Understanding IVF and It's Fertility Outcomes

Fibroids, endometriosis, adenomyosis, PCOS, egg quality, male factor infertility, and blocked fallopian tubes can all play a role in fertility — but every IVF journey is deeply personal.

In this episode of Health Starts With Her, we’re talking about IVF, fertility, and gynecologic disease — including the physical, emotional, and mental health realities many women face when trying to build their families.

Host Dr. Tara Shirazian is joined by Dr. Lucky Sekhon, OBGYN and fertility specialist and author of The Lucky Egg, and Dr. Lauren Mims, Associate Professor of Developmental Psychology at NYU and one of Dr. Shirazian’s patients, who shares her personal IVF journey while navigating recurrent fibroids.

Together, they discuss the questions so many women are asking:
• What is IVF and how does it work?
• Is IVF a guarantee?
• How do fibroids, endometriosis, and adenomyosis affect fertility?
• Can IVF make gynecologic symptoms worse?
• What should women know before starting IVF?
• How can patients prepare for the emotional side of fertility treatment?
• Why is community and support so important during the fertility journey?

This conversation highlights why fertility care is not one-size-fits-all — and why women deserve clear information, compassionate care, and support throughout the entire process.

Whether you’re considering IVF, currently going through fertility treatment, living with fibroids or endometriosis, or supporting someone on this journey, this episode is here to help you feel more informed, less alone, and empowered to ask the right questions.  

Watch the full episode to learn more about IVF, fertility, gynecologic disease, and the importance of self-advocacy in women’s health.

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Topics Covered: 
0:00 Intro
1:30 Why fertility is complicated
3:00 What is IVF?
3:40 Common IVF misconceptions
5:00 Why IVF can feel like a marathon
6:00 Preparing for the intensity of IVF
8:30 IVF, egg freezing, and gynecologic disease
9:00 Lauren’s fibroid and IVF journey
10:45 How fibroids, endometriosis, and adenomyosis affect fertility
12:30 Can IVF make symptoms worse?
13:40 Balancing IVF with existing treatment plans
16:00 Understanding chronic recurrent gynecologic disease
18:20 Common causes of infertility
21:00 Are infertility rates increasing?
22:30 IVF success rates and expectations
24:00 Why every IVF journey is different
28:30 What Lauren wishes she knew before IVF
31:15 The problem with unsolicited fertility advice online
33:15 The emotional side of IVF and fertility treatment
37:40 How fertility specialists can support patients emotionally
40:45 What women should know before starting IVF
43:00 You are not alone
44:15 Final thoughts and closing message