The Protocol That Got Me Pregnant: A Fertility Doctor's Honest Account of Her Own IVF Journey

Dr. Sasha Hakman goes solo to finally answer the question her community has been asking for weeks: what exactly did she do differently for her second embryo transfer, the one that worked? Now 14 weeks pregnant, Dr. Sasha walks through her full protocol in detail, from the switch to a programmed FET to every medication, supplement, and lifestyle change she made. She also opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of a failed transfer, a terrifying bleed at seven weeks, and what it's like to be a fertility doctor going through fertility treatment herself. This episode is one of the most personal and detailed she's ever shared, and it's been a long time coming. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why Dr. Sasha switched from a modified natural cycle to a programmed FET, and what that actually means Her exact medication protocol: estrace, progesterone in oil, Prometrium suppositories, Ganirelix, and prednisone , with doses and timing What the antihistamine protocol is (prednisone + Pepcid + Claritin) and why she added it despite limited evidence How acupuncture became a non-negotiable addition to her second cycle Why she took a full week off work after transfer and what she did instead Her supplement stack, pescatarian diet, and why she stopped being so strict about sugar this time The emotional experience of home testing, a lighter line, spiraling, and what snapped her out of it Her beta number progression and what she was watching for The scary seven-week bleed, the subchorionic hematoma diagnosis, and how her colleague met her at the clinic at 8pm How she emotionally survived a failed transfer and built her "plan A through G" for what came next How she manages non-classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NCAH) and why it influenced every protocol decision Follow Dr Sasha! TikTok: @sashahakmanmd Instagram: @sashahakmanmd @tryingtoconceivepod YouTube: @tryingtoconceivepod Want to receive my weekly newsletter? Sign up at sashahakmanmd.com/newsletter to receive updates, answers to Q&A and more! If you haven't already, please rate, review, and follow the podcast to be notified of new episodes every 2 weeks.If you're interested in becoming a patient go to sashahakmanmd.com to learn more! Thank you to our sponsor Ogee Beauty. Go to ogee.com/DRSASHA and use code DRSASHA for 20% off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices