I grew up in the Midwest and have always been drawn to the medical field and knew in high school that I wanted to become a doctor. I attended the University of Texas for undergrad where I was a collegiate track and field athlete as well as a biology pre-med major. It was certainly a challenge at times to balance both but I think being an athlete through most of my life definitely shaped me and prepared me for a career in medicine.

While in medical school, I was always passionate about women’s health and I knew that I wanted to be in a field of medicine where I could work with women on a daily basis. I was drawn to OBGYN because you have the opportunity to delivery babies- which is such an amazing experience to be part of- as well as have continuity of care throughout someone’s lifetime from adolescence to menopause. While in residency, I did my reproductive endocrinology and infertility rotation and was so excited about that particular niche in OBGYN. I loved the science, the patients and the ability to be a part of an individual or couple’s family building journey. I feel so honored to be able to do this on a daily basis.

There are so many misconceptions when it comes to fertility. The biggest ones I hear about often are age and fertility and not having an understanding of just how much age plays a role in the decline in fertility we see. Also there is a lot of stigma when it comes to fertility and miscarriages and I just want to cut into that and make sure people are aware of how common both of them are and that they are not alone if they are going through those.

I wanted to be a voice in this space that can cut through a lot of the noise and misinformation and share evidence based medicine and relatable advice. I want women to be able to understand their bodies and reproduction and have a safe space to talk about issues that receive a lot of stigma like postpartum depression, infertility and miscarriage.

Motherhood has been the best and hardest experience I have had. It still fascinates me that you go to the hospital as one person and then you deliver your child and you leave with this new little human that completely transforms your world. I think because babies don’t come into this world attached to little manuals, I have found that I am constantly questioning if what I am doing is good or right or best. I think I, like many moms, always wonder if we are doing enough for our children and that can be very taxing mentally. I have to constantly remind myself that what I see on social media is not always reality and that most people share the good…the smiling photos, the clean house and that those photos aren’t always the reality. So my biggest piece of advice to expecting moms is to know to give yourself grace and patience. And that no matter what, your baby loves you. You are their entire world.

Willow has been a game changer in terms of being able to efficiently and effectively pump at work. I was so nervous about my supply dropping when I went back to work, about balancing pumping and patient care and about whether a wireless pump could adequately maintain my supply. The willow relieved all of my doubts! It has been helpful every single day and what is super nice is that they are small so I can fit them in my main work bag and not have to bring an extra “pump” bag with me. Additionally, I can pump while writing notes or taking calls so I am able to keep being productive!

The biggest issues facing women’s health are the high maternal mortality rates in the US as well as women having access to quality healthcare. The US has one of the worst maternal mortality rates in the world among developed countries and those risks increase 2-3 fold for Black and minority women. One of the drivers behind this is access to care. Black women and other women of color are significantly less likely to have access to health insurance or health care. They are less likely to have a preconception visit and less likely to be seen in the first trimester which is where a lot of counseling and education occur regarding any other medical comorbidities.

Temeka Zore, MD, is a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist and board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist currently practicing at Spring Fertility in San Francisco. She enjoys taking care of a wide range of reproductive and fertility issues but has a special passion for fertility preservation and educating and empowering women regarding their reproductive health. Follow her on Instagram @temekazoremd.