Often, the road to parenthood isn't a straight line. Our series Fertility, Unfiltered brings pulls back the curtain on the journey to get there—with raw, firsthand accounts of IVF, egg freezing, and more.
In the fall of 2022, Perelel co-Founder and co-CEO Victoria Thain Gioia optimistically kicked off her journey to expand her family. But by the following summer, she was seeking answers. In less than a year, she had experienced four recurrent miscarriages after heartbeat. (While 15% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, that risk drops significantly after detection of a heartbeat.)
Throughout the summer of 2023, Victoria juggled doctors appointments, uncertain detours, hormonal therapies, and even at-home injections. And while a positive pregnancy test presented an exciting glimmer of hope, she struggled to shake the anxiety of potentially navigating another heartbreak.
Below, watch as Victoria takes us inside her experience—and all the raw emotions, fears, and happy tears that come with it.
EPISODE 1
We kick things off in July 2023, as Victoria seeks answers from reproductive endocrinologist (and Perelel Panelist) Dr. Andy Huang after experiencing a series of pregnancy losses.
EPISODE 2
After taking a positive pregnancy test, Victoria grapples with the anxiety of navigating these early weeks after her previous losses. ("I've been here before," she says.)
EPISODE 3
“Baby steps to the next milestones.” In our final episode, Victoria juggles doctor appointments and ticks off days and weeks in her early pregnancy—before “graduating” to a sweet conclusion.
As Victoria shared firsthand, pregnancy loss is a heartbreak that often leaves us with more questions than answers. That's why we're proud of our ongoing partnership with the HOPE Project—a research initiative led in part by Stanford University School of Medicine. Learn more about HOPE Project (and how to get involved). And follow Victoria's story even more closely on our TikTok.