As a Woman

Endometriosis affects an estimated 1 in 10 women, yet diagnosis can still take years. Some women experience debilitating period pain or GI symptoms, while others have little obvious pain and first encounter endometriosis during an infertility evaluation. How do you know when endometriosis could be the cause, and what should happen next?

In this episode of the As a Woman podcast, Dr. Natalie Crawford talks with Dr. Mallory Stuparich, a board-certified OB/GYN and fellowship-trained minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon specializing in endometriosis and complex pelvic pain. They explain why endometriosis can be missed even after an ultrasound, how birth control and excision surgery serve different goals, what to consider about fertility before surgery, and how to choose care based on your symptoms and priorities.

IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Endometriosis Symptoms, Treatment, and Fertility

01:21 Meet Dr. Mallory Stuparich

04:32 What Is Endometriosis?

06:09 What Do the Stages of Endometriosis Mean?

07:33 Why Does Endometriosis Take So Long to Diagnose?

09:03 What Are the Symptoms of Endometriosis?

10:35 Does Endometriosis Run in Families?

11:52 When Is Period Pain Abnormal in Teenagers?

13:01 Can Endometriosis Cause GI Symptoms?

13:58 What Are the Treatment Options for Endometriosis?

16:20 Does Birth Control Treat Endometriosis?

18:45 Can Birth Control Prevent Endometriomas?

21:15 Ablation vs. Excision Surgery for Endometriosis

25:04 When Is Lupron Used for Endometriosis and IVF?

28:00 How Does Endometriosis Affect Fertility?

29:22 Should You See a Fertility Specialist Before Endometriosis Surgery?

32:27 Can Repeat Endometriosis Surgery Improve Fertility?

34:25 How Do You Choose an Endometriosis Surgeon?

36:01 When Is Surgery Used to Diagnose Endometriosis?

37:47 Can Ultrasound Diagnose Endometriosis?

39:26 When Do You Need an MRI for Endometriosis?

41:32 Where Can Endometriosis Grow?

42:31 Endometriosis vs. Adenomyosis: What’s the Difference?

43:50 How Is Adenomyosis Treated Before IVF?

45:21 Can Lifestyle Changes Help Endometriosis?

48:49 Can GLP-1 Medications Help Endometriosis?

50:24 What New Endometriosis Tests Are Being Studied?

51:14 How to Advocate for Endometriosis Care

GUEST RESOURCES:

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

Website: https://internationalendo.com/drmallorystuparich/

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 period has disappeared, but pregnancy and menopause are not the reason. Could stress, underfueling, or exercise be disrupting your brain-ovary connection, and what does your body need before your cycle can recover?

In this episode of the As a Woman podcast, Dr. Natalie Crawford explains hypothalamic amenorrhea and the subtler hypothalamic dysfunction that can begin while your period is still arriving. Learn how chronic stress and low energy availability affect ovulation, which symptoms may signal low estrogen, what testing can help rule out other causes, and why recovery requires more than simply eating more.

IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Why Did My Period Stop?

01:47 What Is Hypothalamic Amenorrhea?

03:30 What Causes Functional Hypothalamic Amenorrhea?

04:00 How Does the Brain Control Ovulation?

06:04 Can Stress Stop You From Ovulating?

07:33 Can Low Body Fat Stop Your Period?

08:42 Hypothalamic Amenorrhea vs. Hypothalamic Dysfunction

10:28 Can You Lose Your Period Without an Eating Disorder?

11:53 What Are the Health Risks of Hypothalamic Amenorrhea?

13:26 What Are the Symptoms of Low Estrogen?

15:35 How Can You Track Ovulation and Cycle Changes?

16:48 How Is Hypothalamic Amenorrhea Diagnosed?

18:52 What Hormone Tests Are Needed for a Missing Period?

21:44 Do You Need a Bone Density Scan for Hypothalamic Amenorrhea?

22:34 How Do You Recover From Hypothalamic Amenorrhea?

23:38 What Should You Eat to Get Your Period Back?

24:41 Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Help Hypothalamic Amenorrhea?

25:58 Can Reducing Stress Help You Get Your Period Back?

26:26 How Long Does It Take to Get Your Period Back?

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

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