Claim OwnershipInside Reproductive Health Podcast
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Inside Reproductive Health is your source for information about the growing field of fertility. Inside Reproductive Health features an active blog and weekly interviews with leaders from the clinical, investment, patient relations, and pharmaceutical corners of reproductive medicine. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast and check back frequently for new content!
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Doctors used to dream not just of earning well, but of controlling how they practiced and how they cared for patients.Doctors Cristin Slater, Kevin Maas, and Kyle Tobler—partners at the independently owned Idaho Center for Reproductive Medicine—explain why that dream feels so far away for many.Here’s what we cover:Why Dr. Maas says he’d never go back to a private equity-owned networkHidden legal clauses & earn-outs that can trap REIsThe tug-of-war between business interests and clinical decisionsHow independent practices can innovate (including the tech they love)The advice they’d give to any fellow or young REI thinking about their future, and how they can still live the dream
Beth Zoneraich, CEO of Pinnacle Fertility, is back on Inside Reproductive Health to share the hard numbers and the deeper philosophy behind what she calls the Pinnacle Operational Model.We deep dive into::Why they automate the back end of patient care (but never the front)How 3,000 unanswered phone calls became 500 new patientsThe “J curve” of operational change (where things get worse before they get better)Whether business leaders can help achieve work-life balance for clinical staffThe build vs buy debateHow they saved $1M saved by building (not buying) a witnessing system
With a very limited number of genetic counselors nationwide, it’s impossible for every fertility patient to see one. Clinics like RMA New York are getting strategic.In this week’s episode of Inside Reproductive Health, genetic counselor Teresa Cacchione explains why genetic counseling in IVF is becoming increasingly critical and complex.Teresa discusses:Why and how RMA-NY relies on a partner called GeneScreen Why even low-risk carrier results can confuse patients (and what to do about it)The growing demand for informed consent around PGTThe risks of relying solely on lab panelsHow RMA decides which patients need in-house counselingThe legal and ethical implications of not providing sufficient counseling before treatment
They were lucky.The gas to the incubator stopped flowing, but XiltriX caught the failure in time, no embryos were lost… and no headlines were made.But what happens if the next failure isn’t?In this episode, Dr. Matthew “Tex” VerMilyea of Ovation and US Fertility, and Moises Eilemberg, CEO of XiltriX North America, return to Inside Reproductive Health to ask a hard question:What would your lab do in a crisis?You’ll hear:The catastrophic loss Sweden’s biobank suffered (and what you need to learn from it)Why embryologist shortages are reshaping the IVF labWhat standardizing monitoring protocols could mean for your networkWhy Tex believes monitoring as a service is the futureThe steps to take after a public lab failure (and how to avoid needing them)How XiltriX helps fertility labs gain 24/7 visibility, rapid response alerts, and peace of mindThis isn’t about tech. It’s about protecting the future of your lab, your brand, and your patients.
What happens when managed care surges in IVF, reimbursements drop, and physicians are expected to do more work for less?Dr. Ravi Gada and Manish Chhadua are back on the show, and they don’t hold back. Dr. Gada is a partner at one of the largest independently owned practices in the United States and he and Manish co-own and operate a firm called CloudRx, In this episode, they dig into:What 70 fertility centers are doing to slash administrative costs from prior authorization chaos How medication side savings are shifting into the medical services side (and what that means for practices)Changes in the payer market and insurer preferences you need to know aboutWhy Organon and Follistim have gained so much market share in the past 5–7 yearsWhy academic fertility center ratings are shockingly low (and what private practices can learn from that)
From a founding partner about to retire, to an associate just out of fellowship, all five REIs at Carolina Conceptions sat down to share their takes on staying private, staying aligned, and staying real.Carolina Conceptions invited us in, and we talked real talk about:The golden parachute of private equity (and why they’ve resisted it)The tension between high-touch care and the operational demands of growthHow they’re navigating succession, new tech, and alignment across multiple generations of REIs
I've captured and interrogated one of fertility doctors’ enemies…a lawyer.But this one’s on your side.Matthew Maruca has served as General Counsel for Inception Fertility since 2019, and he’s here to walk you through the legal threats and legislative currents shaping the future of fertility care. While this episode isn’t legal advice, Matt brings insight into how reproductive health is being fought for, and fought against, in the courtroom and the legislature.In this episode, Matt covers:- What’s behind the rise in lawsuits and how they’re modeled after personal injury cases- The emerging legislative strategies from think tanks like the Heritage Foundation- Which reproductive treatments are being targeted (like PGT)- How to draft your consent forms to reduce liability- The #1 thing providers can do to protect themselves from unnecessary litigation- How to keep your premiums down when litigation is on the rise.Listen and learn with Matt Maruca.
