What happens behind the scenes during an IVF cycle, and who supports patients through the uncertainty, injections, scans and pregnancy-test results?
In this episode of Knocked Up, fertility specialist Dr Raelia Lew sits down with IVF nurse Lucy Elam to explore the essential role fertility nurses play throughout IVF treatment.
Lucy shares her journey from paediatric nursing into reproductive medicine, including her experience supporting children and families through fertility preservation before chemotherapy and other gonadotoxic treatments.
Together, Raelia and Lucy discuss the emotions patients commonly experience when beginning IVF, why information overload can make treatment feel overwhelming and how fertility nurses help break the process into manageable steps.
They also explore one of the hardest realities of IVF: not being able to control every outcome. From the uncertainty of ovarian stimulation to the emotional two-week wait following an embryo transfer, Lucy explains how patients can maintain some normality while staying connected with their clinical team.
In this episode
How Lucy transitioned from paediatric nursing into IVF nursing
Fertility preservation for children undergoing cancer treatment
What an IVF nurse does throughout a treatment cycle
Why IVF can feel overwhelming for new patients
Managing injections, scans, procedures and medical anxiety
The loss of control patients can experience during fertility treatment
Coping with the two-week wait after an embryo transfer or IUI
Why clinics recommend waiting for a pregnancy blood test
Understanding low or unclear HCG pregnancy results
Delivering negative and positive pregnancy news
How fertility nurses manage the emotional weight of their work
Egg freezing after a relationship breakdown
Planning ahead for future children through embryo banking
Age-related changes in egg quality and fertility
The emotional and practical considerations surrounding donor eggs
Why teamwork between doctors, nurses and embryologists matters
Episode timestamps
00:48 Meet IVF nurse Lucy Elam
02:13 Fertility preservation for children undergoing cancer treatment
05:29 The science behind IVF and fertility preservation
06:14 How fertility nurses support patients from beginning to end
07:22 Common emotions patients experience before starting IVF
10:06 Personality traits, organisation and managing information overload
12:13 Patient vulnerabilities during fertility treatment
14:37 Coping with the loss of control during IVF
15:53 Managing the two-week wait after embryo transfer or IUI
18:04 Making positive and negative pregnancy calls
21:13 The emotional impact of finally receiving a positive result
23:54 Understanding unclear or borderline pregnancy blood tests
26:40 How fertility nurses carry the emotional weight of patient care
29:13 Memorable patient stories from Lucy’s IVF career
30:33 Returning to IVF to grow a family
32:30 Why fertility planning should consider future children
33:31 Knowing when to consider donor eggs
38:27 How Raelia and Lucy work together as an IVF team
About the guests
Dr Raelia Lew is a CREI-certified fertility specialist, gynaecologist, Founder of Women’s Health Melbourne and Medical Director of Melbourne IVF.
Lucy Elam is an experienced IVF nurse who has worked across adult fertility treatment and paediatric fertility preservation.
Resources and support
Learn more about fertility treatment, IVF and egg freezing through:
If you are considering IVF, egg freezing or exploring your fertility options, speak with an appropriately qualified fertility specialist about your individual circumstances.
The information shared in this podcast is general in nature and should not replace personalised medical advice.
