When you’ve tried everything to get pregnant—IVF, transfers, “just relaxing”—and it still doesn’t work, you start to wonder if your body is failing you and whether you’ll ever become a mother. This week on the podcast, I talk to pediatrician and mom of three Andrea Ali-Panzarella, who went through years of infertility, recurrent miscarriages, IVF failure, and ultimately made the courageous decision to grow her family through gestational surrogacy. We explore the emotional side of surrogacy, grief, identity, bonding, breaking the silence, and her beautiful children’s book Every Family is a Tree, which shows that there are many valid paths to motherhood
About Andrea Ali-Panzarella
Andrea Zorida Ali-Panzarella is a proud mom of three beautiful boys, who was inspired to write this book after a long journey with infertility and loss. She is also a pediatrician, specializing in child abuse, who has cared for children from all walks of life.
Andrea and her husband welcomed their sons with the help of compassionate physicians and caring gestational carriers. As they read to their children each night, she noticed the limited number of books that represented their unique family story and realized the missed opportunities to empower her children to know their worth. Her hope with this book is that all people, especially children, will feel seen and accepted in this world no matter what their story is. She is forever grateful to everyone, including her parents, family, and friends, who supported her family’s story along the way. You can find out more about her book and work here: https://www.andreaali-panzarella.com/