Fertility Transparency: Overcoming the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Culture

In this episode of Quiet the Clock, Leyla Bilali, a seasoned fertility nurse and co-founder of Dandi Fertility, shares her expertise and personal struggles with infertility. She discusses the emotional journey of patients, the importance of education and personalized care in fertility treatments, and the challenges of navigating the fertility space. Leyla emphasizes the need to process emotions related to infertility and the significance of letting go of the idea of a perfect ending. Beth and Leyla explore the nuances of fertility preservation and the impact of Dandi Fertility's supportive products and services. The episode is a deep dive into the complexities of fertility and the emotional support required for those on this journey.  Quotes Leyla Bilali, 00:03:35, "I feel that the fertility journey is so intimate, that connection is so important."   Leyla Bilali, 00:04:26, "I'm a hardcore empath, and I think that's what fertility patients need—they want to feel seen and heard."   Leyla Bilali, 00:15:24, "I think education—the younger the better—because there's a lot of females who think that this doesn't really apply to me right now."   Leyla Bilali, 00:21:27, "I always say the younger the better, and I don't mean that to scare people or put pressure on them; it's just a biological fact."   Beth Gulotta, 00:22:10, "It's such a huge step to make the decision to freeze your eggs, a huge process to do it emotionally, physically, financially."   Leyla Bilali, 00:23:10, "There's just a lot of 'don't ask, don't tell,' and if you don't know the right questions to ask, you're not getting the information you need."   Leyla Bilali, 00:42:51, "I think the first time it happened to me, I still felt like I couldn't, and I didn't have the space. It's secondary infertility; I already have two healthy kids. Do I really have the right to be feeling these things?"   Leyla Bilali, 00:43:58, "It's necessary, yeah, because it can compound. And that's something that my OB said to me, and she was so right. I didn't want to realize that, but it compounds over time."   Leyla Bilali, 00:45:57, "Letting go of that perfect ending that you imagined for yourself is super important. It doesn't have to be perfect to still be really good." Key Points Leyla's career transition into fertility nursing Different subsets of fertility patients Challenges of navigating a community platform for fertility patients Lack of knowledge among women about their own bodies and fertility Pressure and anxiety surrounding age and fertility Importance of fertility preservation and lack of information provided to patients Emotional impact of pregnancy loss and need for empathetic care Complexity of fertility treatments and need for personalized care Leyla's personal experience with infertility and emotional journey Importance of allowing oneself to feel all the emotions that come with the fertility journey   Resources Subscribe on YouTube Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Subscribe on Spotify