Podcasts about FSH

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Tami Rowen discuss menopause, perimenopause, and hormone therapy. She explains that menopause is defined as one year without a period, while perimenopause can last up to 10 years with symptoms like mood changes and menstrual irregularities. Dr. Rowen discusses the changes in FSH levels and how to understand what the levels mean across time, and why they may not be as helpful as you think. She also explains how hormone therapy can alleviate symptoms and prevent osteoporosis, and that bioidentical hormones are preferred for their safety and efficacy. Finally, she cautions that social media can spread both accurate and misleading information about menopause and hormone therapy.    Key Takeaways: There is a debate over whether or not there is a cardiovascular benefit to starting hormone therapy early. While several studies suggest there may be a benefit, all the current guidelines recommend against using hormone therapy specifically for the prevention of heart disease.  When somebody enters menopause or post-menopause, there is no significant change in their testosterone levels. However, testosterone will be lower than when someone was in their 20s.  The majority of people giving information about menopause are not healthcare providers. Oftentimes, when they are discussing hormone therapy, some of the risks get missed, some of the benefits get overblown, and many are left believing hormone therapy will be a cure-all.   "Anytime someone makes a definitive statement, I would take it with a grain of salt and just know that there's oftentimes nuance to recommendations and guidance, and I would encourage all women to seek out a provider that is familiar with the data." —  Dr. Tami Rowen   Connect with Dr. Tami Rowen: Professional Bio: https://profiles.ucsf.edu/tami.rowen  Website: https://www.ucsfhealth.org/providers/tami-rowen  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtamirowen/    Connect with Therese: Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net Threads: @critically_speaking Instagram: @criticallyspeakingpodcast Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

Being told you have Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) or premature menopause can feel like the door has closed on your fertility. But these terms don't mean the same thing and understanding the distinction is essential, especially if you're still hoping to conceive. In this episode, we break down what's actually happening hormonally in each condition, why they're often confused, and how a functional fertility approach can help you understand what may still be possible. You'll learn: The key differences between POI, premature menopause, and early menopause What your labs are really telling you about ovarian function Signs that your ovaries may still be active even if your cycle has stopped Which functional tests give deeper insight into thyroid, immune, gut, and adrenal factors that influence ovarian health How inflammation, autoimmune activity, stress physiology, and nutrient imbalances can drive ovarian shutdown Supportive nutritional, lifestyle, and mind-body strategies that may improve hormone communication and egg health When to combine functional and conventional care to optimize your chances of conception This episode is especially for you if: You've been told you have POI, premature menopause, or early menopause and want clarity about whether your ovaries have truly stopped functioning You're under 45 with irregular or missing cycles, hot flashes, or elevated FSH, and want to understand your next steps from a functional-fertility lens You've felt dismissed or told "it's over," yet you want to explore supportive strategies that may help your hormones and ovaries regain activity, naturally or alongside medical care Next Steps in Your Fertility Journey Subscribe to Get Pregnant Naturally for evidence-based guidance on functional fertility, and share this episode with anyone on their fertility journey. Not sure where to start? Download our most popular guide:  Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant This Year If You Have Low AMH/High FSH it breaks everything down step by step to help you understand your options and take action For personalized support to improve pregnancy success, book a call here. --- Timestamps 00:00 Understanding POI and early menopause and why the distinction changes your fertility options when cycles are irregular or absent. 01:45 What POI before age 40 means and how irregular periods and fluctuating FSH can still indicate remaining ovarian activity. 03:00 Real examples of women with AMH at 0.04 ng/mL and 0.08 ng/mL who conceived by addressing inflammation, gut health, thyroid, and stress patterns. 04:00 How disrupted communication between the brain and ovaries drives POI and the role of autoimmunity, nutrient status, and the nervous system. 05:00 What premature menopause looks like on labs and why confirming ovarian shutdown matters when planning next steps. 06:10 How some women in their forties regain cycles and conceive naturally and what this reveals about hormonal resilience. 08:00 Factors that accelerate ovarian aging, including elevated hsCRP, gut infections, thyroid imbalance, environmental toxins, and nutrient gaps. 09:50 Why the gut and vaginal microbiome influence egg quality and implantation and how hidden infections affect fertility outcomes. 10:50 How functional thyroid ranges guide fertility decisions and why a TSH below 2 mIU/L supports better ovarian signaling and hormone balance. 14:40 Nutrition, mitochondrial support, mineral balance, and mind body work that help improve egg health and ovulation signaling. --- Resources

High FSH: three little letters that can send you spiraling when you're trying to get pregnant. Maybe you've been told your FSH is "too high," your eggs are "too old," or that an egg donor is your only chance at having a baby, but this episode is here to shift that narrative and help you see that number in a completely different light. We'll unpack what high FSH really means, how it fits into your bigger fertility picture, and explore some powerful ways to work with your body in your later reproductive years so you can feel informed, hopeful, and back in the driver's seat of your journey to conception. Episode Highlights:  What FSH is, how it signals your ovaries to grow follicles, and how it rises and falls across a normal menstrual cycle.​ How many follicles you start with in the womb, what's typically left by puberty, and how that pool changes in your 20s, 30s, and 40s.​ Why FSH tends to climb as ovarian reserve declines and how that relates to egg quality and endometrial receptivity.​ The problem with using a single FSH number to push women toward egg donor and why two women with the same value can have very different outcomes.​ How stress, adrenal health, blood‑sugar balance, and inflammation impact FSH signaling and overall hormone harmony.​ Functional tools to support FSH and ovarian health in later reproductive years How a whole‑body, functional approach can help preserve cycles, support egg quality, and keep your body receptive to natural conception, even with high FSH If you're LOVING this podcast, please follow and leave a rating and review below. PLUS FOLLOW MY INSTAGRAM PAGE HERE FOR BITE SIZED TTC TIPS! Related Episode Links: Apply for Private Fertility Coaching with Nora here Click here for a collection of Nora's best self paced programs to get & stay pregnant For full show notes and related links: https://www.naturallynora.ca/blog/170  Grab Your FREE Resources: Just starting your TTC journey? Download my Eat To Get Pregnant Guide  Having trouble getting and staying pregnant? Download my Top 3 Things To Do When You're Not Getting Pregnant Wondering what supplements to take to help you conceive? Download my Fertility Foundations Supplement Guide Please Note: The contents of this podcast are for educational and informational purposes only. The information is not to be interpreted as, or mistaken for, clinical advice. Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider for medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.  

Hi everyone! In this week's live Q&A, I answered your presubmitted questions from all around the world. I'm so grateful you share your stories and let me walk this journey with you.

Send us a textHot flashes don't keep a schedule, and neither do lab numbers. We sit down with Dr. Rachel Novik of Cleveland Clinic's Center for Specialized Women's Health to cut through the noise around perimenopause, menopause, and hormone testing—and focus on what actually helps you feel like yourself again.We talk about why the most reliable “diagnosis” of menopause is still 12 months without a period, and when lab work like estradiol and FSH can be helpful for patients with hormonal IUDs or after hysterectomy. She breaks down common myths about the Dutch test and other urine hormone panels, explains why major medical societies don't endorse them for menopause, and shows how chasing unvalidated numbers can drive unnecessary supplements and costs without improving outcomes.If you're overwhelmed by conflicting advice on “balancing hormones,” this episode offers a calmer path: collaborate with a clinician, align on goals, and judge success by how you feel, not a single number.Support the show

If you're over 40 and have been told your ovarian reserve is low, you've likely heard things like your only option is IVF with donor eggs or your time has run out. But those statements rarely tell the full story. In today's episode, Improve Ovarian Reserve to Get Pregnant After 40, we explore what ovarian reserve actually measures, why it does not define your fertility potential, and how a functional fertility approach can support egg quality, hormone communication, and your chances of pregnancy, whether naturally or with IVF. Even after 40, your body can respond when you understand the underlying imbalances that influence ovarian function. You'll learn • What AMH, FSH, and AFC truly indicate and why they don't measure egg quality • How mitochondrial energy, nutrient levels, and antioxidants influence egg development after 40 • The role of thyroid health and why optimal TSH should be below 2.0 when trying to conceive • How gut infections, immune dysregulation, and vaginal microbiome imbalances affect ovarian reserve • Which functional tests help uncover hidden imbalances that impact egg potential, including GI MAP, DUTCH, GrowBaby, and HTMA This episode is especially for you if: • You are 40 or older and have been told your AMH is low or your FSH is high • You have experienced failed IVF cycles, early loss, or poor egg quality and want to know what else you can do • You want a functional fertility framework that looks at hormone communication, egg energy, and whole body imbalances rather than just chasing lab numbers Next Steps in Your Fertility Journey Subscribe to Get Pregnant Naturally for evidence-based guidance on functional fertility, and share this episode with anyone on their fertility journey. Not sure where to start? Download our most popular guide:  Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant This Year If You Have Low AMH/High FSH it breaks everything down step by step to help you understand your options and take action For personalized support to improve pregnancy success, book a call here. --- Timestamps 00:00 What low ovarian reserve really means after 40 Why AMH and FSH do not predict your ability to conceive and why your fertility is not defined by these numbers. 01:00 AMH, FSH and AFC explained for women over 40 How ovarian reserve tests measure quantity, not quality and why functional fertility looks deeper. 02:00 Case study: Diminished ovarian reserve at 41 with autoimmune clues A real example of low AMH and Hashimoto's with gut infections that resulted in a natural pregnancy. 04:00 Mitochondria and egg energy after 40 How mitochondrial function influences egg maturation and which nutrients support better ovarian energy. 05:00 Thyroid health and why TSH must be optimal to conceive The full thyroid picture and why ferritin, antibodies and gluten sensitivity matter for ovarian reserve. 07:00 Mineral balance and heavy metals that affect ovarian reserve How magnesium, copper imbalance and toxic metals influence egg quality and hormone stability. 08:30 Adrenal stress and cortisol patterns that lower ovarian signaling How chronic stress suppresses FSH and LH and what adrenal patterns look like on testing. 10:00 Gut health, estrogen metabolism and inflammation How dysbiosis, leaky gut and yeast overgrowth interfere with follicle growth and hormone balance. 11:00 Vaginal microbiome and hidden infections linked to failed implantation Why Ureaplasma, Mycoplasma and high pH environments reduce embryo success and implantation. 13:00 Case study: Natural pregnancy at 43 with DOR A woman with low AMH and high FSH who addressed gut, adrenal and thyroid imbalances and conceived naturally. --- Resources

If you've been told you have poor egg quality, you might feel like your options are limited or that your body isn't capable of what you want most. In this episode, 5 Tips to Get Pregnant Even with Poor Egg Quality, we break down what egg quality really means, what affects it, and how to support your fertility through a functional-fertility lens. You'll learn practical, research-informed strategies that influence the environment where your eggs mature and develop. You'll learn: What poor egg quality actually means and why it's about cellular function, not the number of eggs How oxidative stress, thyroid issues, inflammation, toxin exposure, and blood sugar imbalances affect egg development The top functional strategies to support mitochondrial energy, hormone communication, and ovulation How gut health, minerals, detoxification, and nervous system regulation impact egg and embryo quality Research-backed mind–body approaches shown to improve pregnancy outcomes in IVF and natural conception This episode is especially for you if: You've been told you have poor egg quality, low AMH, or high FSH and want to understand what's actually behind those numbers You've had failed IVF cycles or early losses and want to know what else you can do to influence your outcome You want a whole body, functional fertility approach that supports egg development, mitochondrial health, and hormone communication Sarah Clark is the founder of Fab Fertile Inc. and the host of Get Pregnant Naturally. Her team specializes in functional approaches for low AMH, high FSH, diminished ovarian reserve, premature ovarian insufficiency, recurrent miscarriage and helping couples prepare their bodies for pregnancy success naturally or with IVF. Next Steps in Your Fertility Journey Subscribe to Get Pregnant Naturally for evidence-based guidance on functional fertility, and share this episode with anyone on their fertility journey. Not sure where to start? Download our most popular guide:  Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant This Year If You Have Low AMH/High FSH it breaks everything down step by step to help you understand your options and take action For personalized support to improve pregnancy success, book a call here. --- Timestamps 00:00 – What Poor Egg Quality Really Means Understanding how oxidative stress, thyroid imbalance, inflammation, mitochondrial issues, and chronic stress affect egg development. 01:42 – Why Functional Fertility Testing Changes Outcomes How deeper testing like GI MAP, DUTCH, and nutrient panels uncovers what IVF and basic labs often miss. 03:20 – Success Story: Improving Egg Quality with Hashimoto's and Low AMH A real case of transforming egg health after being told IVF was the only option. 04:08 – Mitochondrial Support for Better Egg Development Key nutrients like CoQ10, omega 3s, B vitamins, magnesium, and antioxidant rich foods that influence egg energy and embryo potential. 05:04 – Why Fasting, Keto, and Undereating Lower Fertility How shaky blood sugar, cortisol spikes, long fasting windows, and restrictive diets impact ovulation and hormone balance. 07:00 – Blood Sugar, Protein Targets, and Egg Free Breakfast Ideas Optimal A1C ranges, how to stabilize blood sugar, and how protein supports hormone communication and egg maturation. 08:40 – Reducing Inflammation and Daily Toxin Exposure Plastics, fragrances, water filtration, and anti inflammatory eating patterns that support healthy follicles. 09:50 – Functional Lab Testing to Personalize Your Fertility Plan Why combining GI MAP, food sensitivities, mineral testing, and mycotoxin screening gives a clearer picture of egg quality barriers. 13:10 – Thyroid, Adrenals, Liver, and Key Nutrients for Fertility How TSH, ferritin, vitamin D, homocysteine, cortisol patterns, and estrogen detox impact egg and embryo quality. 19:00 – The Mind Body Connection and Research Behind IVF Success What the Domar studies and HRV research show about stress, cortisol, and improving ovarian function. 22:10 – The 90 Day Egg Development Window and IVF Readiness Why creating a low inflammation, nutrient rich environment improves egg quality and IVF response. --- Resources

Dr. Natalie Crawford, board-certified OBGYN and REI, tackles the overwhelming and often misunderstood diagnosis of diminished ovarian reserve (DOR). If you've been told your egg count is low or your AMH levels aren't ideal, you're not alone. This episode provides clarity on what these numbers really mean, how to interpret your fertility options, and empowering next steps for anyone facing this diagnosis. Key Topics: 1. Ovarian Reserve - What diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) is and what it is not - The difference between egg quantity (reserve) and egg quality - How tests like AMH, FSH, and AFC reflect ovarian health 2. Understanding Your Test Results - Interpreting fluctuating hormone and follicle counts - Why a low ovarian reserve diagnosis does not mean pregnancy is impossible - The importance of considering age and individual medical history 3. Influencing Factors & Taking Control - Lifestyle and health factors that impact your reserve - The crucial role of diet, exercise, sleep, and avoiding toxins - When and why to seek a second medical opinion 4. Charting Your Fertility Path - Today's treatment options - Tailoring plans to your life stage and goals - Making informed, empowered decisions for your unique fertility journey Pre-order Dr. Crawford's debut book, The Fertility Formula, now! ⁠https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/book⁠ Want to receive my weekly newsletter? Sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠nataliecrawfordmd.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ to receive updates, Q&A, special content, and freebies If you haven't already, please rate, review, and follow the podcast to be notified of new episodes every Tuesday. Plus, be sure to follow along on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@nataliecrawfordmd,⁠⁠⁠⁠ check out Natalie's YouTube channel Natalie Crawford MD⁠⁠⁠⁠, and if you're interested in becoming a patient, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Fora Fertility. Join the Learn at Pinnacle app ⁠to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode! This episode is brought to you by The Pinnacle Podcast Network! Learn more about Pinnacle at http://learnatpinnacle.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've ever been told your FSH is too high or that you're not a good candidate for IVF, today's episode will help you understand what that number actually means and the many ways you can still support your fertility. When most people hear "high FSH," they immediately think poor ovarian reserve or low egg count. That's not the full story. In this episode, we look at what high FSH signals, how to interpret it alongside other markers, and what both conventional and functional fertility options can help you move forward with clarity. You'll learn: • What high FSH actually measures and why context matters when paired with AMH, estradiol, and AFC • How inflammation, stress, thyroid imbalance, sleep, and environmental toxins influence FSH • Conventional treatment options such as mini IVF, natural cycle IVF, Letrozole, and individualized stimulation protocols • How functional fertility improves the internal environment so your ovaries respond better to any treatment • The key labs, nutrients, and lifestyle factors that support egg quality and hormone communication in high FSH cases This episode is especially for you if: • You've been told you have high FSH or diminished ovarian reserve and worry the window is closing • You've had canceled IVF cycles or poor responses and want to understand what else you can do • You want to see how a functional fertility approach can support egg quality so your next steps feel strategic and not desperate Sarah Clark is the founder of Fab Fertile Inc. and the host of Get Pregnant Naturally. Her team specializes in functional approaches for low AMH, high FSH, diminished ovarian reserve, premature ovarian insufficiency, recurrent miscarriage and helping couples prepare their bodies for pregnancy success naturally or with IVF. Next Steps in Your Fertility Journey Subscribe to Get Pregnant Naturally for evidence-based guidance on functional fertility, and share this episode with anyone on their fertility journey. Not sure where to start? Download our most popular guide:  Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant This Year If You Have Low AMH/High FSH it breaks everything down step by step to help you understand your options and take action For personalized support to improve pregnancy success, book a call here. --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – What High FSH Really Means for Fertility What FSH actually measures, why it does not reflect egg quality, and why high FSH is often misunderstood in conventional fertility care. 01:00 – The Emotional Impact of High FSH and Canceled IVF Cycles Understanding why high FSH triggers fear, how it influences IVF decisions, and how a functional lens shifts your strategy. 02:00 – Real Case Story: FSH in the 60s Reduced to 7 A Fab Fertile client lowered FSH dramatically after three failed IVFs and conceived with her own eggs after being told donor eggs were the only option. 03:00 – Drivers of High FSH: Inflammation, Stress, Thyroid, Sleep, and Toxins FSH as feedback, not failure. Exploring how inflammation, poor sleep, blood sugar imbalance, thyroid dysfunction, and environmental toxins impact ovarian response. 04:00 – Conventional Treatment Options for High FSH Mini IVF, natural-cycle IVF, Letrozole, Clomid, individualized protocols, medication dosing considerations, and how clinics determine next steps. 05:00 – Why Medication Alone Isn't Enough: The Functional Fertility Lens How functional testing identifies hidden blocks like gut infections, food sensitivities, chronic inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, and nervous system dysregulation. 06:00 – Hidden Stressors That Disrupt Egg Quality and Hormone Signaling Parasites, H. pylori, bacterial overgrowths, mold exposure, toxin load, fragrances, plastics, and irregular cortisol patterns that impact egg development. 09:00 – Key Fertility Labs for High FSH Optimal vs normal ranges for thyroid markers, vitamin D, ferritin, fasting insulin, A1C, homocysteine, and how methylation affects hormone detox and ovarian health. 12:00 – Functional Testing That Personalizes Your Fertility Plan GI-MAP, food sensitivity testing, DUTCH hormone mapping, genetic testing (MTHFR, COMT, GST), and vaginal microbiome tests for implantation and inflammation insights. 18:00 – When to Pause IVF and Re-Evaluate Your Strategy Why repeating protocols isn't effective when the internal environment isn't optimized. When a 3–6 month reset can improve ovarian response and IVF success. 19:00 – Final Takeaway: High FSH as a Message, Not a Verdict High FSH is information, not a dead end. How combining functional optimization with conventional care improves egg quality, hormone signaling, and overall fertility outcomes. RESOURCES

 In this episode, Sakara founders Whitney Tingle and Danielle DuBoise sit down with world-renowned fertility expert Dr. Zaher Merhi, founder and medical director of the Rejuvenating Fertility Center. Named one of the Top 2% Scientists in the World, Dr. Merhi is pioneering a new era of women's health—one where fertility, longevity, and regenerative medicine are deeply interconnected. Together, they explore groundbreaking new frontiers in fertility—from stem cell ovarian rejuvenation and reproductive immunology to natural and low-dose IVF alternatives. Dr. Merhi challenges traditional fertility medicine, emphasizing that IVF isn't always the answer—and that many women can restore fertility and hormonal health by addressing underlying inflammation, immune imbalances, and lifestyle factors. Whether you're thinking about kids, navigating perimenopause, or simply curious about optimizing your hormonal health, this conversation offers a powerful perspective: your fertility is a reflection of your overall vitality—and supporting it means nurturing your whole body, mind, and spirit. Dr. Merhi Shares:  Why inflammation is at the root of many fertility challenges How reproductive immunology helps prevent miscarriage and support healthy pregnancies The science of PRP and stem cell ovarian rejuvenation Why IVF is not the only answer The link between mental state, nourishment, and fertility How regenerative therapies like ozone and exosome treatments are advancing longevity and hormonal health Check out the video version on the Sakara Life YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/uTjlwH7wNhM  About Dr. Merhi: Dr. Merhi is the founder and the medical director of Rejuvenating Fertility Center (RFC). He is an internationally recognized fertility doctor, lecturer, editor, and grant reviewer. His training and faculty appointments included Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, NYU School of Medicine, and University of Vermont. He was a Professor at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University and the Director of the Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) Fellowship program (ACGME accredited). He is currently a Professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Maimonides Medical Center in New York. He has 3 American Board certifications in OB/GYN, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, and High-Complexity Laboratory Director (HCLD). Dr. Merhi is one of the few Reproductive Immunologists in the country and is an active researcher with an interest in women older than 40 with Low Ovarian Reserve (low AMH or high FSH), Stem Cell ovarian rejuvenation, gentle stimulation IVF, natural IVF, and IVF without injectables. He was named “Top 2% Scientists in the World.”His research also focuses on technologies, such as Stem Cell Exosomes, Ozone Sauna therapy, and Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT), that could improve egg quality especially in women with endometriosis, immune disorders, and PCOS. Dr. Merhi is also experienced in treating overweight women and those who had weight loss surgery. He is a strong proponent of the LGBTQ+ community and has proudly served the Arabic and Jewish Communities for over two decades.

You've been told your AMH is too low or that your egg quality isn't good enough, especially if you're over 40. But AMH doesn't define your fertility; it's a reflection of ovarian reserve, not your ability to conceive. In this episode, we explore how a functional fertility approach can help you uncover the real reasons AMH is low and how to support your eggs, hormones, and body so you can move forward with confidence whether naturally or with IVF. You'll Learn: What AMH really measures and why many women with low AMH still conceive once key systems are supported. The underlying causes that lower AMH: inflammation, gut health, blood-sugar imbalance, thyroid/adrenal dysfunction, and nutrient depletion. Which functional labs reveal what conventional testing often misses (GI-MAP, DUTCH, micronutrients). How to support egg quality after 40 through personalized nutrition, targeted supplements, toxin reduction, and nervous-system regulation. When IVF fits best and how preparing your body 3–6 months in advance can improve response, embryo quality, and implantation. Inspiring success stories, including Samantha (age 44, AMH 0.02 ng/mL), who conceived naturally after addressing gut infections, insulin resistance, and stress. This episode is especially for you if: You've been told your AMH is low and want to understand what that really means for your fertility. You're in your late 30s or 40s and want evidence-based ways to support egg quality naturally. You're unsure if IVF is the next step and want clarity before investing time, money, and hope. Sarah Clark is the founder of Fab Fertile Inc. and the host of Get Pregnant Naturally. Her team specializes in functional approaches for low AMH, high FSH, diminished ovarian reserve, premature ovarian insufficiency, recurrent miscarriage and helping couples prepare their bodies for pregnancy success naturally or with IVF. Next Steps in Your Fertility Journey Subscribe to Get Pregnant Naturally for evidence-based guidance on functional fertility, and share this episode with anyone on their fertility journey. Not sure where to start? Download our most popular guide:  Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant This Year If You Have Low AMH/High FSH it breaks everything down step by step to help you understand your options and take action For personalized support to improve pregnancy success, book a call here. --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – What Low AMH Really Means for Fertility → Understanding what anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) actually measures, and why it doesn't define your pregnancy potential. 02:00 – Why Egg Quality Matters More Than Egg Quantity → How mitochondrial health, inflammation, and hormone balance shape egg potential even with low AMH. 03:30 – Inflammation, Stress, and the Type-A Fertility Pattern → The hidden link between hsCRP, stress, and fertility outcomes in high-achieving women over 40. 05:00 – Functional Team Approach: Beyond Hormones and IVF → How the Fab Fertile Method integrates thyroid, gut, and nervous system insights to improve ovarian reserve and egg health. 07:30 – Gut Health and Fertility Connection → What infections like H. pylori mean for nutrient absorption, estrogen balance, and ovarian function. 09:30 – Blood Sugar, Sleep, and Mood Clues to Hormonal Imbalance → Recognizing insulin resistance and blood-sugar swings as hidden drivers of poor egg quality and disrupted cycles. 11:00 – Foundational Fertility Supplements That Actually Matter → How CoQ10, magnesium, vitamin D3/K2, and methylated prenatals support mitochondria and hormone regulation. 12:00 – Samantha's Story: Natural Conception at 44 with AMH 0.02 ng/mL → A real client case showing how addressing gut, thyroid, and adrenal imbalances made conception possible after repeated loss. 15:00 – Functional Tests That Reveal Why AMH Is Low → The key labs: full thyroid panel, hsCRP, ferritin, insulin, GI-MAP, DUTCH, and nutrient testing to find what's missed in conventional care. 18:00 – Creating a Fertile Environment After 40 → Practical steps to support egg quality, anti-inflammatory diet, toxin reduction, nervous system regulation, and realistic IVF timing. --- RESOURCES

If you've ever been told you're “too old,” your AMH is “too low,” your eggs are “gone,” or that donor eggs are your only option—you must listen to this episode.This is one of the most comprehensive, honest, science-based fertility conversations ever recorded.I sit down with one of the most innovative fertility specialists in the field to discuss breakthroughs that are changing possibilities for women at ANY age, including those with low ovarian reserve, recurrent loss, failed IVF cycles, or unexplained infertility.Today's guest is Dr. Zaher Merhi. Dr Merhi is the founder and the medical director of Rejuvenating Fertility Center (RFC). He is an internationally recognized fertility doctor, lecturer, editor, and grant reviewer. His training and faculty appointments included Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, NYU School of Medicine, and University of Vermont. He was a Professor at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University and the Director of the Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) Fellowship program (ACGME accredited). He is currently a Professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Maimonides Medical Center in New York. He has 3 American Board certifications in OB/GYN, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, and High-Complexity Laboratory Director (HCLD). Dr Merhi is one of the few Reproductive Immunologists in the country and is an active researcher with an interest in women older than 40 with Low Ovarian Reserve (low AMH or high FSH), Stem Cell ovarian rejuvenation, gentle stimulation IVF, natural IVF, and IVF without injectables. He was named “ONE OF THE TOP 2% SCIENTISTS IN THE WORLD.”For the first time publicly, you'll hear the truth about:✨ Environmental toxins are damaging eggs across generations✨ The rise of premature ovarian insufficiency✨ Microplastics found in the brain, ovaries & food supply✨ How inflammation drives aging, poor egg quality & failed implantation✨ Why diet absolutely impacts fertility (despite what many doctors say)✨ Cutting-edge ovarian rejuvenation options backed by published research✨ Stem-cell therapies are being used internationally to revive ovarian function✨ Why embryo testing is NOT black-and-white✨ The link between sperm DNA fragmentation & miscarriage✨ And why low AMH should NEVER be treated as an “infertility diagnosis”This conversation empowers couples with answers, hope, and real science—not fear.

Could what's happening in your mouth be impacting your fertility? In this episode of Get Pregnant Naturally, we explore the fascinating connection between your oral microbiome and reproductive health. From silent gum inflammation to the role of mouth breathing, you'll learn how your oral health can influence egg quality, implantation, gut balance, and even sperm DNA integrity. We're breaking down simple, practical steps, like the timing of dental cleanings, gentle oral-care swaps, and ways to reduce inflammation that can make a measurable difference on your fertility journey. If you're trying to conceive and want to uncover overlooked yet powerful strategies, this episode is for you. You'll learn: Why oral inflammation is often silent, but still disrupts fertility How male fertility is also impacted by oral bacteria The link between gum health, egg quality, and implantation Practical (and gentle!) oral-care strategies that support reproductive health The surprising connection between mouth breathing, sleep, and hormone signaling This episode is especially for you if: You've experienced canceled cycles, poor egg quality, or miscarriage without clear answers You're preparing for your next egg retrieval or transfer and want to optimize every detail You have bleeding gums, recurring cavities, or gingivitis and never considered how oral health affects fertility Not sure where to start? Download our most popular resource: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant This Year If You Have Low AMH/High FSH. It breaks everything down step by step to help you understand your options and take action. For personalized support to improve pregnancy success, book a call here. --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Can your mouth affect your fertility? How oral health connects to low AMH, high FSH, and diminished ovarian reserve. 02:10 The oral microbiome and reproductive health Why inflammation in the mouth can influence egg quality, implantation, and hormone balance. 05:00 Gum disease, inflammation, and egg quality decline How chronic oral inflammation impacts ovarian health, mitochondrial function, and embryo development. 08:20 Sperm DNA fragmentation and oral dysbiosis Why men's gum health and oral bacteria matter for sperm DNA integrity and IVF outcomes. 11:10 Mouth breathing, stress, and hormone disruption The surprising link between airway health, cortisol, sleep, and reproductive hormones. 14:05 The gut oral axis and fertility How oral and gut microbiomes interact and why healing the mouth helps the gut (and vice versa). 17:15 Functional fertility approach to oral inflammation Reducing inflammation through nutrition, detox support, and targeted supplements to improve fertility. 20:05 Fertility friendly oral care routine The best ways to support your oral microbiome: dental cleanings, oil pulling, hydroxyapatite toothpaste, and non-toxic swaps. 23:00 Optimizing IVF success through whole body health How addressing hidden inflammation and oral health can improve egg and sperm quality before IVF. 26:10 Next steps for low AMH and DOR Why focusing on oral, gut, and immune health together helps improve ovarian response and pregnancy success. 28:00 Final thoughts Key takeaways for improving fertility through oral and systemic health. --- RESOURCES

Dr. Pedro Barata and Dr. Aditya Bagrodia discuss the evolving landscape of testicular cancer survivorship, the impact of treatment-related complications, and management strategies to optimize long-term outcomes and quality of life. TRANSCRIPT:  Dr. Pedro Barata: Hello and welcome to By the Book, a podcast series from ASCO that features engaging conversations between editors and authors of the ASCO Educational Book. I'm Dr. Pedro Barata. I'm a medical oncologist at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center and associate professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. I'm also an associate editor of the ASCO Educational Book. We all know that testicular cancer is a rare but highly curable malignancy that mainly affects young men. Multimodal advances in therapy have resulted in excellent cancer specific survival, but testicular cancer survivors face significant long term treatment related toxicities which affect their quality of life and require surveillance and management. With that, I'm very happy today to be joined by Dr. Aditya Bagrodia, a urologic oncologist, professor, and the GU Disease Team lead at UC San Diego[KI1]  Health, and also the lead author of the recently published paper in the ASCO Educational Book titled, "Key Updates in Testicular Cancer: Optimizing Survivorship and Survival." And he's also the host of the world-renowned BackTable Urology Podcast. Dr. Bagrodia, I'm so happy that you're joining us today. Welcome. Dr. Aditya Bagrodia: Thanks, Pedro. Absolutely a pleasure to be here. Really appreciate the opportunity. Dr. Pedro Barata: Absolutely.  So, just to say that our full disclosures are available in the transcript of this episode.  Let's get things started. I'm really excited to talk about this. I'm biased, I do treat testicular cancer among other GU malignancies and so it's a really, really important topic that we face every day, right? Fortunately, for most of these patients, we're able to cure them. But it always comes up the question, "What now? You know, scans, management, cardio oncology, what survivorship programs we have in place? Are we addressing the different survivorship piece, psychology, fertility, et cetera?" So, we'll try to capture all of that today. Aditya, congrats again, you did a fantastic job putting together the insights and thoughts and what we know today about this important topic. And so, let's get focused specifically about what happens when patients get cured. So, many of us, in many centers, were fortunate enough to have these survivorship programs together, but I find that sometimes from talking to colleagues, they're not exactly the same thing and they don't mean the same thing to different people, to different institutions, right? So, first things first. What do you tell a patient perhaps when they ask you, "What can happen to me now that I'm done with treatment for testicular cancer?" Whether it's chemotherapy or just surgery or even radiation therapy? "So, what about the long term? What should I expect, Doctor, that might happen to me in the long run?" Dr. Aditya Bagrodia: Totally. I mean, I think that question's really front and center, Pedro, and really appreciate you all highlighting this topic. It was an absolute honor to work with true thought leaders and the survivorship bit of it is front and center, in my opinion. It's really the focus, you know, we, generally speaking should be able to cure these young men, but it's the 10, 15, 20 years down the way that they're going to largely contend with. The conversation really begins at diagnosis, pre-education. Fortunately, the bulk of patients that present are those with stage one disease, and even very basic things like before orchiectomy, talking about a prosthetic; we know that that can impact body image and self esteem, whether or not they decide to receive it or not. Actually, just being offered a prosthetic is important and this is something, you know, for any urologist, it's kind of critical. To discussing fertility elements to this, taking your time to examine the contralateral testicle, ask about fertility problems, issues, concerns, offer sperm banking, even in the context of a completely normal contralateral testicle, I think these things are quite important.  So if it's somebody with stage one disease, you know, without going too far down discussing adjuvant therapy and so forth, I will start the conversation with, "You know, the testes do largely two things. They make testosterone and they make sperm." By and large, patients are going to be able to have acceptable levels of testosterone, adequate sperm parameters to maintain kind of a normal gonadal state and to naturally conceive, should that be something they're interested in. However, there's still going to be, depending on what resource you look at, somewhere in the order of 10-30% that are going to have issues. Where I think for the stage one patients, it's really incumbent upon us is actually to not wait for them to discuss their concerns, particularly with testosterone, which many times can be a little bit vague, but to proactively ask about it every time. Libido, erectile quality, muscle mass maintenance, energy, fatigue. All of these are kind of associated symptoms of hypogonadism. But for a lot of kids 18-20 years old, it's going to be something insidious that they don't think about. So, for the stage one patients, it absolutely starts with gonadal function. If they are stage two getting surgery, I think the counseling really needs to center around a possibility for ejaculatory dysfunction. Now, for a chemotherapy-naive, nerve-sparing RPLND, generally these days we should be able to preserve ejaculatory function at high volume centers, but you still want to bring that up and again kind of touch base on thinking about sperm banking and so forth before the operation, scars, those are things I think worth talking about, small risk of ascites. Then, I think the intensity of potential long term adverse effects really ramps up when we're talking about systemic therapy, chemotherapy. And then there's of course some radiation therapy specific elements that come up. So, for the chemotherapy bits of it, I really think this is going to be something that can be a complete multi-system affected intervention. So, anxiety, depression, our group has actually shown using some population resources that even suicidality can be increased among patients that have been treated for germ cell tumor. You know, really from the top down, tinnitus, hearing changes, those are things that we need to ask about at every appointment. Neuropathy, sexual health, that we kind of talked about, including ED (erectile dysfunction), vertigo, dizziness, Raynaud's phenomenon, these are kind of more the symptoms that I think we need to inquire about every time. And what we do here and I think at a lot of survivorship programs is use kind of a battery of validated instruments, germ cell tumor specific, platinum treated patient specific. So we use a combination of EORTC questions and PROMIS questions, which actually serves as like a review of systems for the patient, also as a research element. We review that and then depending on what might be going on, we can dig into that further, get them over to colleagues in audiology or psychology, et cetera.  And then of course, screening for the hypertension, hyperlipidemia, metabolic syndrome with basically you or myself or somebody kind of like us serving, many times it's the role of the PCP, just making sure we're checking out, you know, CBC, CMP, et cetera, lipid parameters to screen for those kind of cardiac associated issues along with secondary malignancies. Dr. Pedro Barata: So that's super comprehensive and thorough. Thank you so much. Actually, I love how you break it down in a simple way. Two functions of the testes, produce testosterone and then, you know, the problem related to that is the hypogonadism, and then the second, as you mentioned, produce sperm and of course related to the fertility issues with that.  So, let's start with the first one that you mentioned. So, you do cite that in your paper, around 5-10% of men end up getting, developing hypogonadism, maybe clinical when they present with symptoms, maybe subclinical. So, I'm wondering, for our audience, what kind of recommendations we would give for addressing that or kind of thinking of that? How often are you ordering those tests? And then, when you're thinking about testosterone replacement therapy, is that something you do immediately or are there any guidelines into context that? How do you approach that? Dr. Aditya Bagrodia: So, just a bit more on digging into it even in terms of the questions to ask, you know, "Do you have any decrease in sexual drive? Any erectile dysfunction? Are your morning erections still taking place? Has the ejaculate volume changed? Physically, muscle mass, strength? Have you been putting on weight? Have you noticed increase in body fat?" And sometimes this is complicated because there's some anxiety that comes along with a cancer diagnosis when you're 20, 30 years old, multifactorial, hair loss, hot flashes, irritability. Sometimes they'll, you know, literally they'll say, "You know, my significant other or partners noticed that I'm really just a little bit labile." So I think, you know, there's the symptoms and then checking, usually kind of a gonadal panel, FSH, LH, free and total testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin, that's going to be typically pretty comprehensive. So if you've got symptoms plus some laboratory work, and ideally that pre-orchiectomy testosterone gives you some delta. If they started out at an 800, 900, now they're 400, that might be a big change for them. And then, when you talk about TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) recommendations, you know, Pedro, yourself, myself, we're kind of lucky to be at academic centers and we've got men's health colleagues that are ultra experts, but at a high level, I would say that a lot of the TRT options center around fertility goals. Exogenous testosterone treats the low T, but it does suppress gonadal function, including spermatogenesis. So if that's not a priority, they can just get TRT. It should be done under the care of a urologist, a men's health, an endocrinologist, where we're checking liver chemistries and CBCs and a PSA and so forth. If they're interested in fertility preservation, then I would say engaging an endocrinologist, men's health expert is important. There's medications even like hCG, Clomid, which works centrally and stimulate the gonadal access. Niche scenarios where they might want standard TRT now, and then down the way, 5, 7 years, they're thinking about coming off of that for fertility purposes, I think that's really where you want to have an expert involved because there's quite a bit of nuance there in recovery of actual spermatogenesis and so forth.  To kind of summarize, you got to ask about it. Checking it is, is not overly complicated. We do a baseline pre-orchiectomy and at least once annually, you can tag it in with the tumor markers, so it's not an extra blood draw. And if they have symptoms of course, kind of developed, then we'll move that up in the evaluation. Dr. Pedro Barata: Got it. And you also touch base on the fertility angle, which is truly important. And I'm just curious, you know, a lot of times many of us might see one, two patients a year, right, and we forget these protocols and what we've got to do about that.  And so I'm interested to hear your thoughts about when you think about fertility, and how proactive you get. In other words, who do you refer for the fertility clinic, for a fertility preservation program? You know, do all cases despite getting through orchiectomy or just the cases that you're going to, you know you're going to seek chemotherapy at some point? What kind of selection or it depends on the chemo, like how do you do that assessment about the referral for preservation program that you might have available at UCSD? Dr. Aditya Bagrodia: Yeah, I mean I feel really fortunate to sit on the NCCN Testis Cancer Guidelines. It's in there that fertility counseling should be discussed prior to orchiectomy. So 100% bring it up. If there are risk factors, undescended testicles, previous history of fertility concerns, atrophic contralateral testicle, anything on the ultrasound like microlithiasis in the contralateral testicle, you kind of wanna get it there. And then again, there's kind of niche scenarios where you're really worried, maybe get a semen analysis and it doesn't look that good, arrange for the time of orchiectomy to have onco-testicular sperm extraction from the, quote unquote, "normal" testis parenchyma. You know, I think you have to be kind of prepared to go that route and really make sure you're doing this completely comprehensively.  So pre-orchiectomy all patients. Don't really push for it too hard if they've got a contralateral testicle, if they've had no issues having children. There's some cost associated with this, sperm banking still isn't kind of covered even in the context of men with cancer. If they've got risk factors, absolutely pre-orchiectomy. Pre-RPLND, even though the rates of ejaculatory dysfunction at a high-volume center should be low single digits, I'll still offer it. That'd be a real catastrophe if they were in that small proportion of patients and now they're going to be reliant on things like intrauterine insemination, where it becomes quite expensive.  Pre-chemo, everybody. That's basically a standard these days where it should be discussed and it's kind of amazing currently, even if you don't have an accessible men's health fertility clinic, there are actually companies, I have no vested interest, Fellow is one such company where you can actually create an account, receive a FedEx semen analysis and cryopreservation kit, send it back in, and all CLIA certified, it's based out of California. The gentleman that runs it, is a urologist and very, very bright guy who's done a lot of great stuff for testis cancer. So, even for patients that are kind of in extremis at the hospital that kind of need to get going like yesterday, we still discuss it. We've got some mechanisms in place to either have them take a semen analysis over to our Men's Health clinic or send it off to Fellow, which I think is pretty cool and that even extends to some of our younger adolescent patients where going to a clinic and providing a sample might be tricky.  So, I think bringing it up every stage, anytime there's an intervention that might be offered, orchiectomy, chemo, surgery, radiation, it's kind of incumbent on us to discuss it. Dr. Pedro Barata: Gotcha. That's super helpful. And you also touch base on another angle, which is the psychosocial angle around this. You mentioned suicidal rates, you mentioned anxiety, perhaps depression in some cases as well as chronic fatigue, not necessarily just because of the low testosterone that you can get, but also from a psychological perspective. I'm curious, what do the recommendations look like for that? Do these patients need to see a social worker or a psychologist, or do they need to answer a screening test every time they come to see us and then based on that, we kind of escalate, take the next steps according to that? Do they see a psychologist perhaps every so often? How should that be managed and addressed? Dr. Aditya Bagrodia: It's an excellent question and again, these can be rather insidious symptoms where if you don't really dig in and inquire, they can be glossed over. I mean, how easy to say, "Your markers look okay, your scans look okay. See you in six months," and keep it kind of brief. First off, I think bringing it up proactively and normalizing it, that, "This may be something that you experience. Many people do, you're not alone, there's nothing kind of wrong with you." I also think that this is an area where support groups can be incredibly useful. We host the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation support group here. They'll talk about chemo brain or just like a little bit of an adjustment disorder after their diagnosis. Support groups, I think are critical. As I mentioned, we have a survivorship program that's led by a combination of our med oncs, myself on the uro-onc side, as well as APPs, where we are systematically asking about essentially the whole litany of issues that may arise, including psychosocial, anxiety, depression, suicidality. And we've got a nice kind of fast path into our cancer center support services for these young men to meet with a psychologist. If that isn't going to be sufficient, they can actually see a psychiatrist to discuss medications and so forth. I do think that we've got to screen for these because, as anticipated from diagnosis, those first 2 years, we see a rise. But even 10, 15 years out, we note, compared to controls, that there is an increased level of anxiety, depression, suicidality that might not just take place at that initial acute period of diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Pedro Barata: Really well said. Super important.  So I guess if I were to put all these together, with these really amazing advances in technology, we all know AI, some of us might be more or less aware of biomarkers coming up, including microRNA for example, and others, like as I think of all these potential long term complications for these patients, look at the future, I guess, can we use this as a way to deescalate treatment where it's not really necessary, as a way to actually prevent some of these complications? Like, how do we see where we're heading? As we manage testicular cancer, let's say, within the next 5 or 10 years, do you think there's something coming up that's going to be different from what we're doing things today? Dr. Aditya Bagrodia: Totally. I mean, I think it's as exciting as a time as there's ever been, you know, maybe notwithstanding circa 1970s when platinum was discovered. So microRNAs, which you mentioned, you know, there's a new candidate biomarker, microRNA-371. We are super excited here at UCSD. We actually have it CLIA-certified available in our lab and are ordering these tests for patients kind of in their acute stage, you know, stage one and surveillance, stage two, post-RPLND, receiving chemotherapy. And essentially this is a universal germ cell tumor specific biomarker, except for teratoma, suffice it to say 90% sensitive and specific. And I think it's going to change the way that we diagnose and manage patients. You know, pre-orchiectomy, that's pretty straightforward. Post-orchiectomy, maybe we can really decrease the number of CT scans that are done. Maybe we can identify those patients that basically have occult disease where we can intervene early, either with RPLND or single cycle chemo. Post-RPLND, identify the patients who are at higher risk of relapse that may benefit from some adjuvant therapy. In the advanced setting, look at marker decline for patients in addition to standard tumor markers. Can we modulate their systemic therapy?  So, the international interest is largely on modifying things. There's really cool clinical trials that we have for stage one patients, that treatment would be prescribed based on a post-orchiectomy microRNA. I think the microRNAs are really exciting. Teratoma remains an outstanding question. I think this is where maybe ctDNA, perhaps some radiomics and advanced imaging processing and incorporating AI may allow us to safely avoid a lot of these post-chemo RPLNDs. And then identification using SNPs and so forth of who might be most susceptible to some of the cardiac toxicity, autotoxicity and personalizing things in that way as well. Dr. Pedro Barata: Super exciting, right, what's about to come? And I agree with you, I think it's going to change dramatically how we manage this disease.  This has been a pleasure sitting down with you. I guess before letting you go, anything else you'd like to add before we wrap it up? Dr. Aditya Bagrodia: Yeah, first off, again, just want to thank you and ASCO for the opportunity. And it's easy enough to, I think, approach a patient with the testicular germ cell tumor as, "This is an easy case. We're just going to do whatever we've done. Go to the guidelines that says do X, Y, or Z." But there's so much more nuance to it than that. Getting it done perfectly, I think, is mandatory. Whatever we do is an impact on them for the next 50, 60, 70 years of their life. And I found the germ cell tumor community, people are really passionate about it. If you're ever uncertain, there's experts throughout the country and internationally. Ask somebody before you do something that you can't undo. I think we owe it to them to get it perfect so that we can really maximize the survivorship and the survival like we've been talking about. Dr. Pedro Barata: Aditya, thanks for sharing your fantastic insights with us on this podcast. Dr. Aditya Bagrodia: All right, Pedro. Fantastic. Appreciate the opportunity. Dr. Pedro Barata: And also, thank you to our listeners for your time today. I actually encourage you to check out Dr. Bagrodia's article in the 2025 ASCO Educational Book. We'll post a link to the paper in the show notes. Remember, it's free access online, and you can actually download it as well as a PDF. You can also find on the website a wealth of other great papers from the ASCO Educational Book on key advances and novel approaches that are shaping modern oncology.  So with that, thank you everyone. Thank you, Aditya, one more time, for joining us. Thank you, have a good day. Disclaimer: The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. Guest statements on the podcast do not express the opinions of ASCO. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement. Follow today's speakers:         Dr. Pedro Barata  @PBarataMD   Dr. Aditya Bagrodia @AdityaBagrodia Follow ASCO on social media:         @ASCO on X (formerly Twitter)         ASCO on Bluesky        ASCO on Facebook         ASCO on LinkedIn         Disclosures:      Dr. Pedro Barata:  Stock and Other Ownership Interests: Luminate Medical  Honoraria: UroToday  Consulting or Advisory Role: Bayer, BMS, Pfizer, EMD Serono, Eisai, Caris Life Sciences, AstraZeneca, Exelixis, AVEO, Merck, Ipson, Astellas Medivation, Novartis, Dendreon  Speakers' Bureau: AstraZeneca, Merck, Caris Life Sciences, Bayer, Pfizer/Astellas  Research Funding (Inst.): Exelixis, Blue Earth, AVEO, Pfizer, Merck   Dr. Aditya Bagrodia: Consulting or Advisory Role: Veracyte, Ferring  

