This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Dr. Natalie Crawford, fertility specialist, reproductive endocrinologist, and someone who gets it on a whole different level because she's been on her own chronic illness fertility journey too.

We're diving into:

🍼 The fear of getting pregnant with chronic illness

💊 Medications, flares & fertility

🔬 Mythbusting fertility misconceptions for women with chronic illness

📋 How to actually start TTC: the tests to ask for, the doctors to see, and how to advocate when you're dismissed

🤰 What TTC really looks like whether you’re trying the old fashioned way, or with the help of a fertility clinic

🧬 Your rabbit hole TTC and pregnancy questions, answered!

So if you've dreamed of starting a family, but have been nervous about that because of your chronic illness, I promise you that this episode will give you real information, real support, and a doctor who actually sees you.

xx,

Alex

💬 Comment: What's one question about fertility and chronic illness you've been too scared to ask?

TIMESTAMP:

Intro:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick!

00:03:00 Alex’s Picks of the Week (Proper Wild, De Soi)

Fertility and Chronic Illness with Dr. Crawford:

00:05:04 Intro to the complex world of fertility with a chronic illness

00:14:44 Fear, loss of trust in your body, and the "stolen" joy of pregnancy

00:20:12 How and why the chronic illness fertility journey looks different

00:26:08 Essential things to do for fertility if you have a chronic illness

00:34:00 Debunking myths around chronic illness, fertility and pregnancy

00:46:58 Deep dive into the IVF process: Suppression and Stimulation

01:04:44 Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) procedure and preparation (and myths)

01:21:59 Living in the "gray" of autoimmunity and medical decisions

Conclusion:

01:27:45 One Brain Cell Show: Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte (Netflix)

01:29:06 Connect with Dr. Crawford & her new book: The Fertility Formula

01:30:31 Thank you for listening!

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Stay connected and follow us on socials for more!

• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/

• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod

• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568

• Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod?

Connect with our guest: Dr. Natalie Crawford

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

• Website - https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/

• Her Fertility Clinic, Fora Fertility - https://www.forafertility.com/

And order her book, the Fertility Formula, here!!

https://amzn.to/4skCMoh

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Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/

Alex’s Picks of the Week:

Since we’re talking about all things fertility, I’m sharing my top picks for replacing your morning and evening beverages…

✨Proper Wild Gummies — https://upf.ai/wjr1keah

✨De Soi — https://go.shopmy.us/p-11007282

#FertilityAndChronicIllness #TryingToConceive #ChronicIllnessAndPregnancy #SpooniePregnancy #FertilityJourney #AutoimmuneAndFertility #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #FertilityDoctor #ReproductiveHealth #EndometriosisAwareness #IVFJourney #EggFreezing #PregnancyWithChronicIllness #PostpartumHealth #WomensHealth #MedicalAdvocacy #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson #NatalieCrawford

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Trying to Conceive With Chronic Illness (ft. Dr. Natalie Crawford)