What Are PFAS and Why Do They Matter? PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are synthetic chemicals used for decades in nonstick pans, waterproof clothing, food packaging, and industrial applications. They are often called “forever chemicals” because they persist in the environment and in our bodies. Even as older, long-chain PFAS have been phased out, new […]

Small, doable choices that protect hormones, gametes, and our planet Why this matters now After three decades in exam rooms and operating rooms, I’ve watched the fertility conversation widen—from ovulation charts and semen analyses to something bigger: the environment around our bodies. We’re learning that everyday exposures—especially from plastics and their additives—can “whisper” to our

The United States, like the rest of the world, is facing a fertility crisis. In 2024, the nation’s total fertility rate reached an all-time low of 1.6 children per woman, significantly below the replacement level of 2.1 needed to sustain the population. This decline poses not just demographic challenges, but also economic ones—threatening programs like

A Regenerative Idea Meets Reproductive Medicine Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), long used in orthopedics and aesthetics for its regenerative properties, has made its way into reproductive medicine over the past decade. The idea is elegant: concentrated platelets, rich in growth factors, might stimulate ovarian tissue or enhance endometrial receptivity. But in 2025, what does the evidence

Why I care about sleep in preconception care A new cohort study from Guangzhou followed couples trying to conceive and found that how you sleep—not just how much—relates to the time it takes to get pregnant. Regular bed/wake times, enough total sleep, and earlier bedtimes were linked to faster time-to-pregnancy. [1] What the new study

If you’ve followed my work, you know I’m passionate about pairing evidence with everyday habits so women can optimize fertility naturally. That’s why the new collaboration between Progyny and ŌURA caught my eye. As an OURA ring wearer myself, I believe it’s a forward-leaning step toward bringing continuous, personalized biometrics into real care conversations—from preconception

What is GWAS? Think of your DNA as a giant cookbook. A GWAS (genome‑wide association study) looks at millions of tiny “spelling differences” in that cookbook across large groups of people. It asks: Which differences show up more often in people with a certain trait, like infertility?GWAS doesn’t prove cause and effect, but it points

When we talk natural fertility, most of us think about ovulation, diet, stress, sleep—or maybe the microbiome of the gut. But did you know that the microbiome of your reproductive tract—especially the vagina and uterus—plays a huge role in fertility, even beyond IVF contexts? Let’s dive into fresh insights from a 2024 review by Liwen

In my clinic, I regularly find that low vitamin D levels are a common thread among patients struggling with fertility, PCOS, and endometriosis. A 2025 narrative review by Ximena A. van Tienhoven et al. confirms that this isn’t just anecdotal—it’s backed by science. Vitamin D: Beyond Bones Vitamin D isn’t just for bone health. It acts like a steroid hormone, affecting ovarian