Maggie McKay (Host): Welcome to Time to Talk Fertility: Beyond the Lab Coat, a podcast from Fertility Centers of Illinois. Join us as we go behind the scenes with Dr. Jennifer Hirschfeld-Cytron, reproductive endocrinologist, to discover what inspires her work, how she connects with patients, and what drives her passion for helping families grow. Real stories, real purpose, real care.

I'm your host, Maggie McKay. Thank you so much for being here today. Would you please share your full name and credentials?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: Yes. Hello. My name is Jennifer Hirschfeld-Cytron. I am a reproductive endocrinologist and physician at Fertility Centers of Illinois.

Host: What inspired you to pursue medicine and specifically reproductive endocrinology?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: I was inspired to pursue medicine for many reasons, least of which is when you are young and you love science, there's this natural conclusion that you will be a physician. I'm so glad that I followed that gut because being a reproductive endocrinologist. It gives me this opportunity to help a very broad group of people become parents. There is an extraordinarily wide net of patients under the umbrella of fertility treatments, and it is a privilege and honor to help each and every one of them be a parent and have a family.

Host: I bet it is so rewarding. What do you find most rewarding about your work?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: What I find most rewarding about my work is just the appreciation that the highs are high and the lows are low. There's nothing more exciting, that patient who's experienced with you is a 50 meter dash. They see you, they conceive in the first cycle, high fives all around. It's a huge win.

But the patients that I actually treasure are those where it takes a longer journey. It is not that shorter experience. It's more of a marathon, and helping people get through that and go from cycle to cycle until we reach success is just an incredible, incredible honor and something that I truly love.

Host: Is there a particular moment that reaffirmed why you chose this field?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: I will say each and every day, there's at least one moment where I'm overwhelmed with gratitude, and sometimes it's something simple like a patient thanking me for a prior family, a patient that hasn't even been successful, just thanking me or thanking my nursing team for listening to them. Patients that appreciate the way that we try to change the treatment protocols if we haven't been successful. So, I feel so blessed that every day there's at least one moment where I feel that sense of appreciation and gratitude for our field.

Host: Wow, how many people can say that at their job? That's amazing. How do you hope to make a difference in your patient's lives?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: I hope to make a difference in people's lives by helping them feel seen and helping them feel like they're being listened to and heard in their journey to become parents.

Host: What drives your passion for helping individuals and families on their journey to parenthood. Because, I mean, I would think this is one of the most important things they'll do in their lives.

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: What drives my passion is the patience themselves. It's just the awareness of this gift to being let into someone's life in one of the most intimate moments of that life, in a very challenging moment and experience, and helping them get to the other side.

Host: How would you describe your approach to patient care?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: My goal in patient care is to be as succinct and straightforward as possible. I want patients to feel extraordinarily informed about their choices and never pushed to do one treatment or another. I want them to appreciate that we are there to share the information, but they're the ones that hold the decision. They are the ones that have the power to pursue what feels comfortable each and every time we consider doing treatment together.

Host: And what's most important to you when guiding a patient through treatment?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: I think what is most important to me when guiding a patient is being able to hear their concerns, being able to pivot when things aren't working, and really just being able to walk someone through that journey and experience as we get to the positive outcome.

Host: And how do you help patients feel supported and empowered throughout their journey?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: I think the ability to help patients feel supported and empowered comes from how we approach day one. When you see me day one, we talk about that you are part now of a team. At the helm of that team is me, but the person that has the true director of the ship is the patient, of course, but amongst her team is myself, is the nurses, is our embryology team, is there a psychologist, and it is within that team that we are able to help patients feel supported at different parts in the journey.

Host: How do you balance science and technology and empathy all in one in your work?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: I try to balance science, technology, and empathy in the field of medicine by appreciating that science and technology is what allows us to be more successful. Science and technology is designed to answer clinical questions in large groups of people, such as what's called evidence-based medicine. The art of medicine is to take that and make it into a personalized approach to be able to help that person sitting across from me in a room understand how the large amounts of data help me understand what's best for her individually.

Host: What are your special areas of clinical interests and what draws you to them?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: My special areas of clinical interests really drive from the philosophy that I feel extraordinarily passionate about helping people become family and have families and be parents when they are ready. I view that incredibly broadly in terms of how we view reproductive care.

And so for some patients, it's freezing eggs, because they're not really at that moment. Or it's some patients with a recent cancer diagnosis freezing eggs, because they're unable to be pregnant because of that illness. For others, they want to be pregnant yesterday. And so, helping people find where they are and achieving that goal when they are ready is really the philosophy of my care. And so, what I love is egg freezing for elective and cancer patients and really those complicated infertility journeys where it's much more nuanced in how we reach success.

Host: Where did you complete your medical education, your residency, and your fellowship training?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: I did medical school at University of Minnesota. I did residency at the University of Chicago. I did my fellowship at Northwestern University as a fellow. I got a Master's in clinical investigation at Northwestern.

Host: That's impressive. Was there something you learned along the way that continues to shape your approach today?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: I think what helped me get what is most important for me to shape my approach today is how I feel grounded and how I feel grounded is remembering the gift that it is. To connect with people who are seeing you as a doctor. I mean, that's what it comes down to at the end, is the relationships you're able to create with people and the connections you're able to make in that singular focused goal of helping someone be a parent.

Host: Absolutely. What excites you most about the future of reproductive medicine?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: Their future of reproductive medicine is extraordinarily bright. I mean, the field is improving at like laser pace. And now, the question is going to be how do we implement some of those changes? How do we implement the increased ability to look at genetics at the level of an embryo? How do we use AI to be helpful and informative? Instead of creating an environment where patients feel absolutely just like a number. So, taking what's new, and again, like we've talked about, helping it become more personalized for a patient is what I'm incredibly excited to be a part of.

Host: What accomplishment in your practice or your career are you most proud of?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: I am most proud of the fact that in addition to being a physician at Fertility Centers of Illinois, I'm the vice president of a nonprofit and founding member called Chicago Coalition for Family Building. This is a nonprofit that is focused on providing fertility treatments for those that cannot afford it. Broad fertility treatments including adoption, sperm donor, egg donor, gestational carrier, or IVF. And in that work, we've been able to help over about 130 couples become parents.

Host: That is amazing. Good for you. What do your patients often say they appreciate most about working with you?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: Patients will share that they find me candid, honest, and straightforward. And if that is what you're looking for, I definitely meet people where they are. I want them to walk away from each and every conversation feeling like they got as much information in the most straightforward way as possible.

Host: How do you build trust and meaningful connection with your patients, because this is an important journey.

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: Yeah, of course. I build trust and meaningful connection with patients by treating them like I want to be treated. It's like we learned in kindergarten that everybody wants to feel valued, and that starts with how you treat them as a patient. I give them the same guidance and care as I provided both of my sisters when they went through IVF treatment.

Host: Wow. What advice do you often share with patients who are feeling anxious or maybe discouraged?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: I try to give advice to patients that are feeling anxious or discouraged to start from expectations. We expect the journey to be long. But even if it's long, it does not have to be experienced alone. In addition to your medical team, it is key from day one to create a support team. That can be therapy or acupuncture or meditation. We know from research for many years that infertility creates intense stress. It is estimated to create equal stress as a cancer diagnosis. We also know that patients will drop out of fertility treatment because of stress, even more than financial concerns. And so if we are able to help people feel truly supported, then we're helping them to get through the treatments they need to be successful.

Host: Wow, I never knew that. That is amazing. What message of encouragement would you share with those still hoping to build their family?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: I would say there are many ways for couples to have a family and to remember that. And then, it starts with a conversation. So if you're at home and you're debating about seeing someone, see them, get testing, get informed, help to make a decision based on facts and not fear.

Host: What's one lesson your patients have taught you?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: One lesson that my patients have taught me without question is the value of feeling heard.

Host: Well, outside of medicine, what brings you joy or balance? What do you love to do for fun, hobbies, interests?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: Outside of medicine, I get a ton of joy from my family and my dog. I have this beautiful Australian shepherd who loves me more than anyone else in this world. I love to travel. I love Peloton classes.

Host: That's fun. What's something people may not know about you or be surprised to learn about you?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: Many people are surprised to know that in high school I had a humor column called Just Jen.

Host: What three words best describe you?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: Focused, thoughtful and determined are probably three words that best describe me.

Host: I like it. All right. So, this is such a tough question, I think, but what's the best concert you've ever been to?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: My favorite concert that I've ever gone to was Taylor Swift Eras tour.

Host: Wow. " If blank is on the menu, I'll always order it." How would you fill in the blank?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: If fries are on the menu, I will always order it.

Host: What movie or show is your guilty pleasure, the one you can watch over and over?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: The movie that is my guilty pleasure is probably Devil Wears Prada and I cannot wait for Devil Wears Prada too. My guilty pleasure in regards to TV shows are truly those geared towards teenage kids. I love Summer I Turned Pretty, My Life With the Walker Brothers, and Emily in Paris. I love all of these very silly TV shows.

Host: I can't wait for Prada 2 also, I'm with you. If you could instantly be great at any Olympic sport, what would it be?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: If I could instantly be great at any Olympic sport, it would be tennis.

Host: And what was your first job?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: My first job was serving frozen yogurt in the local mall.

Host: Did you get unlimited amounts of it?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: I got unlimited amounts, and I could give people very large samples. So, my entire family would come for repeat samples.

Host: I love it. And what should patients look for when they're choosing a fertility clinic?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: In my opinion, when you are looking to seek care for infertility, you should identify a clinic that has experience. Nobody wants to be the first time someone's done something. The 10th time, the 100th time, you want to be the 10,000th time you want to be at a clinic that has done this and done nuances of it. So if any component doesn't go to plan, they're prepared for that. They've handled it before and they'll handle it with you.

Host: Good point. What sets Fertility Centers of Illinois apart from other fertility clinics?

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: Fertility Centers of Illinois is an incredibly unique practice. We are extraordinarily experienced. We've existed in the market in 30 plus years, and we are completely comprehensive. We have a reproductive urologist. We have multiple infertility physicians throughout the Chicago land area. We have a minimally invasive surgeon. We have everything you need under one roof to achieve your success.

Host: Well, thank you so much for being here today. And it's been fun getting to know you and hearing your expertise. So, we appreciate your time.

Dr. Jenny Hirshfeld-Cytron: Yes, of course. Well, thank you for doing this as well.

Host: Of course. To find out more about Dr. Jennifer Hirschfeld-Cytron, go to fcionline.com/doctors. Again, that's fci online.com/doctors. And look for Dr. Jennifer Hirschfeld-Cytron. Thank you for listening. I'm Maggie McKay.