Fertility + Hormones + Health + Lifestyle
Welcome to the blog
Episode 129: Lifestyle and Fertility, with Dr. Ashley Eskew
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she discusses lifestyle and fertility with Dr. Ashley Eskew. As fertiltiy doctors, they know what is important on how your life can influence your fertility. Listen as they review diet, supplements, exercise, stress, and more if you are trying to conceive, undergoing fertility treatments, or struggling with infertility.
Episode 128: Doctors and Friends, with Dr. Kimmery Martin
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she discusses writing, doctoring, and following your passion with Dr. Kimmery Martin. Dr. Kimmery is an emergency medicine doctor-turned novelist whose works of medical fiction have been praised by The Harvard Crimson, Southern Living, The New York Times, and People magazine, among others. Her latest novel, Doctors and Friends, is available now.
Episode 127: Fertility Fraud, with Eve Wiley
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she talks with Eve Wiley. Eve uncovered a life changing family secret about her genetic identity. Eve’s story thrust her into an advocacy role for donor conceived rights and women’s reproductive rights. She has successfully lobbied to change the laws in many states to protect those using artificial reproductive technologies, and continues to advocate for more accountability within the industry. You want to hear this discussion of fertility, the law, and donor conception.
Episode 126: Optimizing IVF, with Dr. Anate Brauer
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she talks with board certified fertility doctor, Anate Brauer MD about IVF, fertility, and life as a fertility doctor. Listen to her talk about what to know when you are choosing a fertility doctor, how to optimize your IVF cycle, and what you should be doing.
Episode 124: Ovulation
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she talks about the menstrual cycle, ovulation, and fertility awareness methods. Learn more about calendar tracking, ovulation predictor kits (opks), basal body temperature (BBT), and luteal progesterone measurements. Listen as she answers your top ovulation questions to help you get pregnant naturally.
Episode 123: COVID, The VAX, and Your Period
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she talks about the latest research on both the COVID Vaccine and a COVID infection on your period. Your period is a reflection of your reproductive health, and intense immune responses or infections can certainly be stressful to the body and alter our normal hormone function. Current DATA: 19% of people after a COVID infection have a cycle change in length. People who received the vaccine had on average a cycle length of 1 day longer than prior to vaccination. If you received both vaccines in one cycle, 10.6% of people had a clinically significant cycle change of 8 days or more as compared to the baseline rate of 4.3% in the unvaccinated. In those receiving the vaccine, your period returned to normal after 1-2 cycles. TLDR - your chance of having a period change is more from a COVID infection vs vaccination, and if you have period changes for more than 1-2 cycles after a vaccine please see your doctor to investigate other etiologies of amenorrhea.
Episode 122: Goals and Growth
Join host Natalie Crawford, MD as she talks about setting goals for the new year to foster growth and change. Listen to her talk about goal setting, understanding your why, making a plan, giving yourself grace, forgetting bad behaviors and setting yourself up fro success. Learn to allow yourself space to grow by cultivating at atmosphere of self acceptance and challenging the norm. You are enough, you deserve to be happy.
Episode 121: Supporting Your Mental Health, with Dr. Nichelle Haynes
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she discussed the importance of addressing and taking care of your mental health with Dr. Nichelle Haynes. Nichelle is a reproductive psychiatrist and CEO of Reproductive Psychiatry Clinic in Austin. Throughout the past 2 years, many have suffered from an increase in anxiety, depression and chronic stress. For those struggling with infertility - this has been even worse. Listen as Nichelle talks about coping strategies for you to prioritize your own mental health.
Episode 120: The Practice of Medicine, with Rhoda Couvaras
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she talks about women supporting women and behind the scenes of a medical practice with Rhoda Couvaras. Rhoda has a background in public relations and she has been the practice administrator at IVF Phoenix for almost 12 years. She has been a huge supporter of all women and has so much insight for everyone and anyone who cares for patients.
Episode 119: Exercise and Fertility, with Dr. Sasha Hakman
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she talks about exercise and reproduction with Dr. Sasha Hakman. Dr. Hakman is and OBGYN and REI and is very passionate about lifestyle and fertility. Listen to her talk about her own journey with PCOS and IVF, learn about the recommendations for exercise and nutrition while trying to conceive, in fertility treatments and while pregnant - and think about your body in a new way.
Episode 118: Luteal Phase Deficiency
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she talks about luteal phase deficiency. Learn more about your menstrual cycle, why cycle tracking is important and possible underlying causes. Treatment options may include monitoring, ovulation induction, progesterone, or IVF. The menstrual cycle is a vital sign - it reflects your hormones.
Episode 117: Fighting Infertility, with Samantha Busch
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she talks about fertility with Samantha Busch. Listen as Samantha reviews her fertility journey and the heartbreak along the way. She talks about the decision to be public, the ups and down that come with sharing your story, switching fertility clinics, starting a fertility fund and now sharing everything in a very open memoir.
Episode 116: Stress, Hormones, and Fertility
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she talks about stress and how it impacts your hormones and your fertility. Our bodies are made to respond to acute and chronic stress systems in a way that helps us prioritize immediate functions - however, in today's modern society, where stress is constant and our health prioritized, what are the reproductive consequences? Reviewing hormones, ovulation, implantation, placentation and pregnancy outcomes in the setting of stress.
Episode 115: Pelvic Pain, with Dr. Sonia Bahlani
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she talks with pelvic pain specialist and expert Dr. Sonia Bahlani. Dr. Bahlani is OBGYN trained with a fellowship in the department of urology focussing on pain. She is an advocate for women and an educator of all things pelvic pain. Listen to us break down this topic talking about the top causes of pelvic pain, what to know for an evaluation and how you can get help. Your pain is real.
Episode 114: A Fertility Doctor and The COVID Vaccine
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she talks honestly and openly about the COVID vaccine in this episode to all of those who are not vaccinated or fearful of the vaccine. There have been many lies and misinformation spread about reproductive health and the vaccine - and in this episode she talks about science and facts. Please understand why your doctors are pleading with you to make an educated decision more than anything.
Episode 113: Estrogen Dominance
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she talks about estrogen. Understand what it is, how it is made, when it should be checked, and what it means. Estrogen is a hormone that is essential. You need to understand what it means to be diagnosed with "estrogen dominance" and what it does not - covering ovulation issues, PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids, and fertility.
Episode 112: Endocrinology, with Dr. Arti Thangudu
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she talks all about the endocrine system with Dr. Arti Thangudu, a board certified medical endocrinologist and founder of SA complete - a lifestyle focused direct care practice. Listen as they discuss the importance of hormones, what you need to understand about yours, and tips to know when to see care and who can help you with your endocrine problems - thyroid, PCOS, diabetes, and more.
Episode 111: Prioritizing You
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she talks about prioritizing you. In this episode, hear her talk about 4 principles to think about when talking care of yourself. Take self care into action but understanding that when you take care of yourself, you are a better person. Learn about you resources: time, physical health, emotional and mental health, and money, and understand if you are using them to the best of your ability.
Episode 110: Use Your Voice
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she talks about the importance of using your voice. Especially as a woman in medicine, people are often telling you to fit in and be inside the box they expect for you, but all the good things come from being outside the box. Learn why using your voice is important, understand how you can tap into that voice, and learn why your voice not only helps others, but also helps you.
Episode 109: Inclusivity, with Dr. Emily Seidler
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she talks with fellow fertility physician and friend Dr. Emily Seidler about inclusivity. Listen to Emily's story of freezing her eggs, learn about what inclusivity is and why it matters. Hear about easy action steps you can take to be more inclusive. Learn about LGBTQ and single person family building options.