Setting the Bar [] Donate Love: Empowering women through free fertility education and access

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Donate Love: Empowering women through free fertility education and access

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Dr. Roohi Jeelani, Chief Medical Officer of Kindbody, gives her followers an intimate look into her thriving fertility practice--80 new patients per month-- as well as her own struggles—and successes—with building a family.


The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of the Advertiser or of Inside Reproductive Health.

 
 


By Jodi Lawaich and Tara Bellucci

“How many cycles were enough?” reads a post from Dr. Roohi Jeelani’s May 29th Instagram. The video is of a live egg retrieval: there’s a sonogram with what looks like a needle ready to poke into something the size of a chicken nugget. It’s inspiring, especially for those who may face infertility challenges, because there’s a plethora of eggs on the sonogram’s screen.

This is one of the more clinical posts Jeelani, Fertility Specialist, CMO, and Head of Business Development at Kindbody has on her Instagram, which boasts over five hundred thousand followers. You’ll also see her with her husband, her children–two of whom were conceived via IVF–as she shares her personal struggles with fertility. She explains data that is critical to understanding the IVF process. On the up-and-down cycle of creating a family when faced with infertility issues, she’s a fertility doctor to connect with.

PCOS-Inspired Career Path

When Dr. Jeelani was 14, she was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic ovary syndrome). PCOS affects the ovaries, creating irregular and/or absent periods that result in eggs being released abnormally or not at all. A nurse told her that in order to have a family, she’d need to “pop a pill” to stimulate egg release. She later came to realize how oversimplified that statement was.

Rather than despairing over her diagnosis, the situation propelled her into action. She already knew she wanted to be a doctor, but this new information changed her trajectory: she didn’t want to be just a doctor, she wanted to become a fertility specialist.


“I’m constantly striving to be a better version of myself”


It can be easy to think that becoming an OBGYN with a specialization in fertility would assuage your own medical challenges. In many ways, knowing the science and understanding the biology and medicinal protocols made it harder for Jeelani.

In 2014, she was an OBGYN resident. She’d been a part of many patient journeys with fertility and now it was her turn.

Treatments had improved since her initial PCOS diagnosis fifteen years earlier, but the approach was still the same. Start with the medication that would stimulate egg production. Track cycles for the optimum ovulation days. Take advantage of the optimum ovulation days. Have a baby.

That did not happen.

 
 

While climbing the monthly hill of menstruation cycles, counting days, taking temperatures, and eating and drinking all the right things, Jeelani continued to work, conducting research and attending to patients while pushing down the emotional toll of being a woman who couldn’t conceive and a fertility doctor who couldn’t achieve her goal to be a mother. IVF, perceived as a “last option” in 2014, loomed in front of her.

“I felt like I was a failure,” she says. She began questioning herself, questioning the science she believed in, and questioning her diagnosis as she moved closer to using IVF to conceive. “IVF was reactive, a last resort, a procedure for those with money. I wasn’t comfortable in my own skin. I felt uninformed.”

Thankfully, she persevered. IVF worked, and she gave birth to her first child, a son, who is now ten years old. A year later, she became spontaneously pregnant with her second child, a daughter.


“Educated donors—especially those who are well-aware of the implications and responsibilities of egg donation—are more likely to have a positive experience and contribute meaningfully to the lives of others”

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Sharing Is Caring

The intense journey Dr. Jeelani experienced having her son was still very much a part of her everyday life. She saw how keeping her feelings under wraps during her first IVF process was an incredible weight that affected her every day. Deciding in 2017 to have a third child, and knowing she would pursue this pregnancy via IVF, prompted her to be open as she began the process again. By this time, she’d moved from academic research work into private practice. To share her experience, she chose Instagram, and transferred her personal account to a business one.

“With the public getting to know me as a person, I’m able to connect with many women, especially women of color, who are experiencing what I experienced,” she says.  “I hear from patients every day that they feel more connected to me as a result of seeing me on Instagram, and this helps build a strong foundation of trust.”

Extraordinary New Patient Volumes

Dr. Jeelani works with 70 to 80 new patients each month. When asked how she got to this level of growth, she says: “I’m constantly striving to be a better version of myself,” she adds. “My personal goal is to constantly improve processes and create efficiencies in order to improve patient care.”

“Dr. Jeelani leads by example, setting a high standard for others to follow through her dedication to her patients and her profession,” says Staci Gorson, Kindbody’s VP of Advanced Practice Providers and Education. “Her leadership elevates her team, encouraging those around her to uphold the same high standards in their roles.”

 
 

“I make it a priority to ensure that my team feels empowered and valued, which in turn translates into exceptional care for our patients.”


“I make it a priority to ensure that my team feels empowered and valued, which in turn translates into exceptional care for our patients,” Jeelani says. “By fostering this environment of mutual respect and understanding, both the team and patients benefit from a culture where their voices are truly heard.”

She encourages her team to play bigger parts in the practice, regardless of their current titles. That includes moving project coordinators to practice directors, and teaching a medical assistant “to learn and understand clinical to eventually elevate and go to nursing school.”

In addition to her patient load and robust social media, Dr. Jeelani serves on several boards, writes abstracts and papers, continues her research, and speaks internationally. “The field is continually evolving. I love to learn about new instruments and drugs as they become available.”

Bringing Family Planning to the Masses

Dr. Jeelani understands that waiting can be the difference between having children and not. This is one of the biggest initiatives she works on in her practice. “How do we, as society, become more proactive about egg and sperm preservation? This is my passion,” she explains.

Her practice teaches large companies like Walmart which types of employee benefits to offer to make the road to fertility viable for all. “We want to be there for everyone. ‘Fertility care for all’ is what we proactively advocate and support,” she says.

“Throughout the years, I've seen her develop her practice and witnessed the significant impact she has on her patients, our Kindbody team, and the broader audience she engages with through social media,” says Gorson. “She has played a crucial role in helping to destigmatize infertility by educating and empowering individuals to seek help, share their stories, and make informed decisions about their reproductive health.”

The advertiser does not have full editorial control over the content of this article. As a brought-to-you-by sponsor of IRH In Scope, the advertiser only has editorial control over what is mentioned about their company. Inside Reproductive Health maintains full editorial independence over the remainder of the article. The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of the Advertiser or of Inside Reproductive Health.


 
 
 

DONATE LOVE

Empowering women through free fertility education and access

BY: ALEX FRANKLIN, CMO OF ASIAN EGG BANK

Not many things are free these days, especially when it comes to reproductive care. At Asian Egg Bank, we created Donate Love, a pivotal initiative aimed at raising awareness and providing access to essential fertility services, including free fertility testing and egg freezing. The campaign not only educates potential egg donors, but also addresses the crucial need for diverse egg donations, particularly within the Asian community.

Donate Love is built on the belief that informed decisions lead to better outcomes. Educated donors—especially those who are well aware of the implications and responsibilities of egg donation—are more likely to have a positive experience and contribute meaningfully to the lives of others. Recent studies have shown that women who are fully informed about the egg donation process are more likely to proceed with confidence, leading to higher satisfaction rates among donors and recipients alike.

There’s a growing need for education surrounding egg donation and social egg freezing particularly within minority communities. We’ve observed that many potential donors are hesitant due to a lack of understanding or access to reliable information. With Donate Love, Asian Egg Bank bridges this gap by offering comprehensive education on the process, including the medical, emotional, and ethical aspects of egg donation and social egg freezing.

One of the primary goals of Donate Love is to increase the number of informed and willing egg donors, particularly from the Asian community, where there is a significant shortage of available donors. To achieve this, Asian Egg Bank is offering free fertility testing and egg freezing to potential donors. We are removing some of the financial and informational barriers that prevent women from considering egg donation and social egg freezing. An increase in the number of Asian egg donors, as well as positive feedback from both donors and recipients regarding the support and education they received throughout the process, will mean it’s a success.

But the Donate Love campaign is more than just an effort by AEB; it’s a call to action for everyone who believes in the power of giving. We encourage community members, healthcare providers, and advocates to join us in spreading the word about the importance of egg donation and fertility preservation. Whether through sharing information, supporting our initiatives, or even considering donation themselves, there are numerous ways to participate.

Donate Love is not just about increasing egg donations—it’s about creating a supportive, informed community that understands the importance of fertility and reproductive health. By educating potential donors and offering free fertility services, Asian Egg Bank hopes to empower women to make informed decisions that will positively impact families for generations to come.

Join Asian Egg Bank in this vital mission, and help spread the love. Visit DONATE LOVE to learn more.

This News Digest Story is paid featured content. The advertiser has had editorial input and control over its creation. However, the views and opinions expressed in the article above do not necessarily represent the views of Inside Reproductive Health. The sponsorship of this content does not imply an endorsement by Inside Reproductive Health.