Ep 116 Hidden Struggles of High-Achieving Women in Fertility Treatment with Dr. Chatterjee-Morris

Why are ambitious women waiting too long to think about fertility preservation, and what's the real cost?

Host Eloise Drane welcomes Dr. Suzanna Chatterjee-Morris, a dual board-certified physician in OB-GYN and obesity medicine who brings both clinical expertise and deeply personal experience to today's conversation. Dr. Chatterjee-Morris has navigated her own challenging fertility journey, including multiple egg retrievals, donor eggs, and preparing for surrogacy while maintaining a demanding medical practice. Her unique perspective as both physician and patient offers invaluable insights for women balancing high-pressure careers with family planning decisions and fertility preservation choices.

This episode explores the complex reality of fertility treatment for ambitious women in leadership roles, covering egg-freezing decisions, the challenges of coordinating IVF cycles with demanding schedules and navigating fertility clinic experiences. Discussion includes the importance of early fertility preservation, advocating for yourself in medical settings, weight-related barriers in fertility treatment, and the emotional journey of third-party reproduction. Dr. Chatterjee-Morris shares practical advice about choosing fertility clinics, understanding BMI requirements, and making informed decisions about donor eggs and gestational carriers while managing autoimmune conditions.

In This Episode:

(00:00) Dr. Chatterjee-Morris shares her complete fertility journey from residency decision to current surrogacy plans
(08:40) The difficult transition from own eggs to donor eggs to gestational carrier due to multiple sclerosis
(14:32) Balancing seven IVF cycles with demanding medical practice and patient care
(20:33) Experiencing dismissive treatment and unprofessional care at fertility clinics
(27:12) The critical importance of egg freezing in your twenties for career-focused women
(32:34) Recognizing endometriosis symptoms early and advocating for reproductive health education
(39:44) Navigating weight stigma and BMI requirements in fertility treatment with compassion
(46:25) Final advice on self-advocacy and making the best decisions for your fertility journey

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