As a Woman

How do you know when to continue the same fertility treatment and when it is time to change course?

In this episode of the As a Woman podcast, fertility doctor Natalie Crawford, MD, answers your questions about failed IVF transfers, IUI, embryo banking, low AMH, thin uterine lining, progesterone levels, sperm morphology, pregnancy after methotrexate, and recurrent implantation failure. She explains what your results can tell you, what they may miss, and when a different protocol or second opinion deserves a conversation.

IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Fertility Q&A

00:14 What Causes a Thin Uterine Lining After Surgery?

03:21 What Progesterone Level Is Needed for Embryo Transfer?

05:42 How Many Embryos Do You Need for 2 or 3 Children?

08:09 Can IUI Help With Low Sperm Morphology?

09:52 How Many IUI Cycles Should You Try?

11:06 Can AMH Change From Month to Month?

11:42 Do You Need Estrogen or Progesterone After IUI?

12:37 Can High Cholesterol Affect Fertility and Pregnancy?

13:54 When Should You Repeat a Semen Analysis?

14:46 What Is a Pregnancy of Unknown Location?

15:30 Why Should You Wait After Methotrexate to Conceive?

15:49 Do You Need an HSG After an Ectopic Pregnancy?

16:08 Can IUI Help With a Varicocele?

16:48 What Should You Do After Pregnancy Loss With a Euploid Embryo?18:15 What Are the Different Embryo Transfer Protocols?

19:19 What Testing Can Help After Failed Implantation?

20:20 When Should You Get a Second Opinion?

AS A WOMAN WITH DR. NATALIE CRAWFORD:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLveZDgg3_HZ9m7Wy3C6Vvyrj_NtEOwj_l

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/as-a-woman/id1449553339

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/12IYOLH9liu60gk5D0bRPk

HOST RESOURCES:

Order The Fertility Formula: https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/book

Newsletter: https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/newsletter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliecrawfordmd

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NatalieCrawfordMD

Become a patient: https://www.forafertility.com

Earn FREE CE/CME: https://learnatpinnacle.com/education

This episode is brought to you by The Pinnacle Podcast Network.

ABOUT DR. NATALIE CRAWFORD:

Natalie Crawford, MD, is a double board-certified OB/GYN and reproductive endocrinologist, co-founder of Fora Fertility, and author of The Fertility Formula. She helps women understand their hormones, fertility, and reproductive health so they can make informed decisions about their bodies.

Disclaimer: Natalie Crawford, MD, is a doctor, but she is not your doctor. This content is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized medical care.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your periods are still regular and your labs may even look “normal.” So why aren’t you sleeping? Why has your mood changed? And why do you suddenly feel like a different version of yourself?

In this episode of the As a Woman podcast, Dr. Natalie Crawford talks with Dr. Alicia Robbins, a board-certified OB/GYN, certified Menopause Society Practitioner, and founder of The Elm. They discuss why sleep and mood can change before hot flashes or irregular periods begin, how cycle tracking may reveal patterns, and how progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone are considered in individualized perimenopause care. They also explain the connection between fertility and perimenopause, what else should be ruled out, and how to advocate for better care when your symptoms are dismissed.

IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 What Is Perimenopause and When Does It Start?

03:20 Why Dr. Alicia Robbins Changed Her Approach to Perimenopause

09:55 Perimenopause vs. Menopause: What’s the Difference?

11:23 Fertility and Perimenopause

12:22 How Do You Know if You’re in Perimenopause?

14:47 How to Track Perimenopause Symptoms

16:02 Hormone Therapy During Perimenopause

17:38 Symptoms of Low Progesterone

18:11 Hormone Therapy, Birth Control, and Pregnancy

20:17 Testosterone and Pregnancy

21:21 Testosterone for Women

23:43 Symptoms of Low Estrogen

25:12 When to Start Hormone Therapy

27:04 Estrogen Patches vs. Pills

27:40 Do You Need Hormone Testing for Perimenopause?

30:01 Is It Perimenopause or Something Else?

32:13 How to Advocate for Better Perimenopause Care

GUEST RESOURCES:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliciarobbinsmd/

Website: https://www.theelmgreenwich.com/

Podcast: https://www.draliciarobbins.com/podcast

AS A WOMAN WITH DR. NATALIE CRAWFORD:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLveZDgg3_HZ9m7Wy3C6Vvyrj_NtEOwj_l

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/as-a-woman/id1449553339

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/12IYOLH9liu60gk5D0bRPk

HOST RESOURCES:

Order The Fertility Formula: https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/book

Newsletter: https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/newsletter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliecrawfordmd

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NatalieCrawfordMD

Become a patient: https://www.forafertility.com

Earn FREE CE/CME: https://learnatpinnacle.com/education

This episode is brought to you by The Pinnacle Podcast Network.

ABOUT DR. NATALIE CRAWFORD:

Natalie Crawford, MD, is a double board-certified OB/GYN and reproductive endocrinologist, co-founder of Fora Fertility, and author of The Fertility Formula. She helps women understand their hormones, fertility, and reproductive health so they can make informed decisions about their bodies.

Disclaimer: Natalie Crawford, MD, is a doctor, but she is not your doctor. This content is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized medical care.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your eggs begin developing months before ovulation. So what can you actually do during that window to improve your egg quality?

In this episode of the As a Woman podcast, reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Natalie Crawford explains the 60-to-90-day process of egg development and why age is only one part of the egg-quality conversation. She explores how nutrition, inflammation, mitochondrial health, blood sugar, sleep, stress, exercise, supplements, and environmental exposures may shape the ovarian environment during this critical window.

You cannot reverse age-related changes, but understanding how an egg develops can help you focus on the factors that may be within your control. Whether you are trying to conceive, preparing for IVF, freezing your eggs, or thinking about your future fertility, this episode offers a science-backed place to start.

IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Can You Improve Egg Quality Naturally in 90 Days?

01:45 How Many Eggs Are Women Born With?

02:23 Is Egg Quality Determined by Age?

03:32 Egg Quality vs. Egg Quantity: What Is the Difference?

03:13 How Long Does an Egg Take to Develop Before Ovulation?

04:50 When Should You Start Preparing for IVF or Egg Freezing?

05:30 What Causes Chromosomal Abnormalities in Eggs?

06:55 How Does Mitochondrial Health Affect Egg Quality?

08:04 How Are Estrogen and Progesterone Connected to Egg Health?

08:47 What Can Follicular Fluid Reveal About Egg Quality?

10:36 What Foods Help Support Egg Quality?

11:15 Do Healthy Fats Support Fertility and Hormone Health?

12:02 Which Protein Sources Are Best for Fertility?

12:47 Can Omega-3 Fatty Acids Support Egg Quality?

13:33 How Does Oxidative Stress Affect Egg Quality?

13:55 Should You Take CoQ10 for Egg Quality?

14:42 Does Vitamin D Affect Egg Quality and Implantation?

15:21 Can Melatonin Support Egg Quality?

16:22 How Do Blood Sugar and Insulin Affect Egg Quality?

17:41 How Can You Improve Insulin Sensitivity?

18:30 Can Strength Training Support Egg Quality?

19:00 Can Inositol, Metformin, or GLP-1 Medications Support Egg Quality?

19:40 How Do Sleep and Stress Affect Egg Quality?

21:02 Do Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Affect Egg Quality?

21:44 How Can You Reduce Endocrine-Disrupting Chemical Exposure?

23:02 What Should You Do 90 Days Before Conception, IVF, or Egg Freezing?

AS A WOMAN WITH DR. NATALIE CRAWFORD:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLveZDgg3_HZ9m7Wy3C6Vvyrj_NtEOwj_l

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/as-a-woman/id1449553339

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/12IYOLH9liu60gk5D0bRPk

HOST RESOURCES:

Order The Fertility Formula: https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/book

Newsletter: https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/newsletter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliecrawfordmd

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NatalieCrawfordMD

Become a patient: https://www.forafertility.com

Earn FREE CE/CME: https://learnatpinnacle.com/education

This episode is brought to you by The Pinnacle Podcast Network.

ABOUT DR. NATALIE CRAWFORD:

Natalie Crawford, MD, is a double board-certified OB/GYN and reproductive endocrinologist, co-founder of Fora Fertility, and author of The Fertility Formula. She helps women understand their hormones, fertility, and reproductive health so they can make informed decisions about their bodies.

Disclaimer: Natalie Crawford, MD, is a doctor, but she is not your doctor. This content is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized medical care.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Low libido in women is often blamed on stress, aging, or relationship problems, but changes in desire may begin years before menopause and can involve hormones, medications, pain, sleep, blood flow, and the difference between spontaneous and responsive desire.

Dr. Natalie Crawford sits down with board-certified urologist Dr. Kelly Casperson, author of “You Are Not Broken” and “The Menopause Moment,” to explain why women may stop wanting sex, how testosterone and estrogen affect sexual health, and what to discuss with a clinician when something feels different. They also examine birth control and SSRI side effects, hormone therapy, vaginal estrogen, and why women’s sexual health deserves greater attention.

IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Why Women Can Lose Desire Before Menopause

02:10 Can Your Hormones Change While You Still Have a Period?

03:38 Why Testosterone Matters in Women

05:41 Can Birth Control Lower Your Libido?

08:04 How Estrogen Affects Desire, Arousal, and Vaginal Health

10:02 What Does Low Libido Actually Mean?

10:56 When Low Libido Is Really Painful Sex

13:15 Spontaneous vs. Responsive Desire

15:25 Are You Having Sex Worth Desiring?

16:53 What Causes Arousal Problems in Women?

17:20 How SSRIs Can Affect Sexual Function

17:50 How Couples Can Navigate Mismatched Sex Drives

21:05 Why Perimenopause Can Make You Feel Unlike Yourself

21:24 How Sleep, Estrogen, and Progesterone Affect Desire

21:50 Testosterone’s Role in the Brain, Mood, and Motivation

24:40 How Is Testosterone Prescribed to Women?

27:15 What Happens When Testosterone Is Too High?

30:30 Can Testosterone Affect More Than Libido?

32:00 Testosterone, Wound Healing, and Bone Health

33:25 Could Testosterone Support Hip-Fracture Recovery?

34:00 Can Hormone Therapy Still Help Women Over 60?

36:00 Systemic vs. Vaginal Estrogen

37:00 Why Hormone Treatment May Begin Before Menopause

39:55 Can You Get Pregnant During Perimenopause?

41:41 When Vaginal Estrogen May Help

46:12 How to Talk to Your Doctor About Hormones

48:25 Where to Find Dr. Kelly Casperson

GUEST RESOURCES:Website: https://kellycaspersonmd.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellycaspersonmdPodcast: https://kellycaspersonmd.com/you-are-not-broken-podcastYou Are Not Broken: https://kellycaspersonmd.com/you-are-not-broken-bookThe Menopause Moment: https://kellycaspersonmd.com/the-menopause-moment-book

AS A WOMAN WITH DR. NATALIE CRAWFORD:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLveZDgg3_HZ9m7Wy3C6Vvyrj_NtEOwj_l

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/as-a-woman/id1449553339

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/12IYOLH9liu60gk5D0bRPk

HOST RESOURCES:

Order The Fertility Formula: https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/book

Newsletter: https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/newsletter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliecrawfordmd

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NatalieCrawfordMD

Become a patient: https://www.forafertility.com

Earn FREE CE/CME: https://learnatpinnacle.com/education

This episode is brought to you by The Pinnacle Podcast Network.

ABOUT DR. NATALIE CRAWFORD:

Natalie Crawford, MD, is a double board-certified OB/GYN and reproductive endocrinologist, co-founder of Fora Fertility, and author of The Fertility Formula. She helps women understand their hormones, fertility, and reproductive health so they can make informed decisions about their bodies.

Disclaimer: Natalie Crawford, MD, is a doctor, but she is not your doctor. This content is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized medical care.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When your cycles are regular, your ultrasound looks normal, or you have been pregnant before, how do you know when it is time to look deeper?

Fertility testing does not always give you the whole picture. An LH surge is not the same as the day you ovulate, a normal ultrasound cannot rule out every uterine issue, and previous pregnancies do not protect you from secondary infertility or recurrent loss.

In this Fertility Q&A, Dr. Natalie Crawford answers your questions about ovulation tracking, recurrent chemical pregnancies, PMOS (formerly PCOS), low sperm motility, failed embryo transfers, Hashimoto’s, unexplained infertility, IUI, and when to pursue a more complete fertility evaluation.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Fertility Q&A

00:20 When Do You Actually Ovulate After an LH Surge?

02:00 What Should Be Tested After Recurrent Chemical Pregnancies?

03:58 Should You Fast or Exercise Fasted With PMOS (PCOS)?

06:15 What Does Low Sperm Motility Mean for Fertility?

08:43 When Should You Schedule a Saline Sonogram or HSG?

09:35 What Should You Do After Multiple Failed Embryo Transfers?

11:49 Can Creatine Make Endometriosis Worse?

12:50 How Should You Prepare for Pregnancy With Hashimoto’s?

14:48 When Does Recurrent Loss Require a Fertility Evaluation?

17:42 When Should Both Partners Get Karyotype Testing?

18:41 Is IUI Worth Trying for Unexplained Infertility?

21:41 Who Is the Best Candidate for IUI?

22:32 How Long Can Fertility Be Affected After IUD Removal?

23:50 How to Submit Your Fertility Questions

AS A WOMAN WITH DR. NATALIE CRAWFORD:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLveZDgg3_HZ9m7Wy3C6Vvyrj_NtEOwj_l

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/as-a-woman/id1449553339

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/12IYOLH9liu60gk5D0bRPk

HOST RESOURCES:

Order The Fertility Formula: https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/book

Newsletter: https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/newsletter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliecrawfordmd

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NatalieCrawfordMD

Become a patient: https://www.forafertility.com

Earn FREE CE/CME: https://learnatpinnacle.com/education

This episode is brought to you by The Pinnacle Podcast Network.

ABOUT DR. NATALIE CRAWFORD:

Natalie Crawford, MD, is a double board-certified OB/GYN and reproductive endocrinologist, co-founder of Fora Fertility, and author of The Fertility Formula. She helps women understand their hormones, fertility, and reproductive health so they can make informed decisions about their bodies.

Disclaimer: Natalie Crawford, MD, is a doctor, but she is not your doctor. This content is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized medical care.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices