About this episode

Dr. Sasha Hakman shares her personal IVF journey, detailing her protocols, medications, and outcomes from two cycles.

You asked for it, and here it is. In this solo episode, Dr. Sasha Hakman walks through her own two IVF cycles in full detail — the exact medications, doses, trigger decisions, lab outcomes, and the reasoning behind every choice she made. As a reproductive endocrinologist who has navigated IVF both as a clinician and a patient, she brings a level of transparency you rarely get from a doctor. From a purely elective embryo freeze at 32 to a second retrieval at 37, this episode breaks down what actually goes into building a family through IVF — and helps you understand your own protocol along the way. In this episode, we cover: Why Dr. Sasha chose to freeze embryos at 32 — before she was ready to have children — and the reasoning behind creating embryos vs. freezing eggs Her diagnosis of Non-Classical Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (NCAH), what it is, and how it contributed to her ovulatory dysfunction Her baseline fertility stats: AMH of 4 ng/mL and 30+ follicles — even while on continuous birth control pills Cycle 1 at age 32: antagonist protocol, 275 units of Gonal-F + 75 units of Menopur, and why she chose a combination Lupron + low-dose hCG trigger The OHSS she developed after…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Sasha Hakman

Topics covered

• IVF cycles
• fertility treatment
• reproductive endocrinology
• embryo freezing
• ovulatory dysfunction
• personal IVF experience

Keywords

• IVF
• fertility
• embryo freezing
• hormonal treatment
• reproductive health
• NCAH
• egg retrieval
• blastocysts

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Gonal-F, Menopur, Lupron, hCG

More episodes of Trying with Dr. Sasha Hakman

• Fetal Movement, Kick Counts & Stillbirth Prevention with Count the Kicks · September 9, 2026 · 1h 3m
• OHSS: What You Need to Know Before IVF or Egg Freezing · September 2, 2026 · 58 min
• How to Get in Shape After Baby: Postpartum Fitness, Nutrition & Strength with Samantha Christine · August 26, 2026 · 1h 7m
• The IVF Protocol No One Explains: What Actually Determines Your Results · August 19, 2026 · 1h 16m
• Dr. Mamina Turegano on Hormonal Acne, Hair Loss & Skincare That Works · August 12, 2026 · 1h 4m
• Secondary Infertility Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment: Everything You Need to Know · August 5, 2026 · 48 min

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