📢 Not everything happens for a reason.

In this deeply moving episode of Female Voices: Life & Loss, Andrea Ali-Panzarella, physician, mother of three, and author opens up about her decade-long journey through infertility, miscarriage, IVF, surrogacy, and the unspoken grief that reshaped her life. Andrea’s story is raw, vulnerable, and filled with lessons about resilience, mental health, and redefining family. From the heartbreak of repeated losses to the joy of welcoming her children through gestational carriers, Andrea sheds light on what it really means to hold space for both devastation and healing.

“There are no good feelings or bad feelings they’re justfeelings. And it’s healthy to make space for all of them.” – Andrea

In this episode, we talk about:

✔️ Andrea’s first experience with miscarriage and how it opened a long road of infertility.

✔️ The emotional and physical challenges of IVF cycles and repeated loss.

✔️ The decision to use gestational carriers and the grief that came with it.

✔️The role of therapy, couples counseling, and support groups in healing.

✔️Andrea’s children’s book Every Family is a Tree and why representation matters.

Key Takeaways: 

✅ Infertility is not a simple “just adopt” or “just do IVF” journey it’s layered with trauma, cost, and resilience.

✅ Mental health support is essential throughout the fertility process, not just after.

✅ Grief doesn’t disappear once you have children; healing is an ongoing journey.

✅ Representation in children’s literature helps normalize diverse family stories.

✅ Giving yourself grace and allowing space for all emotions is vital to healing.

✨ Mentions & Shoutouts:

Every Family is a Tree – Andrea’s children’s book (available on Amazon & Barnes & Noble).

Support groups for infertility & loss.

Teresa’s earlier episodes on infertility and family journeys.

👉 Connect With Andrea:

https://www.andreaali-panzarella.com/

👉 Connect With Us:

Have a story to share?  Interested in being a guest?  Need Support?  DM us on social media or send an email.

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Listen on YouTube:  https://shorturl.at/jjrie

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Email: femalevoiceslifelosspodcast@gmail.com