In this episode, we speak with Dr. Fallon Durant, a Laboratory Supervisor in the embryology lab at Boston IVF. Dr. Durant shares the seven-year journey that she and her husband endured while trying to grow their family, a path marked by recurrent pregnancy losses. As a scientist with a PhD and a subspecialty in Molecular Cell Biology and Development, she found herself becoming her own case study as she searched for answers regarding her unexplained recurrent loss, which she theorized was linked to her rare autoimmune diseases. Through it all, she turned to creative outlets like teaching yoga and using aerial circus arts to express the "unfathomable grief" she carried, even performing an entire act centered on the hurtful things people say to those experiencing loss.

Driven by her personal experience, Dr. Durant decided to shift her research focus to fertility science, specifically studying regeneration and how it applies to fibrotic diseases like endometriosis and uterine scarring. She eventually moved into the clinic, wanting to apply her technical skills to help patients daily. Describing embryologists as the "unseen warriors" and the "beating heart of the clinic," Dr. Durant offers a glimpse inside the lab, from sharing the personal mantra she repeats during ICSI (injecting sperm into an egg) to remind herself and the team of the significance of the work to demystifying the complex process of embryo grading, clarifying that it is a snapshot in time based on expansion, the inner cell mass, and the trophectoderm, rather than a guarantee of success. And most importantly, Dr. Durant wants fertility patients to know that even if they never talk to or see the embryologists, their cases are never treated as "just another number" and that she hopes each patient feels “the positive vibes and all the love and care” that's coming from everyone in the embryology lab.

If you are experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss and are looking for support, and/or are a professional looking for research opportunities, we recommend connecting with the Recurrent Pregnancy Loss Association.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

Embryology, recurrent pregnancy loss, fertility challenges, IVF, embryologist, immunology, reproductive immunology, infertility, taboo, RPLA, aerial, circus, community, finding peace, science, medicine, hope, grief, vulnerability, holding space, family building, recurrent pregnancy loss, IVF journey, fertility support, emotional support, pregnancy loss experiences, fertility treatments, infertility journey, community support for infertility, embryo grading, IVF success stories, coping with miscarriage, fertility clinic insights, personal fertility journeys, Dr. Fallon Durant, All Paths podcast, navigating infertility, compassionate care in fertility, fertility science, support groups for loss

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