Introductions! Who is Natalie and Why "Embryologist On Fire"??


Natalie is an Embryologist. She regularly wears a scrub hat with fire flames print, and because of it gained the nickname Embryologist On Fire.

Natalie’s first experience with reproductive health was as a patient when her own fertility treatment required pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT). She became so inspired with the advancing technology and procedures in the field on infertility that she changed her career path from emergency medicine to become an embryologist in 2009.

During her career as an embryologist, Natalie was the lead embryologist at a clinic in Davis, California. She regularly discussed egg quality, embryo development, embryo biopsy results, and embryo transfers with patients of the clinic and she has shared both moments of joy and those of devastation with patients going through their own fertility journeys. She moved her family and career to the East Coast in 2017 to become a senior embryologist at Duke Medicine in North Carolina, then in 2019 Natalie launched her dream program, Atlantic Shared Beginnings, introducing the world to new ideas in third party reproduction. Most recently, Natalie has joined with Dr. Lane to introduce even more exciting options to intended parents with Open Egg Donor USA. This new program offers open donors, something she feels is extremely important for the health and wellbeing of the donor conceived children. She continues to practice embryology in Haiti for an amazing and talented group of physicians at the only fertility clinic in the country. They are ensuring that patients there have access to advanced reproductive care.

Natalie is well known in the donor world for her ground-breaking approach to egg donor options and donor-donor embryos for recipients. She is a leader in the donor world as well as an established international embryologist.

Natalie has worked tirelessly to provide options for many couples struggling with infertility including those seeking egg donors and donated embryos. A critical aspect of Natalie’s job is the education of recipients and egg donors. Ensuring that prospective clients receive clarity regarding the process of the treatment allows for all parties to have a seamless process.

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