185. It’s Not Just Her: Male Factor Fertility and Genetics Uncovered
Infertility isn’t only a women’s issue, though too often, it’s talked about like it is. In this episode, we’re digging into male factor infertility: what it means, how it’s diagnosed, and how it impacts couples emotionally, physically, and relationally.
We’re joined by Paul Kassebaum, a quantum physicist, and his wife Julia Cohen, an economist, who live in Westchester, NY. In 2021, their family-building journey took an unexpected turn with a diagnosis of male factor infertility. They open up about the medical and emotional twists and turns of their path, and why they hope sharing their story will help others feel less alone.
To give us a full picture, we also bring in experts: Dr. Ariel Moradzadeh, a reproductive endocrinologist, and Abbe Golding, a genetic counselor at Jscreen. Together, we explore:
What male factor infertility actually is, what the causes are, and how it’s evaluated
Who should be doing the testing and why it matters
The role genetics can play in male infertility
The emotional and psychosocial impact on men and couples
How couples like Paul and Julia navigate the unexpected and find resilience
Whether you’re directly facing male factor infertility, supporting a partner, or simply learning more about the different paths to parenthood, this conversation is a mix of story, science, and support.
Note: This episode is the 3rd of a series of 5 that we are collaborating on with Jscreen in 2025.
Take a look at our previous two episodes here :
Episode 157: Introduction to Genetics and Infertility
Episode 166: Fragile X Syndrome: A Silent Factor in Infertility
About Paul Kassebaum and Julia Cohen:
Paul Kassebaum (Kass-eh-bomb) and Julia Cohen live in Westchester, NY where Paul is a quantum physicist and Julia is an economist. In 2021 they were forced to reconsider how to start a family when presented with a diagnosis of male factor infertility. They hope that by sharing both the medical and emotional aspects of their journey they can be a resource for other couples navigating the infertility space.
About Dr. Ariel Moradzadeh:
Dr. Ariel Moradzadeh attended medical school at The David Geffen school of medicine at UCLA. Following medical school, he completed his General Surgery internship and Urology residency at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he developed his passion for men’s health and male infertility. Following residency, he completed an andrology, men’s health, male and infertility fellowship at UCLA, and he now works as a full-time reproductive Urologist at Cedars-Sinai. When he is not treating patients, he enjoys running, swimming, weight lifting and yoga.
About Abbe Golding:
Abbe Golding is a certified genetic counselor and works as a community education and outreach manager for JScreen. She is passionate about providing genetic knowledge that empowers individuals to make informed healthcare decisions. Abbe believes that accurate and relatable genetic information should be accessible to everyone. Abbe lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with her husband and daughter.
