Dr. Lora Shahine - I Knew From a Young Age I Wanted To Help People in the Medical Field (Fertility Doctor)

Dr Lora Shahine, a reproductive endocrinologist at Pacific NW Fertility and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Washington in Seattle, completed her residency in OBGYN at the University of California in San Francisco and fellowship in reproductive endocrinology at Stanford University. 

She is dedicated to educating and advocating for increased awareness of infertility, miscarriage, and the impact of environmental toxins on health through an active social media presence, teaching, clinical research, and authoring multiple blogs and books including best-selling, ‘Not Broken: An Approachable Guide to Miscarriage and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss.’ 

Find her at www.drlorashahine.com and Connect on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Tiktok @drlorashahine

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

Born and raised in Winston-Salem, NC, I could have never predicted settling and raising my own children in Seattle, WA.

I knew from a young age I wanted to help people in the medical field but I could never have predicted owning an IVF practice and helping thousands of people build their families to date.



How important is a super specialization for doctors?

All fields of medicine are unique and important. I have a great deal of respect for general practitioners that need to know a lot about many different aspects of health, however, I love specializing in one field to dive deep into the research and understanding of reproductive medicine.



What is your take on virtual methods of providing treatment?

I think telemedicine is here to stay, especially in reproductive health. In-person visits are important for testing and procedures but most of my consults are talking, educating, and answering questions which can be done in person or online. 

The patients love the convenience of turning off the computer or smartphone and connecting and they do not miss the hours lost in commuting, parking, and waiting.



What do you feel are good and bad points about being a doctor?

My job is not boring. It’s full of very high highs like positive pregnancy tests and baby announcements but also very low lows like failed treatment cycles and miscarriages.



Which countries are the best for studying medical?

I have only trained and practiced in the United States so I do not have any reference for medical care in other countries.



Which is your favourite book and why?

I’ve written several patient-centred books on fertility and miscarriage but my favourite is my children’s book, ’The Bean Family Sprouts’ because wrote it with my children in mind and it’s all about building resilience through change and new experiences. We’ve read it many times during the pandemic together to remind our family of what we can learn through challenges.



What impact do you want to create in the medical field?

I want to shatter the stigma around and normalize infertility and miscarriage. These issues are so common yet so many people feel alone, ashamed, isolated. The more we can share our truth - the less we feel alone and the more support we can find together.

Interviewed by - Ritika Malhotra