In this episode, my guest is Natalie Crawford, MD, a double board-certified physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, fertility and reproductive health and host of the “As a Woman” podcast. We discuss female hormones, nutrition, supplementation, reproductive health, and fertility, including how the timing and duration of puberty impact a woman’s long-term hormone cycles and menopause. We also discuss the pros and cons of various birth control methods and how hormonal vs. non-hormonal birth control each affects fertility. We cover the factors that impact egg and sperm quality and how to leverage timing for conception. We also discuss procedures to assess female fertility, including egg count and hormone testing, the process of egg freezing, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other reproductive options. This episode represents fairly comprehensive coverage of female hormones and reproductive health, highlighting important tests and screening, behavioral, nutritional, supplement and prescription-based tools that women of any age can use to improve their fertility, hormone function and overall health.

For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com.

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Timestamps

(00:00:00) Dr. Natalie Crawford

(00:01:52) Sponsors: LMNT & Waking Up

(00:04:59) Female Puberty & Growth Characteristics, Height

(00:13:27) Eggs & Ovulation, Harvesting Eggs, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

(00:17:31) Endocrine Disruptors, Fetal Development

(00:21:39) Lavender, Tea Tree & Evening Primrose Oils, Scents, Diapers

(00:25:13) Breast Milk vs. Formula & Fertility

(00:26:04) Menstruation Cycle & Hormones, Timing

(00:33:47) Sponsor: AG1

(00:35:59) Estrogen, Progesterone & Menstrual Cycle

(00:38:08) Hormonal Birth Control & Ovarian Reserve, AMH Testing, Fertility

(00:42:42) Spermatogenesis & Testosterone; Heat: Ovaries vs Testes

(00:46:11) Period & Pregnancy, Conception Window

(00:48:56) Estrogen, Libido & Ovulation; Mittelschmerz

(00:51:33) Tool: Intercourse Timing & Conception; Artificial Insemination, IVF

(00:55:03) Egg/Sperm Quality, Cigarettes, Vaping, Cannabis & Alcohol

(01:03:29) Intrauterine Device (IUD), Depo-Provera & Fertility

(01:10:00) Birth Control Risks & Benefits, Cancers, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

(01:19:39) Blood Clotting & Birth Control Pill; Health Screening

(01:24:50) Tool: AMH Testing, Ovarian Reserve, Antral Follicle Count Ultrasound

(01:29:55) IVF, In Vitro Maturation (IVM); Early Ovarian Reserve Screening

(01:35:40) Tools: Egg Freezing, IVF; Age & Egg Quality

(01:43:37) Egg Freezing & IVF Procedures, Maternal Age, Success Rates

(01:51:30) Tool: Sperm Freezing & Paternal Age, Vasectomy

(01:55:01) Hormones, Egg Freezing & IVF

(02:00:42) Three-Parent IVF, Mitochondrial DNA

(02:05:21) IVF Embryo Storage & Donation; Donor Education & Consent

(02:14:29) Autism, Developmental Disorders, IVF Babies, Age

(02:20:36) Tools: Sleep, Nutrition & Fertility; Dietary Fat

(02:27:32) Protein, Meat, Tofu, Fish; Sugar, Artificial Sweeteners; Weight & Miscarriage

(02:37:38) Tools: Supplements; Prenatal Vitamins, Omega 3s, Vitamin D, Coenzyme Q10

(02:42:26) L-Carnitine & Male Fertility; PCOS & Myo-inositol; Metformin

(02:47:11) Egg Retrieval, Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome, Minimal Stimulation

(02:57:56) INVOcell

(03:03:12) Egg Freezing, Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), Sperm Fragmentation

(03:11:45) Genetic Testing, IVF Transfer & Success Rate, Embryo Banking

(03:15:10) Menopause

(03:19:47) Hormone Replacement Therapy & Menopause

(03:22:25) Early-signs of Menopause

(03:25:18) Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

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Dr. Natalie Crawford: Female Hormone Health, Fertility & Vitality