Dr. Natalie Crawford discusses the impact of uterine polyps on fertility treatments like IVF and natural conception. It suggests that removing polyps generally improves pregnancy rates, though timing during IVF cycles may not significantly affect outcomes. Despite this, the author recommends removing polyps before embryo transfer for safety and to maximize chances of success, citing a rare case of cancerous polyp as a cautionary example. Overall, the advice is to err on the side of removing polyps to optimize fertility treatment outcomes.

I am a believer everybody needs to be evaluated to see if they have a polyp, especially if you're doing IVF sometime before you do the embryo transfer. Believe it or not, this is not standard of care. There are definitely practices that I have gotten records from that just do not look. They do not take the time. And why not? I don't know, but it blows my mind.

A polyp is a projection of the endometrial glands and stroma. So think about it like the inside layer, that endometrium. Learn more about what polyps are, the symptoms, and how common they are.

So the first thing I want everybody to know when talking about the uterus is that developmentally, the uterus starts as two different buds inside the body. These buds elongate, fuse together, and the midline portion dissolves, leaving what we think of as the triangular shaped uterus. These buds compose the top one third of the vagina, the cervix, the uterus, and the fallopian tubes. I think this is important because you can have birth defects of your uterus, and understanding the uterine structure is really important to understand anything that can go wrong.

Reviewing what we are looking for in the semen analysis, next steps, and treatment options.

Every time I talk about male fertility and the semen analysis, I feel like there is a giant gap in knowledge. I will be discussing how sperm is made, male and female similarities, and low testosterone. In part 2 I will discuss what we are looking at with a semen analysis, and some things I want you to know about male factor.

Many of my patients come to me and never expect to have a conversation about donor eggs. This option, for most people, is something they never thought they’d have to discuss. I want to break down some of the barriers, talk about this honestly, and give you some things to consider. Most people going down this road are women of advanced maternal age or poor egg quality leading to failure to get pregnant.

It is so important for you to know what is going on with your body so you can understand what’s best for you. I see these medications misused often so I want you to understand this topic.

I have seen so many misconceptions or things that are spread as truth and are misinterpreted. I am answering questions and debunking myths that have I have received.

Reviewing the basic overview of the menstrual cycle and fertility awareness methods.

Gift ideas for your friends, family and yourself.

Dr. Natalie Crawford discusses details she thinks are important to know when it comes to your physician as well as the clinic.

All about fertility doctors and what it takes to become one.

I often get asked “Who should I see?”, “How should I choose my doctor?”, and “What does it mean to be a fertility physician?” Let’s go over what it takes to become a fertility doctor and why it’s important to know your doctor’s credentials.

Going over the implications for getting an IUI and times it makes sense for an IUI

IUI is short for intrauterine insemination. I am covering the basics including what IUI is and what types of cycles are used.

What is luteal phase deficiency? How can it affect pregnancy? What are the treatment options?

What is progesterone? Why is it important? Why do people with PCOS have progesterone deficiency?

What does it mean to be in the space of the unknown? How do you deal with this moment? How do you become your best when you don’t know what the future looks like?

What are the options for having a a child as a lesbian couple?

Learn the first steps for trying to conceive as a lesbian couple. Questions answered: What does it look like if you go to the fertility doctor as a lesbian couple wanting a baby? What tests need to be done? How do we choose donor sperm?