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In my last cycle there were 11 follicles at my last ultrasound but only 4 eggs were retrieved. I don’t know if they could’ve canceled the cycle when 11 were showing up on ultrasound???

Of course Natalie is A-OK with this as she makes a ton more money off this crooked industry than one's own eggs. It's so weird to me the way they use the language of "donor eggs/embryos" almost like it's interchangeable for my eggs/embryos like it's almost the same thing when it absolutely is not. There's someone else's offspring, and there's my offspring. And those are not interchangeable things. And I think the trouble with the wording is it makes those of us who know and feel that it is not an option for us almost feel like we are bad for refusing it. What's even worse is, before even finding out what someone is willing or not willing to do, they'll use wording like "Are you not there yet?" or "Are you not ready for that yet?" Like they are sneakily inserting in a mandatory "option" on your behalf. And then they further gaslight us with the epigenetics BS. It's like, when people are trying to convince you to do "donor eggs" they say what really matters is growing the baby inside of you because then it's more like you in many ways than the parent of origin. But then why don't they say that when someone needs a surrogate? When you pay someone to carry your baby because you cannot carry do people consider the baby to be more like the surrogate and closer to the surrogate? Of course not. I would be crushed if I couldn't carry and needed a surrogate but I would still consider that baby mine while I would not consider a donor egg baby that I carried mine. As an anthropologist I will tell you that science shows that genetics actually influence people in so many ways far more than environment does. That's why we do studies on twins separated at birth because we can see how similar they are in so many ways. And how they always feel something is missing. Such a deluding, messed up situation. Even just recently a friend of mine was sharing her anxiety now that she has an Ancestry account that her dozens of children one day might find her on there to have a relationship with their mother. She donated eggs about 15 years ago and this anxiety has crept up because even though she's an egg donor she still knows there's a connection there no matter what. I think adopting a kid would almost be less painful than adopting an egg/embryo because when you do carry that baby even though that baby is not your true offspring, your body releases hormones and is tricked into believing it truly is 100% yours and you bond. And it's that much more painful when you see it become like the parent of origin or even worse, seek out the parent of origin down the line. I don't want a half him half her baby, I want our baby. :(

I think a big consideration here is that maturity is also based on age- and aneuploidy expectations. Follicles don't always have eggs/eggs do not always fertilize/and embryos may degrade long before blast. So many women never learn that age has so much to do with these rates- until its too late.

I got 20 eggs, but 10 were GVs, 3 were M1s, and only 7 were fully mature ) : i was lucky enough to get 4 embryos but i feel like i could have had so many more.

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Doctor Natalie I just saw my horrible GYN and told him that in the meantime my primary care prescribed me Estradiol 0.01% vaginal cream and he yelled at me saying that won’t do anything for me 😳and he prescribed me 2 mg of Estradiol tablets and 100 mg progesterone capsule. Does this mean I should NOT use the cream? I am 47 and started having severe hot flashes this year on 09/2024 and severe hair dryness and breakage. It’s been a nightmare. At age 46 I got hot with extreme fatigue, lack of sleep, urinate all night, brain fog and body aches but dismissed it because I had a regular period and now I don’t. 😩

LOVE LOVE LOVE that you are vegan 🤍🤍🤍

Thank you for navigating this complicated topic with such professionalism. I can imagine that recent socio-political events have made it extremely difficult for physicians to chime in--especially those living in red states. If only the politicians passing legislation consulted with REs before making decisions that impact the health of millions of women.

I'm really confused. In one of your other podcasts, you said that IUI with clomid can improve your age related chances of pregnancy if you were in your 40s. Now you're saying it won't improve it at all? Can you clarify this?

I like data too due to my profession in tech and it's devastating to talk to doctors saying that IVF is not a math, you don't need PGT at the age of 34,5 :( At this point I have two failed transfers and I would rather have paid for PGT instead of transfer attempts I would love to have such doctor as you, who is looking at the fool picture and our family goals. Thank you for your podcast!

Thank you for this. I was just diagnosed with a polyp and looking to get it removed and proceed with a round of IVF. I appreciate your education!

So helpful! Thank you

Please can you advise me on what to do please, i have endometrium lining of 5.3 and my doctors want to transfer my Frozen embroys. During my egg retriver my endometrium lining was Always 6.5. i have done laparoscopy to remove fibriod and endometriosi. I also di hestroscopy uterus viterlization. Please

Women please it’s ok to say WOMAN, Woman is NOT a dirty word. Stop erasing women for the less than 0.0000000000000000000000000000000000000000001% of confused women.

I got my very 1st hormone panel (labs) on Friday 10/18/24 at age 47 and I am so excited to get the results this week to finally get answers. I am clearly in premenopause. I missed my period for 3 months this year but I know I had other symptoms last year at age 46. Wish I would have done a hormone panel at age 45 which would have prevented all the suffering.

1) With a lupron stop protocol (10 units for 9 days starting 9 days after positive opk result), is an antagonist ever needed if stimulating for 14+ days? 2) can 5 units of lupron per day be used vs 10 units to avoid over suppression?

Thank you so much Dr. Crawford! So I am curious if you can address implementation of antihistamines, baby aspirin, and pepcid before and embryo transfer? My doc has me taking these for 2 weeks leading up to transfer as well as PIO, progesterone suppositories and estrogen. Can you explain why I would need these OTC meds as well? I'm 37, no known health issues but I did miscarry after 2 years TTC at 10 weeks so we're doing IVF with PGT testing. 11 blasts currently waiting on testing results.

I am 25 and have had 4 losses in 3 years of infertility, no living children. My recent egg retrieval yielded 17 eggs, 9 of which were mature, 6 of which fertilized, and 3 got to blast. After PGT testing, we have 1 euploid embryo. My IVF doctor is shocked at the results due to my age, but this just shows how very important PGT testing is. My 2 aneuploid embryos have Turner’s syndrome and trisomy 7, so testing has saved me from the heartbreak of 2 more losses.

CA you please explain the gnrh shot in a video? My ovaries are too high so ivf is off the table. But iui with the gnrh (?) Shot is the plan. I'd like to learn, so many others would too, why this is still something to do. Thank you

Sadly....many people dont have an insurance that helps afford MORE than one cycle...when for many, more than one cycle is what is needed.🤔

I wish I had listened to this before my IUI Friday! I know the soonest we can test for pregnancy is in two weeks, but I heard you kind of tell before the two weeks are up with LH surge readings. Is this true? And does it matter if you took a trigger shot? How long does that trigger stay in your body?

Thank you so much, this really helped us understand our results!

Very interesting, feeling how the bloating and pain receded within approximately two months made all the difference, I simply go’ogled the latest by Tilly Strankten and her Ovarian Cyst Guide and although it really took about 10 weeks for it to totally shrink and vanish I’ve never felt so light and relaxed.

What about subclinical hypothyroidism? Ie tsg being OK, but T4 being low. How do you dose for that?

"Thank you, this is really helpful! I have a quick question: My cycle is usually consistent at 29-31 days, but a couple of times a year, it stretches to 36-38 days. Should I be concerned, or is it more likely due to lifestyle factors like stress, sleep, or diet affecting the follicular phase? My luteal phase always remains 14 days and I'm otherwise fit and healthy. I’ve been tracking my cycle for about two years in preparation for TTC and consistently get EWCM and positive ovulation strips. We’re starting TTC this month for our first baby at 31, and of course, this happens to be one of those longer cycles! Perfect timing, right? Is this just an anomaly not worth worrying about, or something I should look into further?"

Hello Doctor. I've been having regular but not normal periods. My periods are very light and only for one day. I'm 39 could this be a sign of perimenopause? I was on bc for 4 years been off bc for 1.6 years which is the time I've been ttc. My amh measured 6.39 3 months after being off bc.

Do you have any videos on endometriosis and actually being pregnant?

Thank you! Thanks to your information, I got pregnant and am due to give birth this week.❤

Thank you so much for this!

I'm registered to vote, signed up for vote by mail as well so that I'll always know when we have an election and can research the candidates.

I love your work and think very highly of you, but, why can't you just say pregnant "women" instead of pregnant people? And instead of people with uteruses, why not just women? Your show is called As A Woman, so why not recognize women as the only ones that can get pregnant and have uteruses?

