Healthful with Norah O'Donnell
Healthful with Norah O'Donnell

Fertility in Focus

September 2, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Infertility affects one in six couples, yet many people still blame themselves for a diagnosis that is, by the World Health Organization’s definition, a medical disease. “It is not your fault that you have infertility,” says Dr. Timika Zori, a double board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and former D1 athlete. On this episode of Healthful, she walks host Norah O’Donnell through the biology behind the biological clock, the conditions that masquerade as each other, and what women can actually do to preserve their options.

The ovary as a vital sign

Women are born with one to two million eggs, and that number only declines — it never increases. “That is the biggest difference between fertility, men and women’s fertility, because men are always making sperm,” Zori explains. By the time a woman reaches her 30s, the number of visible follicles on an ultrasound might drop from 20 to five by age 40. But the more important shift is in egg quality, not just quantity.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:00) **Opening: Infertility is a Medical Disease, Not a Personal Failure** - Dr. Tamika Zori joins to discuss infertility as a true medical condition, removing blame and stigma.
  • 2 (03:11) **IVF Success Rates and the Breakthrough of PGT Testing** - Dr. Zori provides concrete success rates for fertility treatments and explains the technology that has improved them.
  • 3 (04:16) **The Finite Egg Supply: The Core Difference Between Male and Female Fertility** - Dr. Zori breaks down the biology of ovarian reserve and why it is a critical, finite resource.
  • 4 (06:05) **The Ovary as a Vital Sign: Beyond Just Periods** - Dr. Zori argues that menstrual function is a critical indicator of overall health, not just fertility.
  • 5 (08:28) **The Fertility Industry Boom and the Misinformation Problem** - The conversation shifts to the challenges of access to care and the prevalence of bad advice.
  • 6 (10:36) **Proactive Fertility Care: Freezing Eggs and Embryos** - A practical guide on when and why to consider proactive fertility preservation.
  • 7 (12:36) **The Egg Freezing Breakthrough: Vitrification** - Dr. Zori explains the 2012 innovation that made egg freezing as effective as embryo freezing.

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Show Notes

This week on Healthful, fertility is in focus. With one in six couples experiencing infertility, Dr. Temeka Zore joins Norah to discuss why it's important to reframe the struggles in getting pregnant as a medical disease. IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT.

The two discuss the misconceptions of endometriosis, PMOS (formerly PCOS), and egg freezing. Then Dr. Zore shares her advice to women who are thinking about having children but aren’t ready.


Plus why she believes your menstrual cycle should be viewed as another vital sign like blood pressure and heart rate.


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