As a Woman

Dr. Natalie Crawford, board-certified OB-GYN and REI, breaks down how your hormones shift across your 20s, 30s, 40s, and beyond, and what you can actually do in each decade to protect your fertility, brain, bones, and long‑term health. Instead of reacting only when there’s a problem, this episode helps you use your cycle, symptoms, and lifestyle as data so you can make informed decisions at every stage.

Key Topics:

1. Foundations in Your 20s

- Why your 20s are the ideal decade to quietly build “future you” health

- How birth control can mask your natural cycle patterns

- Simple ways to start understanding your cycle and ovulation (without obsessing)

2. Protecting Fertility in Your 30s

- What actually changes with egg number and egg quality in this decade

- Why “wait until you’ve been trying for a year” is often outdated advice

- How to think about ovarian reserve testing and when it’s worth asking for it

3. Navigating Perimenopause in Your 40s

- How subtle cycle shifts can be early signs of dwindling egg supply

- The difference between “regular” cycles and normal for you

- Using muscle, nutrition, and sleep to buffer bone loss, brain fog, and weight changes

4. Menopause, Hormones & Longevity in Your 50s and Beyond

- What menopause medically means and why the transition is so individual- How estrogen and progesterone relate to brain health, bones, and sex

- A framework for thinking about hormone therapy (and fear‑based messaging)

Pre-order Dr. Crawford's debut book, The Fertility Formula, now! ⁠https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/book⁠Want to receive my weekly newsletter? Sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠nataliecrawfordmd.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ to receive updates, Q&A, special content, and freebies

If you haven’t already, please rate, review, and follow the podcast to be notified of new episodes every Tuesday. Plus, be sure to follow along on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@nataliecrawfordmd,⁠⁠⁠⁠ check out Natalie’s YouTube channel Natalie Crawford MD⁠⁠⁠⁠, and if you're interested in becoming a patient, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Fora Fertility.

Join the Learn at Pinnacle app ⁠to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!

This episode is brought to you by The Pinnacle Podcast Network! Learn more about Pinnacle at http://learnatpinnacle.com
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Dr. Natalie Crawford, board-certified OB-GYN and REI, answers your fertility questions.

Questions Answered:

1. Not TTC yet. Very heavy periods with clots, PCOS, normal labs and imaging, dismissed by doctors — could this be PCOS or a clotting disorder, and what testing is appropriate?

2. 9 weeks pregnant after 5 early losses and treated Asherman’s — is it safe to continue Lovenox into the second trimester?

3. Low blast rate after IVF with known varicocele — does repairing a varicocele improve IVF outcomes?

4. 25, no period a year after stopping the pill, poor response to Clomid — should I switch to letrozole, and what are my future pregnancy options?

5. PCOS with very high AMH/AFC starting letrozole — is a trigger shot safe, or does it raise OHSS risk?

Pre-order Dr. Crawford's debut book, The Fertility Formula, now! ⁠⁠https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/book⁠⁠

Want your questions answered on the next episode? ⁠Ask them here!⁠ https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/qa-submissions
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Dr. Natalie Crawford is joined by gastroenterologist Dr. Will Bulsiewicz to explain how gut health, inflammation, and hormones are connected—and what simple changes can support your energy, mood, and fertility.

Key Topics:

1. The Gut–Hormone Connection

- What the gut microbiome is and why it affects your whole body

- How inflammation can quietly impact hormones, cycles, and fertility

- Why symptoms like fatigue can be a sign of a deeper imbalance

2. Everyday Habits That Harm (or Help) Your Gut

- How modern food, stress, and sleep patterns disrupt gut health

- Why ultra-processed foods work against long-term wellness

- Simple signs your gut may need more support

3. Food, Rhythm, and Daily Choices

- The role of fiber, colorful plant foods, healthy fats, and fermented foods

- How consistent routines around meals, sleep, and light support hormones

- Practical ways to eat and live “gut-friendly” without a strict diet

4. Empowerment, Fertility, and Self-Advocacy

- How a healthier gut can support hormones, fertility, and overall resilience

- Why understanding your body helps you ask better questions in care settings

- Focusing on what you can control rather than quick fixes

Pre-order Dr. Crawford's debut book, The Fertility Formula, now! ⁠https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/book⁠

