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In/Fertility In The City

In/Fertility In The City

Written by: Infertility In The City
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About this listen

 In/Fertility in the City is a podcast dedicated to exploring the complex relationship between in/fertility and work and how to manage this effectively.

It is hosted by Natalie Sutherland and Somaya Ouazzani (and Emma Menzies for Seasons 1-3), who have had to navigate their own fertility challenges alongside professional life, and are united in their passion for ensuring that better quality information and support is made available to others doing the same.

Together they interview incredible guests, from a variety of industries, who generously share powerful stories and valuable insights into in/fertility at work issues.

Their moving and thought-provoking discussions are intended to break the silence around this taboo topic, and inspire new attitudes and behaviours that will improve and normalise the management of fertility challenges in professional contexts.

If you’re a professional managing in/fertility, baby loss, fertility treatment or other paths to parenthood, or you have an interest in understanding and supporting those who are, then this is a ‘must listen’ for you.

TRIGGER WARNING: This podcast deals with discussions of in/fertility and/or baby loss.

You can also engage with your hosts and the growing In/Fertility in the City community by:



  • emailing us: info@infertilityinthecity.com
  • following us on LinkedIn ( www.linkedin.com/company/infertilityinthecity ), Instagram ( https://instagram.com/infertilityinthecity ), or X ( https://twitter.com/InFertilityCity ).


Music created by Jon Nicoll.In/fertility in the City Hygiene & Healthy Living Parenting Relationships
Episodes
  • Women's Bodies as Battlegrounds: War, Fertility & Early Pregnancy Loss the Globe Over - with Dr. Nadia Amokrane

    Women's Bodies as Battlegrounds: War, Fertility & Early Pregnancy Loss the Globe Over - with Dr. Nadia Amokrane
    Jan 12 2026
    Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, bleeding/haemorrhage, pregnancy trauma, conflict zones, maternal and neonatal death, and sexual violence in war.

    Nat and Somaya are joined by Dr Nadia Amokrane for a wide-ranging and essential conversation about early pregnancy loss and global maternal health.

    The conversation starts with the devastating impact conflict has on women’s health. Dr Amokrane describes how maternal healthcare systems can collapse rapidly during war: antenatal care becomes inaccessible, staff and theatres are diverted to trauma, and shortages of food, water, medicine, and equipment drive worsening outcomes for mothers and newborns.

    She also discusses longer-term health consequences for babies exposed to severe stress and malnutrition in utero, and why advocacy for maternal health cannot be separated from advocacy for children.

    The conversation then expands to early pregnancy complications. Dr Amokrane explains how common miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy are, what “recurrent miscarriage” means, and why NHS pathways for investigation and follow-up can vary by area — even as services begin to shift toward earlier support after two losses.

    She also breaks down miscarriage management options (expectant, medical, surgical), and why bleeding can sometimes become dangerous even in early pregnancy. This episode is both a practical guide to early pregnancy care and a call to pay attention to the global realities facing mothers.

    Topics Covered
    • Maternal health in conflict zones: collapse of services, malnutrition, neonatal impact
    • Why maternal health advocacy can’t be optional
    • How common miscarriage is (and what “early miscarriage” means)
    • Ectopic pregnancy: frequency, risk factors, why diagnosis matters
    • When losses suggest “bad luck” vs an underlying issue
    • Recurrent miscarriage definitions and why NHS pathways vary
    • Miscarriage management options: expectant, medical, surgical
    • Why early pregnancy units matter and what good care looks like
    • Pre-conception steps that can reduce miscarriage risk (where evidence exists)
    Resources Mentioned (Signposting)
    • The Miscarriage Association (support + information) https://www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk/
    • The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust (support + information) https://ectopic.org.uk/

    --

    About King’s Fertility (Sponsor):

    One of London’s most respected IVF clinics, working with King’s College Hospital and King’s College London. King’s Fertility offers NHS and private patients world-leading research, advanced treatment, and compassionate care. Learn more at kingsfertility.co.uk


    Connect With Us
    • Email: info@infertilityinthecity.com
    • Instagram / LinkedIn / X: @infertilityinthecity
    • TikTok: @infertility.in.the.city
    • YouTube: @InFertilityintheCity
    • Website: www.infertilityinthecity.com
    If this episode resonated with you, please leave a 5-star review and hit follow.
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    57 mins
  • From IVF to Surrogacy: A 10-Year Journey to Parenthood - with Stuart O'Donnell

    From IVF to Surrogacy: A 10-Year Journey to Parenthood - with Stuart O'Donnell
    Jan 5 2026
    TRIGGER WARNING: This episode deals with discussions of in/fertility and/or baby loss.

    In this deeply moving episode of In/Fertility in the City, Natalie and Somaya are joined by Stuart O’Donnell, who shares his and his wife’s ten-year journey through unexplained infertility, multiple rounds of IVF, pregnancy loss, and ultimately parenthood through UK surrogacy.

    Stuart speaks candidly about the emotional and physical toll of fertility treatment, including ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, and a rare and distressing IVF lab accident. He also offers a powerful male perspective on infertility, grief, hope, and resilience — a voice that is still too often missing from these conversations.

    The episode explores the realities of UK surrogacy law, the fears intended parents face, the generosity of altruistic surrogates, and why legal reform is urgently needed. Stuart also reflects on workplace support, praising Lloyds Banking Group for their progressive surrogacy and fertility policies, and shares what employers can do better to support staff navigating infertility.

    This is a hopeful, honest, and necessary conversation about family-building, regulation, and the extraordinary power of compassion.

    Topics Covered
    • Ten years of trying to conceive with unexplained infertility
    • IVF, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and treatment trauma
    • A rare IVF lab incident and the emotional impact
    • Discovering surrogacy after infertility “end points”
    • Altruistic surrogacy in the UK and legal realities
    • Fear vs reality: can a surrogate “keep the baby”?
    • Talking to children about surrogacy from birth
    • Workplace policies, fertility leave & male mental health
    • Why UK surrogacy law urgently needs reform
    Key Takeaway

    Surrogacy, when done ethically and supported properly, can be one of the most profound acts of altruism — but outdated laws and workplace policies still fail families at critical moments.

    --

    About King’s Fertility (Sponsor):

    One of London’s most respected IVF clinics, working with King’s College Hospital and King’s College London. King’s Fertility offers NHS and private patients world-leading research, advanced treatment, and compassionate care. Learn more at kingsfertility.co.uk

    Connect With Us
    • Email: info@infertilityinthecity.com
    • Instagram / LinkedIn / X: @infertilityinthecity
    • TikTok: @infertility.in.the.city
    • YouTube: @InFertilityintheCity
    • Website: www.infertilityinthecity.com
    If this episode resonated with you, please leave a 5-star review and hit follow.
    Show More Show Less
    37 mins
  • Exercise addiction, periods and fertility - with Yasmine Say

    Exercise addiction, periods and fertility - with Yasmine Say
    Dec 29 2025
    In this episode of In/Fertility in the City, hosts Natalie Sutherland and Somaya Ouazzani are joined by Yasmine Say, founder of Say Fitness (a personal training studio in Chiswick, London). Together they unpack a topic that sits at the messy intersection of modern wellness culture and reproductive health: how “too much exercise + not enough fuel + chronic stress” can disrupt periods and fertility—even when you look like “the picture of health.”

    Yasmine shares her personal fertility story, including being fast-tracked to an IVF appointment before anyone properly investigated why she had no periods, and how she later received a diagnosis of hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA)—with almost no guidance on recovery. What follows is a candid conversation about exercise addiction, body image, cortisol and fight-or-flight, the pressure to “look like a trainer,” and the realities of “balance” when you’re trying to conceive.

    What you’ll hear in this episode
    • Why there’s so much confusion about what exercise is “safe” while trying to conceive
    • How the “more is better” fitness mindset can backfire for reproductive health
    • Yasmine’s experience of coming off the pill and realising her periods didn’t return
    • The shock of being referred directly to IVF without answers about her cycle
    • Getting diagnosed with hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA) and then being left to figure it out alone
    • Signs of low energy availability (thin uterine lining/low oestrogen, feeling cold, skin issues, frequent urination)
    • The role of stress physiology: cortisol, fight-or-flight, and why rest matters
    • The “All-In” HA recovery approach: reducing training, increasing food, gaining weight, reducing stress
    • A powerful reminder that health doesn’t “look” one way—and a critique of “six-pack culture”
    • The emotional side: guilt, denial, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and what “release” can do for the body
    • Postpartum realities, bounce-back culture, and protecting the next generation from harmful messaging
    Key takeaways
    • Periods are a vital health signal, not an inconvenience.
    • You can be high-functioning, successful, “fit,” and still be in a state of low energy availability.
    • Overtraining + under-fuelling + stress can suppress ovulation and menstrual cycles.
    • For some people, a small change (Yasmine mentions ~3kg) plus stopping intense training can be the difference.
    • Recovery is often physical and psychological: rest, nourishment, stress reduction, and self-compassion.
    Notable moments
    • Yasmine realising—on the bus home—that she’d been moved from “why don’t I have periods?” to “IVF pathway.”
    • The moment a hormone test confirmed her body was essentially stuck in chronic stress.
    • The “release” point: after an emotional weekend, she ovulated and conceived naturally soon after.
    Content note This episode includes discussion of miscarriage, depression/anxiety, body dysmorphia, and exercise addiction. Read about Yasmine’s story here https://sayfitnesspt.com/blog/myfertilitystory

    --

    About King’s Fertility (Sponsor):

    One of London’s most respected IVF clinics, working with King’s College Hospital and King’s College London. King’s Fertility offers NHS and private patients world-leading research, advanced treatment, and compassionate care. Learn more at kingsfertility.co.uk

    Connect With Us
    • Email: info@infertilityinthecity.com
    • Instagram / LinkedIn / X: @infertilityinthecity
    • TikTok: @infertility.in.the.city
    • YouTube: @InFertilityintheCity
    • Website: www.infertilityinthecity.com
    If this episode resonated with you, please leave a 5-star review and hit follow.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 6 mins
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