ABOUT
Why Fertility Became My Mission
Gabie’s Story
“I got married and was ready to have a baby. My gynecologist told me what most women hear: come back after a year if nothing happens. A year later started the appointments, the tests, the confusion, and the unanswered questions. We were sent straight to IVF, the standard approach, before anyone explored our whole-body health or asked what else might be going on.
It was the hardest thing I've gone through and it's also what showed me what needs to change.
Fertility care is not designed around you, and you deserve better."
Gabie Peytchev, Founder of WOVA Health
Gabie’s Mission
At WOVA Health, our mission is to help people feel more supported, informed, and grounded throughout their fertility journey.
We provide integrated, whole-person fertility support that works alongside clinical care, with guidance around lifestyle, nutrition, emotional wellbeing, and other factors that impact reproductive health but often fall outside the scope of a clinic visit. Whether you’re trying naturally, preparing for treatment, or navigating fertility care, WOVA is designed so people don’t have to carry the journey entirely on their own.
MEET THE FOUNDER
Gabriela Peytchev
Sharing Her Story
Founder | CEO | IVF Mama
It wasn’t easy becoming a parent. The unexpected challenges I faced changed how I think about fertility and what it takes to feel supported through it. Along the way, I was deeply moved by the stories of friends who were also struggling with infertility, and their resilience opened my eyes to the emotional and physical toll it takes for all of us.
My husband and I explored every avenue, lifestyle changes, alternative therapies, and ultimately IVF, which is how our baby is here today. What we learned along the way is that the lifestyle work didn't replace medical care; it ran alongside it, and it changed how I felt physically and emotionally at every stage. I also came to see how often fertility care overlooks whole-body health and the health of both partners.
That realization sparked a deep desire to create a space that truly supports individuals and families on their reproductive journey, no matter where they are in the process.
Facing Male Factor Infertility in My 20s
When I was in my 20s, I began planning for a family with my partner at the time. After a year of trying to conceive without success, we were diagnosed with male factor infertility. IVF was quickly presented as the path forward, with little discussion of his health, our lifestyle, or other ways we might support our fertility together. Our relationship didn't survive that period, and we never moved forward with treatment.
What stood out to me then, and what I've seen repeated in so many women's stories since, is how quickly the system moves toward treatments like IVF, even when the fertility issue is related to the male partner. There's often little time or space for holistic fertility care or preconception health, despite growing research showing how much these matter for outcomes.
Unexplained Infertility and Industry Pressures
In my 30s, I faced another challenge: unexplained infertility with my husband. After a year of trying, IVF was again presented quickly, with limited discussion of what else might be worth exploring first. We moved forward, and when our first cycle failed, the next conversation that came up was considering an egg donor, which felt premature for us as a couple.
During this time, I learned so much from friends going through their own fertility struggles. Many had chronic metabolic conditions that had gone undiagnosed for years, only surfacing when they sought help to conceive. Others felt swept into additional treatments without a real conversation about whether their broader health, lifestyle, or both partners' contribution had been fully explored first.
I want to be clear: the clinicians I encountered were skilled and well-intentioned, and many people I know are deeply grateful for the care they received. What kept standing out to me was a structural gap. There often isn't time or scope in clinical care to look at whole-person health, both partners' contribution, or what's happening between appointments and that gap is where so much suffering, confusion, and missed opportunity lives.
Finding Compassion and Hope
At 36, with a diagnosis of diminished ovarian reserve, I finally found a doctor who took the time to listen, explained things clearly, and made me feel like a partner in my own care. Her guidance helped me feel more grounded as I went through two more IVF cycles and we welcomed our daughter, Victoria.
The Need for Whole-Body Fertility Support
Through all of this, I realized how little attention was paid to the overall health of both partners in the conception process. My husband was managing ongoing health challenges, and I was working through past trauma I had been carrying for years. As someone passionate about health and wellness, I dove into research and started making lifestyle changes, such as adjusting our environment, exploring holistic practices, and seeking out experts in nutrition, mental health, and integrative care. Over time, we both felt meaningfully better, physically and emotionally even before our daughter arrived.
But the process was exhausting. I had to figure out who to trust, what mattered most, and how to fit it all alongside our medical care - entirely on my own. There was no central place for holistic fertility support, no one helping me make sense of the mind, body, and lifestyle factors that were affecting our fertility.
What also struck me was how often medical care and holistic care are positioned as if they're at odds, as if you have to choose between trusting your doctor and trusting your body, between evidence-based treatment and lifestyle support. In reality, they belong together. My medical team got us to our daughter; the lifestyle work helped me show up to that journey grounded, healthier, and more whole. No one should have to choose between clinical support and non-clinical support or try to piece it all together alone.
Why I Created This Platform
Before WOVA, I spent over 15 years in finance and business, most recently as a Global Director at Genesys and Cisco (AppDynamics), where I developed a deep understanding of strategy, systems, finance, and problem-solving. After everything my husband and I went through, I knew I wanted to put what I had learned toward something more personal and more meaningful to me. My journey through infertility had opened my eyes to the gaps in reproductive healthcare, and I wanted to build the kind of support I had needed and couldn't find.
That's why I started WOVA - to give individuals and couples coherent, trusted support across the full fertility journey, before, during, and after treatment. I believe in a collaborative approach that values both clinical fertility care and holistic, whole-body support, one that helps people make informed choices and feel genuinely supported, not just clinically managed, throughout their reproductive journey.
The Philosophy Behind WOVA
Healthier parents tend to bring healthier pregnancies and healthier children. The whole-body work people do during their fertility journey isn't just about getting pregnant. It's also about building a stronger foundation for the family they’re hoping to grow.
I believe whole-person fertility support belongs at the center of care.