In this episode, we’re talking about infertility and IVF with family medicine physician Dr. Chi Johnson. At 33, in the middle of residency, Dr. Chi was diagnosed with primary ovarian insufficiency and told by her first specialist that no one would freeze her eggs. She kept the diagnosis to herself for two years. Dr. Chi joins Dr. Joy to talk about the AMH test that caught it, why she kept looking until she found a Black woman fertility specialist who laid out options, and what IVF looked like day to day, from the injections to a negative first transfer to an early pregnancy loss. She also gets into what treatment costs once insurance caps out, and how her faith stayed hers when her church didn’t support IVF.

Dr. Joy and Dr. Chi discuss:
Being diagnosed with primary ovarian insufficiency at 33
What the AMH test can and can’t tell you
Getting a second and third opinion
Ovarian rejuvenation and other options her specialist presented
What IVF asked of her, from daily injections to the two-week wait
Grieving an early pregnancy loss and working with a therapist who specializes in it
Lifetime insurance caps and the out-of-pocket cost of IVF
Why online fertility support groups made her anxiety worse
How faith carried her when her church didn’t support IVF
How the experience changed the way she sees her body

About the Podcast

The Therapy for Black Girls Podcast is a weekly conversation with Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed Psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia, about all things mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions we can make to become the best possible versions of ourselves.

Resources & Announcements

Want to reflect on this conversation in community? Join us inside our Patreon community where we’re unpacking this episode together.

You can now catch episodes of the Therapy for Black Girls podcast on YouTube. Be sure to subscribe to get new episodes every week. 

Did you know you can leave us a voice note with your questions for the podcast? If you have a question you'd like some feedback on, topics you'd like to hear covered, or want to suggest movies or books for us to review, drop us a message at memo.fm/therapyforblackgirls and let us know what’s on your mind. We just might share it on the podcast.

Grab your copy of Sisterhood Heals.

Connect with Dr. Joy on Instagram. 

Where to Find Our Guest

Website: thedrchi.com

Instagram: @ask_drchi

TikTok: @ask_drchi

A Love Story Through Infertility: Diagnosis | Infertility Part I | IVF Transfer

 

Stay Connected​


Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it at therapyforblackgirls.com/mailbox.

If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check out the directory at https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/directory.

Grab your copy of our guided affirmation and other TBG Merch at therapyforblackgirls.com/shop.

The hashtag for the podcast is #TBGinSession.

 

Make sure to follow us on social media:

Instagram: @therapyforblackgirls

Facebook: @therapyforblackgirls

 

Our Production Team

Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Gabrielle Collins

Director of Podcast & Digital Content: Ellice Ellis

Producer: Ndeye Thioubou 

Production Assistant: Bria Mosley

In this episode, we&rsquo;re talking about infertility and IVF with family medicine physician Dr. Chi Johnson. At 33, in the middle of residency, Dr. Chi was diagnosed with primary ovarian insufficiency and told by her first specialist that no one would freeze her eggs. She kept the diagnosis to herself for two years. Dr. Chi joins Dr. Joy to talk about the AMH test that caught it, why she kept looking until she found a Black woman fertility specialist who laid out options, and what IVF looked like day to day, from the injections to a negative first transfer to an early pregnancy loss. She also gets into what treatment costs once insurance caps out, and how her faith stayed hers when her church didn&rsquo;t support IVF.
Dr. Joy and Dr. Chi discuss:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Being diagnosed with primary ovarian insufficiency at 33</li>
<li aria-level="1">What the AMH test can and can&rsquo;t tell you</li>
<li aria-level="1">Getting a second and third opinion</li>
<li aria-level="1">Ovarian rejuvenation and other options her specialist presented</li>
<li aria-level="1">What IVF asked of her, from daily injections to the two-week wait</li>
<li aria-level="1">Grieving an early pregnancy loss and working with a therapist who specializes in it</li>
<li aria-level="1">Lifetime insurance caps and the out-of-pocket cost of IVF</li>
<li aria-level="1">Why online fertility support groups made her anxiety worse</li>
<li aria-level="1">How faith carried her when her church didn&rsquo;t support IVF</li>
<li aria-level="1">How the experience changed the way she sees her body</li>
</ul>
About the Podcast
The Therapy for Black Girls Podcast is a weekly conversation with Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed Psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia, about all things mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions we can make to become the best possible versions of ourselves.
Resources &amp; Announcements
Want to reflect on this conversation in community?&nbsp;Join us inside our&nbsp;<a href="https://community.therapyforblackgirls.com/">Patreon</a>&nbsp;community where we&rsquo;re unpacking this episode together.
You can now catch episodes of the Therapy for Black Girls podcast on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@therapyforblackgirls">YouTube</a>. Be sure to subscribe to get new episodes every week.&nbsp;
Did you know you can leave us a voice note with your questions for the podcast? If you have a question you'd like some feedback on, topics you'd like to hear covered, or want to suggest movies or books for us to review, drop us a message at<a href="https://memo.fm/therapyforblackgirls">&nbsp;memo.fm/therapyforblackgirls</a>&nbsp;and let us know what&rsquo;s on your mind. We just might share it on the podcast.
Grab your copy of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sisterhoodheals.com/">Sisterhood Heals.</a>
Connect with Dr. Joy on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hellodrjoy">Instagram</a>.&nbsp;
Where to Find Our Guest
Website: thedrchi.com
Instagram: @ask_drchi
TikTok: @ask_drchi
A Love Story Through Infertility:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSBTYljAaGH/"> Diagnosis</a> |<a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSD5GP9ga_x/"> Infertility Part I</a> |<a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTUCU9lDfdg/"> IVF Transfer</a>
&nbsp;
Stay Connected​<a href="https://click.convertkit-mail.com/27uv20p9mpioh8edr34s8ug63w344hg/58hvh8ug08p6wzc6/dGhlcmFweWZvcmJsYWNrZ2lybHMuY29tb3JibGFja2dpcmxzLmNvbS9wYXRyZW9u" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://click.convertkit-mail.com/27uv20p9mpioh8edr34s8ug63w344hg/58hvh8ug08p6wzc6/dGhlcmFweWZvcmJsYWNrZ2lybHMuY29tb3JibGFja2dpcmxzLmNvbS9wYXRyZW9u&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1748492695474000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0jCyXCs32ITtLc68f4b9DW"> </a>
Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/mailbox">therapyforblackgirls.com/mailbox</a>.
If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check out the directory at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/directory">https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/directory</a>.
Grab your copy of our guided affirmation and other TBG Merch at&nbsp;<a href="https://therapyforblackgirls.com/shop">therapyforblackgirls.com/shop</a>.
The hashtag for the podcast is&nbsp;#TBGinSession.
&nbsp;
Make sure to follow us on social media:
Instagram:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/therapyforblackgirls">@therapyforblackgirls</a>
Facebook:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/therapyforblackgirls">@therapyforblackgirls</a>
&nbsp;
Our Production Team
Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford &amp; Gabrielle Collins
Director of Podcast &amp; Digital Content: Ellice Ellis
Producer: Ndeye Thioubou&nbsp;
Production Assistant: Bria Mosley

The Therapy for Black Girls podcast is a weekly conversation with Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia, about all things mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions we can make to become the best possible version of ourselves.

Therapy for Black Girls

Session 488: Understanding Infertility & IVF

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/64dc6957-cd87-44cb-a5e8-b4f8003db411/transcript