Download The Physician Fertility Roadmap- a 6-step, evidence-based plan to optimize your fertility over the next 6-12 months. 

https://support.loveandsciencefertility.com/The-Physician-Fertility-Roadmap

In this thoughtful and deeply human conversation, Dr. Erica Bove is joined by integrative pediatrician Dr. Kirin Palmer to explore how we can prepare for parenthood emotionally, physically, and mentally.

They discuss the impact of anxiety and scarcity mindset on fertility and early parenting, how emotional health during pregnancy can influence child development, and why building self-trust before conception is essential. Dr. Palmer also shares insights from the pediatric side of the fertility journey, including common patterns seen in families after infertility and how integrative pediatrics supports long-term child health.

The conversation expands into a powerful reflection on grief, resilience, and learning to hold joy alongside loss, as Dr. Palmer shares her personal experience navigating her father’s illness while building her medical practice and raising her son.

This episode is for anyone preparing for parenthood, navigating fertility uncertainty, or moving through difficult seasons while still seeking meaning, connection, and hope.

About Dr. Kirin Palmer

Dr. Kirin Palmer is an integrative general pediatrician and the founder of Pure Joy Pediatrics in Portland, Oregon. After more than two decades in medicine, she’s come to see joy as a steadying force — something that allows us to live with intention and authenticity, even in the middle of busy, complicated lives. Dr. Palmer believes that joy is found in the simple things: the colors of the sunrise, the sparkle in a child’s eyes as they talk about their birthday, the quiet moments that remind us we’re alive. Soaking in moments of joy is like taking out an insurance policy for the soul — it doesn’t prevent life’s challenges, but it gives us the resilience to move through them with grace. Her mission is to help parents find their way back to joy and help their children thrive one mindful moment at a time.

Connect with Dr. Palmer:

purejoypediatrics.com

Instagram: Kirin Palmer MD

Support the show

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://www.loveandsciencefertility.com/private-fertility-consult

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove

Download The Physician Fertility Roadmap- a 6-step, evidence-based plan to optimize your fertility over the next 6-12 months. 

https://support.loveandsciencefertility.com/The-Physician-Fertility-Roadmap

Progesterone is one of the most talked-about — and most misunderstood — hormones in fertility care.

Patients are often told to “check their progesterone,” but what do these numbers actually mean? Can they predict whether a cycle will succeed or fail? And how should progesterone be interpreted in natural cycles, IVF, or early pregnancy?

In this episode, Dr. Erica Bove explains the physiology of progesterone, why levels fluctuate throughout the luteal phase, and why a single blood test often provides an incomplete picture.

She discusses how progesterone functions in ovulation, implantation, pregnancy maintenance, and assisted reproduction — and why clinical history frequently matters more than any single laboratory value.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How progesterone is produced after ovulation

• Why progesterone secretion is pulsatile and difficult to interpret

• What a mid-luteal progesterone level can actually tell you

• How progesterone monitoring differs in natural cycles vs IVF cycles

• Evidence around progesterone thresholds in frozen embryo transfer

• The role of progesterone in pregnancy maintenance

• When progesterone supplementation may be helpful

• Why frequent hormone checking can sometimes increase anxiety without improving outcomes

This conversation is designed to help you better understand your body, your treatment experience, and the science behind progesterone — while also providing clarity in an area that often feels confusing or overwhelming.

If you are navigating fertility treatment or trying to understand hormone testing, this episode offers both evidence-based insight and compassionate perspective.

This episode is part of Season 1 of The Love & Science Fertility Framework: The Biology Beneath the Surface — a clinical series examining the physiology that drives reproductive outcomes.

Support the show

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://www.loveandsciencefertility.com/private-fertility-consult

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove

Download The Physician Fertility Roadmap- a 6-step, evidence-based plan to optimize your fertility over the next 6-12 months. 

https://support.loveandsciencefertility.com/The-Physician-Fertility-Roadmap

In this episode of the Love & Science Fertility Framework, Dr. Erica Bove explores how environmental exposures may affect fertility, egg quality, sperm development, hormone production, and long-term ovarian health.

Environmental toxins and endocrine-disrupting chemicals are often overlooked in fertility care, yet growing research suggests they may influence IVF outcomes, fertilization rates, pregnancy rates, live birth rates, and even the timing of menopause.

In this episode, Dr. Bove discusses:

• how endocrine-disrupting chemicals may affect egg and sperm development
• the relationship between environmental toxins and infertility
• PFAS, phthalates, parabens, BPA, PVC, and other common exposures
• how these chemicals may influence hormone signaling, ovarian function, and reproductive longevity
• the association between toxic exposures and decreased egg yield, fertilization, pregnancy, and live birth in IVF
• the connection between environmental chemicals, early menopause, cardiovascular health, and longevity
• practical ways to reduce exposure in daily life, including changes to plastics, food storage, personal care products, processed foods, and household items
• occupational exposures in labs, farming, welding, plumbing, and other high-risk environments

Dr. Bove also reviews simple, practical steps to reduce toxic burden without becoming overwhelmed, emphasizing the importance of controlling what you can and letting go of what you cannot.

This episode is part of Season 1 of The Love & Science Fertility Framework: The Biology Beneath the Surface — a science-based series exploring the physiologic factors that shape fertility outcomes.

Support the show

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://www.loveandsciencefertility.com/private-fertility-consult

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove

Download The Physician Fertility Roadmap- a 6-step, evidence-based plan to optimize your fertility over the next 6-12 months. 

https://support.loveandsciencefertility.com/The-Physician-Fertility-Roadmap

In this episode of the Love & Science Fertility Framework, Dr. Erica Bove explores luteal phase defect and its impact on fertility and early pregnancy.

The luteal phase begins after ovulation and is sustained by progesterone produced by the corpus luteum. Adequate progesterone exposure is essential for implantation and maintenance of early pregnancy.

Topics discussed include:

• The physiology of the corpus luteum

• Progesterone production and negative feedback

• What defines a short luteal phase

• Premenstrual spotting as a clinical clue

• Luteal phase defect in PCOS

• Diminished ovarian reserve and shortened cycles

• Recurrent pregnancy loss and progesterone support

• Letrozole vs. luteal progesterone supplementation

• Why serum progesterone levels in natural cycles can be misleading

• IVF luteal support and target progesterone levels

Dr. Bove discusses why luteal phase defect is often a reflection of upstream ovulatory dysfunction — and why correcting the follicular phase may be more effective than simply supplementing progesterone.

Understanding cycle timing and physiology is key to identifying and correcting luteal phase dysfunction.

This episode is part of Season 1 of The Love & Science Fertility Framework: The Biology Beneath the Surface — a clinical series examining the physiology that drives reproductive outcomes.

Support the show

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://www.loveandsciencefertility.com/private-fertility-consult

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove

Download The Physician Fertility Roadmap- a 6-step, evidence-based plan to optimize your fertility over the next 6-12 months. 

https://support.loveandsciencefertility.com/The-Physician-Fertility-Roadmap

In this episode of the Love & Science Fertility Framework, Dr. Erica Bove explores the relationship between chronic inflammation and oocyte quality.

Chronic inflammation affects folliculogenesis, meiotic integrity, hormonal balance, immune signaling, and embryonic developmental competence. While acute inflammation is essential to physiologic processes like ovulation and implantation, persistent immune upregulation may disrupt reproductive outcomes.

Topics discussed include:

• How cytokines and oxidative stress affect egg maturation

• Inflammation and meiotic spindle abnormalities

• Smoking and DNA methylation changes in granulosa cells

• Insulin resistance and inflammatory signaling in PCOS

• GLP-1 medications and inflammatory pathway interruption

• Autoimmune disease and fertility outcomes

• Endometriosis and inflammatory pelvic microenvironments

• Ovarian fibrosis and follicular atresia

• The role of adipose tissue as an endocrine organ

• Diet, microbiome health, and anti-inflammatory nutrition

• CoQ10, vitamin D, and antioxidant support

Dr. Bove also discusses modifiable lifestyle factors that influence inflammatory signaling, including diet, exercise, smoking cessation, stress reduction, and sleep optimization.

Chronic inflammation represents both a risk factor and an opportunity — as many contributors are within our control.

This episode is part of Season 1 of The Love & Science Fertility Framework: The Biology Beneath the Surface — a clinical series examining the physiology that drives reproductive outcomes.

Support the show

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://www.loveandsciencefertility.com/private-fertility-consult

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove

Download The Physician Fertility Roadmap- a 6-step, evidence-based plan to optimize your fertility over the next 6-12 months. 

https://support.loveandsciencefertility.com/The-Physician-Fertility-Roadmap

In this episode of the Love & Science Fertility Framework, Dr. Erica Bove explores how circadian rhythms influence reproductive function and fertility outcomes.

Circadian rhythms regulate hormone secretion, ovulation, inflammation, and implantation physiology. When sleep schedules are disrupted — whether from shift work, long call hours, or chronic stress — the reproductive system is directly affected.

Topics discussed include:

• GnRH pulse generator disruption and anovulation

• Brain–ovary signaling and altered hormonal secretion

• HPA axis activation and cortisol elevation

• Stress physiology and reproductive suppression

• Melatonin production and uterine receptivity

• Clock genes and light exposure

• Sleep disruption and testosterone levels

• Inflammation and implantation outcomes

• The impact of chronic sleep irregularity on fertility

Dr. Bove reviews the physiologic mechanisms linking sleep disruption to ovulatory dysfunction, implantation challenges, and miscarriage risk — and discusses why circadian stability may be particularly important for women in high-demand professions.

This episode is part of Season 1 of The Love & Science Fertility Framework: The Biology Beneath the Surface — a clinical series examining the physiology that drives reproductive outcomes.

Support the show

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://www.loveandsciencefertility.com/private-fertility-consult

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove

Download The Physician Fertility Roadmap- a 6-step, evidence-based plan to optimize your fertility over the next 6-12 months. 

https://support.loveandsciencefertility.com/The-Physician-Fertility-Roadmap

In this episode of the Love and Science podcast, Dr. Erica Bove sits down with Dr. Ali Domar, PhD — internationally recognized expert in stress and infertility and Chief Compassion Officer at Inception Fertility.

We cover the most controversial question in reproductive medicine: does stress impact fertility and IVF outcomes?

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

-How stress and infertility interact (and why infertility distress is comparable to other major medical diagnoses)

-What the research shows about psychological interventions and pregnancy rates

-How cortisol may predict IVF outcomes, including emerging physiologic measures

-Why the stimulation phase of IVF may be the most physiologically stressful part of the cycle

-How chronic stress can affect inflammation, blood flow, uterine receptivity, and potentially egg quality

-What mind body programs actually include and why there isn’t one “magic” intervention

-How to cope with loss, the two week wait, and the social pain of infertility

This episode is part of our Love and Science Fertility Framework series: Season 1, The Biology Beneath the Surface — where we explain fertility physiology in a clear, evidence-based way.

About Dr. Ali Domar 

Alice “Ali” Domar, Ph.D., joined Inception Fertility™ in 2022 as Chief Compassion Officer. She is also currently the Director of the Inception Research Institute and an associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology, part-time, at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Domar is a health psychologist who focuses on the application of mind/body medicine to women’s health issues. Her research focuses on the relationship between stress and infertility, with a focus on the impact of cognitive behavioral interventions as well as access to care and patient retention.

@prelude_fertility

@inceptionfertility

Support the show

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://www.loveandsciencefertility.com/private-fertility-consult

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove

Download The Physician Fertility Roadmap- a 6-step, evidence-based plan to optimize your fertility over the next 6-12 months. 

https://support.loveandsciencefertility.com/The-Physician-Fertility-Roadmap

Ovarian reserve testing is widely used — but interpretation requires nuance.

In this episode, Dr. Erica Bove reviews a practical framework for interpreting AMH, antral follicle count (AFC), FSH, and estradiol in clinical practice, with emphasis on how those values influence treatment strategy.

Discussion includes:

• AMH as a surrogate for cohort size and medication responsiveness

• AFC correlation and discordance with AMH

• Elevated FSH as a compensated ovarian state

• Brain–ovary feedback physiology

• FSH resistance and stimulation response

• IVF medication dosing considerations

• Predicting ovarian response and hyperstimulation risk

• Why ovarian reserve is not synonymous with fertility

Rather than weighting one marker over another, Dr. Bove outlines a physiology-based framework that integrates laboratory values, age, genetics, and reproductive goals into individualized treatment planning.

This discussion is part of Season 1 of the Love & Science Fertility Framework: The Biology Beneath the Surface — a series examining the physiology that drives reproductive outcomes.

Support the show

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://www.loveandsciencefertility.com/private-fertility-consult

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove

Download The Physician Fertility Roadmap- a 6-step, evidence-based plan to optimize your fertility over the next 6-12 months. 

https://support.loveandsciencefertility.com/The-Physician-Fertility-Roadmap

What does Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) really tell you about your fertility?

In this episode of the Love and Science Podcast, Dr. Erica Bove, reproductive endocrinologist and fertility specialist, breaks down everything you need to know about AMH — what it is, what it is not, and how it’s actually used in clinical practice.

AMH is often misunderstood as a “fertility test,” but it is more accurately a marker of ovarian reserve — meaning it reflects egg quantity, not egg quality. Dr. Bove explains how AMH levels change over time, what causes fluctuations, and how it influences IVF medication dosing, PCOS diagnosis, egg freezing decisions, and ovarian hyperstimulation risk.

In this episode, we cover:

• What Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) measures

• AMH and ovarian reserve vs. egg quality

• How AMH changes with age

• Why AMH is not a fertility test

• High AMH and PCOS

• Low AMH and what it actually means

• AMH and IVF medication dosing

• Risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)

• AMH and egg freezing decisions

• Birth control, smoking, weight loss, and seasonal variation effects on AMH

• Why age is still the strongest predictor of egg quality

If you’ve ever wondered whether your AMH level predicts your ability to conceive — naturally or through IVF — this episode will give you clear, science-based answers.

Whether your AMH is high, low, or somewhere in the middle, understanding the nuance can help you make informed decisions about your reproductive health and fertility timeline.

This is part of Season 1 of the Love & Science Fertility Framework: The Biology Beneath the Surface — where we unpack the physiology shaping fertility outcomes.

Support the show

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://www.loveandsciencefertility.com/private-fertility-consult

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove

Download The Physician Fertility Roadmap- a 6-step, evidence-based plan to optimize your fertility over the next 6-12 months. 

https://support.loveandsciencefertility.com/The-Physician-Fertility-Roadmap

If you’re worried about declining egg quality, low AMH, or ovarian aging, this video explains what actually drives the process.

In this episode, Dr. Erica Bove breaks down the science behind ovarian aging, including egg quality, egg number, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), mitochondrial function, and how fertility changes over time. We discuss why women are born with all the eggs they will ever have, how those eggs decline from fetal life through menopause, and what influences both egg quantity and egg quality.

You’ll learn:

• What ovarian aging really means

• The difference between egg number and egg quality

• How AMH reflects ovarian reserve

• Why age is the strongest predictor of egg quality

• How smoking accelerates egg decline

• The impact of diet, antioxidants, and CoQ10 on egg health

• The role of BMI, inflammation, and metabolic health in fertility

• How endocrine-disrupting chemicals and environmental toxins may affect ovarian aging

• The connection between oxygen, sleep apnea, and IVF outcomes

• Emerging therapies like ovarian PRP and rapamycin

We also explore the genetics of ovarian aging, why menopause timing often runs in families, and what current research suggests about slowing reproductive decline.

If you are navigating infertility, low ovarian reserve, diminished egg quality, IVF, or simply want to understand how fertility changes with age, this episode provides a clear and science-based explanation of what drives ovarian aging.

This is part of Season 1 of the Love & Science Fertility Framework: The Biology Beneath the Surface — where we unpack the physiology shaping fertility outcomes.

Support the show

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://www.loveandsciencefertility.com/private-fertility-consult

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove