Managing Your Fertility

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Marguerite Duane, a board-certified family physician and co-founder of FACTS about Fertility. Dr. Duane draws on her extensive expertise to explain how hormonal contraception works, its impact on women’s health, and evidence-based alternatives like fertility awareness-based methods (FABMs).

We dive into the rising dissatisfaction with hormonal birth control, as many women are speaking out on platforms like TikTok about unintended side effects like decreased libido. Dr. Duane outlines common side effects, the rationale behind accepting them in favor of pregnancy prevention, and why so many women are turning to FABMs for family planning and overall health.

Dr. Duane also provides clear insights into the effectiveness of FABMs and how they’re rooted in extensive research. Whether you're exploring natural alternatives, curious about the science behind hormonal contraception, or seeking guidance on finding knowledgeable medical professionals, this episode offers empowering, actionable information for reclaiming your health.

I'm joined by Sarah Bartel, PhD, a moral theologian and Catholic sex and marriage coach, to dive deep into some challenging and enlightening topics about sex and marriage. Sarah and her husband, Nathan, have served thousands of Catholic couples through their CanaFeast online ministry, offering courses like the Abundant Marriage course and the Little Way of Marriage Workshop.

In today’s episode, we explore Sarah’s newest program, My Delight, a course specifically designed to help Catholic married women break free from shame and isolation to develop holy, healthy intimacy with their husbands.We cover a lot in this conversation, including the extremes in thinking about sex, contrasting porn culture with purity culture, and the often misunderstood Catholic teachings on sex. Sarah gives valuable insight into how we can move away from both a 'sex life' mindset and puritanical responses, and instead integrate physical, emotional, and spiritual intimacy as a whole. We also tackle the sometimes awkward but important conversation about addressing spiritual and physical needs in marriage, and why taking time for emotional connection and communication is essential.

Whether you're looking for guidance in your own marriage or just wanting to better understand the Church's teachings on sex and intimacy, this episode is packed with wisdom and practical advice. Don’t miss it!

GUEST BIO:

Dr. Sarah Bartel, PhD, is a Catholic moral theologian and marriage coach who, along with her husband Nathan, runs CanaFeast, an online ministry that has helped thousands of Catholic couples. Based near Seattle, WA, Sarah earned her BA and MA from Gonzaga University and completed her PhD in moral theology from the Catholic University of America. She is the creator of the My Delight course, designed to help Catholic women develop holy, healthy intimacy in marriage. A mother of five, Sarah loves hiking, reading Jane Austen, and feeding her kids salmon.

SHOWNOTES:

MY LINKS:

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In this special episode, I’m sharing a prayer I wrote a few years ago for all of us on our fertility journeys. Whether you're facing infertility, pregnancy loss, or navigating family planning, this prayer invites Mary, our Blessed Mother, to be with us, offering her loving intercession as we dedicate ourselves to Her Son. With the guidance and support of Fr. Alvaro Perez, PES, this prayer has been a source of comfort for many, and I hope it brings you peace and encouragement on your journey. Tune in to listen and join me in prayer.

Read along with the prayer or save a copy to your phone, so you can easily access it: https://www.managingyourfertility.com/about/ourladyfaprayer/

LINKS:

⁠DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links, I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!

I'm joined by Mary Bruno, Creighton Practitioner, author, and co-founder of FAbM Base, to discuss her newest book, "Missing Pieces: Female Perspectives on Sex for Catholic Women", which I am also very honored to have contributed to! This book bridges the gap between your high school sex talks, male and female differences, and a healthy marriage with holy sex that is pleasurable for both spouses and a deep, rewarding intimacy whether you’re having it or saying “no” out of love. We're going to get into a particular chapter of her book about saying "no" to sex and the emotions, thoughts, and struggles that can arise when grappling with "no". This is an episode that you do not want to miss!
GUEST BIO:
Mary Bruno is a Catholic author and speaker, cofounder of the non-profit FAbM Base (fabmbase.org), and Creighton Practitioner who stumbled upon a vaginismus diagnosis nine long years after she was married. As a life-long practicing Catholic and ½ of a marriage prep mentor couple, it shocked her to discover how much she didn’t know about sex and marriage and set off to gain wisdom and knowledge through the Catechism, conversations with other women, her pelvic floor physical therapist who specializes in sexual dysfunction, and her trauma-certified counselor to help prepare herself and you for healthy sexual intimacy throughout marriage. She has been married for 11 years and lives in Louisiana with her amazing husband and adorable daughter who they adopted the day she was born.
SHOWNOTES:

