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Fertility Cafe

Eloise Drane

Fertility Café explores the evolving world of reproductive health, infertility, and modern family building. Hosted by Eloise Drane, fertility expert, agency founder, past surrogate and egg donor, and mom of five, the show unpacks the medical, emotional, and ethical sides of today’s fertility care.

From IVF, surrogacy, egg and sperm donation, embryo donation, infertility treatment, men’s fertility, hormones, and fertility preservation, each episode dives into every part of assisted reproduction. Hear real stories and expert insights from fertility doctors, surrogates, and intended parents in open conversations.

Whether you are navigating infertility, exploring surrogacy or donation, or curious about reproductive wellness, Fertility Café helps you find clarity, confidence, and hope.

Connect with us: www.thefertilitycafe.com

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28 episodes
weekly
Avg 44 min
English

Episodes 28

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S7 · E138
March 24 · 49 min
The Egg Donation Screening Process: What to Expect from Application to Retrieval
What does it actually take to become an egg donor, and what happens after the retrieval that no one warns you about? In this episode of Fertility Café, Eloise Drane sits down with Christina Alicea, a fertility field professional and five-time egg donor, for one of the most honest and wide-ranging conversations about the egg donation experience you'll find anywhere. Christina brings a rare dual perspective: she has worked inside fertility clinics and egg donation agencies for over seven years and
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March 17 · 39 min
Surrogacy from Start to Baby: What Every Intended Parent Should Know
You've decided you want to build your family through surrogacy. Now what? In this episode of Fertility Café, Eloise Drane sits down with surrogacy Family Support Advisor, Jennifer Silva to walk intended parents through the entire surrogacy journey, from that very first phone call to bringing your baby home. Jennifer draws on both her professional expertise and her own deeply personal fertility journey to give one of the most honest, comprehensive conversations about surrogacy you'll find anywhe
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S7 · E136
March 10 · 50 min
An ’80s Sperm Donor. A Fertility Specialist. A Sitting Senator.
What happens when a sperm donor and his donor-conceived child find each other decades later? In this episode of Fertility Café, Eloise Drane sits down with reproductive medicine physician Dr. Danny Shapiro and Georgia state legislator Josh McLaurin for a conversation that is equal parts fascinating, deeply personal, and profoundly important for the future of donor conception. Dr. Shapiro donated sperm as a medical student at Emory in the 1980s, never expecting to one day come face to face with t
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S7 · E135
March 3 · 30 min
I Carried Two Babies for Other Families: The Truth About Becoming a Surrogate Twice
What does it really take to become a surrogate physically, emotionally, and mentally? In this episode of Fertility Café, Eloise Drane sits down with Darnae Pitts, wife, mother of two, and two-time gestational surrogate, to talk about what surrogacy actually looks like behind the scenes. From being initially denied due to mental health and BMI requirements to navigating a divorce before starting her first journey, Darnae shares the determination it took to qualify. She opens up about losing weigh
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S7 · E134
February 24 · 52 min
The Truth About Birth Control, Ovulation, and Your Hormones with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack
Why are we taught so little about something that happens every single month for decades of our lives? In this episode of Fertility Café, Eloise Drane sits down with fertility awareness educator and author Lisa Hendrickson-Jack to unpack one of the most overlooked truths in women’s health: the menstrual cycle is not just about getting pregnant. It is a vital sign. From heavy periods and birth control prescriptions in her teens to becoming a pioneer in fertility awareness education and podcasting,
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S7 · E133
February 17 · 40 min
Navigating Fertility in the US: A Guide for International Parents Seeking Treatment with Richard Westoby and Julio Gaggia
What does it take to navigate a U.S. surrogacy journey from abroad—and how do you stay grounded when the internet offers either too little or way too much information? In this episode of Fertility Café, host Eloise Drane talks with Richard Westoby and Julio Gaggia of IVF Daddies about Richard’s 14-year journey to fatherhood, the realities international parents face (legal, financial, and logistical), and why transparency and the right team matter more than glossy promises. Whether you’re two da
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S7 · E132
February 10 · 36 min
The First IVF Baby in America, Elizabeth Carr, Speaks Out on Access, Stigma, and the Future
What does it mean to grow up “the first” of anything—especially the first IVF baby born in the United States? In this episode of Fertility Café, host Eloise Drane talks with Elizabeth Carr about her parents’ journey through early, experimental IVF, what has—and hasn’t—changed in 40+ years, and how media attention shaped her advocacy. With clarity and compassion, Elizabeth unpacks common misconceptions (“test tube baby,” “miracle baby”), why patient autonomy matters, and the very real barriers fa
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S7 · E131
February 3 · 49 min
Childfree By Choice
What does it mean to consciously choose not to have children, especially in a culture that often defines womanhood by motherhood? In this episode of Fertility Café, host Eloise Drane welcomes back filmmaker Chiquita Lockley, creator of the documentary Eggs Over Easy: Black Women & Fertility. This time, Chiquita shares her personal journey and decision to live childfree by choice. It is a thoughtful, often emotional, and deeply grounded conversation about identity, legacy, caregiving, and the pat
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Showing 21–28 of 28 episodes