If you've been told you have premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), it can feel final as if your ovaries have stopped working and your only hope is donor eggs. But the truth is more complex. Research shows that spontaneous ovulation is still possible. In this episode, we're looking at POI through both a conventional and functional fertility lens, exploring what it really means for your pregnancy potential, and how timing, preparation, and immune balance all matter. You'll learn: The difference between menopause and POI and why ovarian function can "flicker" back on What autoimmune activity, gut health, and toxins have to do with ovarian function The realistic chances of natural pregnancy with POI and how to detect spontaneous ovulation When hormone therapy or IVF with your own eggs might make sense Why donor eggs often lead to high success rates when functional foundations are addressed Sarah Clark is the founder of Fab Fertile Inc. and the host of Get Pregnant Naturally. Her team specializes in functional approaches for low AMH, high FSH, diminished ovarian reserve, premature ovarian insufficiency, recurrent miscarriage and helping couples prepare their bodies for pregnancy success naturally or with IVF. This episode is especially for you if: You've been told POI or "early menopause" means you'll never get pregnant You're considering IVF or donor eggs and want to understand your options You want a clear, functional fertility plan to prepare your body for pregnanc ·     Not sure where to start? Download our most popular resource: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant This Year If You Have Low AMH/High FSH. It breaks everything down step by step to help you understand your options and take action. ·     For personalized support to improve pregnancy success, book a call here. --- TIMESTAMPS  00:00 — The truth about POI and pregnancy POI isn't always the end of the road. Learn how spontaneous ovulation and functional fertility preparation can open new possibilities even after a diagnosis of premature ovarian insufficiency. 01:00 — What POI really means (and how it differs from early menopause) Conventional vs functional views of ovarian function — why "flickering" ovarian activity matters for pregnancy potential. 02:30 Underlying imbalances behind POI How autoimmune issues, gut dysfunction, toxins, and stress affect ovarian function and fertility outcomes. 04:00 Realistic chances of pregnancy with POI Research-backed data showing 5–10% of women with POI conceive naturally, plus factors that improve success rates. 06:00 Spontaneous ovulation and how to catch it Tracking methods like Mira, Inito, and PDG tests that can help you detect rare ovulations and time intercourse or IVF cycles effectively. 08:00 Managing stress and nervous system regulation Why chronic stress and HPA-axis dysfunction shut down ovulation and how the nervous system work restores reproductive signaling. 10:00 Gut, immune, and environmental testing for POI Why stool, food sensitivity, and mycotoxin testing matter for egg quality, implantation, and autoimmune balance. 12:00 Nutrients and mitochondrial support for egg quality How CoQ10, magnesium, selenium, vitamin D, and omega-3s support ovarian function and improve outcomes. 15:00 IVF with your own eggs and donor egg options When IVF may still work for women with POI, and how to prepare your body functionally before considering donor eggs. 18:00 Hope and next steps for POI and fertility Why POI doesn't mean no chance from spontaneous ovulation to IVF and donor eggs, discover how health-first strategies improve success. --- RESOURCES ·        

In this powerful episode, I was interviewed by Rita De Michele, host of Beyond Diagnosis Podcast and the founder of Beyond Diagnosis Directory, a platform connecting people worldwide with trusted functional, integrative, holistic health professionals and mindset coaches.With a background in Master-level NLP and emotional empowerment, Rita bridges mindset, innovation, and healthcare to help people discover root-cause solutions and new pathways to healing beyond conventional approaches.A passionate advocate for “our health, our choice,” she is building a global movement that empowers both practitioners and health seekers to collaborate toward genuine healing and lasting wellbeing.For too long, couples have been told:“You've been trying for 12 months. You're infertile.”But what if infertility isn't a final diagnosis — it's a symptom?In this conversation, I break down the truth about fertility testing, hormone cycles, and the deep connection between your body's sense of safety and your ability to conceive. You'll discover why so many lab tests are done incorrectly, how toxins and lifestyle play a role, and what your doctor might have missed.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Intro: The Fertility Conversation You Need to Hear04:12 – Why infertility is often misdiagnosed09:35 – How most hormone labs are done at the wrong time13:00 – The truth about IVF and why it's not the first solution18:25 – What your fertility labs should actually include (FSH, LH, Estradiol, AMH)25:10 – Infertility as a symptom, not a diagnosis30:45 – Environmental toxins that silently affect reproduction (BPA, phthalates, glyphosate)38:10 – How GMO and seedless foods can harm fertility45:20 – Lifestyle factors that sabotage fertility without you realizing52:00 – Thyroid, Hashimoto's & methylation issues: the hidden root causes1:03:15 – Male fertility: why sperm health matters just as much1:15:00 – The 4R Method: Reveal, Remove, Rebalance, Receive1:25:40 – The “safety signal” that helps your body conceive naturally1:32:00 – Simple daily fertility practices you can start today

Get My Book On Amazon: https://a.co/d/avbaV48DownloadThe Peptide Cheat Sheet: https://peptidecheatsheet.carrd.co/Download The Bioregulator Cheat Sheet: https://bioregulatorcheatsheet.carrd.co/1 On 1 Coaching Application: https://hunterwilliamscoaching.carrd.co/Book A Call With Me: https://hunterwilliamscall.carrd.co/Supplement Sources: https://hunterwilliamssupplements.carrd.co/Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/hunterwilliams/list/WE16G2223BXA?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsflist_R7QWQC0P1RACB2ETY3DYSocials:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hunterwilliamscoaching/Podcast: https://hunterwilliamspodcast.buzzsprout.com/Video Topic Request: https://hunterwilliamsvideotopic.carrd.co/In this video I break down pregnenolone for men on testosterone therapy and share when it helps, when it does nothing, and when it can backfire. We cover the steroidogenesis pathway so you can see where pregnenolone sits as the mother hormone. I explain how TRT suppresses LH and FSH and why that can lower testicular production of upstream steroids even if adrenal output is unchanged. I walk through pregnenolone's role as a neurosteroid, how it converts to allopregnanolone, and why that often improves sleep quality, stress tolerance, and mood via GABA modulation. I also outline signs of low pregnenolone, summarize what the clinical literature suggests about cognition and anxiety, and give simple dosing guardrails I use personally and with clients. As always none of this is medical advice. Use it to have a smarter conversation with your clinician.

What if your Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) wasn't just about your ovaries but about your immune system turning against them? Most women with POI are told it's simply early menopause. The conversation stops at hormone replacement or donor eggs. But new research shows that for many women, POI has autoimmune roots. When that's the case, treatment, prognosis, and even pregnancy potential all look very different. In this episode, we explore how the immune system can drive POI, the red flags most doctors miss, and which labs uncover what's really happening inside your body. You'll also hear how a functional fertility approach can calm immune dysfunction and support natural ovarian activity. You'll learn: The latest evidence connecting autoimmunity and Premature Ovarian Insufficiency Red flags that suggest POI may be immune-driven rather than purely ovarian The key labs to request for thyroid, gut, and immune system assessment Why conventional HRT isn't enough and how bioidentical hormones fit in Functional fertility strategies that support hormone balance and ovarian function Sarah Clark is the founder of Fab Fertile Inc. and the host of Get Pregnant Naturally. Her team specializes in functional approaches for low AMH, high FSH, diminished ovarian reserve, premature ovarian insufficiency, recurrent miscarriage and helping couples prepare their bodies for pregnancy success naturally or with IVF. This episode is for you if: You've been diagnosed with POI, low AMH, or high FSH and want to understand what's driving it You or your family have autoimmune conditions like thyroid disease, celiac, type 1 diabetes, or lupus You've had irregular cycles, miscarriages, or failed IVF transfers, and feel like something deeper is being missed Not sure where to start? Download our most popular resource: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant This Year If You Have Low AMH/High FSH. It breaks everything down step by step to help you understand your options and take action. For personalized support to improve pregnancy success, book a call here. --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – What if POI isn't just early menopause? Why many women are misdiagnosed and how autoimmunity can drive premature ovarian insufficiency. 02:00 – Conventional vs. functional fertility approaches to POI How standard care stops at HRT or donor eggs, while functional fertility looks at what's really driving ovarian decline. 04:00 – Understanding POI beyond the ovaries How deeper health issues like immune, thyroid, and gut imbalances can affect ovarian function and fertility potential. 06:00 – The autoimmune patterns seen in women with low AMH and high FSH How family history, Hashimoto's, and other immune clues point to systemic dysfunction. 09:00 – Key labs to explore beyond AMH and FSH Why thyroid, antibodies, and gut testing reveal what routine fertility tests miss. 12:00 – Why you must advocate for deeper testing How to push for immune and inflammatory markers like ANA and hs-CRP when conventional medicine overlooks them. 15:00 – Gut health, inflammation, and leaky gut in POI The link between microbiome imbalance, gluten sensitivity, and ovarian autoimmunity. 18:00 – Nutrient and metabolic markers that affect ovarian function Vitamin D, ferritin, B12, folate, and homocysteine. What optimal levels mean for egg quality and implantation. 21:00 – Understanding HRT and bioidentical hormones for POI Why bioidentical estrogen and progesterone support heart, bone, and reproductive health more effectively than synthetics. 24:00 – Functional fertility action plan for autoimmune POI How to test deeper, calm the immune system, and improve fertility outcomes naturally or with IVF. --- RESOURCES Stop Ignoring hsCRP and the Role of Inflammation in Diminished Ovarian Reserve: https://fabfertile.com/blogs/podcasts/stop-ignoring-hscrp-and-the-role-of-inflammation-in-diminished-ovarian-reserve?_pos=1&_sid=82deaccd1&_ss=r Get Pregnant Naturally with Low AMH, Diminished Ovarian Reserve or POF: (Sarah's Story) https://fabfertile.com/blogs/podcasts/get-pregnant-naturally-with-low-amh-diminished-ovarian-reserve-or-pof?_pos=15&_sid=86a653303&_ss=r Is Your Thyroid Impacting Egg Health? The Hidden Connection to Low AMH, DOR & Fertility Success: https://fabfertile.com/blogs/podcasts/is-your-thyroid-impacting-egg-health-the-hidden-connection-to-low-amh-dor-fertility-success?_pos=6&_sid=81c11854e&_ss=r How Iron Deficiency Impacts Fertility, Egg Quality & Low AMH: https://fabfertile.com/blogs/podcasts/ferritin-iron-deficiency-fertility-low-amh-high-fsh?_pos=1&_sid=5bce72a22&_ss=r Why Addressing Homocysteine Levels Can Boost Egg and Sperm Health: https://fabfertile.com/blogs/podcasts/why-addressing-homocysteine-levels-can-boost-egg-and-sperm-health?_pos=1&_sid=b235d5698&_ss=r Autoimmune Roadblocks to IVF: How ANA Affects Fertility: https://fabfertile.com/blogs/podcasts/autoimmune-roadblocks-to-ivf-how-ana-affects-fertility?_pos=1&_sid=d10e6427f&_ss=r The Clotting Connection: Hidden Causes of Implantation Failure and Miscarriage: https://fabfertile.com/blogs/podcasts/the-clotting-connection-hidden-causes-of-implantation-failure-and-miscarriage?_pos=1&_sid=82f26ca56&_ss=r Our favorite fertility tracker Inito (use code FABFERTILE15 to save 15)  ---

Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/Lw6iZbZBiw8Thinking about TRT for low testosterone? This clip takes a closer look at who genuinely benefits from testosterone replacement therapy, what current evidence suggests about safety, and why fertility planning is crucial.I'm exploring with my guest how to distinguish primary from secondary hypogonadism, why symptoms plus true biochemical low testosterone are needed for a diagnosis, and the point that if total testosterone is above 12, TRT isn't indicated. This discussion focuses on updated data around prostate and cardiovascular risk, key contraindications such as active prostate cancer, polycythemia, and heart failure, and the reality that exogenous testosterone suppresses FSH and sperm production, acting like a male contraceptive and not always fully reversible. We also cover off-label options like clomiphene and hCG to support endogenous testosterone when fertility is a priority, the importance of screening for metabolic issues like dyslipidemia and prediabetes, lifestyle considerations, and the social pressures that drive recreational use. There's a brief reflection on age-related declines, the idea that testosterone may drop after men have children, and how broader environmental factors might fit into the picture.As a nutritionist and health communicator, I aim to connect the science with practical, balanced advice so you can discuss options confidently with your clinician.***This episode is sponsored by: NOWATCH: Health tracking reimaginedKnow your body, trust yourself.15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com***Sign up to Sarah's Compassionate Cure newsletter: Science Simplified, Health Humanised. Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/***Let's be friends!

Episode #228 In this heartfelt solo episode, Megan Ramos opens up about the power of taking action today—not waiting for “Monday” or “after the holidays.” She shares deeply personal stories of loved ones facing health challenges and reminds listeners that knowledge is power when it comes to protecting your health and future. Megan also dives into a frequently-requested topic: how to prepare your body for in vitro fertilization (IVF). Drawing from her own journey and years of clinical experience, she explains key lab markers to assess, nutrition and fasting strategies, and how to create the best conditions for fertility and long-term health.

When doctors said her AMH was too low and IVF was the only option, one of our Fab Fertile clients decided to look deeper. Through functional testing and personalized support, she uncovered the health factors that were quietly working against conception and went on to get pregnant naturally after only 4 months in our program). You'll learn: Why AMH and FSH are only part of the fertility picture How digestion, inflammation, and nutrient imbalances can affect egg quality The impact of stress and sleep on reproductive hormones What changed once her whole-body health was supported Key steps you can take to improve your fertility even with low AMH or DOR Her story shows that fertility isn't defined by a single number  it's a reflection of overall health and balance. Sarah Clark is the founder of Fab Fertile Inc and the host of Get Pregnant Naturally. Her team specializes in functional approaches for low AMH, high FSH, diminished ovarian reserve, and unexplained infertility helping couples prepare their bodies for pregnancy success naturally or with IVF. This epoisode is for you if: You've been told your AMH is low or your FSH is high You're considering IVF, but want to prepare your body first You're trying naturally and want to understand what your labs don't reveal Not sure where to start? Download our most popular resource: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant This Year If You Have Low AMH/High FSH. It breaks everything down step by step to help you understand your options and take action. For personalized support to improve pregnancy success, book a call here. --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Why low AMH and high FSH aren't the full story Sarah shares how many are told donor eggs are the only option and why that message often misses deeper health factors that impact fertility. 01:45 – What this client's fertility journey looked like before Fab Fertile Three failed IVFs, two IUIs, and a diagnosis of diminished ovarian reserve plus the emotional toll that comes with feeling “stuck.” 03:10 – The overlooked factors affecting AMH and egg quality How long-term birth control use, chronic stress, and thyroid patterns (like high reverse T3) can influence fertility even when labs look “normal.” 04:45 – Gut health and fertility: what her stool test revealed From constipation and loose stools to parasites, C. diff, and H. pylori, how digestive imbalances can block nutrient absorption and egg development. 06:15 – The hidden food sensitivities that trigger inflammation Non-celiac gluten sensitivity, dairy intolerance, and gluten cross-reactors like tapioca, why eliminating inflammatory foods helped reduce immune stress. 07:10 – Supporting the body as a couple Why both partners completed functional testing and the elimination diet, and how addressing anxiety, gut issues, and stress improved overall fertility potential. 08:00 – Pregnancy after low AMH: what finally made the difference After only four months of targeted functional support, she conceived naturally. Sarah shares what changed and how mindset and visualization played a role. --- RESOURCES

In this episode, we're having an open-hearted, honest conversation about the power of perimenopause — a season of deep transformation that every woman experiences in her own unique way. I'm not an expert, just a friend walking this path alongside you, sharing wisdom, stories, and reflections from my own journey. Together, we'll explore what's really happening within our bodies during this time — from the hormonal shifts and changes in energy to the emotional waves, signs, and symptoms that can show up along the way.Think of this episode as a cozy, soul-nourishing chat over tea — a space to feel seen, supported, and reminded that you're not alone. We'll talk about how to care for ourselves with more kindness and curiosity, how to honor our bodies as they evolve, and how this phase can actually awaken a new sense of wisdom, power, and connection to self. In this Episode:- What is perimenopause - What is happening to your body- Common signs or symptoms of perimenopause- What can happen with progesterone, estrogen, FSH, LH and testosterone during perimenopause- How you can support your body during this phase- HRT as an option, highly recommend getting bloodwork so you can know what your baselines are Connect with me:Instagram: @Pam_RoccaTik Tok: @Pam_RoccaWebsite: www.pamrocca.comWork with me:Channeling Session:https://calendly.com/divinehealth/60-minute-intuitive-channeling-sessionIntuitive Oracle Reading: https://calendly.com/divinehealth/60-minute-intuitive-oracle-card-readingIntuitive Reiki SessionIn-person:https://calendly.com/divinehealth/in-person-intuitive-reiki-healing-session-60-minsEnergy Work Sessions - Energy Healing: https://calendly.com/divinehealth/energy-healing-sessionIf you enjoyed this episode, please let me know so I can create more of the content you love. Also, please share the podcast with anyone you know who would love this community, these tools, information, and free resources. Have the most love-filled week and shine on, my friends.

In this video, Dr. Doug Lucas explains why Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) may be just as important as estradiol for bone health. He breaks down how rising FSH can independently drive bone loss and why tracking both hormones gives a clearer picture for optimizing therapy and long-term strength.*Study Links*https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36692543/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36477941/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39880362/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40044973/

Is it possible to make sense of all the conflicting advice on hormones in midlife? In this second part of our Ask Us Anything series, my meno bestie Karen Martel and I sit down to tackle your biggest questions about hormone health, menopause, and beyond. Karen is a Certified Hormone Specialist, Transformational Nutrition Coach, and host of The Hormone Solution Podcast. She's also walking through the menopause transition herself, which makes her perspective both expert and personal. Together, we dive deep into what the labs really mean, how to use hormones wisely, and what else women can do to protect their bones, brains, and hearts. We cover: How to interpret hormone test results like FSH and estradiol (and why “optimal” matters more than “normal”) The role of sauna use in detoxification and hormone health (plus our personal routines) Why progesterone is powerful for mood, sleep, and bone health, even without a uterus What to consider if you're starting HRT later in life Strategies to support bone health beyond just HRT, and why DEXA scans don't tell the whole story The importance of personalizing your approach with a trusted provider   RECOMMENDED EPISODES Sauna Use In Menopause: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/160-traditional-saunas-vs-infrared-saunas-for-menopause/id1531105768?i=1000626673903 Birth Control Truths In Menopause: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/harmful-effects-of-the-birth-control-pill/id1438772276?i=1000434176120  DUTCH Test Deep Dive: https://youtu.be/O_1Lp4bST5k?si=pctt57mfxdXD7bUR Weight Gain and HRT: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/217-estrogen-weight-gain-myth-or-truth-rowan-sanderson/id1531105768?i=1000665860209 HRT For Women 60+: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/starting-hrt-more-than-10-years-after-menopause-what/id1438772276?i=1000721295236 Progesterone Sensitivity: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/progesterone-hrt-sensitivity-pmdd-when-the-chill-pill/id1788570953?i=1000725275936   Give thanks to our sponsors: Try Vitali skincare. 20% off with code ZORA here https://vitaliskincare.com Get Primeadine spermidine by Oxford Healthspan. 15% discount with code ZORA ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get Mitopure Urolithin A by Timeline. 20% discount with code ZORA at https://timeline.com/zora Try Suji to improve muscle 10% off with code ZORA at TrySuji.com Try OneSkin skincare with code ZORA for 15% off  Join ⁠⁠⁠Biohacking Menopause⁠⁠⁠ before November 1, 2025 to win a Theranordic's Daily Healthy Fiber and Optimized Enzymes. Or 10% off at thearnordic.com with code ZORA   Join the Hack My Age community on: YouTube: https://youtube.com/@hackmyage Facebook Page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@⁠Hack My Age⁠     Facebook Group: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@⁠Biohacking Menopause⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠  Private Women's Only Support Group: https://hackmyage.com/biohacking-menopause-membership/ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@⁠HackMyAge⁠    Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HackMyAge.com⁠     

See all the Healthcasts at https://www.biobalancehealth.com/healthcast-blog If you are female who is menopausal and you have experienced your OBGYN or internist drawing your blood to check your hormone levels, (Estradiol, and LH and FSH) to see if you are menopausal or to see what your estradiol level is while on HRT, you may have heard your doctor tell you that your estradiol level is too high. That is what I would like to talk about today….. This often occurs when my patients take the blood work I order to another doctor who doesn't know anything about estrogen and just looks at the reference range on the lab sheet. Most of you have heard me talk about the fact that lab reports must be interpreted by the treating physician, because what is written on the lab sheet isn't tailored to your situation. The lab reference ranges for menopausal women are based on women who don't take any hormones, very low estradiol and high LH and FSH, which is not healthy and is the level that causes women overwhelming hot flashes and painful periods. Estradiol blood tests have a list of numbers that don't reflect the healthy estradiol level, but a level that makes women miserable. After I replace a woman's estradiol, their tests show blood levels of a young healthy woman who is pre-menopausal, and that brings them back to feeling like themselves. “I have my life back!  Estradiol and Testosterone Pellets have cured all my symptoms (low libido, hot flashes, poor interrupted sleep, bladder spasms, depression, and I feel like myself again!” No other hormone replacement brings estradiol blood levels to (60-250ng/ml), patches, creams and gels just stop one symptom, hot flashes.  There is a reason that your doctor doesn't know about hormones. The education that OBGYNs get in residency effects what they recommend to their patients for life, and they have very little training about hormones which means that no one is taking care of the hormones for women, and bioidentical estradiol is never discussed because it is not approved by the FDA which is why I DO!  I have made it my business to know everything about women's hormones and have prescribed them to women for over 45 years.  Therefore, when I am told that the primary care or internal medicine doctor told one of my patients that their estradiol and estrone are “too high”, I am dismayed.    Women must think about the fact that when they feel normal after menopause treatment, then that is the best treatment for them.  My patients become better, healthier, and their relationships are more fulfilling with Estradiol replacement, and I know the range the Estradiol should be within (60-250), the same as when we were fertile and young. Estradiol taken non-orally (patch, cream or pellet) is safe and does not cause breast cancer or liver cancer or cause blood clots. What Should I Tell My Doctor about my estrogen replacement? Therefore, If your doctor tells you to stop estradiol, you can tell him that estradiol replacement decreases all causes of death in Menopausal women, it decreases heart disease, bladder disease, bladder infections, osteoporosis, and dementia/Alazheimer's Disease! Tell him or her that, they can stop worrying about your Estrogen because you are being prescribed it by a doctor who knows how to manage hormones. Breast Cancer Patients There is another type of patient who I often see in my office. Breast Cancer patients with estradiol receptors are taken off their estrogen, and they are given an estrogen blocker like Tamoxifen® (oral) or Anastrazole (Arimidex®) to get rid of the estrogen in their body which is to “starve” breast cancer cell that may have seeded other tissues in the body. These patients are miserable. I treat them with Testosterone pellets only and monitor their Estrogens. That works until their doctor sees an Estradiol level that is in the premenopausal range in a patient who hasn't had an estradiol pellet in a year.  E2 pellets are tiny and friable, and they can't last longer than 6 months. What happens when the oncologist freaks them out saying it is the Estradiol pellet causing the E2, E1 levels. They are upset but this is estradiol from other sources (not the ovaries). Here are the facts: Estradiol pellets are 2-3 mm in size. They dissolve by blood flowing around the pellet located in the fat. Estradiol pellets dissolve completely over 3-4 months in most women. We cannot see them by ultrasound at 4 months. Therefore, a year later a woman who has estradiol over 60 The oncologist is not a hormone specialist and doesn't know the other sources of estradiol and estrone in the body. a prescribed amount of Estradiol (E2) is given every 4 months. The medium dose of E2 is 25mg and it lasts 120 – 180 days The size of an estradiol pellet = 2×2 mm Causes Of Continuing High Estrogen In a Woman Long After She Stops E2 Pellets: Tamoxifen given for Breast Cancer is an Estrogen and also an Estrogen Receptor modulator, but is really an Estrogen, which turns off the receiving end for E2 (the cellular receptors) so the breast cancer cannot be stimulated by circulating estrogens, but the rest of the body is. When on Tamoxifen it is not the pellets that are raising the blood level of E2, E1, it is the Medication. When someone is on Tomoxifen all their other organs are stimulated by estrogens from Tamoxifen, but the Breasts are not. That means that the estrogen in the blood is from the medication Tamoxifen and not the previous pellets. Obesity increases body fat and E2 is made in the fat and the less fat the lower the Estrone and estradiol. Other Medications and supplements can increase the E2 and E1 in the circulation but rarely help with menopausal symptoms. Your doctor should know what medications you can't take if you are trying to get rid of estradiol and estrone usually prior to Breast Cancer therapy. Drinking alcohol can prevent the liver from processing the estrogen that is meant to be removed normally so it builds up in the circulation. Liver disease causes an increase in E1 as well. Some medications increase estrogens in the body, but do not relieve symptoms of menopause, so have you doctor review your other medications you take. High intake of soy, edamame, soy nuts, soy in nut milk, Tofu, and other vegan (fake meat) is made of soy and soy is a phytoestrogen which can cause uterine bleeding but doesn't help the symptoms of menopause. Soy is in everything so read the labels. Genetic Diseases can cause high estrogen in menopausal women who are not taking estradiol for their symptoms.   Some women have an aromatase defect, which is genetic and can't be cured but can be treated with anastrazole or Arimidex, the same medication. This means that they convert Testosterone into estradiol and estrone. Even before menopause women have very low testosterone, so this is not obvious when they come to my office. The test for the gene defect is very expensive and this is not a common occurrence.  We diagnose this when a woman's estrogen is too high for the dose she is taking, AND her testosterone ran out too fast! We treat that condition with a testosterone + anastrazole pellet in the normal dose of T, and it corrects the conversion of T into E2, E1. Oral anastrazole also called Arimidex blocks that conversion too and is tolerated better by men but women get arthritis symptoms. DIM can treat this genetic conversion by blocking the enzyme at a different place than Arimidex. Fat Loss through dieting releases the estradiol stored in the body fat   Obesity and weight loss can cause estradiol and estrone to be high in the blood. Estrogen is made and stored in fat tissue.  The more you have, the more E1 and E2 you have in your fat.  Obesity can store the hormone and slowly release it which fools us and makes us think we are seeing pellet E2 nd E1. The more fat you have the more estrogens you make! When people lose fat under the supervision of a doctor, they usually have somewhat rapid weight loss.  This floods the blood with both estradiol, estrone, and triglycerides.  It takes longer to clear the estrogens because the liver is also processing fat. PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Does reducing body fat reduce estrogen? Making some lifestyle changes may help lower your estrogen levels. Your provider may recommend that you: Decrease your percentage of body fat. Decreasing your body fat can reduce the amount of estrogen that your fat cells secrete. Feb 9, 2022 Above is what your doctor should think about when diagnosing you for high estradiol long after a pellet is gone.  There are some ovarian and adrenal specific problems that are also possible to be the reason E2, E1 are increased. I hope this gives you ammunition to discuss with the doctors who don't know anything about hormones, estradiol and menopausal women.  Tell them what you know to be true and stop blaming a 2mmx2mm pellet that can't physically last more than 120 day.

Are you baffled by the rollercoaster of irregular periods during perimenopause? Wondering why your cycle seems to have a mind of its own, even when you're on hormone replacement therapy? This episode is your guide to navigating the tumultuous terrain of perimenopausal hormonal changes. What role do key hormones like progesterone, estradiol, and FSH play in this chaotic phase? Can herbal remedies truly aid in balancing your hormones and easing your symptoms? Discover how understanding your body's signals can empower you through this transition. How do bioidentical hormones help manage these changes? What is the secret to maintaining balance and reducing symptoms like hot flashes and mood swings? Tune in to uncover these mysteries and more as we demystify perimenopause and offer actionable insights. In this episode, we uncover: How herbal remedies like Vitex and ashwagandha can support hormone balance. Why hormone replacement therapy isn't a magic solution for regular cycles. The importance of timing and personalization in managing hormone therapy. How bioidentical estradiol and progesterone work to stabilize symptoms. Why consulting a healthcare professional is crucial during this transition. Join me as we dive into the complexities of perimenopause, and empower yourself with the knowledge to manage its challenges effectively. Don't miss this episode if you're ready to embrace this stage of life with confidence and understanding!     Sponsors Get 20% off your Cozy Earth Bed Sheet with coupon code HORMONES Use coupon code HORMONE for 20% off your order at BEAM Minerals. Order your LMNT electrolytes today and get a FREE 8 pack of samples! Plus try it risk free, they have a no-questions-asked refund policy – you don't even have to send it back!     Are you in peri or post menopause and looking to optimize your hormones and health? At Hormone Solutions, we offer telemedicine services and can prescribe in every U.S. state, as well as in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario in Canada.   Visit karenmartel.com to explore our comprehensive programs: Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Individualized Weight Loss Programs  Peptide Therapy for weight loss    Interested in our NEW Peptide Weight Loss Program? Join today and get all the details here.   Join our Women's Peri and Post Menopause Group Coaching Program, OnTrack, TODAY!   To our nursing audience members, our podcasts qualify for nursing CE @ RNegade.pro. Provide # CEP17654.   Your host: Karen Martel Certified Hormone Specialist, Transformational Nutrition Coach, & Weight Loss Expert   Karen's Facebook Karen's Instagram

Submit your Ask The Egg Whisperer Questions on my website. Hi everyone! In this week's live Q&A, I answered your presubmitted questions from all around the world. I'm so grateful you share your stories and let me walk this journey with you.

If you've been told your numbers your AMH, your FSH mean your chances are slim to none, this episode is for you. Numbers can feel final, but they don't define your fertility potential. You'll learn: How our client Diana had one ovary, endometriosis, low AMH, and high FSH was told IVF was her only path What her functional testing revealed about gut health, food sensitivities, genetics, and key biomarkers The targeted nutrition and lifestyle strategies that shifted her health and hormones Why systemic healing digestion, adrenals, blood sugar, and mindset matter for egg quality How she conceived naturally after preparing her body, even when IVF was still on the table I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile. For over a decade, my team and I have helped hundreds of couples improve their chances of pregnancy success, whether naturally or through IVF. We specialize in supporting those with low AMH, high FSH, diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), and recurrent pregnancy loss through functional testing and personalized fertility strategies. This episode is especially for you if: You've been told your fertility is defined by low AMH or high FSH You're overwhelmed by repeated recommendations for IVF without addressing your health first You want to understand how functional fertility strategies can create an environment where pregnancy becomes possible Not sure where to start? Download our most popular resource: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant This Year If You Have Low AMH/High FSH. It breaks everything down step by step to help you understand your options and take action. For personalized support to improve pregnancy success, book a call here. --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – AMH, FSH, and Fertility Potential Explained Why these numbers predict drug response but don't determine egg quality or your ability to get pregnant. 01:00 – Diana's Case: One Ovary, Endometriosis, Low AMH, High FSH How she was labeled with diminished ovarian reserve and told IVF was her only option. 02:00 – IVF and Low AMH: Why It's Not Always the Only Path The limitations of stimulation protocols for egg quality and why Diana chose to prepare her health first. 03:00 – Hidden Fertility Clues: Digestion, Adrenal Stress, Blood Sugar, Hormones The overlooked symptoms showing her body wasn't ready for pregnancy yet. 05:00 – AMH and IVF Success Rates: What the Numbers Really Mean How clinics interpret AMH, the truth about retrieval outcomes, and why numbers don't equal destiny. 07:00 – Lifestyle Reset for Egg Quality and Hormone Balance The daily sleep, stress, movement, and hydration habits that built a foundation for ovarian health. 10:00 – Functional Fertility Testing: GI-MAP, Food Sensitivities, and Genetics How uncovering gut issues, inflammation, and genetic blocks changed her fertility plan. 13:00 – Nutrients, Methylation, and Egg Quality Support Correcting deficiencies, reducing oxidative stress, and using targeted nutrition to improve ovarian reserve. 15:00 – The Turning Point: Healing, Stress Reduction, and Natural Conception How her digestion, hormones, and mindset improved, leading to a spontaneous natural pregnancy. 18:00 – Key Fertility Takeaways: Beyond AMH and IVF Why health optimization, not just stimulation protocols, is the true fast track to pregnancy success. --- RESOURCES

If you've ever seen a faint positive line on a pregnancy test—only to start your period days later—you're not alone. What you experienced may have been a chemical pregnancy, one of the most common and heartbreaking forms of early miscarriage. In this episode, Courtney gently walks you through what a chemical pregnancy is, why faint lines sometimes fade, and how to process the emotional and spiritual weight of that loss. You'll learn how to find purpose in the pain, discover the difference between forcing joy and choosing to rejoice, and see how Paul's example of rejoicing in suffering can anchor your heart when life doesn't go as planned. This episode is an invitation to grieve honestly, rejoice intentionally, and remember that God is near—even when the line fades. Whether you're walking through early miscarriage, navigating the uncertainty of TTC, or supporting a friend through loss, you'll leave with biblical truth, gentle encouragement, and hope that heals.

If you've been told your AMH is “too low” for your age, or that it means your only chance is IVF with high doses of medication, this episode is for you. AMH is not the final word on your fertility it's a marker that should spark deeper investigation. You'll learn: How IVF clinics use AMH to predict drug response and egg retrieval What the research actually says about high vs. mild stimulation for women with low AMH Why no stimulation protocol can improve egg quality The four functional fertility pillars that truly impact outcomes: mitochondria, inflammation, nutrients, and hormones A client story of moving beyond repeated IVF cycles to conceive naturally I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile. For over a decade, my team and I have helped hundreds of couples improve their chances of pregnancy success, whether naturally or through IVF. We specialize in supporting those with low AMH, high FSH, diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), and recurrent pregnancy loss through functional testing and personalized fertility strategies. This episode is especially for you if: You've been told your AMH is too low and that aggressive IVF protocols are your only option You feel stuck in repeated IVF cycles with only minor protocol changes You want to understand how functional fertility strategies can change the environment where eggs are developing Not sure where to start? Download our most popular resource: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant This Year If You Have Low AMH/High FSH. It breaks everything down step by step to help you understand your options and take action. For personalized support to improve pregnancy success, book a call here. --- TIMESTAMPS [00:00:00] Does low AMH really mean IVF is your only option? Most women are told IVF or donor eggs are the only path forward, but AMH is more than a fertility “score.” Here's why it's misunderstood [00:02:00] What IVF protocols are used for low AMH? High-dose meds, mild stimulation, dual stim, and add-ons like DHEA are common. But do they actually improve outcomes? [00:04:30] Why do repeated IVF cycles often fail with low AMH? Many women get stuck in the loop of “protocol tweaks” while underlying health issues go unaddressed [00:05:00] Can IVF improve egg quality? Research shows protocols change egg quantity, not quality, here's why mitochondrial and cellular health matter most [00:07:00] What functional strategies support mitochondria for egg quality? From CoQ10 and omega-3s to sleep and stress balance, these are the foundations of better egg competence [00:09:30] How does stress and nervous system dysregulation affect AMH? Graduate school, 50-hour work weeks, and perfectionism can suppress ovarian function, here's how to spot the signs [00:12:00] Which labs uncover hidden inflammation affecting fertility? Markers like hsCRP and homocysteine reveal systemic inflammation IVF clinics rarely check [00:14:00] Which nutrient deficiencies impact ovarian reserve and embryo health? Vitamin D, ferritin, folate, B12, zinc, magnesium, selenium, subtle gaps can change outcomes [00:17:00] How do thyroid, prolactin, and cortisol influence egg development? Hormonal imbalances upstream are often missed, yet they shape ovulation, luteal support, and implantation [00:21:00] Can you conceive naturally with low AMH? A client with one ovary, endometriosis, and high FSH conceived naturally after addressing digestion, adrenal health, and nutrient absorption --- RESOURCES

For years, women have been told that birth control or IVF are the only solutions to reproductive issues. Dr. Naomi Whitaker knows that's not the full story. Through Restorative Reproductive Medicine, she helps women identify the deeper health imbalances that fuel infertility, endometriosis, PCOS, and hormones, and shows how healing the body's natural rhythms can change everything. In this episode, Dr. Whitaker reveals why standard lab ranges are often misleading, how cycle charting can act like a “health report card,” and why bioidentical hormone support is a game changer for energy, mood, and long-term vitality. She also shares her perspective on endometriosis surgery, PCOS subtypes, and the future of reproductive care. If you are tired of one size fits all advice and want science based, patient focused solutions that aim to fix root causes, this conversation gives straightforward clarity and practical next steps.Chapters:00:05:22 - Introduction to Restorative Reproductive Medicine00:08:14 - The evolution of medicine and limitations of traditional research00:17:24 - Core principles of Restorative Reproductive Medicine (RRM)00:19:36 - Challenging the concept of "incessant ovulation" as a cancer risk00:25:27 - Importance of thorough patient intake and cycle charting in RRM00:33:19 - Practical tips for Creighton Model cycle charting00:45:27 - The role and importance of bioidentical progesterone in women's health00:59:05 - Reversing high FSH with DHEA for ovarian longevity01:10:27 - Comprehensive insulin resistance testing and management strategies01:43:22 - Surgical options and novel treatments for PCOS01:55:53 - Adhesion prevention and delicate surgical techniques in pelvic reconstruction02:19:57 - Understanding endometriosis in DetailGuest's socials + websiteInstagram: @napro_fertility_surgeonWebsite: https://bio.site/napro_fertility_surgeon Kayla's social + website:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylabarnes/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@femalelongevityTwitter: https://x.com/femalelongevity Website: https://www.kaylabarnes.com/Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com/Become a Member of Kayla's Female Longevity Membership: https://kayla-barnes-lentz.circle.so/checkout/become-a-member

I grew up hearing one story: your fertility drops off a cliff at 35. That belief drove me into panic — until I started asking questions. In this episode, I walk you through my 10+ year journey from medical student to naturopathic doctor to a woman who chose her timing — without letting fear run the show.This is a compassionate, evidence-aware look at fertility that combines research, mind-body medicine, and real clinical stories. If timelines have you anxious, if you feel pressured by culture or partners, or if you want practical ways to support your fertility without shame — watch this.

If you've been told your AMH is “too low” for your age, or that it means your chances of conceiving are slim, this episode is for you. AMH is not the final word on your fertility, it's a marker that can give us valuable clues about your health. You'll learn: What AMH levels typically look like across different ages. Why low AMH deserves closer attention. Which additional labs give a fuller picture beyond AMH alone. How women in our Fab Fertile community have conceived with their own eggs even with AMH as low as 0.02 ng/mL. I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile. For over a decade, my team and I have helped hundreds of couples improve their chances of pregnancy success, whether naturally or through IVF. We specialize in supporting those with low AMH, high FSH, diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), and recurrent pregnancy loss through functional testing and personalized fertility strategies. This episode is especially for you if: You've been told your AMH is too low and donor eggs are your only option. You've had failed IVF cycles and want to understand if AMH is playing a role. You want to learn how to interpret AMH through a functional fertility lens, not just a conventional numbers-only approach. Not sure where to start? Download our most popular guide: Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant This Year If You Have Low AMH/High FSH it breaks everything down step by step to help you understand your options and take action For personalized support to improve pregnancy success, book a call here. --- TIMESTAMPS [00:00] AMH: What the Numbers Really Mean  [00:01:00] Who This Helps: Low AMH, High FSH, DOR, POI, Failed IVF [00:01:50] AMH Levels by Age: Cleveland Clinic Benchmarks Explained [00:02:40] Does AMH Predict Pregnancy? Egg Quantity vs. Egg Quality [00:03:20] Functional Fertility Lens: What Low AMH Is Signaling [00:04:20] Tests Beyond AMH: Day-3 FSH, Estradiol, and AFC Ultrasound [00:05:40] Thyroid & Fertility: Optimal TSH, Free T4/T3, Antibodies (+ Free Guide) [00:07:20] Hidden Inflammation: hsCRP, Homocysteine, MTHFR & Egg Quality [00:08:50] Vitamin D, Iron & Ferritin: Nutrient Deficits That Lower AMH [00:10:40] Gluten/Celiac & Autoimmunity (ANA) + When to Pause IVF & Heather's Success --- RESOURCES

So many women are told that if they have low AMH and high FSH, their only path to pregnancy is through donor eggs. But is that the whole story? In this powerful conversation, Sarah shares her personal journey with premature ovarian insufficiency, the devastation of being told she had “no chance,” and the hope she's seen after 25 years of supporting women worldwide.Join me as I interview Sarah Clark! When Sarah Clark was 28 years old, she received a diagnosis of premature ovarian failure. She accepted the diagnosis and had both her children through in vitro fertilization. Years later, she realized the root cause of her infertility was a food sensitivity, chronic stress, and later a gut infection.She is the CEO and founder of Fab Fertile, a company dedicated to supporting couples with low AMH and/or high FSH, diminished ovarian reserve, and premature ovarian failure/insufficiency.She is the author of Fabulously Fertile - Supercharge your Fertility Naturally. Her Fab Fertile Method, which includes functional lab testing, supports couples to make diet and lifestyle changes that dramatically improve the chances of a healthy pregnancy and baby.On her Get Pregnant Naturally Podcast, she shares that with functional medicine and natural fertility solutions, we can eventually reverse infertility. Check it out on iTunes and Spotify.We dive deep into:✨ Why doctors often recommend donor eggs so quickly✨ The truth about AMH and FSH as fertility markers✨ Gut health, thyroid issues, and hidden imbalances that impact fertility✨ Why functional medicine offers new hope beyond the standard diagnosis✨ Real stories of women who restored cycles and improved egg quality naturallyIf you've ever felt hopeless after hearing that your AMH is too low or your FSH is too high, this episode is for you.

Conventional medicine often stops at the numbers, low AMH, high FSH for Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) and turns quickly to donor eggs or IVF. But through a functional fertility lens, we can uncover hidden factors like inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, gut health, and hormone imbalances that may support ovarian function and improve pregnancy success. In this episode of Get Pregnant Naturally, Fab Fertile founder Sarah Clark explains how functional fertility strategies can help reverse POI and improve your chances of conceiving with your own eggs. You'll also hear Amanda's story: she was told she'd never conceive naturally with an AMH of 0.08 ng/mL, yet went on to have her daughter. This episode is for you if: You've been told your only option with POI, low AMH, or high FSH is donor eggs You've experienced recurrent miscarriage or failed IVF cycles You want evidence-based strategies to improve egg quality and fertility outcomes naturally We'll cover the difference between genetic and idiopathic POI, why functional fertility shines in unexplained cases, and the top mistakes people make with a POI diagnosis. You'll leave with practical steps you can take right now to support ovarian function. Subscribe to Get Pregnant Naturally for evidence-based guidance on functional fertility, and share this episode with anyone on their fertility journey. Not sure where to start? Download our most popular guide: Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant This Year If You Have Low AMH/High FSH it breaks everything down step by step to help you understand your options and take action For personalized support to improve pregnancy success, book a call here. --- TIMESTAMPS [00:00:00] Donor eggs only? Understanding Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), Low AMH & High FSH Why conventional medicine often tells you donor eggs are your only option and the functional fertility perspective that looks deeper. [01:00:00] How Functional Fertility Strategies Can Improve Ovarian Function Practical steps for egg health, reducing inflammation, balancing hormones, and improving pregnancy success. [05:00:00] Idiopathic vs Genetic POI: What You Can Influence Naturally Explaining the difference between genetic and idiopathic causes and how functional approaches support ovarian function. [08:00:00] Nutrients, Gut Health & Lifestyle Factors That Impact Egg Quality Vitamin D, B vitamins, iron, gut microbiome, and inflammation as key influencers of ovarian reserve and AMH. [12:00:00] Real Client Stories: Restoring Fertility After POI Case studies of women improving FSH, AMH, and conception outcomes with functional fertility strategies and targeted IVF support. [00:13:00] AMH, Egg Quality & Gut Health Why AMH isn't a fixed predictor of fertility outcomes and how gut health, nutrient absorption, and inflammation can influence egg quality and ovarian reserve. [00:15:30] Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity & Ovarian Function How gluten sensitivity can impact hormone balance, follicle development, and fertility, even when celiac disease isn't present. [00:18:00] Key Nutrients for Egg Quality The importance of vitamin D, iron, B vitamins, methylation support, and protein for optimal ovarian function, and how deficiencies can affect IVF or natural conception. [00:20:45] Gut Infections & Systemic Inflammation Chronic gut infections, microbiome imbalances, and low stomach acid as hidden drivers of inflammation that can disrupt reproductive hormones and egg quality. [00:23:30] Lifestyle, Stress & Nervous System Support How chronic stress and a dysregulated nervous system impact ovarian reserve and fertility. Mind-body strategies, dietary adjustments, and toxin reduction to support reproductive health. --- RESOURCES

Dr Leah Hechtman, one of Australia's most respected naturopathic educators, joins fx Medicine by BioCeuticals ambassador Emma Sutherland to discuss the often-overlooked stage of men's health: andropause. More than simply “low testosterone,” andropause reflects age-related changes including Leydig cell decline, metabolic changes, vascular shifts, and neurological alterations that shape male wellbeing across the lifespan. Leah outlines how andropause may present in practice, from body composition changes and hair greying to mood shifts, sleep disruption, prostate dysfunction, and reduced cognitive performance. She highlights the importance of comprehensive testing — extending beyond testosterone — to include oestrogen, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinising hormone (LH), insulin, leptin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and DUTCH hormone analysis. These insights allow clinicians to identify early signs and develop a more complete picture of male ageing. The discussion also explores strategies that may support resilience, including optimising sleep, managing stress, and addressing metabolic health. Useful complementary medicines include nutritional considerations such as nicotinamide riboside, bioflavonoids, and zinc, as well as herbal medicines including ginkgo, grape seed extract, ashwagandha, and tribulus. The role of prostate health and testosterone therapy is also discussed. Covered in this episode: (01:01) Welcome Leah Hechtman (02:22) What is andropause? (05:16) Testosterone production and ageing (09:55) Andropause symptoms (14:28) Infertility (20:28) Autophagy, ageing and reproductive disorders (24:23) Obesity and sleep (30:53) Stress and testosterone (32:24) Prostate cancer (36:37) Erectile dysfunction (39:51) Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) (44:37) Intermittent fasting (48:00) Testosterone receptor sensitivity (50:42) Final remarks Find today's transcript and show notes here: https://www.bioceuticals.com.au/education/podcasts/andropause-beyond-testosterone-decline Sign up for our monthly newsletter for the latest exclusive clinical tools, articles, and infographics: www.bioceuticals.com.au/signup/ FX DISCLAIMER: The information provided on fx Medicine by BioCeuticals is for educational and informational purposes only. The information provided is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional advice or care. Please seek the advice of a qualified health care professional in the event something you learn here raises questions or concerns regarding your health.

This week, Ali sits down with Savannah Bisby, who shares her infertility story on IG @infertilityfriends, to talk about Savannah's journey so far. She's still in the thick of it, battling endometriosis, doing five IUIs (including double inseminations), a laparoscopy, and taking a deep dive into reproductive immunology. Savannah talks about the emotional whiplash of infertility, including embryo transfer decisions and finding herself on a bachelorette party while waiting for beta results, suspended between hope and dread. Savannah also talks about how Inito, an at-home fertility monitor that tracks your hormones, has helped on her journey, how she finally became pregnant and navigated a devastating loss, and why the summer of 2025 became a heartbreak she and her husband will never forget. Her story is still unfolding, and we are rooting so hard for our sweet friend. Follow Savannah on IG: @infertilityfriendsEPISODE SPONSORS: BEAUTIFUL BIRD AND WORK OF ARTAli's Children's Book Series about IVF, IUI and Family Building Through Assisted Reproductive Technology https://www.infertileafgroup.com/booksThe latest book in the Work of ART series, “Beautiful Bird” tells the story of three parents, one incredible boy and a family built with love—and a little bit of science.Pre-orders are available now! The first 150 copies will be Personalized, Signed and Numbered! Don't miss out on this limited edition! Tap the link in bio and stories to order your copy today.When Helen decides to have a baby on her own, she welcomes Jack Bird into the world through IUI with the help of her friend, Aaron. But when Jack is born and needs extra care in the NICU, Aaron and his partner, Blake, fall in love with Jack, too. Together, the three join forces to raise Jack, proving that family isn't about how you start—it's about how you grow.Order yours now at https://www.infertileafgroup.com/booksFor bulk orders of 10 or more books at 20% off, go to https://www.infertileafgroup.com/bulk-order-requestFERTILITY RALLYIG: @fertilityrallywww.fertilityrally.comNo one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com. We offer 5 to 6 support groups per week, three private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey.Join today at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com/membershipINITOhttps://try.inito.com/hormone-tracking/inf/?discount=INFERTILEAF&utm_source=social_media&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=INFERTILEAFIG: @initofertiilityFor years, clinical labs were the only way to get a clear view of your hormone levels and ovulation patterns. But for many people in the trying to conceive community—especially those with hormone imbalances or conditions like PCOS—frequent lab visits can be costly, inconvenient, and take up a ton of time. This is why I'm excited to tell you about Inito, which is unlike anything else out there. Inito is an at-home fertility monitor that tracks all four key hormones—Estrogen, LH, FSH, and PdG—on a single test strip. Instead of piecing together fragments of info, Inito offers a full, clear picture of your hormone health through a data chart and clear insights that are unique to your body and your cycle.The Inito Starter Pack is available for just $89 with the code INFERTILEAF at ihttps://try.inito.com/hormone-tracking/inf/?discount=INFERTILEAF&utm_source=social_media&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=INFERTILEAFEXTEND FERTILITY IG: @extendfertilitywww.extendfertility.comFertility shouldn't be dictated by a timeline. Extend Fertility offers cutting-edge egg and embryo freezing, infertility care, and IVF—all designed to put you in control. Their approach? Research driven, transparent, and personalized. With a world-class lab, exceptional verified success rates backed by nearly a decade of egg freezing results, and pricing lower than the national average, Extend Fertility is making reproductive care more accessible and effective than ever. Whether you're preserving fertility for the future or actively trying to conceive, they're here with expert support every step of the way. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/infertile-af-infertility-and-modern-family-building-through-art/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacySupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/infertile-af-infertility-and-modern-family-building-through-art/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Join us for an essential guide to fertility lab testing that goes beyond the standard IVF panel to give you a complete picture of your reproductive health.Discover which lab tests are crucial for not only getting pregnant but staying pregnant and carrying a healthy baby to term, as we break down everything from AMH and FSH to often-overlooked markers like vitamin D and thyroid antibodies.Learn why timing matters for hormone testing, the difference between TSH and a full thyroid panel, and why certain nutrients are critical for sustaining pregnancy from the moment of conception.From understanding what your progesterone levels really mean to knowing when to supplement, this episode provides the roadmap for proactive fertility health testing that can save you time and heartache on your conception journey.Perfect for anyone actively trying to conceive, considering egg freezing or IVF, or simply wanting to establish a baseline for future reproductive health.

Trying to conceive can feel like a never-ending cycle of guessing, hoping, and waiting. In today's episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on what I'm doing differently as my husband and I begin trying for baby #3. I share my personal fertility journey—from battling infertility and IVF to welcoming two miracle girls—and why this season feels different. This time, I'm pairing faith with science by using Inito, the at-home fertility monitor that tracks four key hormones for a full picture of your cycle. No more squinting at test strips or relying on app predictions. Inito has given me clarity, peace of mind, and a six-day fertile window backed by real data. But more than that, I'll walk you through the biblical perspective that shapes how I use tools like this: stewarding my body wisely, trusting God fully, and remembering that faith and science are not enemies. If you've ever felt like you're missing something or wasting precious cycles, this episode is for you. You'll walk away with practical TTC tools, spiritual encouragement, and a reminder that even in the waiting, God is good. ----more---- Try Inito THE Fertility Tool you Need - as shared today, this is the tool I just started using as we begin preparing for conceiving baby 3!! The Inito Starter Pack is available for just $89 with the code THEWAITINGWELL at inito.com - this is the tool you HAVE to have: Your very own fertility lab that measures actual values of Estrogen and LH to predict your fertile days, PdG (urine metabolite of progesterone) to confirm ovulation and FSH to track your follicle growth.    ✨ Plus, I'm sharing an exciting announcement about my brand-new mini course, Peace in the Wait — created just for women in the two week wait after ovulation, IUI, or IVF. If you're longing for daily encouragement and structure to stay grounded in truth, this will bless you deeply.

If you've been diagnosed with low AMH, high FSH, diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), or have experienced recurrent pregnancy loss or failed IVF, you may be wondering if natural killer (NK) cells are playing a role. In this episode, Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile, explains what NK cells are, when testing may be helpful, and why many reproductive endocrinologists dismiss it. You'll hear how functional fertility strategies, addressing inflammation, gut health, nutrient deficiencies, and immune balance; differ from conventional medicine and can improve egg quality, implantation, and pregnancy outcomes. We also cover what progressive fertility clinics are doing, what the research says, and how to decide if immunotherapy or intralipids are right for you. This episode is for you if you've had multiple implantation failures or miscarriages, feel dismissed by “normal” test results, and want evidence-based options to support your fertility journey.

Get access to more than 70 Ask Me Anything episodes with Dr. Rhonda Patrick when you sign up as a FoundMyFitness Premium Member When testosterone runs low, libido isn't the only casualty—muscle mass drops, fat accumulates, insulin resistance rises, and motivation declines. In this episode, Derek from More Plates More Dates highlights common pitfalls that suppress testosterone and evaluates popular testosterone-boosting supplements like Tongkat Ali, boron, and ashwagandha, clarifying what's evidence-based versus overhyped. He also details practical strategies for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), covering optimal delivery methods, benefits, risks, fertility implications, and key biomarkers to monitor. Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (04:50) Why is testosterone essential for men? (07:11) The role of testosterone in women's health (08:53) Does higher testosterone shorten lifespan? (12:12) What the castrati reveal about testosterone and longevity (15:07) Free vs. total testosterone—what's the difference? (18:42) Best practices for measuring and interpreting testosterone levels (21:29) Reference ranges or symptoms—which matters more? (24:50) When is high testosterone a red flag? (26:32) What LH and FSH reveal about testosterone production (31:11) Could high SHBG levels be limiting your testosterone? (35:02) Why SHBG increases with age—and how diet and lifestyle accelerate it (39:45) Key symptoms of low testosterone in men (42:46) Is alcohol sabotaging your testosterone levels? (45:39) Why low-fat and low-carb diets might lower testosterone (46:18) Common micronutrient mistakes hurting hormone levels (48:12) How excess body fat impacts testosterone (51:39) When endurance training goes too far (56:02) Are endocrine disruptors truly harming male hormones? (58:42) Debunking myths about declining testosterone in men (1:01:32) Why dietary fat is essential for hormone health (1:03:55) Is a ketogenic diet bad for testosterone? (1:05:10) Which type of exercise boosts testosterone most? (1:07:16) Do vitamin D, zinc, and magnesium actually help? (1:11:36) Does boron significantly raise free testosterone? (1:12:45) Ashwagandha's true potential for testosterone enhancement (1:17:00) Is Tongkat Ali the best herbal testosterone booster? (1:20:51) Tongkat Ali or boron—which is superior? (1:22:20) Shilajit, Tribulus, Fenugreek—do they actually work? (1:23:33) The four best supplements to raise testosterone levels (1:25:17) Dutch test vs. blood test—which is better for cortisol? (1:26:32) When should you consider testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)? (1:34:23) What realistic benefits can TRT provide? (1:37:34) Does TRT raise heart disease and erythrocytosis risk? (1:47:23) Creams vs. injections (1:48:47) Does TRT increase prostate cancer risk? (1:51:01) Hair loss, acne, sleep apnea—what are TRT's real side effects? (1:53:41) The rollercoaster effect of testosterone injections (1:56:15) Could low testosterone be riskier than TRT? (1:59:38) Choosing the right TRT delivery method (2:06:16) Do smaller, more frequent injections reduce risks? (2:08:12) Can you maintain fertility while on TRT? (2:16:12) Why TRT quickly shrinks testicles (2:17:40) Key biomarkers you must track on TRT (2:26:57) Testosterone therapy for women—symptoms, ranges, and risks (2:36:49) Can DHEA supplements safely raise testosterone in women? (2:39:47) What actually causes hair loss? (2:46:00) Does your maternal grandfather determine your hairline? (2:46:48) Why stopping hair loss means accepting risks (2:55:54) How effective are ketoconazole, minoxidil, and microneedling? (2:58:55) Topical vs. oral minoxidil—how do side effects compare? (3:02:00) Is microneedling effective without minoxidil? (3:04:51) Do finasteride and dutasteride alter brain chemistry? (3:06:03) Finasteride and the nocebo effect—are side effects imagined? (3:07:37) Does minoxidil delay baldness or just mask it? (3:09:06) Can dutasteride extend your lifespan? Show notes, transcript, and summary are available by clicking here Watch this episode on YouTube  

Fertility Docs Uncensored is back with a deep dive into the endometrium—your uterine lining and a key player in fertility. Hosted by Dr. Carrie Bedient from the Fertility Center of Las Vegas, Dr. Susan Hudson from Texas Fertility Center, and Dr. Abby Eblen from Nashville Fertility Center, this episode answers listener questions and unpacks everything you need to know about this important tissue. The docs start with uterine artery embolization and how it can impact future pregnancies—touching on risks like decreased blood flow to the baby, stillbirth, and placenta increta. They also explore different endometrial biopsies (Receptiva, ALICE, EMMA, and ERA) and how they help evaluate the lining. Endometritis and polyps are also on the table: what they mean, how often they appear, and why treatment is often recommended. The docs start with uterine artery embolization and how it can impact future pregnancies—touching on risks like decreased blood flow to the baby, stillbirth, and placenta increta. They also explore different endometrial biopsies (Receptiva, ALICE, EMMA, and ERA) and how they help evaluate the lining. Endometritis and polyps are also on the table: what they mean, how often they appear, and why treatment is often recommended. You'll also hear about stimulation options using estrogen patches or FSH, the use of modified natural cycles, and the role of hormones like prolactin and thyroid in cycle length. Even weight changes can alter hormones and ovulation. Finally, the docs explain endometrial thickness and the relationship to frozen embryo transfer (FET) success rates. Tune in for this essential guide to all things endometrium! This podcast was sponsored by Shady Grove Fertility.

Do you ever feel like your whole life is on pause while you're trying to conceive? Maybe you find yourself asking, “Should I plan that trip?” or “What if I'm pregnant by then?” Living in limbo can leave you exhausted, anxious, and unsure of how to move forward. In today's episode, we're talking about how to make plans while you're waiting—without fear, guilt, or the constant “what if” game. You'll hear both biblical wisdom and practical tools to help you enjoy your life, hold your plans with open hands, and trust God's timing for your family. ✨ What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why Scripture encourages us to plan with humility and trust (James 4:13–15; Proverbs 16:9) How to live fully and joyfully in the waiting, instead of putting life on pause Practical strategies for planning trips, events, and commitments while TTC Encouragement to delight in the present season, knowing God's timing is always perfect Whether you're in month 3 or year 6 of waiting, this episode will help you release the fear of “messing up the timing” and step into abundant life—even before the pregnancy test turns positive. ----more---- Try Inito THE Fertility Tool you Need - as shared today, this is the tool I just started using as we begin preparing for conceiving baby 3!! The Inito Starter Pack is available for just $89 with the code THEWAITINGWELL at inito.com - this is the tool you HAVE to have: Your very own fertility lab that measures actual values of Estrogen and LH to predict your fertile days, PdG (urine metabolite of progesterone) to confirm ovulation and FSH to track your follicle growth.  ----more----   Enroll in Peace in the Wait: A Christ-Centered Approach to the Two Week Wait Mini Course: https://stan.store/coduinker/p/peace-in-the-wait  This Christ-centered 14-day mini-course is designed to help Christian women in the Two Week Wait move from anxious spiraling and restless uncertainty to a place of peace, steadiness, and holy confidence in God's timing—whether the test turns positive or not. Here's what you'll receive: ✅ 14 days of powerful audio devotionals to renew your mind with God's truth ✅ A guided journal with scripture-based reflection prompts for each day ✅ Practical tools to take every thought captive and calm anxious spirals ✅ Worship and prayer resources to help you anchor your hope in Christ ✅ Fertility-friendly meal plan to nourish your body during the wait ✅ Lifetime access to all materials so you can revisit each cycle ✅ A safe space to shift from anxiety ground to holy ground in your wait Cost:

If you're facing low AMH, high FSH, DOR, POI, or recurrent pregnancy loss, this episode is for you. We're diving into hsCRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein), a key, often overlooked marker of inflammation, and why it matters for fertility. Learn how chronic inflammation impacts egg quality, implantation, and embryo health, why hsCRP testing is often missed in conventional care, and what functional labs can reveal. We'll also cover homocysteine, ANA, and natural killer cells, plus practical strategies to reduce inflammation and clotting risks for you and your partner. I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile, and for over a decade, my team has helped 100's of couples improve fertility naturally or through IVF using functional testing and personalized strategies. In this episode, you'll learn: Why hsCRP testing is critical yet often overlooked in fertility care How systemic inflammation affects eggs, implantation, embryos, and male fertility Other hidden markers, homocysteine, ANA, NK cells, that can influence fertility outcomes Functional fertility strategies to lower inflammation, including diet, gut health, stress support, supplements, and hormone optimization Real-world case studies showing how addressing inflammation improved fertility, even with low AMH or DOR

Breast milk truly is liquid gold. Your body makes the perfect food for your baby, and pumping lets you give them that milk even when you are not there. Whether you plan to pump occasionally, pump at work after maternity leave, or build a freezer stash, this episode will walk you through how to make pumping easier, more efficient, and less stressful. We'll cover choosing and using a pump, building and storing your milk supply, navigating pumping at work, and keeping your supply steady. Full article and resources for this episode: https://pregnancypodcast.com/pumping/   Thank you to the brands that power this podcast: There are endless benefits to babywearing, from promoting bonding to giving you the ability to have your hands free as a busy parent. Oscha slings, wraps, and carriers are absolutely gorgeous and are ethically made in Scotland using the highest quality natural and organic yarns. From the newborn stage through toddlerhood, Oscha Slings are the most beautiful and comfortable solution for carrying your baby. New customers can get 10% off with the code PREGNANCYPODCAST at http://oschaslings.com/ Thank you to VTech for their support of this episode. VTech offers a wide range of baby monitors designed for today's modern parents. As the #1 Baby Monitor Brand in North America, VTech is trusted by millions of families to deliver crystal-clear HD video, reliable performance, strong night vision, and convenient smartphone access. The Advanced HQ Max is built for parents who want an easy-to-use, secure monitor without the need for Wi-Fi or apps. With a large 7” screen and crisp, real-time video, it provides reliable monitoring without lag. The Advanced HQ Max is perfect if you want private, no-fuss monitoring with premium features. Check out the Advanced HQ Max at https://pregnancypodcast.com/hqmax/ Inito is the first at-home fertility monitor that tracks four key fertility hormones (estrogen, LH, PdG, and FSH) all on a single test strip. In just ten minutes, you get accurate, personalized hormone data to help you understand your unique cycle and optimize your chances of conceiving. Unlike ovulation test kits that can only predict ovulation, Inito not only predicts but also confirms when ovulation actually happens. Inito is 96% as accurate as a blood test, without the cost, wait time, or hassle of going to a lab. If you are on a fertility journey, Inito provides you with clear insights into your unique hormone patterns, allowing you to stop guessing and start understanding your cycle more effectively. The Inito Starter Pack is available for just $89 with the code PREGNANCYPODCAST: https://pregnancypodcast.com/inito   Get More from the Pregnancy Podcast See all discounts exclusive for Pregnancy Podcast listeners: https://pregnancypodcast.com/resources Join Pregnancy Podcast Premium for ad-free episodes, full access to the back catalog, and a copy of the Your Birth Plan Book: https://pregnancypodcast.com/premium Follow your pregnancy week-by-week with the 40 Weeks podcast. Learn how your baby grows, what's happening in your body, what to expect at prenatal appointments, and get tips for dads and partners: https://pregnancypodcast.com/week For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website: https://pregnancypodcast.com

Deciding to start a family is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming when you want to do everything possible to improve your chances of conceiving. In this episode, you will learn how long it typically takes to conceive, how to identify your fertile window, and the best ways to track and confirm ovulation. While there are no magic shortcuts, focusing on the basics can make a meaningful difference. We discuss how key aspects of your health, including exercise, diet, weight, sleep, stress, and substance use, can impact fertility and help you create the best possible environment for pregnancy. Full article and resources for this episode: https://pregnancypodcast.com/improvingfertility/   Thank you to the brands that power this podcast: Inito is the first at-home fertility monitor that tracks four key fertility hormones (estrogen, LH, PdG, and FSH) all on a single test strip. In just ten minutes, you get accurate, personalized hormone data to help you understand your unique cycle and optimize your chances of conceiving. Unlike ovulation test kits that can only predict ovulation, Inito not only predicts but also confirms when ovulation actually happens. Inito is 96% as accurate as a blood test, without the cost, wait time, or hassle of going to a lab. If you are on a fertility journey, Inito provides you with clear insights into your unique hormone patterns, allowing you to stop guessing and start understanding your cycle more effectively. The Inito Starter Pack is available for just $89 with the code PREGNANCYPODCAST: https://pregnancypodcast.com/inito   Get More from the Pregnancy Podcast See all discounts exclusive for Pregnancy Podcast listeners: https://pregnancypodcast.com/resources Join Pregnancy Podcast Premium for ad-free episodes, full access to the back catalog, and a copy of the Your Birth Plan Book: https://pregnancypodcast.com/premium Follow your pregnancy week-by-week with the 40 Weeks podcast. Learn how your baby grows, what's happening in your body, what to expect at prenatal appointments, and get tips for dads and partners: https://pregnancypodcast.com/week For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website: https://pregnancypodcast.com

Although your newborn is hard-wired to breastfeed, breastfeeding doesn't always come naturally or go perfectly from the start. In reality, breastfeeding can take practice and patience as you and your baby navigate your nursing relationship. Many challenges can arise in the first few days and even months into your breastfeeding journey. The more you know about potential speed bumps, the better prepared you will be to address minor issues before they turn into bigger problems. Issues can include symptoms in your breasts like leaking, sore nipples, nipple shields, pain during breastfeeding or pumping, vasospasms, blebs, plugged ducts, mastitis, and engorgement. Or issues that affect your baby like jaundice, tongue-tie, thrush, food allergies or sensitivities, nursing strikes, cluster feeding, growth spurts, and spitting up. This episode will help you learn how to recognize and troubleshoot common breastfeeding challenges to make feeding your baby a more comfortable and successful experience. Full article and resources for this episode: https://pregnancypodcast.com/troubleshooting/ Thank you to the brands that power this podcast: There are endless benefits to babywearing, from promoting bonding to giving you the ability to have your hands free as a busy parent. Oscha slings, wraps, and carriers are absolutely gorgeous and are ethically made in Scotland using the highest quality natural and organic yarns. From the newborn stage through toddlerhood, Oscha Slings are the most beautiful and comfortable solution for carrying your baby. New customers can get 10% off with the code PREGNANCYPODCAST at http://oschaslings.com/ Inito is the first at-home fertility monitor that tracks four key fertility hormones (estrogen, LH, PdG, and FSH) all on a single test strip. In just ten minutes, you get accurate, personalized hormone data to help you understand your unique cycle and optimize your chances of conceiving. Unlike ovulation test kits that can only predict ovulation, Inito not only predicts but also confirms when ovulation actually happens. Inito is 96% as accurate as a blood test, without the cost, wait time, or hassle of going to a lab. If you are on a fertility journey, Inito provides you with clear insights into your unique hormone patterns, allowing you to stop guessing and start understanding your cycle more effectively. 
The Inito Starter Pack is available for just $89 with the code PREGNANCYPODCAST at https://pregnancypodcast.com/inito VTech offers a wide range of baby monitors designed for today's modern parents. As the #1 Baby Monitor Brand in North America, VTech is trusted by millions of families to deliver crystal-clear HD video, reliable performance, strong night vision, and convenient smartphone access. The VTech VM901 Baby Monitor makes monitoring effortless whether you're at home or away. With a 1080p HD camera and a 5” parent unit, it's designed for convenience and reliable performance. As the #1 Baby Monitor Brand in North America, VTech is trusted by millions of families. Check out the VTech VM901 Baby Monitor at https://pregnancypodcast.com/vm901   Get More from the Pregnancy Podcast See all discounts exclusive for Pregnancy Podcast listeners: https://pregnancypodcast.com/resources Join Pregnancy Podcast Premium for ad-free episodes, full access to the back catalog, and a copy of the Your Birth Plan Book: https://pregnancypodcast.com/premium Follow your pregnancy week-by-week with the 40 Weeks podcast. Learn how your baby grows, what's happening in your body, what to expect at prenatal appointments, and get tips for dads and partners: https://pregnancypodcast.com/week For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website: https://pregnancypodcast.com

Today, Ali joined by the multifaceted Erica Cobb—TV host, podcaster, and self-proclaimed “eternal optimist”—as she shares her raw and powerful journey through infertility, IVF, and surrogacy. Erica opens up about the challenges she's faced so far, including a tumor on her pituitary gland, blocked fallopian tubes, and the emotional toll of hearing, “You're pregnant, but not pregnant enough.” Through it all, Erica remains steeped in gratitude and grounded in intention. We talk about spirit babies, manifestation, navigating roadblocks, and the incredible woman currently carrying her baby as a gestational carrier. Her story is still unfolding-- so make sure to listen in and follow along for what happens next. For more, go to www.comeback.tvFollow on IG: @ericacobbTOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: TTC; ART; IVF; pituitary gland tumor; blocked fallopian tubes; spirit babies; manifestation; navigating roadblocksEPISODE SPONSORS: BEAUTIFUL BIRD AND WORK OF ARTAli's Children's Book Series about IVF, IUI and Family Building Through Assisted Reproductive Technology https://www.infertileafgroup.com/booksThe latest book in the Work of ART series, “Beautiful Bird” tells the story of three parents, one incredible boy and a family built with love—and a little bit of science.Pre-orders are available now! The first 150 copies will be Personalized, Signed and Numbered! Don't miss out on this limited edition! Tap the link in bio and stories to order your copy today.When Helen decides to have a baby on her own, she welcomes Jack Bird into the world through IUI with the help of her friend, Aaron. But when Jack is born and needs extra care in the NICU, Aaron and his partner, Blake, fall in love with Jack, too. Together, the three join forces to raise Jack, proving that family isn't about how you start—it's about how you grow.Order yours now at https://www.infertileafgroup.com/booksFor bulk orders of 10 or more books at 20% off, go to https://www.infertileafgroup.com/bulk-order-requestFERTILITY RALLYIG: @fertilityrallywww.fertilityrally.comNo one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com. We offer 5 to 6 support groups per week, three private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey.Join today at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com/membershipINITOhttps://try.inito.com/hormone-tracking/inf/?discount=INFERTILEAF&utm_source=social_media&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=INFERTILEAFIG: @initofertiilityFor years, clinical labs were the only way to get a clear view of your hormone levels and ovulation patterns. But for many people in the trying to conceive community—especially those with hormone imbalances or conditions like PCOS—frequent lab visits can be costly, inconvenient, and take up a ton of time. This is why I'm excited to tell you about Inito, which is unlike anything else out there. Inito is an at-home fertility monitor that tracks all four key hormones—Estrogen, LH, FSH, and PdG—on a single test strip. Instead of piecing together fragments of info, Inito offers a full, clear picture of your hormone health through a data chart and clear insights that are unique to your body and your cycle.The Inito Starter Pack is available for just $89 with the code INFERTILEAF at ihttps://try.inito.com/hormone-tracking/inf/?discount=INFERTILEAF&utm_source=social_media&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=INFERTILEAFEXTEND FERTILITY IG: @extendfertilitywww.extendfertility.comFertility shouldn't be dictated by a timeline. Extend Fertility offers cutting-edge egg and embryo freezing, infertility care, and IVF—all designed to put you in control. Their approach? Research driven, transparent, and personalized. With a world-class lab, exceptional verified success rates backed by nearly a decade of egg freezing results, and pricing lower than the national average, Extend Fertility is making reproductive care more accessible and effective than ever. Whether you're preserving fertility for the future or actively trying to conceive, they're here with expert support every step of the way. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode answers a listener's question about how to know when the time is right to have a baby. Whether you are thinking about your first child or adding to your family, the decision can feel overwhelming. We explore the emotional side of this choice, what medical organizations recommend about pregnancy timing, birth spacing, and how lifestyle, age, fertility, finances, and family dynamics can all factor in. You will also hear why waiting for the “perfect” time may not be realistic and how to sort through the noise and trust your own timing. Thank you to the brands that power this podcast. Inito is the first at-home fertility monitor that tracks four key fertility hormones (estrogen, LH, PdG, and FSH) all on a single test strip. In just ten minutes, you get accurate, personalized hormone data to help you understand your unique cycle and optimize your chances of conceiving. Unlike ovulation test kits that can only predict ovulation, Inito not only predicts but also confirms when ovulation actually happens. Inito is 96% as accurate as a blood test, without the cost, wait time, or hassle of going to a lab. If you are on a fertility journey, Inito provides you with clear insights into your unique hormone patterns, allowing you to stop guessing and start understanding your cycle more effectively. The Inito Starter Pack is available for just $89 with the code PREGNANCYPODCAST: https://try.inito.com/hormone-tracking/inf/?discount=PREGNANCYPODCAST&utm_source=social_media&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=PREGNANCYPODCAST See all discounts exclusive for Pregnancy Podcast Listeners: https://pregnancypodcast.com/resources/   Get more from the Pregnancy Podcast Full article and resources for this episode: https://pregnancypodcast.com/pregnancytiming/ Join Pregnancy Podcast Premium for ad-free episodes , full access to the back catalog, and a copy of the Your Birth Plan book: https://pregnancypodcast.com/premium Follow your pregnancy week-by-week with the 40 Weeks podcast. Learn how your baby grows, what's happening in your body, what to expect at prenatal appointments, and get tips for dads and partners: https://pregnancypodcast.com/week For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website: https://pregnancypodcast.com