If you've ever been told "IVF just works" and then found out the hard way that it doesn't, this episode is for you.

I sit down with Katelyn Hardman, who shares her journey to motherhood after meeting her husband Tom later in life. Katelyn and Tom started trying for a baby at 39 and were quickly moved to IVF. Like so many of us, she thought it would be straightforward. It wasn't.

Katelyn takes us through the failed cycles, the physical toll, and the moments she had to fight to be heard by her medical team, all the way through to our work together and her successful pregnancy at 42 (and she is now pregnant with baby number 2!) .

We talk about what it actually feels like to be in the thick of fertility treatment. The naivety going in. The grief that builds with every failed cycle. The exhausting work of advocating for yourself in a system that doesn't always make that easy. And how Katelyn found her way through it, including the role naturopathy and joining my Your Fertile Pantry Program played in helping her not only get pregnant, but supporting her through a healthy pregnancy and to their beautiful healthy baby.

What we cover:

• Why IVF isn't the guaranteed fix so many of us are led to believe and why going in informed matters so much
• The emotional and physical weight of treatment, and why you need people around you who get it
• How small, consistent changes can significantly shift your fertility outcomes
• Why advocating for yourself isn't optional
• Holding onto hope even when everything in you wants to brace for bad news

Some quotes Katelyn shared with me:

• "We thought, like a lot of people, that IVF just works. To say that we were naive was an understatement."
• "Any glimpse of hope is amplified because the troughs of depression, heartache, desperation were continual and deeper each time."
• "You have to advocate for yourself because no one else will."
• "You get conditioned for bad news. That's all you know, so that's all you envisage is going to happen."
• "You don't want to leave a stone unturned”

Thank you, Katelyn, for trusting me with your journey. If you're in the middle of your own journey right now, I hope this one makes you feel a little less alone.

If you've ever had that call, "I'm sorry your embryos stopped growing", yet been left without answers as to why, this episode is for you.

In this episode of the Conceive Baby Podcast, I sit down with Embryologist Dr Lisa Lee to pull back the curtain on what's really happening inside the lab during embryo development — and why some embryos simply stop growing.

We cover

• Why embryos stop growing and what you can do to help them thrive
• What embryo grading really means for your chances of pregnancy,
• The facts you need to know about PGT testing
• Why transfers can fail even when the embryo looks perfect
• Day 3 versus Day 5 transfer
• Plus so much more.

Dr Lisa also shares her expertise on egg and sperm quality, including how energy levels and DNA integrity shape outcomes, and we dispel some common myths around IVF along the way!

Mentioned in this episode:

Ultimate Egg Quality Guide

In this episode Dr. Ameratunga (or Dr Dev as her patients and colleagues like to call her) explains how AMH can be a very helpful test when it comes to fertility planning and IVF preparation, offering insight into how the ovaries may respond to treatment and helping guide clinical decisions along the way, but….

Importantly, she highlights a message every woman needs to hear—that while AMH reflects the number of eggs available, it does not measure the quality of those eggs, and it does not define a woman’s fertility or her chances of pregnancy. It is one piece of the puzzle, not the whole story.

Dr Dev also explores other key fertility assessments, including antral follicle count and FSH levels, and explains how looking at these results together can provide a more complete and meaningful picture of fertility potential. Because fertility is never determined by a single number—it’s influenced by many factors, many of which can be supported and optimised.

The conversation also touches on the important role of diet, lifestyle and targeted nutrition in supporting reproductive health. These are areas where women can feel empowered to take action, helping to protect egg quality, support hormone balance and create the best possible environment for pregnancy.

Supplements are also discussed, highlighting their role in fertility health and AMH, as well as the importance of an individualised, holistic approach—one that combines professional expertise with personalised care.

By the end of this episode, you will feel clearer about your fertility testing, you’ll understand how AMH fits into the bigger picture, and have practical strategies you can start implementing right away to optimise your chances of pregnancy success. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by numbers, you will feel equipped to make informed decisions, ask the right questions, and take meaningful steps to support your fertility and prepare your body for pregnancy.

• Understanding AMH: AMH gives insight into the quantity, not the quality, of eggs, and should not be seen as a definitive fertility score.
• Holistic Assessment: Fertility should be evaluated using a combination of AMH, antral follicle count, FSH levels, and other hormonal tests.
• Lifestyle's Role: Diet, exercise, and lifestyle significantly impact fertility, with a focus on Mediterranean diets for optimizing reproductive health.
• Supplements Caution: While supplements can be of great support for fertility health, they should be approached with a clear understanding of their use and individualised in their prescription
• Expert Guidance: Consulting with fertility experts can empower individuals by providing tailored insights and informed decisions regarding fertility planning

Noteable Quotes:

• "All my patients have to sit through me talking about diet, exercise, and lifestyle because they do make a difference." - Dr. Devina Ameratunga
• "If having a family is a really important thing...information and knowledge is power." - Dr. Devina Ameratunga

Dr. Devina Ameratunga is a renowned Associate Professor, double board-certified gynecologist, and reproductive endocrinologist. As the medical director of Life Fertility and the clinical lead of the Queensland State Fertility Preservation Service, Dr. Ameratunga is affectionately known as Dr. Dev by her patients. Her expertise spans fertility preservation and reproductive medicine, making her an invaluable guest in discussions concerning fertility assessments and hormonal influences on reproductive health.

Mentioned in this episode:

Ultimate Egg Quality Guide