00:00 Dr. Natalie Crawford discusses all aspects of female hormones, hormone health, and fertility, including the timing of puberty, birth control, measuring fertility, egg retrieval, nutrition, and supplementation.

08:41 The timing of puberty and the onset of body odor are related, but the actual smell doesn't reflect hormone levels; exposure to certain scents or fragrances can disrupt the endocrine system and accelerate puberty, which is a concern as girls are starting puberty at a younger age now, with most girls starting their period at around 10 to 11 years old and completing puberty by 13 or 14 years old, which can also lead to a reduction in final adult height; the age at which puberty starts does not impact the length of a woman's reproductive lifespan; harvesting eggs for IVF or freezing them does not reduce the total number of eggs a woman has; IVF is about stimulating the growth of eggs that have been released from the vault and giving them a chance for later fertilization or freezing; the medications used in IVF are manipulating the normal hormonal process that occurs in the menstrual cycle.

17:45 Exposure to certain scents or fragrances, such as evening primrose oil, lavender, and tea tree oil, can disrupt hormone levels and potentially accelerate or exacerbate puberty in both males and females, leading to the development of secondary sex characteristics at a younger age.

27:13 The menstrual cycle consists of two phases, the follicular phase and the luteal phase, with the luteal phase being fixed at around 14 days and the follicular phase varying in duration depending on the communication between the brain and the ovaries.

36:21 Taking birth control does not change the release of eggs or harm fertility, but it can suppress the production of anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) and potentially lower ovarian reserve in some cases.

45:34 The ovulatory cycle or hormone production in females is not affected by heat exposure, and while it is generally unlikely to get pregnant during your period, there are exceptions for those with irregular cycles or shorter cycle windows.

55:02 Smoking cigarettes and vaping nicotine are detrimental to egg and sperm quality, while cannabis and alcohol also negatively impact fertility and pregnancy outcomes.

01:04:12 Different types of IUDs, such as copper IUDs and progesterone-based IUDs, can have different effects on egg quality and future fertility, with progesterone IUDs potentially causing thinning of the uterine lining and delayed return of regular periods after removal.

01:13:36 Continuous use of birth control pills can have various benefits, such as preventing pregnancy, reducing the risk of endometrial and ovarian cancer, and improving symptoms of conditions like PCOS, but it can also lead to changes in vaginal and vulvar health, increased risk of blood clots, and potential masking of underlying menstrual cycle irregularities.

01:22:37 The cost-effectiveness of medical testing and guidelines may be influenced by insurance companies and their desire to reduce payouts, but having more information about one's body is generally beneficial and can lead to better choices and early detection of health issues.

01:31:25 The conversation highlights the importance of education and data in making informed choices about fertility, including the option to freeze eggs, and challenges the notion of waiting to address fertility issues until they become a problem.

01:40:34 The optimal time for the average person to intervene and freeze their eggs is around age 32 to 33, when there is still a good egg quality and quantity, and the procedure involves multiple rounds or cycles to buffer the risk of fertilization and implantation.

01:49:54 Egg freezing and IVF involve a combination of hormonal medications to suppress and stimulate the body in order to synchronize and mature the eggs, with FSH and LH being the primary compounds used.

01:58:51 Egg freezing and IVF involve the use of hormone shots to stimulate the growth and maturation of eggs, and a trigger shot is used to separate the chromosomes in the eggs, but utilizing a third parent IVF procedure to overcome age-related changes in eggs has not been successful yet.

02:08:34 IVF babies have historically had a higher incidence of developmental disorders due to the unnatural hormonal environment in the uterus during fresh embryo transfers, but the field has seen significant improvement in neonatal outcomes with the use of frozen embryo transfers.

02:18:23 Infertility increases the risk of birth defects and developmental disorders, and advanced paternal age is strongly associated with autism and other disorders.

02:28:07 Consuming seafood during pregnancy is generally safe, but it is important to limit fish intake to three servings per week to avoid overexposure to mercury, which can impact fetal brain development.

02:37:16 Supplements with added herbs can have negative impacts on reproduction and hormones, so it's important to check the ingredients before taking them, and taking a prenatal vitamin, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and CoQ10 can be beneficial for reproductive health.

02:46:18 Supplements that women can potentially take to increase fertility include CoQ10, L-carnitine, vitamin C, essential fatty acids, and myo-inositol, and making healthy lifestyle changes before undergoing fertility treatments can have a positive impact on reproductive health.

02:55:15 Minimal stimulation protocols may be appropriate for certain cases, such as when a patient will only produce a small number of eggs or when using a device called invocel, which allows for a lower-cost and potentially more accessible form of IVF for patients with specific fertility issues.

03:04:26 The process of selecting sperm for in vitro fertilization (IVF) is based on morphology and motility, but there is currently no technology available to directly assess DNA fragmentation in sperm, although there is ongoing interest in developing such a technology. DNA fragmentation in sperm can impact embryo growth and fertilization, and Xtend-TL (XT) has become a common method to select sperm for IVF, resulting in higher success rates compared to conventional fertilization methods.

03:13:28 Embryo banking allows individuals to save normal embryos for future pregnancies, and genetic testing of embryos can help determine the likelihood of success in IVF cycles, while factors like lifestyle choices and certain medical conditions can impact the onset of menopause.

03:22:59 Low ovarian reserve and approaching perimenopause can lead to symptoms such as low estrogen, mental fog, fatigue, headaches, hot flashes, decreased libido, vulvar vaginal symptoms, and depressed mood.