Haley McGee
- Apr 21, 2021
- 4 min read

Season 1: Episode 6 - The Cost of Love and Freezing Your Eggs with Talia Chai

Updated: Jul 2, 2021

The best time to freeze your eggs is before you turn 35. Haley is 35. And so is her guest, Talia Chai, fertility expert. Neither have children and both would like to, but not just yet . . .

Get the low down on all things egg freezing. How can we naturally improve our egg quality? Why should someone freeze their eggs? Are we really doomed after 35? And how much money does it COST?

Episode Summary

This is the sixth episode of The Cost of Love with Haley McGee. Welcome!

Haley McGee is a love idiot. She’s also an actor and the author of the forthcoming book, ‘The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale’. On The Cost of Love Podcast she’s talking to a wide range of experts to try to figure out if the cost of love is worth it.

Each episode features a conversation between Haley and someone in the know, and they dig into that strange juicy place where love and money collide.

This episode is all about the cost of love and egg freezing with fertility expert and wellness entrepreneur, Talia Chai. Buckle up and get your numbers head in the game, because this is a big one!

In part one, ‘Everyone’s a Love Idiot’, Haley grills Talia with a series of questions that attempt to quantify her romantic history. They cover, how many significant relationships she’s had vs how many times she's been in love, what the ratio of fun to misery was in her most significant relationship, and the important difference between heart-breakers and soul-crushers.

In part two, ‘Brains Over Braun’, Talia's expertise is applied to the concept of the cost of love. The discussion covers:

How Talia started Primer in the midst of a break-up and how turning 33 was a catalyst in her entrepreneurial journey
The pressure of the "biological clock" and what's so special about the number 35
The shame associated with freezing eggs, the emotional cost of being single in your 30s and fighting off feelings of failure
Dating app fatigue and how to avoid it
Talia gives us the facts and figures on fertility optimisation, and takes us through the nitty gritty science behind the "biological clock"
Getting your fertility tested: egg quantity and quality, the different kinds of tests, how to ask for what, the ins and outs of the different processes, and why this information is empowering
How you can take your fertility into your own hands through diet, lifestyle, supplements, sleep, exercise, and understanding any previous medical conditions you may have
What to ask your doctor to kickstart the process of freezing your eggs, and the importance of being open and honest about your goals for the process
The $$/££ needed in Canada and the UK, after adding up medication, procedure and storage
The average success rates and the reality that there's no guarantee
The role of the different genders in the process. Would the science be further along if the biological clock didn't solely affect those with ovaries?
Haley and Talia finish by looking at the additional costs of love in your 30s, and how to clap back against the ticking of the clock

In part three, ‘Free Hugs’, Talia and Haley answer listener questions on love and money, ranging from whether income reductions can exclude you from the dating world, and how to be generous without slapping down your credit card.

We end with July by Noah Cyrus, the song Talia listened to on repeat when going through her biggest heartbreak. Click the link to listen to the whole song.

About Talia Chai

Talia Chai (BFA, RHN) is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Cookbook Author, Food Photographer, Wellness Speaker, and Founder and CEO of Primer. In addition to working on Primer, Talia spends her time hosting Primer’s podcast, In Her Prime, where she interviews top experts, diving deep into fertility and women’s health, career tips, finance and investing, dating and relationships. She also enjoys working individually with her nutrition clients and cooking up a storm in her kitchen. In her spare time you can find Talia reading about the science behind aging and fertility, swinging a tennis racquet and trying not to miss, and challenging anyone around to a game of backgammon.

Primer provides education, community and solutions for women who want to know more about their fertility, whether they’re trying to conceive now or just want to learn. Primer believes that women have the right to know their options so they can have peace of mind today and make the best decisions for tomorrow. Primer is very excited about their upcoming launch, The BODY/MIND/EGGS Program: the first online course designed to help women in their reproductive years master their future fertility and stress less about timelines. Not from girlfriends or Dr. Google, but from, top doctors and specialists. Sign up by April 25, 2021.

Primer Social Handles:

You can follow Primer on Instagram @primerwellness, Twitter @primerwellness

and on Facebook @primerwellness

Website: https://www.primerwellness.com/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/in-her-prime/id1500618620

Other Things Mentioned

Definitions:
Anatomic terminology: Mitochondria, Egg/Ovum, Sperm, follicles
Types of testing: Blood testing (AMH and FSH), Transvaginal Ultrasound
Environmental toxins, Endocrine Disruptors andThe Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen and Clean 15
Supplements: Vitamin D, Folic Acid, Omega 3 Fatty Acids (EPA and DHA), CoQ10.
To hear the extended version about why each of these supplements is important to fertility, click here!
Mediterranean Diet
Cost of freezing eggs in the UK information Haley referred to after googling.
The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale by Haley McGee (available for pre-order in the UK)