My Fertology

Looking to learn how to keep your passion burning bright? Whether you're struggling with lower sex drive due to situational factors, the demands of life, or the hormonal changes of perimenopause/post-menopause, you're not alone. In this week's episode of our podcast, we explore the common issue of decreased libido and discuss ways to reignite the spark in your relationship, even after kids or during the TTC journey. Join us as we delve into the topic of "Wanting the Want to Stay," and share tips and strategies to bring the passion back into your life. Don't miss out on experiencing the pleasure you deserve – tune in and let's discover together how to keep your desire alive!

#femalepleasure #libido #selfpleasure #ttc #fertility #ttcjourney #ttcsisters #menopausesymptoms #menopausesupport #perimenopause 

Related Episodes:

The Power of Pooping

Jillian Michaels 

Vaginal dryness

Alison Armstrong

Are you worried about your fertility or wonder how fertile you are? Join us as we dive into the latest research and expert advice on everything from ovarian reserve, how it’s measured, what a “low AMH” means, when one might consider egg freezing and fertility timelines. Why is this important? We want you to know about your ovarian reserve before it’s too late AND if you’re having symptoms of early perimenopause how to confirm this reality and what to do about it.  Don't miss out on this must-listen to episode and learn how to make the best choices for your future family and your overall health!  

Medical Disclaimer, be sure to speak to your doctor about your results since the research we present regarding AMH is based on medians and averages and should not be used to officially predict when you will go through menopause or diagnose PCOS. Instead it is a helpful tool to consider along with your whole symptom picture.

#amh #ovarianreserve #fertilityawareness #ivf #infertilityjourney, #fertilityhealth, #ovarianhealth, #egghealth, #fertilitypreservation, #eggfreezing, #fertilitysupport #Perimenopause, #MenopauseJourney, #HormoneHealth, #ChangeIsComing, #BalanceYourHormones, #WomenHealth, #LifeChanges, #Flourish4Life, #PerimenopauseAwareness, #MenopauseMatters #antimullerianhormone

Related episodes

Episode 59 All About Egg Donation (ft. Dr. Timea Belej-Rak) – My Fertology

Episode 51 Hormone Replacement Therapy in Perimenopause – My Fertology

References 

Scroll down in this link for a helpful AMH chart with both units of AMH (pmol/L and ng/ml)

https://www.whitelotusclinic.ca/amh-pcos-test/

“Age-specific serum anti-Müllerian hormone values for 17,120 women presenting to fertility centers within the United States”

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0015028210026877

The average yearly decrease in the median serum AMH value was 0.2 ng/mL/year through age 35 and then diminished to 0.1 ng/mL/year after age 35. 

https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2019/04/the-use-of-antimullerian-hormone-in-women-not-seeking-fertility-care

Having a hard time getting pregnant and doing IVF? I don’t know about you but when it cost upwards to $20,000 for an IVF cycle, we both did everything possible to increase our chances of success when we did IVF cycles. 

When it comes to acupuncture, the literature for IVF is mixed which is confusing because the data mostly looks at acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer. In the real world it is not the only intervention we do. The larger datasets of people adding more sessions of acupuncture, lifestyle and dietary modifications, other modalities, Chinese herbs when appropriate were associated with 2 fold increases in the odds of live birth and 75 % reduction of biochemical pregnancy. 

Not only that, but when research finds that ¾ of women and ⅔ of men are clinically anxious going through IVF, we need help to relax and persevere this grueling journey. Dr. Lee Hullender-Rubin released a study in 2022 showing that acupuncture provided significant benefit for IVF related anxiety. From this, we can extrapolate that acupuncture can help anxiety for folks trying to conceive at home, with timed intercourse or with IUI’s as well. It helps provide you strength and the endurance to continue forward if for some reason the cycle is not successful. 

We want to help you achieve your goal of having a healthy baby by staying healthy physically and emotionally. This includes “your sleep, digestion, and ability to get through the day without choking someone.” Acupuncture is not only for used for before and after an IVF Embryo transfer. Our patients use it as support throughout their whole journey no matter where they're at. So even when they're having a break from IVF treatment, they take this time to rebuild until they are ready to re engage, feel more confident and healthy. 

 Acupuncture or TEAS (Transcutaneous Electroacupoint Stimulation) helps the body release endorphins which mitigates stress, helps you to relax, continue on your journey, and also increases blood flow to the ovaries and uterus making them more "juicy" with oxygen and nutrients for a more receptive environment for baby making.Q

#Acupuncture #Anxiety #Births #IVF #Stress

About Dr. Lee 

Dr. Lee Hullender Rubin, DA[o]M, LAc, FAB[o]RM, is an internationally recognized, award-winning doctor of acupuncture and researcher and a leader in the field of integrative reproductive medicine. As the founder of Rosefinch Health, Dr. Lee blends compassionate care with over two decades of clinical experience specializing in fertility and IVF support

Connect with Dr. Lee 

Rosefinch Health | Dr. Lee Hullender Rubin, DAOM, LAc (@rosefinchhealth) • Instagram photos and videos

Rosefinch Health — Bio Site

Related Episodes:

Episode 71 How to help IVF success naturally – using TEAS (ft. Dr. Lee Hullendar Rubin) – My Fertology

Resources:

IVF and Whole systems TCM (includes predominantly acupuncture, diet, lifestyle, and occasionally herbs) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25911598/

Acupuncture and IVF-related anxiety https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35570176/

Trying to have a baby but feeling like you’re running out of time, have diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), PCOS, recurrent pregnancy loss, or poor sperm quality?

Check out the findings of these studies using Transcutaneous Electro-acupoint Stimulation (TEAS) used to boost fertility:

In  IVF when TEAS was used, there were:

- 42% more clinical pregnancies

- 9% more quality embryos

- 45% fewer chemical pregnancies

- 42% more live births

In cases of PCOS:

TEAS reduced androgens (male hormones), improved sensitivity to insulin and sugar metabolism and reduced elevated AMH.

In cases of Male Factor: 

TEAS increases sperm count and motility.

In Recurrent Implantation Failure:

TEAS improved uterine lining by making it more juicy, thick, trilaminar, and receptive for implantation.

Whether you are needle phobic, live in a rural area, or find it hard to commit to regular acupuncture treatments, TEAS machine is a viable, safe, and easy to use option. It’s essentially like getting  needle-free acupuncture that uses electrical stimulation on sticky pads that get applied to acupuncture points on the skin. 

But listen up, knowing what kind of machine to buy, where to put the electrodes, how to set up the machine, how frequently to use it and for how long is important. You will need guidance in the set-up and we can help!

#fertilitytreatment #fertilityacupuncture #maleinfertility #malefertility #miscarriage #pcos #pcostreatment #fertilitypodcast #diminishedovarianreserve #womenshealthpodcast #acupunctureworks #acupuncturerocks #acupuncturepoints #acupunctureforfertility #fertilityacupuncturist

Episode 70  Natural Strategies To Treat Vaginal Dryness

What can PMS, trying to conceive, perimenopause and postmenopause have in common? Vaginal dryness!! 

Yes, it’s true. It can happen to anyone but no one talks about it. A dry fanny can be annoying, uncomfortable, and painful which may even impede the desire for the bedroom tango. And if the strategy is to avoid sex, over time there’s a possibility that, “if you don’t use it, you lose it!”... Which potentiates another problem - vaginal muscle atrophy and the region in your brain 🧠 for sexual desire can shrink!!

Using water based and silicone lubricants is one feasible strategy but not the only solution. 

So we’re going to talk about libido squishers and what you can do to improve dryness: 

* Connection and intimacy to stimulate natural lubrication in which things like  hand holding or spending time in clothes being held on the couch can help as baby step back to the bedroom.

* Vagina Body identical Estrogen replacement (creams or mini tablets that can be inserted)

* Chinese herbal medicine to nourish the Yin body fluid to help moisten and replenish our cells’ fluids. 


* Acupuncture to help the brain and body connection, regulate hormones and increase blood flow to the “lady parts”


* Ashwaganda, rhodiola, Maca to name a few herbal supplements to reduce stress 

* Food balanced macronutrients - protein, cholesterol in good fats like walnuts, sesame seeds, zinc


Related Episodes:

Episode 66: On Love Sex and Intimacy (ft. Alison Armstrong) – Part 1

Episode 67: On Love Sex and Intimacy (ft. Alison Armstrong) – Part 2

Why is it that no one talks about painful sex when up to 28% or a quarter of  the  female population worldwide experience this sometime in their lives? 

Lee Hullender Rubin, clinician and researcher specializing in reproductive medicine, shines the light on this global vulva problem in order to stop the silent struggle, provide tangible solutions, and increase the sexual confidence that women deserve. 

She goes through some of the causes of pain including  endometriosis, pelvic myalgia ( muscle tightness),  hormonal changes, and physical or anatomical problems.  

More importantly, instead of avoiding or enduring chronic pain upon penetrative sex, Dr. Lee really encourages women to have a village of care and a good propylene glycol and paraben free lube. 

Drawing from experience and research, acupuncture is one effective option to decrease pain from contact, pressure or rubbing where involuntary vaginal muscles tighten. … rest assure that NO needles are inserted into the nether regions of the female body.

The point is, if you are struggling with painful sex, you are not alone, there are options and we are here to help. 

Dr. Hullender Rubin currently resides in Portland, Oregon, and practices at the Portland Acupuncture Studio (http://www.pdxacustudio.com) and Oregon Reproductive Medicine.

Connect with Dr. Lee 

Instagram @rosefinchhealth

Rosefinch Health — Acupuncture in Portland, Oregon

Related Episodes 

Episode 66: On Love, Sex and Intimacy (ft. Alison Armstrong)  Part 1

Episode 67: On Love, Sex and Intimacy (ft. Alison Armstrong) Part 2 

Resources: 

Good Clean Love fertility lubricant 

Good Clean Love BioNude Personal Lubricant 

When it comes to having a baby, women dream of IVF and taking hormones…. NEVER. Dr. Tanya and Mary never expected to do IVF but they did and are grateful to have their kids. Being experts in the field of natural medicine, fertility and hormones, they are eager to look for ways to make your IVF process easier.

We turned to Dr Ari Baratz, fertility doctor at Create Fertility Centre in Toronto, to address the following questions to help you make an informed choice around natural versus medicated Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) cycles:

Is freezing embryos safe?

How do we make the IVF process a little more natural?

When is natural FET appropriate?

When is a medicated and programmed  FET better than a natural FET?

One argument for a natural cycle is that there is an orchestra of hormones that we cannot identically mimic when we do a medicated cycle. Obstetrical outcomes (less IGUR, preterm births and high blood pressure in moms) may be better  in a pregnancy where the woman ovulates on her own to  support the corpus luteum (which secretes progesterone)  in the first trimester.

Science hasn't proven whether “natural is better than programmed” cycles for FET. There is research on the way so we will interview Dr. Baratz again to review the results of the trial to give you the latest scoop.

Until then, listen or watch (use “ listen” for podcast and rewrite to “watch” for Youtube and use both for website please)  this episode.

What we know is that each person is unique with a  different set of circumstances and medical history. Speak to your fertility doctor or reach out so we can help you figure out what will work best for you.

#fertilityjourney, #testtubebaby, #ivfprocess, #EmbryoTransfer, #Trending, #naturalivf, #malefactor, #MalefactorFertilityinfertility, #CareIVF, #naturalfet, #fertility, #ivfbaby, #ivfsuccess, #ivfprocedure, #fet, #IVFbaby, #frozenembryotransfer, #womenspodcast, #healthpodcast, #fertilitypodcast, #pathwaystopregnancy

Related Episodes

Episode 65 What to do when there is a Miscarriage, RPL or Implantation failure (ft. Dr. Genevieve Genest)

Episode 53 Can stress keep you from getting pregnant? (ft. Dr. Julia Sen, Psychologist)

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8477459/pdf/13063_2021_Article_5637.pdf

Finding the right match for marriage isn’t something we are taught which is a conundrum when divorce rates are as high as fifty percent. Is it wrong if we are obsessed with the need to have “chemistry” (especially because the film industry has been romanticizing love for over a century)? 

Alison Armstrong, author and relationship coach explains that we are all too often driven by the “survival of the species” instinct where we look for desired genetic traits to make children rather than listen to our hearts as we search for a true partner. 

Here are a few important questions Alison asks in order for you to build chemistry, find  long term happiness and fulfillment in a healthy partnership: 

Does your partner amplify you?

Do they make you the best version of you? 

Do they “see you?”

Do they listen to you? 

Do you have resonance with them?

Are you attracted to the “strong  bad boy” type? 

If you are in a relationship and feel mismatched or lost, Alison Armstrong will help you better understand each other to improve intimacy and connection.

