On a recent episode of Healthful Woman, Dr. Nathan Fox sat down with Dr. Olivia Grubman, an OB/GYN and MFM in New York, to discuss her journey through infertility while navigating her career. This conversation highlights the challenges faced by medical professionals who experience the struggles they help patients overcome.
Dr. Grubman’s Medical Career
Dr. Olivia Grubman’s journey to becoming an OB/GYN and MFM was fueled by her passion for labor and delivery and her relationships with her patients. Her medical education included attending medical school and a residency and balancing her personal life with her professional ambitions. Her struggle with infertility influenced her perspective as a physician.
Dr. Grubman’s Experience with Infertility
Early in her marriage, Dr. Grubman faced the difficulty of infertility. Surrounded by childbirth in her daily work, she struggled to reconcile her role as a doctor with her challenges in building a family. Her openness about her journey has been her strength, empowering her patients and encouraging others to share their struggles.
Dr. Grubman’s Infertility Testing
Dr. Grubman began her infertility journey with extensive testing, only to face inconclusive results. After six months of trying, she pursued ovulation induction and intrauterine insemination (IUI). When these treatments were unsuccessful, she turned to in vitro fertilization (IVF), a physically and emotionally taxing process that overlapped with the demands of her residency.
Dr. Grubman’s Pregnancy
In February 2020, Dr. Grubman’s life was changed when an embryo transfer resulted in a pregnancy. However, her pregnancy was affected by the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. To protect her health and her pregnancy, she temporarily moved in with her parents while her husband worked in a high-risk hospital. Despite these challenges, her pregnancy was uncomplicated, and her son Ryan was born on Halloween.
Dr. Grubman’s Continued Journey
After Ryan’s birth, Dr. Grubman’s journey to expand her family continued. Miscarriages, retained products of conception, and repeated failed IVF transfers presented new challenges. The emotional weight of each event was affected by the physical demands of treatments and her ongoing responsibilities as a Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) fellow.
Dr. Grubman’s Connection with Patients
Despite her struggles, Dr. Grubman turned her experiences into an opportunity for growth. Her infertility has deepened her empathy, allowing her to connect with her patients on a deeper level. By sharing her story, she offers hope to others navigating the difficulties of infertility. Dr. Grubman’s transparency helps break down the stigma surrounding infertility and reminds others that even those with extensive medical knowledge are not immune to its challenges.
Learn More
Dr. Grubman’s story is one of resilience, empathy, and strength. To hear more about her journey, listen to the full episode of Healthful Woman today. To learn more about infertility and to receive testing, contact Carnegie Women’s Health today through our online contact form.
