her undergraduate degree from Duke University and medical degree from The Ohio State University, eventually returning to Atlanta for her residency in OBGYN at Emory University. Alongside running her practice, Georgia OBGYN, Dr. White also cohosts her podcast, Cradle & All, is a medical advisor for The Honey Pot Company, and serves on the medical executive board for Flo Health, VeryWell Health, Parent Magazine, and Elle Magazine. In her spare time, Dr. White enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her two sons.

You’ll hear about:

• Why Dr. White chose OB GYN
• Stigma within women’s healthcare
• How patients approach reproductive care
• Preparing for OB GYN visits
• Fertility basics and AMH testing
• When to see a specialist
• Maternal mortality realities
• Social media misinformation
• Pregnancy fears and loss
• Birth control safety
• Understanding menopause symptoms
• What a normal period is
• When to seek a second opinion

Episode Resources:

Study into the numbers of OBGYNs in the state of Georgia - https://shorturl.at/k1aHl

Related episodes:

Ep 113 – The Fertility Timeline: Dr Susanna Park on When to Get Tested
https://thefertilitycafe.com/podcast/ep-113-the-fertility-timeline-dr-susanna-park-on-when-to-get-tested/

Ep 111 – The Patient Experience in Fertility Care: Advocating for Better Support
https://thefertilitycafe.com/podcast/ep-111-the-patient-experience-in-fertility-care-advocating-for-better-support/

Ep 99 – Bringing Equality to Reproduction for LGBTQ+ People
https://thefertilitycafe.com/podcast/ep-99-bringing-equality-to-reproduction/

Connect with Dr. Renita White, MD:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/renitawhitemd/

Her website - https://re...

• (00:00:00) - Why Your Reproductive Health Is So Important
• (00:00:53) - Fertility Cafe: Dr. Renita White
• (00:02:08) - Ob-GYN on Women's Health
• (00:09:46) - How to talk about reproductive health
• (00:10:40) - Ob-Gyn: Pre-Pregnancy Care
• (00:17:38) - Maternal Fetal Mortality in the US
• (00:26:14) - Miscarriages and stillborns
• (00:26:59) - Have you seen changes like pre Covid, post Covid with
• (00:29:16) - On the Pro-Abortion Case
• (00:32:49) - Birth Control, the right choice for your patient
• (00:34:59) - How to manage menopause health
• (00:37:32) - How to talk about your period
• (00:41:28) - Ob-GYN: What to Know Before Going to the Doctor
• (00:43:49) - Interview

Genetics touches nearly every part of the family-building journey, yet for most people it feels confusing, intimidating, and filled with unknowns.

In this conversation, Eloise Drane sits down with Gina Davis, a genetic counselor with more than 20 years of experience in reproductive genetics, IVF, donor conception, and embryo donation. Gina brings rare insight as both a clinician and someone who has personally navigated IVF and become a known embryo donor.

Gina shares what intended parents, donors, and professionals need to understand about carrier screening, family history, genetic risk, and how testing fits into a fertility plan. She breaks down common misconceptions, explains why no genetic picture is ever “perfect,” and highlights the biggest gaps she sees inside fertility clinics today.

They explore the realities of embryo testing, including PGTA, mosaicism, false positives, and how to evaluate results when embryos are limited or labeled “abnormal.” Gina also explains how patients can advocate for themselves and why genetics should be values-driven rather than fear-driven.

By the end, listeners will walk away with clarity, confidence, and a better understanding of the questions to ask, the decisions only they can make, and how to navigate genetics without feeling overwhelmed.

You can’t control everything, but you can be informed.

“We’re all perfectly imperfect when it comes to genetics.” – Gina Davis

Guest Bio:

Gina Davis is a genetic counselor who has worked in the reproductive medicine space for over 20 years. A few years into her career, she also became an IVF patient, and later, a known embryo donor. This experience has shaped her lens of best practices and how professionals can work together to improve the lives of our patients and the families we help create. Gina spent the first 9 years of her career as a genetic counselor at the REI and reproductive genetics program at UCSF. Gina now leads a team of genetic counselors at her private practice, Advocate Genetics, which provides nationwide virtual genetic counseling for fertility patients, gamete donors, and embryo donors. Gina is also a co-founder of Empower with Moxi – https://empowerwithmoxi.com, an educational, support, matching and journey management program with the central aim of empowering choice and understanding in embryo donation.

You’ll hear about:

• Why genetics matters in fertility care
• Gina’s IVF and embryo donation journey
• Carrier screening basics
• Family history vs genetic testing
• Donor genetic evaluations
• Understanding PGTA and mosaicism
• Limits of embryo testing
• Making values-driven decisions
• Red flags in clinic genetic counseling
• Where to start when feeling overwhelmed

Episode Resources:

Advocate Genetics - https://advocategenetics.com

• (00:00:00) - Welcome to the Fertility Cafe
• (00:01:15) - Fertility Cafe: Gina Davis Discusses Genetics
• (00:02:47) - Teaching in the world of genetics and reproductive health
• (00:06:33) - Inventing the genetic counselor
• (00:08:06) - Do genetic counselors do the right thing for couples?
• (00:16:44) - Carbon Screening and Genetic Mapping
• (00:21:11) - What are some of the biggest gaps
• (00:25:05) - PGT A, Down Syndrome Screening
• (00:31:13) - Does testing embryos help with egg donation?
• (00:35:23) - Choosing the embryo transfer based on genetic findings
• (00:37:51) - Questions parents should ask their fertility clinic before doing IVF or embryo
• (00:43:48) - Do I need genetic screening for my eggs?
• (00:45:41) - Gina on the Genetics of Embryo Donation
• (00:48:22) - Interviewing Elle

After more than 20 years of infertility, six miscarriages and several failed rounds of IVF, Arvis Carmichael-Smith returns with the update she once feared would never come.

When she last spoke with Eloise Drane, she was preparing for one last attempt. Now she shares how that final try became the pregnancy she had prayed for at age 51.

Eloise guides Arvis through the turning points that finally brought answers, including the second opinion that uncovered the simple but long-missed issue preventing her from carrying a pregnancy. Arvis describes the cautious hope she felt as her numbers continued to rise and the joy of finally experiencing pregnancy after so much loss.

The conversation shifts when Arvis recounts the medical emergency that unfolded during delivery. What began as a planned C-section became a life-threatening crisis when an undetected placenta accreta caused massive bleeding, an emergency hysterectomy and a severed ureter that left her facing months of painful recovery.

Through every complication, Arvis explains how faith, community and relentless self-advocacy kept her alive. Her daughter arrived healthy. Arvis survived against all odds.

“My miracle did not come without a fight.” – Arvis Carmichael-Smith

Guest Bio:

Arvis is a middle school science teacher with a passion for nurturing and mentoring kids. This desire sparked an interest in her becoming a teacher eight years ago. She is an advocate for children, animals, and the elderly. She also loves hiking, nature walks, and travel. Arvis lives in Hampton, Georgia with her husband and their one year old daughter.

You’ll hear about:

• Arvis recounts two decades of infertility
• Why multiple miscarriages went unexplained
• The second opinion that changed everything
• Hearing rising pregnancy numbers for the first time
• Joy and fear throughout pregnancy
• Third trimester complications begin
• The hypertension reading that signaled danger
• C section unexpectedly turns into emergency
• Undetected placenta accreta revealed
• Recovery complications and ureter injury
• Months living with a nephrostomy bag
• The emotional toll of recovery
• Maternal health failures and being ignored
• Faith, advocacy and survival

Episode Resources:

Fertility for colored girls - https://www.fertilityforcoloredgirls.org/

Related episodes:

Ep 87 – When Fertility Treatment Doesn’t Work

https://thefertilitycafe.com/podcast/ep-87-when-fertility-treatment-doesnt-work/

Ep 121 – Inside Modern Fertility Care — IVF, Surrogacy, Egg Donation & Family Building
https://thefertilitycafe.com/podcast/beyond-ivf-surrogacy-egg-donation-the-future-of-fertility-care/

Ep 97 – Fertility in the Modern Age: IVF, Environmental Impacts, and Quality Care
https://thefertilitycafe.com/podcast/ep-97-fertility-in-the-modern-age-ivf-environmental-impacts-and-quality-care/

Stay Connected:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fertilitycafe

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fertilitycafe

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fertility-cafe/

More Resources

Learn more about surrogacy & fertility...

• (00:00:00) - The Fertility Cafe
• (00:01:03) - Fertility Cafe: Arvis Carmichael Smith Returns
• (00:02:12) - How I Learned To Love My Doctor
• (00:10:01) - The Secret to Getting Pregnant On Your First Try
• (00:14:45) - The Moment I Learned I Was Expecting A Daughter
• (00:16:19) - Pregnancy Was All You Thought It Would Be
• (00:22:18) - After my mid-pregnancy magnesium bolus scare,
• (00:26:17) - Baby's C-Section
• (00:33:17) - The mistake of cutting my ureter during pregnancy
• (00:41:38) - Symptoms of Crohn's after surgery
• (00:45:04) - One woman's story of a uterine prolapse
• (00:52:12) - Prayer for those still on their journey
• (00:55:27) - Arvis On Her Journey To Having A Child

Ever wondered what really happens if something goes wrong during a surrogacy or egg donation journey and who’s responsible for the bill?

When it comes to third-party reproduction (surrogacy, egg donation, or embryo donation) insurance can be one of the most confusing and overlooked parts of the journey. But as Virginia Hart from ART Risk Solutions explains, it’s also one of the most critical.

In this episode, host Eloise Drane sits down with Virginia to demystify the complex world of fertility insurance, what’s covered, what’s not, and how to make sure everyone involved in a surrogacy or donor arrangement is fully protected. From complications and medical coverage to life insurance and newborn care, Virginia breaks down what you must know before signing any contract or starting treatment.

Whether you’re an intended parent, surrogate, donor, or professional in the fertility field, this episode offers the clarity and confidence you need to safeguard your journey.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Meet Virginia Hart, founder of ART Risk Solutions.
• 02:14 – Why fertility and surrogacy insurance are so confusing.
• 03:47 – How ART Risk protects parents, surrogates, and donors.
• 06:23 – Core coverages every surrogate needs.
• 08:36 – Why complication insurance is essential.
• 10:18 – The real cost of going uninsured.
• 12:04 – ACA and Lloyd’s of London options explained.
• 15:12 – Commonly forgotten policies that matter most.
• 17:43 – What intended parents should budget for.
• 20:29 – How ART Risk manages claims and bills.
• 23:11 – Planning newborn coverage and NICU care.
• 26:48 – Insurance for international intended parents.
• 30:37 – The toughest states for surrogacy coverage.
• 36:09 – IVF coverage and new fertility benefits.
• 40:46 – Final advice: ask, “Am I protected and how?”
  
  

Connect with Virginia:

Instagram: @art.risk.solutions

Website: https://www.facebook.com/artriskfinancial/

Resources mentioned:

• ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine): https://www.asrm.org
• RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association: https://resolve.org/
• Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys: https://adoptionart.org
• SEEDS (Society for Ethics in Egg Donatio...

• (00:00:00) - Insurance for surrogacy and egg donation
• (00:00:41) - What is Affirmative Reproduction Insurance?
• (00:02:13) - Getting Out of the Insurance Industry
• (00:03:24) - What Types of Insurance Were People Confused About?
• (00:04:06) - What Kind of Insurance Do You Provide For Donor/Surrog
• (00:06:19) - Importance of surrogacy insurance
• (00:12:41) - What happens if a surrogate doesn't have a health insurance plan?
• (00:19:26) - Obstructions during IVF
• (00:21:59) - What Should the Baby's Medical Coverage Be?
• (00:25:36) - Art Risk Provides Support for Surrogates' Medical Bills
• (00:27:18) - Obtained surrogacy insurance in the United States
• (00:32:57) - Surrogacy and Workplace Benefits
• (00:36:47) - Choosing a surrogate for the first time
• (00:38:59) - If You Could Give One Advice to Surrogates and Donors
• (00:40:15) - How to Find Out More About Art Risk
• (00:40:51) - Fertility Cafe: Today's Conversation

• What happens behind the scenes in IVF and embryo development
• How holistic care and emotional support impact fertility outcomes
• The evolving roles of surrogates, donors, and intended parents
• Why fertility is about more than conception. It’s about choice, health, and identity.

Website: thefertilitycafe.com
Instagram: @fertilitycafe

In this solo episode of Fertility Café, host Eloise Drane breaks down one of the most buzzed-about topics in modern fertility: egg freezing. Once considered a niche medical intervention, egg freezing has become a mainstream option for those seeking to preserve their fertility, but what does it really involve?

Eloise takes you through the entire landscape, from the medical process and emotional considerations to the financial realities and cultural shifts. She unpacks how egg freezing evolved from a last-resort treatment to a proactive choice, what it actually looks like to go through a cycle, and why access remains unequal despite growing interest.

This episode is for anyone who’s ever wondered:

• “Is egg freezing right for me?”

• “What’s the real cost, and not just financially?”

• “How does this intersect with identity, access, and equity?”

Whether you're exploring your options or simply trying to understand the conversation more deeply, this episode offers real talk, grounded insights, and the kind of honesty that Fertility Café is known for.

Mentioned Resources:

• American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM.org)

• FertilityIQ.com

Tune in for a thoughtful guide through the myths, facts, and nuances of egg freezing, because your timeline, your body, and your decisions deserve clarity and care.

• (00:00:00) - Fertility Cafe
• (00:01:34) - What Egg Freezing Is Really Like
• (00:02:25) - E egg freezing: How it works, costs, and
• (00:11:09) - Egg Freezing: Access and Financial Reality
• (00:15:50) - Egg Freezing: A Personal Decision
• (00:18:47) - Deciding to freeze your eggs