Books by Alison

Keys to the Kingdom by Alison Armstrong - https://www.amazon.com/Keys-to-Kingdom-audiobook/dp/B00B0G26GO/ref=sr_1_3?crid=NNY1TRS95D0A&keywords=alison+armstrong+books&qid=1676467716&sprefix=alison+armst%2Caps%2C109&sr=8-3

The Queens Code by Alison Armstrong - https://www.amazon.com/Queens-Code-Alison-Armstrong/dp/B01DAYC348/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1676467716&sr=8-2 

Website

https://www.alisonarmstrong.com/ 

Related episodes: 

Episode 61 The Five Love Languages-How to Express and Receive the love you want

Episode 66 On Love Sex and Intimacy 

#love #relationship #intimacy

Alison Armstrong, relationship coach, teaches us the deep questions we need to ask ourselves that may reveal conflicting wills  preventing us from achieving our dreams; whether it be pertaining to finding a new relationship, higher levels of intimacy, making a baby or achieving a career goal.

She also teaches the difference between intimacy and s3x and explains how to achieve a higher level of  intimacy by changing how we support our men to become vulnerable with their feelings.

Alison Armstrong, is a phenomenal author, educator, and speaker and has been studying men since the 90s.  She has helped thousands of women and men transform themselves and their relationships through her books and courses.

Buckle up and let this conversation inspire you. We hope that Alison's work help you as much as she has helped us do and be better in our relationships and intimacy even when life throws you lemons.

Books by Alison

Keys to the Kingdom by Alison Armstrong 

The Queens Code by Alison Armstrong 

Website

https://www.alisonarmstrong.com/

Related episodes: 

Episode 61 The Five Love Languages-How to Express and Receive the love you want

Fifty percent of repeated miscarriages are unexplained. The good news though is that seventy percent of women go on to have a healthy baby after two miscarriages! There is a theory that when there are recurrent pregnancy losses (RPL)  the immune system may be playing a role. The uterus  has its own immune system which it uses to recognize the embryo, implant and help it create a placenta.  Some women may have an issue with this process even if the immune system in their blood shows normal.

Unfortunately, to date, there are only a few proven effective treatments to treat the immune system when it is impacting the ability to stay pregnant.  We turn to Dr. Genevieve Genest, reproductive immunologist to discuss what women can do to increase their chances of taking home a baby in the case of unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss and multiple failed IVF Embryo Transfers.  We cover the effectiveness of progesterone, blood thinners; (baby aspirin, low molecular weight heparin), steroids such as prednisone, intralipids and IV-IG, Hydroxychloroquine. She also covers some of the treatments which have NOT been shown to be effective but are still being used.

Dr. Genevieve Genest  is not only the leading immunologist and  head of Canada’s first university based reproductive Immunology clinic but also a person who has experienced losses of her own.  She cuts out a lot of the confusion around many of the treatments for recurrent pregnancy loss and shares openly about how many of the treatments and procedures touted to prevent recurrent pregnancy loss are based on limited scientific evidence.  She even shares the importance of diet, lifestyle factors, supplements, and acupuncture, all of which she used during her personal journey.

#RPL #miscarriagetreatment #implantationfailure #fertilitysolutions #immunesupport #frozenembryotransfer #pathwaystopregnancy #fertilitydoctor #pregnancyloss #babyloss #miscarriageawareness #infantloss #ttc #ivf #miscarriagesupport #fertility #rainbowbaby #ttccommunity #infertilityawareness #childloss #pregnancy #endometriosis #pcos #ttcjourney #babylossawareness #ivfjourney #infertilitysucks #fertilityjourney #angelbaby

Dr. Genevieve Genest Bio

Bachelor's in Microbiology and Immunology McGill

MD degree at Université de Montréal

Internal Medicine Residency at Université Laval

Allergy-Immunology fellowship at McGill University

Reproductive immunology fellowship at University of Toronto

Ongoing PhD in experimental medicine at McGill

Now at McGill University Health Center where she heads Canada’s first university based reproductive Immunology clinic

Director of the Reproductive Immunology Fellowship program McGill

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8835837/pdf/ijms-23-01333.pdf (Progesterone: A Unique Hormone with Immunomodulatory Roles in Pregnancy)

Related Episodes:

Episode 48  Bleeding during pregnancy- will I Miscarry? (ft. Dr. Kim Garbedian)

Episode 49 How To Prevent a Miscarriage (ft. Dr. Kim Garbedian)