Follow Dr. Will Bulsiewicz on Instagram @theguthealthmd

Order his book Plant Powered Plus

Want to receive my weekly newsletter? Sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠nataliecrawfordmd.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ to receive updates, Q&A, special content, and freebies

If you haven’t already, please rate, review, and follow the podcast to be notified of new episodes every Tuesday. Plus, be sure to follow along on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@nataliecrawfordmd,⁠⁠⁠⁠ check out Natalie’s YouTube channel Natalie Crawford MD⁠⁠⁠⁠, and if you're interested in becoming a patient, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Fora Fertility.

Join the Learn at Pinnacle app ⁠to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!

This episode is brought to you by The Pinnacle Podcast Network! Learn more about Pinnacle at http://learnatpinnacle.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Natalie Crawford, board-certified OB-GYN and REI, answers your fertility questions.

Questions Answered:

1. How can I support my fertility now if I want kids later but not yet?

2. What should male partners focus on to support fertility when starting to try?

3. Can prenatals or DHA affect ovulation timing or cycle length?

4. How can I optimize my chances of pregnancy after surgery for stage 2 endometriosis?

5. What could cause consistently negative OPKs after hormonal birth control, and how should this be evaluated?

Pre-order Dr. Crawford's debut book, The Fertility Formula, now! ⁠⁠https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/book⁠⁠

Want your questions answered on the next episode? Ask them here!
⁠
Want to receive my weekly newsletter? Sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nataliecrawfordmd.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to receive updates, Q&A, special content, and freebies

If you haven’t already, please rate, review, and follow the podcast to be notified of new episodes every Tuesday. Plus, be sure to follow along on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nataliecrawfordmd⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠ check out Natalie’s YouTube channel ⁠Natalie Crawford MD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and if you're interested in becoming a patient, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fora Fertility⁠.

⁠Join the Learn at Pinnacle app ⁠⁠to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!

This episode is brought to you by The Pinnacle Podcast Network! Learn more about Pinnacle at ⁠http://learnatpinnacle.com⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Natalie Crawford is joined by registered dietitian and PCOS specialist Cory Ruth, author of “PCOS Is My Power,” to explain how PCOS, blood sugar, and nutrition all fit together. They talk about why PCOS is so misunderstood, what insulin resistance really means, and simple, realistic ways to eat and live that support your hormones, metabolism, and fertility, without cutting out everything you love.

Key Topics:

1. Making Sense of PCOS

- What PCOS actually is in everyday terms

- Why it can look different from person to person

- How it can affect periods, skin, hair, weight, and fertility

2. Insulin Resistance and Metabolic Health

- What insulin resistance means for your body

- How it can drive common PCOS symptoms

- Why it matters for long‑term health

3. Everyday Food and Lifestyle Choices

- How to think about carbs, sugar, and fiber without fear

- A simple way to build a more PCOS‑friendly plate

- Practical tips for eating out, snacks, and occasional drinks

4. Mindset, Mental Health, and Long‑Term Management

- The emotional weight of a PCOS diagnosis

- Why guilt and “all‑or‑nothing” thinking make things harder

- How Cory’s book and approach help you feel more in control over time

Pre-order Dr. Crawford's debut book, The Fertility Formula, now! ⁠https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/book⁠

Order Cory’s Book, PCOS is My Power

Follow her on Instagram @thewomensdietitian

Checkout her Website https://www.thewomensdietitian.com/

Want to receive my weekly newsletter? Sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠nataliecrawfordmd.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ to receive updates, Q&A, special content, and freebies

If you haven’t already, please rate, review, and follow the podcast to be notified of new episodes every Tuesday. Plus, be sure to follow along on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@nataliecrawfordmd,⁠⁠⁠⁠ check out Natalie’s YouTube channel Natalie Crawford MD⁠⁠⁠⁠, and if you're interested in becoming a patient, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Fora Fertility.

Join the Learn at Pinnacle app ⁠to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!

This episode is brought to you by The Pinnacle Podcast Network! Learn more about Pinnacle at http://learnatpinnacle.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices