In this insightful episode of Fertility in Focus, Dr. Christina Burns sits down with Dr. Jennifer Kulp-Makarov, MD, FACOG, Board-Certified OB/GYN & REI Specialist, founder of Fleura Fertility. With over 16 years of experience and training at Johns Hopkins and Yale, Dr. Kulp-Makarov shares her patient-centered approach to IVF, individualized protocols, and cutting-edge fertility treatments. Discover how she is transforming the patient experience, optimizing egg quality, and supporting couples, women, and LGBTQIA+ families through a more personalized, stress-free, and effective IVF journey.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How a boutique, patient-focused approach improves IVF outcomes.
• The benefits of mini IVF and the Goldilocks method for women over 40 or with low AMH.
• Why individualized FSH monitoring matters for egg quality and success.
• The importance of considering sperm quality and male fertility in IVF.
• Advances in PRP and emerging treatments to enhance egg quality.
• How to set realistic expectations for IVF cycles, stress management, and long-term family planning.
• How to assess whether a center has a good lab
• The scoop on rapamycin
• Ins and outs of IVF for egg quality challenges
• Should you consider Ovarian PRP

Timestamps:

[00:01] Introduction: Meet Dr. Jennifer Kulp-Makarov and her patient-first philosophy.

[01:48] Moving from large IVF centers to a boutique practice: Why patient experience matters.

[03:17] The impact of stress, billing, and communication on IVF success.

[05:42] Mini IVF and the Goldilocks approach: Personalized, lower-dose protocols.

[14:50] Monitoring FSH levels: How adjusting doses improves egg quality.

[19:10] Optimizing outcomes for challenging cases: Sperm quality, egg quality, and individualized care.

[29:43] Experimental and promising treatments: Rapamycin, ovarian PRP, and future innovations.

[32:43] PRP procedures and how they enhance ovarian function.

[35:00] Supporting patients emotionally: The importance of a tailored, long-term IVF plan.

Connect with Dr. Jennifer Kulp-Makarov & Fleura Fertility:

Website: Fleura Fertility

Instagram: @FleuraFertility

Location: New York City, NY

About Dr. Christina Burns:

Dr. Christina Burns is the founder and Doctor of Chinese Medicine at the Naturna Institute. Committed, compassionate, and highly skilled in multiple disciplines, Dr. Burns has been in practice since 2004. She empowers both women and men to achieve their optimal life and health goals through natural medicine practices, integrative nutrition, lifestyle management, and personalized mind-body programs. Dr. Burns holds advanced certifications in acupuncture, herbs, nutrition, life coaching, and yoga therapy. She is also the best-selling author of "The Ultimate Fertility Guidebook."

Connect with Dr. Christina Burns:

Website: https://www.christinaburns.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drchristinaburns/

Order the Ultimate Fertility Guidebook: https://a.co/d/hq0nFOo

Join the Eating for Optimal Fertility Course: https://naturna.mn.co/

Order Junk Juice: https://junkjuicemagic.com/

Follow along with the Naturna Institute:

Book an Appointment: https://naturna.janeapp.com/#/list

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naturna_life/

Welcome back to another deeply moving episode of the Fertility in Focus podcast.

This week, Dr. Christina Burns sits down with Dr. Andrea Ali Panzarella—a pediatrician, mom of three, and author of Every Family is a Tree. Andrea opens up about her emotional journey through infertility, ectopic pregnancy, recurrent loss, and IVF, all while navigating a demanding medical career. Her candid reflections shed light on the physical, emotional, and mental toll of fertility challenges—and how her family came to be with the help of gestational carriers.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Andrea’s experience with ectopic pregnancy and her first encounter with miscarriage
• How medical knowledge helped—but didn’t shield—her from the emotional weight of fertility struggles
• The physical and emotional rollercoaster of multiple failed IVF cycles, D&Cs, and testing
• The complexities of embryo testing, immune protocols, and the shift in medical opinions over time
• What led Andrea and her husband to choose gestational surrogacy—and the hurdles they faced along the way
• How Andrea’s new children’s book is helping represent and empower families of all kinds
  
  
  

Timestamps:
[00:26] Meet Dr. Andrea Panzarella and hear how her fertility journey began
[02:16] Ectopic pregnancy and the emotional toll of early loss
[06:04] Discovering male factor infertility and beginning IVF
[10:45] First IVF cycle, twin pregnancy, and navigating miscarriage
[14:06] Exploring embryo testing and transferring genetically normal embryos
[20:25] The impact of IVF on the body, environment, and mental health
[29:04] Decision to pursue surrogacy and the legal/emotional steps involved

Connect with Dr. Christina Burns:

Website: https://www.christinaburns.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drchristinaburns/

Order the Ultimate Fertility Guidebook: https://a.co/d/hq0nFOo

Join the Eating for Optimal Fertility Course: https://naturna.mn.co/

Order Junk Juice: https://junkjuicemagic.com/

Follow along with the Naturna Institute:

Book an Appointment: https://naturna.janeapp.com/#/list

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naturna_life/

Welcome to another heartfelt episode of the Fertility in Focus Podcast with your host, Dr. Christina Burns.

In this episode, Dr. Christina is joined by Michelle Villatoro, a hospitality strategist and founder of Just Think Hospitality, who courageously shares her deeply personal and emotional fertility journey. Together, they explore the emotional highs and lows of trying to conceive, how she struggled with a very low ovarian reserve, multiple IVFs, an ectopic pregnancy, and more. They talk through the suggestions on how to speak to someone going through a fertility challenge and the effects of the medications and process on the mental health of the patient. As always Dr. Christina is solutions focused and so covers ways to find peace and power in the process. The conversation explores everything from logistical aspects of the fertility journey such as self advocacy and the deeper, very powerful effects of spirituality and manifestation. Michelle happens to have a great sense of humor and brings a lightness to the conversation with her hilarious anecdotes.

Whether you're going through fertility treatments or supporting someone who is, this episode offers a powerful mix of vulnerability, wisdom, and inspiration.

In this episode, you will learn:

How Michelle’s fertility experience shaped her work in improving patient care

• The emotional impact of IUI, IVF, pregnancy loss, ectopic pregnancy and hormone treatments
• Why compassion and validation matter in fertility treatment

The power of mindset, self-advocacy, and community in fertility journeys
Michelle’s inspiring story of becoming a mom—and the unexpected miracle that followed

Timestamps:

[0:26] Meet Michelle and her work in hospitality and patient experience
[2:17] Empathy gaps in fertility care and what to say instead of “I know how you feel”
[8:45] Michelle’s fertility journey begins and her first pregnancy loss
[15:04] IUI struggles, Clomid side effects, and switching to Letrozole
[18:25] Going all in with IVF and lifestyle changes
[23:12] Embryo loss, emotional lows, and staying committed
[26:41] The B embryo transfer—and the long wait
[28:35] The call that changed everything

Michelle's info: