The IVF Journey with Dr Michael Chapman

In this episode, Prof Chapman explains what patients should bring when they move to a new clinic after an unsuccessful IVF cycle. He says a simple summary of eggs, embryos and blastocysts isn’t enough. A new specialist needs the full treatment and laboratory sheets, including drug doses, when the trigger was given, follicle sizes, and how many eggs matured and fertilised. He also covers why testing embryos for genetic problems is often the next step. He then turns to fibroids, which affect more than 30% of women over 35. He explains why most of them have no effect on fertility, an...

In this episode, Prof Chapman explains what “silent” endometriosis really is and why it may matter less than many people think. Around 15% of women having difficulty conceiving show signs of endometriosis without any symptoms, but in most cases these are very minor deposits with only a marginal effect on pregnancy. He shares why he believes routine laparoscopy for infertile women without symptoms is often over-treatment, why pain levels don’t always match the severity of the disease, and how ultrasound can pick up significant endometriosis but not the minor forms. He also covers what treatment looks like when endometriosis is fou...

In this episode, Prof Chapman answers a listener question about whether IVF is safe for people living with a stable autoimmune condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or antiphospholipid syndrome. He explains why disease control matters most, why some medications like methotrexate and cyclophosphamide need to be changed before trying to conceive, and why many of these conditions actually improve during pregnancy. He also flags the real watch point, the risk of relapse after delivery, and shares why, for well-managed patients, he is comfortable moving forward with treatment. 

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In this episode, Prof Chapman answers a listener’s question about azoospermia, the condition where no sperm are found in the semen, and whether men with this diagnosis can still father a biological child. He explains the difference between obstructive causes, such as vasectomy, infection or being born without the vas deferens, and non-obstructive causes, where the sperm production line in the testicle isn’t working. He shares how sperm can often be retrieved directly from the testicle for use in IVF, why outcomes have improved for men with Klinefelter syndrome, and why seeing a urologist with a special inte...

In this episode, Prof Chapman walks you through the first round of fertility investigations and the three key questions they aim to answer: is the sperm count healthy, is ovulation happening, and can the sperm and egg actually meet? He explains how the timing of your progesterone blood test depends on your cycle length, what to expect from a HyCoSy ultrasound to check your fallopian tubes, and why this simple test can even boost pregnancy rates in the months that follow. He also covers the hormone, immunity and genetic screening tests for both partners, and what happens when you...

In this episode, Prof Chapman takes you back to basics and walks you through what to expect at your first appointment with a fertility specialist. He explains why most couples who struggle to conceive won’t need IVF, and why your age, past pregnancies, periods and general health all help paint the picture. He also shares surprising insights on why supplements may not be worth the money, how many couples time intercourse incorrectly, and why some gym supplements can quietly suppress sperm counts. Warm, practical and reassuring, this is essential listening for anyone preparing for their first fertility consultation. 

In this episode, Prof Chapman answers a listener question about embryo donation, a lesser-known path to parenthood for women who can’t produce their own eggs and have no partner or a partner with sperm problems. He explains why so few couples with leftover frozen embryos choose to donate them, comparing the decision to adoption, and walks through the rigorous counselling process for both known and anonymous donation. From whether donors will be part of the child’s life to how and when a child is told where they came from, Prof Chapman shares the questions families most need to c...

In this episode, Prof Chapman explains what happens when a semen test shows no sperm at all. He describes how blood tests and an ultrasound show whether the cause is a blockage, such as a vasectomy, or a problem with sperm production in the testicle. He also explains how modern microsurgery can often find small pockets of sperm, even in a testicle thought to be inactive. Prof Chapman then turns to single women using donor sperm, who now account for around 12 to 14% of IVF cycles in Australia. He covers the counselling process, why telling the child is now the...

In this episode, Prof Chapman tackles two IVF questions that often catch patients off guard. He explains why a uterine septum may affect implantation, why small septums are best left alone, and why removing larger ones remains a contested “may help” option reserved for repeated failed transfers. He then turns to ectopic pregnancy, explaining why single embryo transfer has pushed the risk below 1%, lower than in the general community, and how a previous ectopic or damaged fallopian tubes can shape the approach to future transfers. 

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In this episode, Prof Chapman answers listener questions on what couples can do to improve their chances of a healthy pregnancy, and why the basics of not smoking, moderate drinking and a healthy weight matter far more than trendy diets or supplements. He explains Asherman’s syndrome, how scarring of the uterine cavity can prevent implantation, how often it occurs after a D&C, and why a hysteroscopy is worth considering after two unsuccessful embryo transfers. He also discusses the rare problem of failed fertilisation after ICSI, and how both egg and sperm should be investigated before trying oocyte ac...