Fertility doctors are burnt out.Not all of them, but enough to warrant a real conversation.Dr. Jason Yeh is a full-time fertility physician, a national medical director, an academic-turned-industry leader—and very much in the thick of this discussion.In this episode, we unpack the often unspoken reality of REI burnout and why so many are struggling to stay engaged after a decade in the field.In this conversation, Dr. Yeh shares:What REIs are saying in private physician groups about exhaustion and disillusionmentWhy the 7–10 year career mark is so critical for burnoutThe impact of rising caseloads on quality of life (300+ cycles per year)How Inception is trying to stay physician-friendly (and why autonomy matters)Why executive roles don’t always protect physicians from burnoutHis take on corporate vs physician-led leadership in fertility careWhether you’re a newer fellow just entering the field or a seasoned provider feeling the weight of your career, this conversation is for you.
What if your clinic could see 80 new patients while saving 80 hours of physician time… per doctor… per month?That’s what Dr. Mark Amols and his team at New Direction Fertility Center are working toward—while maintaining a 9 out of 10 rating across hundreds of patient reviews.In this episode, you’ll hear:The top-of-license model (From REIs to admin staff)How to structure visits to dramatically reduce physician hoursWhat operational efficiency really means for patient experienceThe role of cost, time, and medications in improving accessWhy combining new patient and follow-up visits might be the next major shift in efficiency.Dr. Amols proves that operational excellence is not the enemy of humanity in medicine—it’s what makes it possible.
Where do business insight and patient experience come together?In this week’s episode, Dr. Eduardo Hariton shares his POV on cost reductions, business opportunities, and what fertility tech gets right (and wrong) when designing for doctors and patients alike.We talk about:70% or 10%, differences in IVF conversion rateHow to reduce patient drop outHow to measure real IVF conversion ratesWhere Cercle fits in the fertility tech stackHow to balance human touch with scalable systems
What if 25–35% of patients in the U.S., Canada, or Europe left for equal-quality IVF at a quarter of the cost?In this episode we take you back to Mexico City, round zero for what may be the next global IVF surge.Juan Moctezuma, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Reina Madre, and Daniel Madero, CEO of Fertilidad Integral, join the show to discuss:The hub-and-spoke model fueling their growthHow they plan to scale egg freezing and IVF nationwideWhy they’re betting big on automated IVF labs from ConceivableHow tech, capital, and Ob/Gyn funnels could transform IVF care across Latin AmericaWhy this may be one of the biggest untapped investment opportunities in global fertility care.
IVIRMA is so big, they had 1,400 people just at their international congress. But what does it take to implement change, scale care, and keep the patient experience high inside an organization that large?This week’s guest, Dr. Thomas Molinaro, Chief Medical Officer of IVIRMA North America, shares what’s working, what’s still being figured out, and what challenges fertility networks of every size should be preparing for.Tune in to hear about:The AI solution they’re using to save REI time (and how it’s going so far)What they’ve learned from piloting patient journey platformsTheir APP-to-REI ratio and how they approach shared workflowsThe evolving debate over who performs ultrasounds (REIs or sonographers?)The marketing on behalf of REIs before the patient walks in that is critical to careIf you’re curious about the operational future of large fertility networks—or want a blueprint for scaling thoughtfully—don’t miss this episode with Dr. Molinaro.
OB/GYNs are entering the IVF space—but what role should they play?This debate is heating up in fertility medicine, and Dr. Stephanie Kuku, a former OB/GYN surgeon in the NHS and now Chief Knowledge Officer at Conceivable Life Sciences, offers her global, tech-forward perspectiveIn this episode, she talks through:What REIs and OB/GYNs really need from each otherWhere the line is on fertility care qualificationsWhat REI oversight could look like in different countriesHow new tech may expand REI roles (not replace them)How Conceivable is building collaborative care models (including their current 100-patient IRB study)The field is changing. How will REIs lead the way forward?
What standards should be non-negotiable in IVF labs?In this week’s episode of Inside Reproductive Health, we’re joined by Dr. Sangita Jindal—lab director at five IVF centers and former SART president—to discuss the urgent need for standardized embryologist training, better oversight, and technologies that minimize catastrophic lab errors.Tune in to hear Dr. Jindal’s insights on:Why embryologists need national certification (and why ASRM should lead it)The pros and cons of expanding training requirements for embryologistsThe limits of automation without skilled human oversightWhat she values most in the lab monitoring system Xiltrix (and why her other labs don’t have it)Whether every IVF lab should be required to implement e-witnessingThis episode was recorded just after news broke of another embryo loss lawsuit—highlighting the real-world consequences of our field’s biggest vulnerabilities. Don’t miss Dr. Jindal’s thoughtful, candid perspective on what needs to change.
What’s the biggest thing happening in the IVF lab?It might just be automation. This isn’t hypothetical. It’s operating now.We visited Hope IVF in Mexico City to see AURA, the fully automated IVF lab created by Conceivable Life Sciences. We sat down with co-founders Joshua Abram, Dr. Alejandro Chavez-Badiola, and Alan Murray to ask the questions you submitted—and some of our own.Tune in as the founders share:The origin of AURA and what problems they set out to solve.How a team of 3 embryologist technicians could run 2,000+ cycles per year.What IVF cycles really cost (And why CFOs should pay attention)The commercialization strategy behind automation.How this might change costs, outcomes, and the embryologist role forever.
Looking to hire top REI talent? Want more meaningful conversations with clinic execs and embryologists?There’s one summer meeting that keeps coming up in those conversations: The Midwest Reproductive Symposium International (MRSi).In this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, we’re joined by three of its organizers; Dr. GG Collins, Dr. Eric Forman, and Dr. Morgan Wilhoite—who share how they’ve used MRSi to build real connections that last. What you’ll hear in this episode:Why MRSI is uniquely valuable for vendors, fellows, and physiciansThe best ways to meet rising REI talentHow to make your sponsorship dollars work harder for youHow Fellows are building their networks before graduationWhat makes the MRSi environment ideal for genuine, lasting collaborationWhether you’re hiring, building partnerships, or just looking to grow your network, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.P.S. I don’t get anything from this, but if you want to save 10% on your registration, use my promo code: GJONES9
Everyone wants to grow their third party IVF program, but are we neglecting patient experience in the process?This week on Inside Reproductive Health, Eloise Drane, 3 time gestational carrier, MBA, and founder of Family Inceptions, shares her honest take on how responsiveness and individualized care have declined, even as demand has stabilized post-2021.Drawing from 17 years of experience running her own surrogacy agency, Eloise offers a kind but direct update on:Why patient experience is harder than ever to deliver (and how to improve it)How consolidation impacts intended parents and surrogacy wait timesThe challenges of startups and in-house agency models in IVF networksWhat she’s looking for in a surrogacy agency before considering merging or acquiringWhy the “same workflows” just won’t cut it for gestational carrier cyclesIf your practice or network is looking to scale GC IVF—and actually retain intended parents—this is a must-listen.
What’s your exit strategy?For single providers and small fertility practice owners, the difference between a multimillion-dollar sale and walking away with nothing often comes down to timing and preparation.This week on Inside Reproductive Health, I sit down with Bob Goodman, Richard Groberg, and Dr. Brijinder Minhas of MidCap Advisors to discuss:The current state of fertility clinic mergers & acquisitionsWhy many fertility MSOs are preparing to sell their networksWhen it’s too late to maximize your practice’s valueHow selling with a competitor could radically increase your exit priceThe biggest risks that lower your practice’s valuationIf you think you might sell your practice in the next 10-15 years, now is the time to start planning. MidCap’s team works with clinic owners to increase their valuation and secure the best possible deal—and they don’t charge fees unless you get paid.Don’t leave money on the table. Listen now to learn how to secure your financial future.
Genetics is nobody’s baby—or at least this week’s guest seems to think so.Dr. Mili Thakur, an REI, geneticist, and consultant through Genome Ally, joins us to break down the gaps in genetic testing, the impact on patient care, and why ASRM and others must step up to set industry-wide standards.Tune in to hear:The risks inconsistent genetic testing poses to patients and clinics.How the lack of standardization creates unnecessary workflow burdens.Why genetic discrepancies hurt patient retention and third-party treatment conversion.The missing tools needed to improve third-party IVF programs.Dr. Thakur’s call to action for genetics companies to step up and lead the charge.
Who’s adding the most value in IVF today—and who might not be here tomorrow?This week on Inside Reproductive Health, Dr. Cristina Hickman, founder of Avenue Center for Reproductive Medicine in London, breaks down the fertility field’s evolving landscape. As a PhD embryologist and clinic owner, she shares her perspective on industry leaders, automation, and the shifting role of technology in fertility care.Tune in to learn:Why some clinic networks might be overextending by bringing too many verticals in-house.How automation could scale embryologist efficiency to 2,000+ cycles per year.The surprising relationship between robotics and AI in embryology.Which companies are providing the most value right now--in lab automation, EMR, financial management, and cryo storage and moreHow new intelligence could challenge the current standard of single embryo transfer.Listen now to hear Dr. Hickman’s take on where the field is headed—and who’s leading the way.
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