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I'm joined by Mary Bruno, Creighton Practitioner, author, and fo-founder of FAbM Base, to discuss restorative reproductive medicine (RRM) in-vitro fertilization (IVF), and IUI from a personal perspective in her own fertility journey and her insights and training as a Creighton Pracitioner to many clients. We discuss various aspects of the process of navigating treatment options for infertility diagnoses and what it looks like to work with a practitioner or instructor to identify the workups and treatments necessary for healing and restoration of the reproductive system. This episode is part of an ongoing series of conversations I'm having with guests to explore varied aspects of IVF and RRM.
GUEST BIO:
Mary Bruno is a Catholic author and speaker, cofounder of the non-profit FAbM Base (fabmbase.org), and Creighton Practitioner who stumbled upon a vaginismus diagnosis nine long years after she was married. As a life-long practicing Catholic and ½ of a marriage prep mentor couple, it shocked her to discover how much she didn’t know about sex and marriage and set off to gain wisdom and knowledge through the Catechism, conversations with other women, her pelvic floor physical therapist who specializes in sexual dysfunction, and her trauma-certified counselor to help prepare herself and you for healthy sexual intimacy throughout marriage. She has been married for 11 years and lives in Louisiana with her amazing husband and adorable daughter who they adopted the day she was born.
SHOWNOTES:

SHOP MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: https://amzn.to/3MRxbTC
DISCOUNT CODES:
20% OFF PROOV TEST STRIPS: https://proovtest.com/?wly=57893
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DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!

I'm joined by Marguerite Duane to discuss restorative reproductive medicine (RRM) options for women, men, and couples navigating infertility or "unexplained infertility" diagnoses, who are then recommended in-vitro fertilization (IVF) as an option to conceive a child(ren). While we identify what IVF is and how it works, we spend the majority of our time discussing viable options for couples to conceive while getting at the root cause of health issues through RRM. We discuss success rates, how it works, and, of course, how informed consent plays into this very important conversation when making choices about how you start a family. This is part of a series of conversations I'm having with guests to explore varied aspects of IVF and RRM.

GUEST BIO:

Dr. Marguerite Duane, a board certified family physician, is co-founder and Executive Director of FACTS about Fertility, an organization dedicated to educating healthcare professionals and students about scientifically valid natural or fertility awareness based methods (FABMs). She also serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor at Georgetown University, and sees via housecalls through her direct primary care practice. Dr. Duane is trained as a Creighton, FEMM and NeoFertility Medical consultant, and a TeenSTAR educator. Dr. Duane balances her career as a teacher and Family Physician, with her role as a mother and wife. She is married to a fellow family physician, Dr. Kenneth Lin, and they are the parents of 4 young children.

SHOWNOTES:

FACTS website: https://www.FACTSaboutFertility.org

FACTS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/factsaboutfertility/

FACTS on X (formerly known as Twitter): https://twitter.com/FACTS_Fertility?lang=en

FACTS on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fertility-appreciation-collaborative-to-teach-the-science-facts/

FACTS on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fertilityfacts/?hl=en

Physician/Clinician/Medical Directory: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/facts-physician-clinician-educator-directory/

Share the FACTS Folder (for your medical professional to learn about FABMs/charting & get connected to FACTS about Fertility): https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/product/sharethefacts-folder/

Authentic Women's Health Conference in Austin, TX: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/authentic-womens-health-advancing-access-across-the-lifespan/

IRRM/A website: https://iirrm.org/

Successful pregnancy with restorative reproductive medicine after 16 years of infertility, three recurrent miscarriages, and eight unsuccessful embryo transfers with in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a case report (Dr. Phil Boyle): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9213097/

Fertility Awareness-Based Methods for Women’s Health and Family Planning (Duane M, Stanford JB, Porucznik CA and Vigil P): https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Fertility-Awareness-Based-Methods.pdf

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3 MONTHS FREE & 20% OFF YOUR HALLOW SUBSCRIPTION: hallow.com/managingyourfertility

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DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!

Tim Pawl is a professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. He works on metaphysics, philosophical theology, and moral psychology.
In metaphysics he works on truthmaker theory, modality, and free will. In philosophical theology, he has published on transubstantiation, Christology, and Classical Theism. In moral psychology he has worked with psychologists on questions concerning how best to grow in virtue, and whether the traditional wisdom of the Christian moral tradition is conducive to growth in virtue. You can peruse his work, research and publications at his website: https://timpawl.wordpress.com/.
This is a 3-part interview series discussing varied aspects of marital debt. Perhaps you've heard of this before or maybe this is the first time you've ever heard such a phrase. While this might sound like it's a heady conversation, Dr. Pawl does an incredible job of breaking down what the marital debt is, where it comes from, what it's not, and if it's possible to say "no" to your spouse for sex (is it actually morally permissible?). We go in-depth in this conversation and look at various aspects of this often-controversial topic!
This is part 3 of the 3-part series on marital debt.
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10% OFF YOUR MENTIONABLES ORDER: https://www.shopmentionables.com/?snowball=FERTILITY10&utm_source=snowball&utm_medium=affiliate-program&utm_campaign=FERTILITY10
DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!

Tim Pawl is a professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. He works on metaphysics, philosophical theology, and moral psychology.In metaphysics he works on truthmaker theory, modality, and free will. In philosophical theology, he has published on transubstantiation, Christology, and Classical Theism. In moral psychology he has worked with psychologists on questions concerning how best to grow in virtue, and whether the traditional wisdom of the Christian moral tradition is conducive to growth in virtue. You can peruse his work, research and publications at his website: https://timpawl.wordpress.com/.This is a 3-part interview series discussing varied aspects of marital debt. Perhaps you've heard of this before or maybe this is the first time you've ever heard such a phrase. While this might sound like it's a heady conversation, Dr. Pawl does an incredible job of breaking down what the marital debt is, where it comes from, what it's not, and if it's possible to say "no" to your spouse for sex (is it actually morally permissible?). We go in-depth in this conversation and look at various aspects of this often-controversial topic! This is part 2 of the 3-part series on marital debt. SHOP MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: https://amzn.to/3MRxbTCSHOP MY BEAUTY & SKINCARE PRODUCTS: https://www.beautycounter.com/bridgetbusackerDISCOUNT CODES: 20% OFF PROOV TEST STRIPS: https://proovtest.com/?wly=5789320% OFF YOUR FIRST OLIVE & JUNE MANI KIT: http://fbuy.me/v/bridgetbusackerbc10% OFF YOUR TEMPDROP: http://www.tempdrop.com/discount/managingyourfertility3 MONTHS FREE & 20% OFF YOUR HALLOW SUBSCRIPTION: hallow.com/managingyourfertility10% OFF YOUR ODER AT EMBER CO: https://www.theember.co/?ref=91010% OFF YOUR ORDER AT BE A HEART: beaheart.com/managingyourfertility10% OFF YOUR ORDER AT ABUNDANTLY YOURS: abundantlyyours.org/bridget 10% OFF YOUR MENTIONABLES ORDER: https://www.shopmentionables.com/?snowball=FERTILITY10&utm_source=snowball&utm_medium=affiliate-program&utm_campaign=FERTILITY10DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!

Tim Pawl is a professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. He works on metaphysics, philosophical theology, and moral psychology.
In metaphysics he works on truthmaker theory, modality, and free will. In philosophical theology, he has published on transubstantiation, Christology, and Classical Theism. In moral psychology he has worked with psychologists on questions concerning how best to grow in virtue, and whether the traditional wisdom of the Christian moral tradition is conducive to growth in virtue. You can peruse his work, research and publications at his website: https://timpawl.wordpress.com/.
This is a 3-part interview series discussing varied aspects of marital debt. Perhaps you've heard of this before or maybe this is the first time you've ever heard such a phrase. While this might sound like it's a heady conversation, Dr. Pawl does an incredible job of breaking down what the marital debt is, where it comes from, what it's not, and if it's possible to say "no" to your spouse for sex (is it actually morally permissible?). We go in-depth in this conversation and look at various aspects of this often-controversial topic!
This is part 1 of the 3-part series on marital debt.
SHOP MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: https://amzn.to/3MRxbTC
SHOP MY BEAUTY & SKINCARE PRODUCTS: https://www.beautycounter.com/bridgetbusacker
DISCOUNT CODES:
20% OFF PROOV TEST STRIPS: https://proovtest.com/?wly=57893
20% OFF YOUR FIRST OLIVE & JUNE MANI KIT: http://fbuy.me/v/bridgetbusackerbc
10% OFF YOUR TEMPDROP: http://www.tempdrop.com/discount/managingyourfertility
3 MONTHS FREE & 20% OFF YOUR HALLOW SUBSCRIPTION: hallow.com/managingyourfertility
10% OFF YOUR ODER AT EMBER CO: https://www.theember.co/?ref=910
10% OFF YOUR ORDER AT BE A HEART: beaheart.com/managingyourfertility10% OFF YOUR ORDER AT ABUNDANTLY YOURS: abundantlyyours.org/bridget
10% OFF YOUR MENTIONABLES ORDER: https://www.shopmentionables.com/?snowball=FERTILITY10&utm_source=snowball&utm_medium=affiliate-program&utm_campaign=FERTILITY10
DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!

Should we watch sex scenes in movies? Could they negatively or positively impact marital sex?

Today, I sit down with David and we talk about our own experiences navigating sex scenes in movies and the movie that challenged us to discuss how we would approach this issue in our own marriage moving forward.
We don't have all the answers and we certainly aren't providing an extended dissertation with research. You're tuning into an honest conversation of what we've processed over the past few months and what steps we're taking to navigate sex scenes in shows & movies.
This is a new style of podcast for us, so let us know what you think! And, if you agree or disagree with what we say, we want to know, so send us a DM on Instagram @managingyourfertility or an email at [email protected].
SHOWNOTES:

SHOP MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: https://amzn.to/3MRxbTC
SHOP MY BEAUTY & SKINCARE PRODUCTS: https://www.beautycounter.com/bridgetbusacker
DISCOUNT CODES:
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20% OFF YOUR FIRST OLIVE & JUNE MANI KIT: http://fbuy.me/v/bridgetbusackerbc
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10% OFF YOUR ORDER AT BE A HEART: fbeaheart.com/managingyourfertility
10% OFF YOUR ORDER AT ABUNDANTLY YOURS: abundantlyyours.org/bridget
DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!