How long would you recommend a man waits after eliminating marijuana use prior to conceiving? And do you have any tips on improving sperm quality after smoking. Thank you 🙏

what about women who have endo, iui has been recommended to me using lectrum as prep for 3 months

The "other options" rhetoric is the only issue I have with this and others like this. You are clearly a skilled and intelligent doctor. And I know that you consistently make statements like these because you want everyone to feel like a parent. I think what you and others alike don't realize is that for many people egg/embryo/child adoption is not fulfilling for them and does not equal motherhood. And that's okay. I think when you make the assumption that it's an "option" or that it's something they're "not ready for" that they will eventually just buckle on and surrender to, it is unfair and ignores their values and dreams. The kicker is when it's being said from a high horse or from someone who has privilege because they did actually get the dream of real motherhood. I just hope at some point you can reevaluate the way you phrase this particular piece and wait to find out from each individual what their actual options are before deciding that for them. It might show not only that you haven't given up on their behalf already but that you also are willing to understand them so that they don't feel alienated in their experience. If after trying everything some people just can't be parents, what might feel more validating and healthy would be to accept it and find another purpose in life rather than have the adoption pill shoved down their throats and be gaslit into thinking they should be happy with it and that it's a perfectly viable alternative. For me, I don't want a half him half her baby, I want our baby. Rather than gestational carrying my husband's and another woman's child and then having to tell them about their mom I would either adopt a kid who already needs a home and still have to tell them about their parents 😞 or just accept that I don't get to be a mom. So much love to you and grateful for the rest of the work that you do. 💙

Thank you Natalie for your videos on luteal phase deficiency! They have really helped ease my mind as my husband and I start fertility treatments :)

❤thank you! Very reassuring and informative

❤

Thank you so much for these in detail videos. This is our first round of IVF after losing my tubes to back to back ectopics. Your videos are so helpful and educational in preparation for this journey!

Hey Natalie, I'm so grateful for your work. If AMH is used to check ovarian reserve, but is also high in women with PCOS, how can a woman with PCOS know her true ovarian reserve? Thank you 🫶

Per my HSG test, my right tube is blocked :( only the proximal portion was visible. i have an appointment with the REI next month, i’m feeling a bit worried. Thank you for this episode!

Glad you are talking about this. I’m so confused with the different specialists. I go to a fertility clinic and they found out I have hypothyroidism and Hashimoto. They prescribed L…and are sending me to an endocrinologist. I’m confused why aren’t they able to treat that…

Dear Natalie, you have brought so much light and hope in my life and truly made a difference. Thank you so much and God bless you for your invaluable impact on womens lives! ❤

Great updates information.

Where is the link to your newsletter? I will like to subscribe to it.

This made me feel hope for the first time in a while! I’m due to start IVF this winter and have “suspected Endo” and unexplained infertility for 3 years. I have been worried about if doing IVF was even worth it because of all of the inflammation but I never even thought about ways that they can circumvent it 😊

My breasts have been so sore ,tender , sensitive, heavy . 10 days before my period. Then about 5 days after my period it started again. So sensitive , tender, Heavy , had some tingling one day. My next period is 5 days away. What could the cause be? I've done a pregnancy test about 7 days post period. My skin is breaking out terribly too, and sothese pimples are so painful. I've also occasionally had some stinging pain close to my abdomen/pelvis like a stitch kind of sensation. Also had some bad headaches this past Saturday , and a small one Sunday

I am 47 years old, my AMH is 0,44 My FSH is 8,8 My LH is 4,5 And prolactin is 19,5 My E2 is 31 My progesterone is 0,1 My vitamin D is 30 My period is regular,but my luteal face is 11 days ( when I get positive,the 12 days after positive I got my period) do I have a problem of luteal phase?? And how are my results?? I did blood work in my 3th Day of my cycle Thanks 🙏

I turned 47 June 2024 and I did not have a period in June. Started LATE on 07/01, and now at the end of July still haven’t started my period. I am not having sex but I am like “oh no, I officially started irregular periods”. Ugh!

Healing from surgery 4 days ago. A miscarriage is rough enough but ectopic is so traumatic. Im swollen and in pain but worried about my future and ability to have a baby if my tube they saved is a hot spot for another ectopic. 😢

So interested in the Endometrial Function Test for patients with one or two embryos and no options for further egg retrievals (me!🙋‍♀️). I've heard of the problems with ERA testing but am hopeful about the EFT from Dr. Harvey Kliman out of the University of Chicago.