As a Woman

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.
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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

For decades, women were handed a birth control prescription and sent home. Side effects were minimized. Questions were met with reassurance instead of real information. That left a vacuum, and into that vacuum poured a wave of claims that hormonal birth control is toxic, wrecks your hormones, causes infertility, and takes years to recover from.

The truth? Birth control isn't as simple as "good" or "bad." It's nuanced, and nuance is exactly what the algorithm can't deliver in a 60-second video.

In this episode, Dr. Natalie Crawford is joined by Dr. Fran Haydanek, a board-certified OB/GYN, residency faculty member, and one of the most trusted physician voices in women's health on social media. Together, they unpack the biggest birth control myths and viral health claims, separating what's supported by evidence from what's misunderstood, oversimplified, or simply untrue.

No agenda. No fear. Just evidence-based medicine and two physicians who believe women deserve honest information to make the best decisions for their own bodies.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN:

* Whether hormonal birth control is actually harming your hormones or fertility

* Why so many birth control myths continue to spread online

* Which viral hormone claims are backed by evidence and which aren't

* How different birth control methods affect fertility, PMOS, and egg freezing

* What every woman should know before choosing, stopping, or changing birth control

* Why better conversations with your doctor can completely change your care

Whether you're choosing a birth control method, planning for pregnancy, managing PMOS, or simply trying to separate fact from fiction online, this episode will help you better understand your body and make more informed decisions with confidence.

Topics covered: hormonal birth control, birth control myths, birth control pill, fertility, infertility, PMOS, post birth control syndrome, hormonal IUDs, IUD insertion pain, Depo-Provera, Nexplanon, tubal ligation, salpingectomy, egg freezing, Dutch Test, estrogen dominance, adrenal fatigue, women's hormones, reproductive health.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why birth control misinformation spread so fast

05:13 The list of doctors who will tie your tubes

08:52 Can you get your tubes untied later?

10:13 Does removing your tubes lower your ovarian cancer risk?

11:32 Does the pill treat PMOS or just mask it?

15:40 Does the pill ruin your hormones?

17:10 Do you need to detox from the pill?

17:50 When to stop the pill if you want to get pregnant

19:30 Annual visit vs problem visit, and why it changes your care

22:05 Does birth control cause infertility?

23:15 Does the pill save your eggs for later?

27:00 Does Depo-Provera cause brain tumors?

29:47 Two doctors disagree about progestin IUDs

32:48 How patients changed IUD insertion pain

36:10 When to take out your IUD before trying

39:56 How your birth control affects an egg freezing cycle

41:50 Do blood draws cause miscarriage?

43:44 Do you need supplements for adrenal fatigue?

45:40 Is estrogen dominance real?

46:34 What is the Dutch test, and why won't most OB/GYNs order it?

FOLLOW DR. FRAN HAYDANEK:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pagingdrfran/?hl=en

Website: https://www.pagingdrfran.com/

You can listen to Dr. Haydanek’s podcast, I Did My Own Research, wherever you get your podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-did-my-own-research/id1879906055

AS A WOMAN WITH DR. NATALIE CRAWFORD:

* Earn FREE CE Credits: https://learnatpinnacle.com

* Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLveZDgg3_HZ9m7Wy3C6Vvyrj_NtEOwj_l&si=1zAekOjCpsCdOgJN

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

* Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/12IYOLH9liu60gk5D0bRPk?si=b1bfdc1998994e7f

* Follow Natalie on Substack: https://nataliecrawfordmd.substack.com

* Follow Natalie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliecrawfordmd

* Follow Natalie on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nataliecrawfordmd

Dr. Natalie Crawford's book, The Fertility Formula, is a science-backed, compassionate guide that helps women understand their hormones, optimize their health, and take charge of their fertility. Get your copy here: https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/book

You can learn more about Dr. Natalie Crawford’s practice here: https://www.forafertility.com

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

Disclaimer: Natalie Crawford, MD is a doctor but she is not your doctor. Infertility is trying to conceive for 1 year or more without pregnancy (if under age 35) and trying for 6 months or more if you are over the age of 35. If your periods are not regular, you should seek medical evaluation with your gynecologist or fertility doctor regardless of how long you have been trying to conceive.
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Host Dr. Natalie Crawford dives straight into the heavy cloud of misinformation surrounding reproductive health to uncover the real science behind your body. In this episode of the As a Woman podcast, she unmasks the pervasive, everyday myths that quietly delay testing and cause unnecessary self-blame for individuals trying to conceive. By breaking down outdated medical timelines and complex hormonal shifts, Dr. Crawford shifts the narrative from panic to proactive power. It is a candid, truth-first guide designed to strip away the guesswork, optimize your cellular health, and put you firmly back in the driver's seat of your own fertility journey.

What You’ll Learn:

The outdated timeline constraint that routinely delays essential reproductive insights and why early diagnostic data changes everything.

The biological reality of maternal age milestones and how metabolic vitality dictates your family planning window far more than a specific birthday.

The intricate relationship between hormonal contraceptives and cellular markers that temporarily alters ovulation indicators without permanently depleting your ovarian reserve.

Why relying on advanced reproductive technology as a safety net overlooks the strict biological boundaries governing egg and sperm quality.

The critical impact of lifestyle modifications on a three-month microscopic timeline that debunks the idea of fertility being a solo endeavor.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:01:45, Myth: “You have to wait 12 months before seeing a fertility doctor”

0:03:19, Myth: “Your fertility falls off a cliff at 35”

0:04:48, Myth: “Birth control causes infertility”

0:07:13, Myth: “IVF guarantees a baby”

0:08:58, Myth: “Most fertility problems are the woman’s fault”

0:11:00, Myth: “If you already had one baby, getting pregnant again will be easy”

0:11:56, Myth: “Men should save up sperm for ovulation day”

0:13:15, Myth: “If your periods are regular, you don’t need to track ovulation”

0:15:30, Myth: “There’s nothing you can do to improve egg quality”

0:17:29, Myth: “AMH tells you exactly how fertile you are”

0:21:00, Myth: “You need to keep sperm in, don’t get up or pee after sex”

0:22:15, Myth: “You can’t get pregnant on your period”

Host Resources:

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

Newsletter: nataliecrawfordmd.com/newsletter

Instagram: @nataliecrawfordmd

Youtube Channel: Natalie Crawford MD

Interested in becoming a patient?: Fora Fertility

Earn FREE CE/CME: Learn at Pinnacle App

This episode is brought to you by The Pinnacle Podcast Network.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices