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Deborah Howell: You know, people going through infertility can have some stressful and dark times wanting a baby so much. But there's now a whole band of women around the world going to fertility centers and giving everything they have to achieve success. And now, they're finding support among each other. In this episode, we'll discuss how one fruit, the pineapple, is uniting millions with infertility. Joining us today to talk about how the pineapple is such a perfect symbol for infertility struggles is Dr. Allison Rodgers, who is double board-certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Fertility Centers of Illinois.

This is the Time To Talk Fertility podcast. I'm your Host, Deborah Howell. Welcome, Dr. Rodgers.

Allison Rodgers: Thank you so much, Deborah.

Deborah Howell: Lovely to have you. So it seems like suddenly there are pineapples everywhere I look. When did you learn about pineapples as a symbol in the infertility community?

Allison Rodgers: So my background, besides being a fertility doctor, is I was actually a fertility patient. So I went through infertility treatment about 11 to 13 years ago. And it ended successfully. I have a beautiful family of three children.

Deborah Howell: Ah, congratulations!

Allison Rodgers: Thank you. But I went through a lot. During that time, there wasn't as much, and this was only, you know, 10, 11, 12 years ago. There wasn't a whole lot of community on social media yet. And I think that with sort of Instagram and increasing community on social media, being able to connect with other people that you might not be in your everyday life, I think that has really helped the fertility community build and lean on each other. And I think with that, more of the symbols of pineapples in the last 10 years have really kind of come to be. I think it's really been in the last 10 years, more probably in the last five years, that it has become more of a symbol of infertility.

Deborah Howell: I would agree and concur a whole bunch because I too am a fertility patient. How did the pineapple become a symbol of infertility?

Allison Rodgers: I don't think anyone totally knows. So there is, and I know we're going to talk about this a little bit more, but there is a sort of wives' tale or myth that eating pineapple increases fertility, mainly the pineapple core, which if you've cut up a pineapple before and not just bought it cut up at a store, then you know the core is tough and woody almost, and not sweet, not something you'd want to eat. And so I think that because of this myth, that pineapples increase fertility, I think that is how the symbol of fertility and pineapples started.

Deborah Howell: Got it. So the rumor is untrue. Pineapple cannot actually boost your fertility.

Allison Rodgers: Well, I think it's really important to understand what are we eating when we're eating pineapples, right? I think that overall pineapples are healthy. They have lots of vitamins and fiber. We think about vitamin C, which is a strong antioxidant that helps with egg quality and uterine health. Vitamins A and B6, E, K, calcium, all of these wonderful vitamins. It also has a component called bromelain. And bromelain is what was thought to increase fertility. And fertility, there's not been any clear data showing that bromelain increases fertility. Is it healthy to eat high fiber foods that are rich in vitamins? Absolutely. But the pineapple core itself or pineapple is not going to boost your fertility.

Deborah Howell: Got it. Now, why is the pineapple been such a perfect fit as a symbol?

Allison Rodgers: So I like to think of pineapples as being tough, but also sweet. They stand tall. They wear a crown. They're kind of hard on the outside and soft on the inside.

Deborah Howell: I absolutely love it. Now, I've also heard that eating pineapples can help with the implantation of an embryo to the uterine wall. True or not true?

Allison Rodgers: Actually not true. This one is untrue. Like I said, there's no studies or science showing that it improves implantation rates.

Deborah Howell: Okay. Now, have patients shared any pineapple-related rituals with you?

Allison Rodgers: So I do have some patients who will eat pineapple. Now, pineapples have bromelain, but like not that much. And remember there's no science behind it. So eating a lot of pineapple has a lot of fiber and a lot of sugar and it might make you sick, right? Like diarrhea, loose stools. Like that's a lot fiber to be eaten.

So, you know, I do have patients who will eat pineapples before or after. But, you know, I think that it's important to realize you don't want to eat too much of it. I don't know of any like exact pineapple rituals except for eating it around time of transfer.

Deborah Howell: Okay. Got it. Now, it seems like people are wearing pineapples more than eating them. So what kinds of pineapple-themed items have you seen on patients coming into your office?

Allison Rodgers: I see it all. I'm sure imagine. So it's a lot of socks. So when patients have embryo transfers, you know, they have socks, but not much else on. So a lot of times, they'll have fun socks. So lots of pineapple socks, necklaces. Of course, in COVID age, we have a lot of masks that have pineapples on it. T-shirts. I even have had some partners, you know, if a patient has like a male partner, sometimes the patient'S male partners will wear socks or undergarments or anything.

Deborah Howell: Love it. It's so great. I wish the pineapple had been around in our day.

Allison Rodgers: I know, right?

Deborah Howell: Now, if you had to guess percentage-wise, how many of your patients have embraced the pineapple symbol in any way? What would you wager?

Allison Rodgers: I would say, hopefully, I think around 50%. And I think more and more. So every time I do embryo transfers or do procedure days where people wear pineapple paraphernalia, I always take pictures and share it on Instagram. And I think that tells other patients it's kind of a thing to do part of the community, getting into the mood for getting pregnant and a big day for embryo transfers and other big lucky socks and that kind of stuff. And so I think that in my patient population, people are excited to show me their socks and excited for, you know... It's obviously a big moment and it sort of makes it seem special.

Deborah Howell: What a fabulous way to bond. Do you personally have any pineapple socks or necklaces?

Allison Rodgers: Oh, you better believe it. So a lot of them actually have been given as gifts. So I do have a lot of like things in my office. So I have some little like a candy dish that I actually keep little eggs in, like wooden eggs, like decorative eggs and that's like in the shape of a pineapple. I have pineapple water bottles. I have pineapple t-shirts, pineapple masks, pineapple socks. You know, I have surgical caps, pineapple surgical caps. I mean, you name it. You know, I of course have been in this community. I treat patients in this community. You got to just embrace it.

Deborah Howell: Yeah. You know, I think they should give the people who don't get pregnant a big pineapple when they leave to say, Hey, you're still part of the community, you know?

Allison Rodgers: Yeah, I think that you remember there's always a pathway to a baby. And even if you know, your plan of making your baby in your bedroom doesn't work out, there's always a pathway to become a mother if you want to be one.

Deborah Howell: There will be children in your lives. That's what they kept saying to me and, sure enough, there are, you know? So now, I know that community is so important for those going through infertility. How has the pineapple sort of created this community?

Allison Rodgers: Well, I think that it's especially difficult because of some of the social norms, you know, and sort of attitudes may be surrounding infertility. I think that there can be some shame associated. Not that there should be, but patients feel very private about what's going on and maybe aren't telling friends, maybe aren't telling family members, maybe aren't telling people they work with. And so I think that having communities virtually, or even, you know, support communities in our offices, that kind of thing, are really helpful. And I think that sort of symbol of everybody going through the same thing together, even though journeys are different, you know, but going on the same pathway towards helping make a family, I think that that is where the pineapple symbol can kind of unite people.

Deborah Howell: Yeah. Yeah. I remember looking around the waiting room at the fertility center, kind of all these women going, "Wow. I wonder which ones of us will be successful and what the percentages are." And I just lit a little candle in my mind for every single woman in that waiting room. But pineapple would have been a wonderful way to unite us.

Allison Rodgers: Absolutely. I think that the more we can do to come together as a community, doctors, nurses, embryologists, phlebotomist's, you know, ultrasonographers, patients, there's this whole community cheering our patients on and we're there to help them.

Deborah Howell: Do you think that the pineapple has increased awareness and reduced the stigma of infertility?

Allison Rodgers: I hope so. I think that obviously there are people, you know, like Christy Teigen, for example, among others who share their stories about what they're going through. You know, a lot of stars have shared their stories, their journeys. And I do think that, more than anything else, brings normality to what's going on. I mean, one in eight people will struggle with infertility. That's a lot. That's a lot us. And so I think that the more we normalize and talk about it and I think that, you know, creating communities and, you know, for all the pluses and minuses of social media, I think this is. one of the best things in terms of helping raise awareness, getting people education and creating a sense of community, even with people you don't totally know on social media by help understanding what other people are going through. And obviously, you want to be careful. You don't want to be taking medical advice from other people going through fertility treatment patients, right? Because what's right for one person is not going to be right for someone else. But I think that it's really important to find your community if that's something that gives you power and gives you strength and gives you support during this tough journey.

Deborah Howell: Got it. Now you ask patients what the pineapple means to them on your Instagram account, @dr.allison.rodgers. What do they say?

Allison Rodgers: A lot of them. So a lot of them said things like hope and hope and trust. And I think hope was the biggest one, but just faith that this is going to happen for them.

Deborah Howell: So wonderful. So wonderful. For those who need further community support, your center offers free support groups. Can you tell us a little bit more about these groups and how listeners can get involved?

Allison Rodgers: Yeah. So we have several mental health providers who work with our patients because this is difficult to go through. Whether you're just coming into the center struggling, whether you've been struggling for a while, whether you're having recurrent loss, any issues, we all could use some extra support, I think, just walking in the door. And so we have support groups for different kinds of patients, regular fertility patients. I know we have a group for patients who are doing it on their own, so it's Partner Needed. We have a bunch of different groups and there's information on our website about those and patients can sign up online and that is at fcionline.com.

Deborah Howell: Perfect. Because I know I had to do my shots by myself because my partner was traveling all the time on business. So do you have anyone, support staff that helps people with the administration of the shots?

Allison Rodgers: So we definitely give our patients support. Usually, patients can administer their own medications. If they need a support person and don't have someone, especially for that kind of thing, there are some services. It's not through our clinic. But we do have some services we can connect patients to for nurses who can help administer injections.

Deborah Howell: Perfect. So you're with them the whole process. Now, we'd like to close all of our episodes on a positive note. Can you share some words of hope with our listeners?

Allison Rodgers: Yes. I think if you're listening to this, I would encourage you to embrace the pineapple. Like I said, be tough, be sweet on the inside, stand tall and wear a crown. And remember that your journey will end with a baby if you want it to.

Deborah Howell: Or at least a piece of upside down pineapple cake, right?

Allison Rodgers: Hopefully more than that.

Deborah Howell: Hopefully. Well, thank you so much, Dr. Rodgers, for all this great information today. And for bringing us a new appreciation for the pineapple in all its glory. We've loved having you on the podcast today.

Allison Rodgers: Thank you so much, Deborah.

Deborah Howell: Absolutely. That was Dr. Allison Rodgers, an infertility doctor at Fertility Centers of Illinois.

Allison Rodgers: Find out more about the services FCI provides for patients by calling (877) 324-4483 or head on over to fcionline.com to schedule a telemedicine appointment with one of our physicians. And if you enjoyed this podcast, you can find more like it in our podcast library, and be sure to give us a like and a follow if you do. This has been the Time To Talk Fertility podcast. I'm your host, Deborah Howell. Have yourself a terrific day.