IVF Prep at HealthYouniversity

Reproductive loss is far more common than most of us realize until it happens to us or someone we love. Miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, termination for medical reasons and the losses that can accompany infertility are very different experiences, but they share something important: people often leave medical care still needing support for everything that comes afterward.

My guest, Jessica Fisher, founded Lavela Health after experiencing a ruptured ectopic pregnancy in 2021. She went looking for a therapist who understood reproductive loss and discovered how difficult that was to find. Over the next two years, she researched what was missing and eventually created Lavela, which connects people with therapists who specialize in reproductive loss.

Jessica's own story continued after her ectopic pregnancy. She experienced four additional losses and later went through another pregnancy carrying a tremendous amount of anxiety. We talk about what it means to move forward after loss when pregnancy itself may no longer feel safe or uncomplicated.

One of the things I found especially important in our conversation was the distinction between having a good therapist and having a therapist who understands reproductive loss. You may already have a therapist you trust and want to continue seeing. Specialized care can be added when you need someone who understands the particular grief, fear and physical experience that can accompany reproductive and pregnancy losses.

Jessica explains how Lavela matches clients with clinicians based on the type of loss they've experienced and what they're looking for in a therapist. Because care is virtual, access isn't limited by geography in the same way as a local practice, although clinician licensing restricts their offerings to California.  Lavela intends to expand beyond the state to accommodate the need. 

Another part of our conversation focuses on what happens outside the therapy room. Partners, family members and friends may desperately want to help and have no idea what to say. Sometimes their attempts to make things better can leave the person who is grieving feeling even more alone. Having a skilled therapist  can take some of that pressure off the relationships closest to you.

We even get into AI and the growing number of people turning to technology for emotional support. There may be a place for tools that help someone find information or organize thoughts, but Jessica feels strongly that grief needs human connection. Reproductive loss is deeply personal, and being heard by someone who understands this particular kind of loss matters.

Toward the end of the episode, we talk about recognizing when additional support may be helpful. Grief doesn't follow a schedule, and there is no set time to be “over it” . Sometimes you simply need someone in your corner who understands what you've been through and where you are now.

This episode may be especially helpful if you are:

• grieving a miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy or termination for medical reasons
• going through infertility and carrying losses that may not be visible
• thinking about trying again after a loss
• pregnant again and finding it difficult to trust the pregnancy
• wondering whether specialized support could complement the therapy or medical care you already have
• trying to support a partner, friend or family member through reproductive loss

Reproductive loss can be isolating, particularly when the rest of the world seems to expect life to return to normal long before it feels normal to you. My hope is that this conversation helps you understand what specialized support can look like and reminds you that you can ask for more help when you need it.

Support your fertility journey with the Preconception Plan at Health Youniversity:
https://healthyouniversity.co/programs

Learn more about Lavela Health:
https://lavelahealth.com

Follow Lavela Health on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/lavelahealth/

Follow Lavela Health on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/lavela-health/

💻 About Susan Fox: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/about

Take your 5-Element Fertility Quiz:  http://yourfertilityquiz.com/

Detox to De-Stress:  View the FREE Masterclass on the importance of detoxification to prepare for a healthy pregnancy:  https://susanfox1.easywebinar.live/gentle-detox

Learn about our program entitled Your Fertile Health: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/programs

Schedule a Fertile Health Assessment: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/your-fertile-health-call

Let us journey with you as you navigate your fertile health. Connect with me:

🎧 iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/health-youniversity-with-dr-susan-fox/id1592763186 

🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08U9QJf...

📸 Instagram: @dr.susan.fox

💗 Facebook: ...

Artificial intelligence is making its way into the fertility lab, including how embryos are evaluated and selected for transfer.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Eduardo Hariton, Harvard-trained OB-GYN and fertility specialist at Reproductive Science Center of the Bay Area, to talk about Embryo Predict, an AI-based technology being used to add another layer of information to embryo assessment.

We discuss how embryologists grade embryos today, what AI may add to that process, and where the fertility specialist's clinical judgment still matters. Dr. Hariton also walks us through the IVF process, from your first consultation and ovarian stimulation through egg retrieval and embryo selection.

We also talk about decisions many patients face along the way, including genetic testing, how age influences treatment planning, how many IVF cycles may be needed, and the considerations involved in freezing eggs, embryos, or both.

This episode may be especially helpful if you are:

• Going through IVF and have more than one embryo available for transfer
• Considering whether or not to genetically test your embryos
• Curious about how AI is being incorporated into fertility care
• Deciding whether to freeze eggs, embryos, or both
• Trying to understand the IVF timeline and what you may encounter along the way

If IVF is part of your fertility plan, this conversation will help you better understand both the technology entering the fertility lab and the decisions you may be asked to make throughout treatment.

Support your fertility journey with Preconception Plan at Health Youniversity. Learn more here: https://healthyouniversity.co/programs

Learn more about Reproductive Science Center of the Bay Area here: https://rscbayarea.com/

Meet Dr. Eduardo Hariton here: https://rscbayarea.com/doctors/hariton/

Follow RSC on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rscbayarea/

Follow RSC on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/reproductive-science-center-of-the-san-francisco-bay-area/ 

💻 About Susan Fox: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/about

Take your 5-Element Fertility Quiz:  http://yourfertilityquiz.com/

Detox to De-Stress:  View the FREE Masterclass on the importance of detoxification to prepare for a healthy pregnancy:  https://susanfox1.easywebinar.live/gentle-detox

Learn about our program entitled Your Fertile Health: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/programs

Schedule a Fertile Health Assessment: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/your-fertile-health-call

Let us journey with you as you navigate your fertile health. Connect with me:

🎧 iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/health-youniversity-with-dr-susan-fox/id1592763186 

🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08U9QJf...

📸 Instagram: @dr.susan.fox

💗 Facebook: ...

When we talk about preparing for pregnancy, most of the attention goes to fertility testing, prenatal vitamins and what happens once you begin trying to conceive. I prefer to start earlier. The months before conception give us time to look at nutrition, sleep, hydration, movement and some of the environmental exposures that are part of everyday life.

My guest, Angela Jenkins, is a registered dietitian and detoxification strategist with more than 30 years of clinical experience. Angela takes an even longer view of preconception health, planning for the nine months before pregnancy whenever possible.

We talk about some very practical places to begin, including the quality and amount of water you drink, eating real food, getting enough sleep and taking a closer look at products and exposures in your home. Angela also explains why she pays attention to mold, fragrance, personal care products, clothing and bedding, and how she approaches these issues without trying to change everything at once.

Our conversation also gets into regenerative farming and food quality, fitting exercise into a busy day, getting natural light, turning screens off before bed and something that is often missing from conversations about health: spending time with other people.

This episode may be especially helpful if:

• you're preparing to conceive naturally or through IVF and want to use the months beforehand to improve your health
• you eat well but still don't feel as well as you think you should
• you'd like to reduce unnecessary environmental exposures but aren't sure where to begin
• you're dealing with fatigue, brain fog or an existing health condition while preparing for pregnancy
• you want practical changes that don't require an enormous amount of time or money

One of the things I appreciated about this conversation was Angela's emphasis on the basics. Clean water, nutritious food, sleep, movement and reducing exposures where it makes sense may sound simple, but they are also the things we live with every day. Preconception health gives us a reason to pay closer attention to them.

Get support before conception with the Preconception Plan at Health Youniversity:
https://healthyouniversity.co/programs

Learn more about Angela Jenkins:
https://www.healthislocal.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Healthislocal/

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/health.is.local/

💻 About Susan Fox: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/about

Take your 5-Element Fertility Quiz:  http://yourfertilityquiz.com/

Detox to De-Stress:  View the FREE Masterclass on the importance of detoxification to prepare for a healthy pregnancy:  https://susanfox1.easywebinar.live/gentle-detox

Learn about our program entitled Your Fertile Health: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/programs

Schedule a Fertile Health Assessment: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/your-fertile-health-call

Let us journey with you as you navigate your fertile health. Connect with me:

🎧 iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/health-youniversity-with-dr-susan-fox/id1592763186 

🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08U9QJf...

📸 Instagram: @dr.susan.fox

💗 Facebook: ...

Have you ever been told that your fertility labs are “normal,” yet you’re still wondering why you’re not getting pregnant?

Standard fertility testing gives us important information about hormones, ovarian reserve, ovulation, anatomy, and sperm. Sometimes, though, those results leave us with more questions.

Nora DeBora, functional fertility coach, holistic nutritionist, and host of the Ultimate Pregnancy Prep podcast, joins me on Health Youniversity to talk about what additional testing may tell us about the health of the body in which eggs and sperm are developing and pregnancy is trying to take hold.

We talk about hormone metabolism, the gut and vaginal microbiomes, recurrent BV, UTIs and yeast infections, inflammation, nutrient status, and the role of functional testing. We also discuss something I feel strongly about: testing should give us information we can actually use. More testing and more supplements aren't necessarily better.

This episode may be especially helpful if:

• your fertility testing looks normal, but you're still having difficulty getting or staying pregnant
• you've experienced recurrent BV, UTIs, or yeast infections
• you're taking multiple supplements and aren't sure which ones you actually need
• you've experienced pregnancy loss, a failed transfer, or a low AMH result and want to explore your health more broadly
• you're curious about functional testing and want to understand which tests may be useful and when

Our conversation is ultimately about looking at fertility within the health of the whole person and deciding which information can help you make meaningful changes before pregnancy.

Register for the free Root Cause Fertility Summit:
https://www.naturallynora.ca/registration?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.naturallynora.ca%2Fa%2F2148309419%2FPmHd57bK

Support your fertility journey with the Preconception Plan at Health Youniversity:
https://healthyouniversity.co/programs

Learn more about Nora DeBora and the Ultimate Pregnancy Prep podcast:
https://www.naturallynora.ca/

💻 About Susan Fox: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/about

Take your 5-Element Fertility Quiz:  http://yourfertilityquiz.com/

Detox to De-Stress:  View the FREE Masterclass on the importance of detoxification to prepare for a healthy pregnancy:  https://susanfox1.easywebinar.live/gentle-detox

Learn about our program entitled Your Fertile Health: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/programs

Schedule a Fertile Health Assessment: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/your-fertile-health-call

Let us journey with you as you navigate your fertile health. Connect with me:

🎧 iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/health-youniversity-with-dr-susan-fox/id1592763186 

🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08U9QJf...

📸 Instagram: @dr.susan.fox

💗 Facebook: ...

Chronic inflammation may be an important and often overlooked piece of the fertility puzzle, particularly when infertility or pregnancy loss remains unexplained.

Dr. Jan Rydfors, Stanford-trained OB-GYN and founder of the Freyja Early Pregnancy Loss Clinic, joins me on Health Youniversity to explore the connection between inflammation, reproductive health, implantation, and early pregnancy.

We talk about some of the factors that can drive chronic inflammation, including insulin resistance, stress, gut health, endometriosis, and adenomyosis, and why addressing these issues before conception may help create a healthier foundation for pregnancy.

This episode may be especially helpful if:

• your labs look normal, yet you're still having difficulty getting or staying pregnant
• you've experienced more than one pregnancy loss without a clear explanation
• you're wondering what insulin resistance, gut health, or endometriosis may have to do with fertility
• you're preparing for IVF or a frozen embryo transfer and want to support your health beforehand
• you want practical steps you can take now to improve your preconception health

We also discuss AMH, progesterone support, reproductive immunology, and some of the emerging ways inflammation may be measured.

Support your fertility journey with the Preconception Plan at Health Youniversity:
https://healthyouniversity.co/programs

Learn more about the Freyja Early Pregnancy Loss Clinic:
https://freyjaclinic.com/

💻 About Susan Fox: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/about

Take your 5-Element Fertility Quiz:  http://yourfertilityquiz.com/

Detox to De-Stress:  View the FREE Masterclass on the importance of detoxification to prepare for a healthy pregnancy:  https://susanfox1.easywebinar.live/gentle-detox

Learn about our program entitled Your Fertile Health: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/programs

Schedule a Fertile Health Assessment: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/your-fertile-health-call

Let us journey with you as you navigate your fertile health. Connect with me:

🎧 iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/health-youniversity-with-dr-susan-fox/id1592763186 

🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08U9QJf...

📸 Instagram: @dr.susan.fox

💗 Facebook: ...

If Somatics, Transformational NLP, and Internal Family Systems all sound like alphabet soup for psychology, read on.. 

Dr. Emily Fox, clinical psychologist, healer, and guide joins Health University to break down three modalities that address the root cause of an imbalanced emotional pattern.

If you’re interested to learn how healing old patterns can reshape your relationship, your future baby and your family's legacy, this episode is for you.  

Especially  if:

• you being told  "just relax" and feeling dismissed for your experiences
• you want to understand why you keep squaring off with the the same triggers 
• you're curious what are Somatic Therapy, Transformational NLP, and Internal Family Systems 
• you're navigating fertility, IVF, pregnancy, or postpartum and feel disconnected from  your own body
• you want practical modalities that work faster than years of talk therapy

Support your fertility journey with Preconception Plan at Health Youniversity. Learn more here: https://healthyouniversity.co/programs

Learn more about Dr. Emily Fox's practice, Reveal and Remember, by clicking here. 

Schedule a Free Consultation call with Emily here

💻 About Susan Fox: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/about

Take your 5-Element Fertility Quiz:  http://yourfertilityquiz.com/

Detox to De-Stress:  View the FREE Masterclass on the importance of detoxification to prepare for a healthy pregnancy:  https://susanfox1.easywebinar.live/gentle-detox

Learn about our program entitled Your Fertile Health: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/programs

Schedule a Fertile Health Assessment: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/your-fertile-health-call

Let us journey with you as you navigate your fertile health. Connect with me:

🎧 iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/health-youniversity-with-dr-susan-fox/id1592763186 

🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08U9QJf...

📸 Instagram: @dr.susan.fox

💗 Facebook: ...

Skincare is much more than a beauty routine. What you put on your skin affects your system, hormones included.

Michelle Doan, founder of Emani Vegan Cosmetics, joins Health Youniversity to talk about clean skincare and why it belongs in your fertility toolkit.

The conversation covers what your skin microbiome does, why fragrance is one of the most overlooked hormone disruptors, and how fermentation makes skincare ingredients easier for your skin to absorb. 

This episode is for you if:

• you're trying to reduce your toxic load 
• you want to know what's actually in your skincare
• you're curious how fermentation helps your skin absorb ingredients better
• you're in perimenopause and your skincare routine doesn’t work anymore
• you're rebuilding your relationship with your body 

Support your fertility journey with Preconception Plan at Health Youniversity. Learn more here: https://healthyouniversity.co/programs 

Learn more about Emani Vegan Cosmetics by clicking here.

Use Coupon Code HealthYou for 10% discount

💻 About Susan Fox: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/about

Take your 5-Element Fertility Quiz:  http://yourfertilityquiz.com/

Detox to De-Stress:  View the FREE Masterclass on the importance of detoxification to prepare for a healthy pregnancy:  https://susanfox1.easywebinar.live/gentle-detox

Learn about our program entitled Your Fertile Health: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/programs

Schedule a Fertile Health Assessment: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/your-fertile-health-call

Let us journey with you as you navigate your fertile health. Connect with me:

🎧 iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/health-youniversity-with-dr-susan-fox/id1592763186 

🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08U9QJf...

📸 Instagram: @dr.susan.fox

💗 Facebook: ...

Fertility and perimenopause conversations usually get technical fast. This one takes a different approach.

Katrina Valente is a feminine embodiment mentor and tantra and relationship coach with nearly three decades of experience helping high achieving women step out of burnout and back into their bodies. This conversation with Dr. Susan Fox explores what happens when women spend years living in pure masculine drive.

The conversation covers her own burnout story, the years spent working instead of building a family, and the five habits that keep her youthful and radiant now. It also gets into why the program runs 12 weeks, and why boundaries might be the most underrated tool a woman has. 

This episode is for you if: 

• you've wonder if you're drive is driving you to burnout 
• you're heading into perimenopause and want to prepare 
• you’re fatigued, have brain fog, or feel like something's off
• you're curious what "divine feminine" means
• you want everyday habits that work 
• you've had a burnout moment and are trying to make sense of it

Learn more about the Valente Method here: https://www.katrinavalente.com/the-valente-method-course

Check out Secrets to Eternal Youth here: https://www.katrinavalente.com/secrets-to-eternal-youth 

Support your fertility journey with Preconception Plan at Health Youniversity. Learn more here: https://healthyouniversity.co/programs

💻 About Susan Fox: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/about

Take your 5-Element Fertility Quiz:  http://yourfertilityquiz.com/

Detox to De-Stress:  View the FREE Masterclass on the importance of detoxification to prepare for a healthy pregnancy:  https://susanfox1.easywebinar.live/gentle-detox

Learn about our program entitled Your Fertile Health: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/programs

Schedule a Fertile Health Assessment: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/your-fertile-health-call

Let us journey with you as you navigate your fertile health. Connect with me:

🎧 iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/health-youniversity-with-dr-susan-fox/id1592763186 

🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08U9QJf...

📸 Instagram: @dr.susan.fox

💗 Facebook: ...

It’s common to think about hormone tracking as conception tools, but your hormones don't clock out once you’ve had a baby or are entering perimenopause. 

Rose MacKenzie, Clinical Manager at MiraCare, returns to Health Youniversity to talk about the benefits of tracking hormones during perimenopause.

She explains why one hormone test can miss important patterns and why the standard ”day 21” blood draw can be on the wrong day. She also explains why a high FSH result matters for a lot more than just fertility. 

This episode is for you if:

• you're in your mid 30s to mid 40s and want to know the state of your hormones 
• you've been told your FSH or AMH numbers "aren't great" 
• you've had a blood test come back confusing 
• you're curious how  tracking hormone over a cycle provides better data
• you think perimenopause deserves your and your medical team’s attention 
• you're supporting a patient, partner, or friend through this stage

Support your fertility journey with Preconception Plan at Health Youniversity. Learn more here: https://healthyouniversity.co/programs

Learn more about MIRA Fertility Tracking at miracare.com 

💻 About Susan Fox: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/about

Take your 5-Element Fertility Quiz:  http://yourfertilityquiz.com/

Detox to De-Stress:  View the FREE Masterclass on the importance of detoxification to prepare for a healthy pregnancy:  https://susanfox1.easywebinar.live/gentle-detox

Learn about our program entitled Your Fertile Health: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/programs

Schedule a Fertile Health Assessment: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/your-fertile-health-call

Let us journey with you as you navigate your fertile health. Connect with me:

🎧 iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/health-youniversity-with-dr-susan-fox/id1592763186 

🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08U9QJf...

📸 Instagram: @dr.susan.fox

💗 Facebook: ...

While the definition is broader, the term “family planning” has long meant contraception.

Dr. Leonard Lopoo wrote Wanting Children, a deep dive into 50 years of U.S. family policy and why it was never built with fertility in mind. He joins Dr. Susan Fox to talk about what pronatalism actually means, and why the goal was never just more births.

Dr. Lopoo explains the difference between wanting a policy that increases births and wanting a policy that supports the families already trying to have them. He also busts the myth that IVF is simply too expensive to cover nationally, and talks about the five year rule that quietly runs out the clock on women trying to qualify for help.

This episode is for you if:

• you've ever paid taxes without realizing it shapes your fertility choices
• you're curious what "pronatalism" actually means and why it's suddenly everywhere
• you've hit a wall with insurance that won't cover ovulation meds, let alone IVF
• you're a policymaker, physician, or med student who wants the 30,000-foot view
• you're weighing genetic testing and want the ethics laid out plainly
• you want to understand why this is so much harder in America than it needs to be

Support your fertility journey with Preconception Plan at Health Youniversity. Learn more here: https://healthyouniversity.co/programs 

Wanting Children by Leonard M. Lopoo: Available through University of Chicago Press, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

💻 About Susan Fox: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/about

Take your 5-Element Fertility Quiz:  http://yourfertilityquiz.com/

Detox to De-Stress:  View the FREE Masterclass on the importance of detoxification to prepare for a healthy pregnancy:  https://susanfox1.easywebinar.live/gentle-detox

Learn about our program entitled Your Fertile Health: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/programs

Schedule a Fertile Health Assessment: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/your-fertile-health-call

Let us journey with you as you navigate your fertile health. Connect with me:

🎧 iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/health-youniversity-with-dr-susan-fox/id1592763186 

🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08U9QJf...

📸 Instagram: @dr.susan.fox

💗 Facebook: ...