Becoming a Parent Through Embryo Donation with guests EM•POWER with Moxi

·29 min·2 clips

Three women with personal embryo donation journeys launched a mission to transform the landscape in 2019.

The episode begins with Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh introducing her guests from EM•POWER with Moxi: Gina Davis, Jen Bespit, and Maya Grubel, who came together in 2019 as Mamas on a Mission to transform embryo donation. Maya, a mother through embryo donation, describes her fertility journey starting with a diagnosis of diminished ovarian reserve at age 32 and no embryos after IVF. She explains the emotional turmoil, including grief over genetic loss and financial strain, and how she shifted to considering embryo donation. Maya details her process of letting go of genetic contribution, exploring options like egg donation from her sister, and eventually finding embryos through an anonymous clinic program. She recounts her husband's initial hesitation and eventual realization that it was about ego, leading to their decision to pursue embryo donation. Maya discusses the challenges of anonymity in her donation, including lack of genetic history and potential genetic siblings in her small community. She connects this to the mission of EM•POWER with Moxi to improve education and support. Gina, a genetic counselor, explains how genetic counseling can provide family history information to recipients for better medical decision-making. The guests outline their platforms: an education community with a free guidebook and videos, a community platform for support, and Moxie Matching for connecting donors and recipients. They emphasize educating both donors and recipients to ensure informed decisions and offer genetic counseling through grant funding. Dr. Aimee shares her clinic's approach, requiring donors to control their embryos and participate in contracts. The conversation touches on the need for clinics to embrace embryo donation more fully, despite its complexities. The episode concludes with a call for listeners interested in embryo donation to reach out to EM•POWER with Moxi.

As heard by us

A grounded episode on embryo donation, anonymity, and the family connections that may emerge later.

This episode brings embryo donation into the lived questions that can follow for families. Dr. Amy's conversation with Gina Davis, Jen Bespit, and Maya Grubel of Empower with Moxie stays close to Maya's experience as a mother through embryo donation, then widens into anonymity,…

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Why you'd press play

You are weighing embryo donation and want the family questions to stay in the room.

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