In this episode, Prof Chapman explains what it means when embryos repeatedly fragment across multiple IVF cycles, and how to work out whether the cause lies with the lab, the sperm or the egg. He shares how the timing of fragmentation can point towards sperm DNA issues, why egg quality is the more common culprit even in younger women, and how a specialised polarised light technique lets his team look inside the egg to see the meiotic spindle. Drawing on a decade of his own research, Prof Chapman explains why this insight can finally give patients a clear answer...

In this episode, Prof Chapman explains how embryologists grade a day five blastocyst and what those numbers and letters actually mean for your chances of pregnancy. He walks through the development scale from one to five, the A to D grades for the inner cell mass that becomes the baby and the outer layer that forms the placenta, and why the gap between an AA and a BB is only a few percentage points. Prof Chapman also shares when pregnancy rates start to fall away, why a C grade is still worth transferring, and how the grading system pioneered...

In this episode, Prof Chapman answers a listener's question about trying for a baby with endometriosis. He explains that while the condition is being diagnosed more often, most women with endometriosis still go on to conceive, though the stage of the disease matters. He walks through the assessments worth considering, from a detailed specialist ultrasound and laparoscopy to checking that the fallopian tubes are open, and explains why seeing a gynaecologist who understands fertility is so important. He also shares practical advice on when to simply start trying and when to seek further investigation, especially for women over 35. 

In this episode, Prof Chapman takes you inside the IVF laboratory to follow the journey from egg to embryo. He explains why stimulation aims for multiple eggs, how scientists recognise a mature egg, and why egg quality can decline with age. He also covers the two ways eggs are fertilised, conventional IVF and ICSI, what to expect from that next-morning phone call, and how time-lapse incubators have improved success rates. Finally, he explains why most Australian clinics now grow embryos to the day five blastocyst stage before transfer. 

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In this episode, Prof Chapman answers a listener question from Mary, who asks whether stopping Ozempic six weeks before an IVF cycle could affect the outcome. He explains that while drug companies remain cautious for now, no abnormalities have been detected in the many pregnancies occurring in women using these medications. In fact, because obesity can impair fertility, the weight loss these drugs bring may make pregnancy more likely. Prof Chapman shares the current advice to pause before trying to conceive, points to a leading US reproductive endocrinologist who sees no downside beforehand, and explains why he expects the...

In this episode, Prof Chapman unpacks the science behind immune add-ons in IVF, explaining why an embryo behaves almost like a transplant and how a woman's body has to tolerate a pregnancy that is half foreign. Responding to a listener's question about steroids, NK cells and CRP, he separates the one immunological condition backed by real evidence, antiphospholipid syndrome, from the many popular tests that offer little scientific justification. With characteristic warmth and candour, he explains why he remains sceptical of steroids for most patients, what the soon to be released Australian IVF data shows about persistence, and why...

In this episode, Prof Chapman unpacks the science behind IVF stimulation protocols and why they sit at the heart of a fertility specialist's skill. He explains how the short antagonist cycle became the standard for around 95% of Australian cycles, why it has largely replaced the older long protocol, and how it lowers the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation. He also breaks down how your doctor decides the right dose of FSH, weighing age, ovarian reserve and weight, and makes a clear, evidence-based case for why more eggs usually mean more embryos and more chances of success. Along the way he...

In this episode, Prof Chapman unpacks one of the more contested questions in male fertility, whether to surgically repair a varicocele or move directly to IVF. He explains why these varicose veins around the testicle may quietly warm it beyond its optimal temperature and dampen sperm production, and why the evidence for fixing them is far more borderline than many assume. Drawing on decades of research, including a striking study tracking one man's sperm counts across 120 weeks, he shows just how much counts naturally rise and fall with illness, stress and time. His honest verdict, small varicoceles rarely need...

In this episode, Prof Chapman answers two listener questions that cut to the heart of some common fertility confusion. First, does the pill cause PCOS? The short answer is no, but the fuller story is more interesting, including why scientists may soon be renaming the condition PMOS, and how coming off the pill can unmask irregular periods that were there all along. Prof Chapman then turns to a listener with stage two endometriosis and a frozen embryo who has faced implantation failures before, weighing whether to pursue further surgery or suppress the endometriosis ahead of transfer. It's a warm...

In this episode, Prof Chapman unpacks extended carrier screening, the test that helps prevent some of the rarest and most serious childhood diseases before a baby is even conceived. He explains how we all carry genetic mutations without knowing it, in fact 98% of us do, and why they only become a problem when both partners happen to share the same one. Prof Chapman walks through the three most common conditions worth testing for, cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy and fragile X, and shares the good news that Australia now funds this screening through Medicare, along with the IVF needed...

In this episode, Prof Chapman tackles a question many patients wonder about but rarely ask: should depression and anxiety screening be standard before starting IVF? His answer is a firm no, and he explains why, drawing on the history of mandatory counselling in Victoria that was eventually abandoned because 95% of patients simply didn't need it. But that doesn't mean the emotional side gets brushed aside. Prof Chapman walks through the psychological build up of a cycle, from the hope of a strong egg collection to the gut punch of a negative test, and why supporting patients through that drop...

In this episode, Prof Chapman unpacks the reality behind delayed parenthood, a trend driven by both partners as often as by women alone. He explains how the odds of conceiving within a year fall from around 90% at 35 to roughly 60% by 40, and why declining egg quality and numbers sit at the heart of that shift. He walks through egg freezing as a hedge against the ticking clock, noting that 30 to 35 is the ideal window, and shares the sobering statistics on how many eggs are needed at different ages to give a good chance of a baby later. He also steps...

In this episode, Prof Chapman cuts through the tests and treatments marketed to women after recurrent miscarriage and asks a simple question: where's the evidence? He unpacks the $1,500 endometrial receptivity test shown to have no benefit, the pivot to microbiome testing, and immune treatments sold without solid proof — while separating what's genuinely useful from what he calls "bad medicine." The reframe that matters most: even after four losses, the odds of carrying a baby next time, doing nothing, are still well over 60 to 70%. 

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In this episode, Prof Chapman takes a hard look at the growing menu of tests and treatments marketed to women after recurrent miscarriage — and asks a simple question: where's the evidence? He unpacks the $1,500 endometrial receptivity test that took eight years and a gold-standard trial to show no benefit, the same company's pivot to uterine microbiome testing, and the murky world of immunological treatments like steroids, intralipid and immunoglobulins. Along the way he separates the genuinely useful (spotting and treating chronic endometritis, working on smoking and weight) from what he calls "bad medicine." The number that reframes everything? Even af...

In this episode, Prof Chapman tackles one of the most heartbreaking questions in fertility, why miscarriages keep happening. Responding to a listener who has faced four losses across natural and IVF conceptions, he walks through the biggest culprit, genetic abnormalities in the embryo, and explains why age and egg quality sit at the centre of it all. He unpacks the other hidden causes worth investigating, from chromosome translocations carried by healthy parents to fibroids, scar tissue, and abnormalities in the shape of the womb. Along the way he covers the surprising fertility effects of COVID, the global decline in...

In this episode, Prof Chapman unpacks what specialists actually mean when they talk about egg quality. He explains that quality comes down to an egg's competency to fertilise and produce an embryo with the right number of chromosomes, and why that process becomes less reliable as women age. He describes the tiny energy-producing structures called mitochondria, the batteries inside every egg, and how their decline disrupts the delicate work of lining up chromosomes at the right moment. He also walks through the spindle, the internal structure his own team studies using polarised light at Life Fertility, and how checking...

In this episode, Prof Chapman explains one of fertility's biggest puzzles: why a woman's biological clock runs down so much faster than the rest of her body. Drawing on decades of experience and more than three and a half thousand babies, he walks through the remarkable journey of your eggs, from the millions laid down before you were even born, to the half a million you had at birth, to the slow decline that ends in menopause. He unpacks why older women get fewer eggs from IVF, what the AMH test can and can't tell you, and the crucial...

In this episode, Prof Chapman and fertility nurse Natalie tackle one of the most-asked questions on the YouTube channel: the recent renaming of PCOS to PMOS. Prof Chapman explains how the change came out of a roomful of specialists, each with their own stake in the name, and why he sees it as a positive move, not least because so many patients hear "cysts on the ovary" and immediately worry about cancer. He unpacks what the new name signals about the hormonal and metabolic sides of the condition, while making clear that the condition itself hasn't changed at all...

In this episode, Prof Chapman is joined by fertility nurse Natalie to answer one of the most common questions from listeners: what should you do when you're in your 40s and cycle after cycle isn't working? Natalie explains why going back to basics matters — reviewing your initial workup, checking whether tests like AMH and antral follicle counts need repeating, and looking at inflammatory markers that may be overlooked. She walks through what a thorough second opinion involves, from treatment protocols and medication dosages to egg numbers, insemination methods and blastocyst outcomes, and why genetic testing (PGT-A) is often never di...

In this episode, Prof Chapman answers a listener question about the future of IVF, covering what innovations are genuinely exciting and whether treatment will become more accessible and affordable. He reflects on how success rates have climbed from 10% to around 40% per embryo transfer over three decades, and gives his honest take on the current "flavours of the month": AI in embryo selection, non-invasive genetic testing, and research into environmental toxins. With a fertility nurse adding the patient perspective on accessibility and public sector options, this is a candid look at where fertility science is really heading, and why steady 1...

In this episode, Prof Chapman sits down with fertility nurse Natalie to talk about the moments IVF patients often face alone — the late-night bleeding scare, the anxious wait after a positive test, the questions that come up between appointments. They discuss why a positive pregnancy test isn't the finish line, the reassurance of regular early-pregnancy monitoring through to 10 weeks, and how fertility care is shifting towards truly patient-centred support, where feeling informed, heard and supported matters just as much as clinical outcomes. 

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In this episode, Prof Chapman is joined by a fertility nurse to unpack what should happen after a failed IVF cycle — and why so many patients are left without answers. They explore the emotional fallout of a negative pregnancy test, the delays patients face in getting support from busy clinics, and the value of having someone who can genuinely listen between appointments. Prof Chapman also shares his frustration with clinics that simply repeat the same protocol after a failed cycle, explaining why a detailed review of drug dosages, egg numbers, and fertilisation outcomes is essential before planning the next at...

In this episode, Prof Chapman is joined by a fertility support nurse to explore the gaps in patient care during IVF treatment. They discuss the most common concerns women face — from needle phobia and administering that first injection, to post-egg-collection bleeding and knowing when symptoms warrant escalation. Prof Chapman offers a frank comparison of Australia's premium versus low-cost IVF clinics, and why patients often absorb only a fraction of what they're told in consultations — leaving many too embarrassed to ring their clinic with "silly" questions that deserve real answers. 

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Prof. Chapman introduces Natalie from Australia IVF Concierge, highlighting the emotional and practical support gap patients face at home during fertility treatment. Focus: the psychological burden of IVF (60% first-cycle failure rate), medication management, injection anxiety, and waiting uncertainty. Natalie explains how nurse-led home visits provide reassurance, education, and holistic support beyond clinic appointments—positioning aftercare as essential to the patient journey. 

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the realm of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).

Do...

In this episode, Prof Chapman explains ovarian tissue cryopreservation, including who it is genuinely suitable for, why it remains largely an experimental fertility preservation technique, and its role for women facing urgent cancer treatment.

He also answers a detailed question from a patient who has received a strong positive beta hCG result following embryo transfer. Prof Chapman discusses whether repeat blood tests are necessary, what healthy hCG progression should look like, the importance of early viability scans, and how pregnancy milestones at 7, 10, and 12 weeks help predict the likelihood of a successful outcome. A reassuring discussion for...

In this episode, Prof Chapman explains how he approaches patients who have already spent tens of thousands of dollars on unsuccessful IVF treatment and are seeking a second opinion. He discusses the importance of reviewing previous cycles in detail, identifying anything that may have been missed, and tailoring a new treatment strategy to improve outcomes. Prof Chapman also highlights the often-overlooked role of the male partner in IVF success, including practical advice on sperm health, abstinence timing, and how partners can provide meaningful support throughout the fertility journey.

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In this episode, Prof Chapman answers a listener’s question about the success rates of IUI and IVF for a 37-year-old woman, explaining when IUI may be worth trying, why success rates drop after a few cycles, and how IVF can offer significantly higher cumulative pregnancy rates. He also shares practical advice on choosing the right fertility clinic, including what to look for in specialists, laboratory standards, clinic size, patient care, and nursing support—beyond simply comparing published success rates. This episode provides valuable guidance for anyone weighing their fertility treatment options or searching for a clinic they can trus...

In this episode, Prof Chapman explores how ethical concerns around IVF have evolved over the past four decades. He reflects on the early fears surrounding IVF, including concerns about interfering with nature and the long-term health of IVF-conceived children, and explains how decades of research have helped address many of those worries. Prof Chapman also shares his views on topics such as gender selection, genetic testing, and the likelihood of so-called “designer babies.” While he believes current fertility technologies are largely ethically sound, he highlights one growing concern: the increasing use of IVF in cases where less invasive fertility trea...

In this episode, Prof Chapman answers a listener’s question about whether frozen embryos should be thawed, genetically tested, and refrozen for PGT. He explains the small risk of embryo loss associated with the process, how PGT can significantly improve the chances of selecting a genetically normal embryo, and why the decision often depends on age, embryo numbers, and individual fertility goals. Prof Chapman also discusses the differences between testing day-one and day-five embryos, the impact of maternal age on embryo genetics, and how PGT can reduce the emotional, financial, and physical burden of multiple unsuccessful embryo transfers. This pr...

In this episode, Prof Chapman explains why human fertility is far less predictable than most people expect — and why even healthy couples may need up to 12 months to conceive naturally. He breaks down the real monthly chances of pregnancy, why IVF isn’t always the first answer, and the importance of patience when trying for a baby.

Prof Chapman also shares a serious warning about anabolic steroids and gym supplements, revealing how they can dramatically reduce sperm production and sometimes cause long-term fertility problems in men. This episode is packed with practical advice for couples starting thei...