In this episode, my guest is Natalie Crawford, MD, a double board-certified physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, fertility and reproductive health and host of the “As a Woman” podcast. We discuss female hormones, nutrition, supplementation, reproductive health, and fertility, including how the timing and duration of puberty impact a woman’s long-term hormone cycles and menopause. We also discuss the pros and cons of various birth control methods and how hormonal vs. non-hormonal birth control each affects fertility. We cover the factors that impact egg and sperm quality and how to leverage timing for conception. We also discuss procedures to assess female fertility, including egg count and hormone testing, the process of egg freezing, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other reproductive options. This episode represents fairly comprehensive coverage of female hormones and reproductive health, highlighting important tests and screening, behavioral, nutritional, supplement and prescription-based tools that women of any age can use to improve their fertility, hormone function and overall health. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman Maui Nui: https://mauinuivenison.com/huberman Helix Sleep: https://helixsleep.com/huberman InsideTracker: https://insidetracker.com/huberman Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman Dr. Natalie Crawford As a Woman podcast: https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/podcast Website: https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com Fora Fertility clinical practice: https://www.forafertility.com Pinnacle: https://pinnacle-conference.com Courses: https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/courses Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliecrawfordmd YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NatalieCrawfordMD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nataliecrawfordmd X: https://twitter.com/ncrawfordmd TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nataliecrawfordmd Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nataliecrawfordmd LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-crawford-md-8a56021a0 Articles Oral contraceptive use in women changes preferences for male facial masculinity and is associated with partner facial masculinity: https://bit.ly/40Ecami Intake of protein-rich foods in relation to outcomes of infertility treatment with assisted reproductive technologies: https://bit.ly/47bjKXK Other Resources INVOcell Same-Sex Couple: https://bit.ly/479R4P4 Timestamps 00:00:00 Dr. Natalie Crawford 00:01:40 Sponsors: Maui Nui Venison & Helix Sleep; The Brain Body Contract 00:04:59 Female Puberty & Growth Characteristics, Height 00:13:27 Eggs & Ovulation, Harvesting Eggs, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) 00:17:31 Endocrine Disruptors, Fetal Development 00:21:39 Lavender, Tea Tree & Evening Primrose Oils, Scents, Diapers 00:25:13 Breast Milk vs. Formula & Fertility 00:26:04 Menstruation Cycle & Hormones, Timing 00:34:08 Sponsor: AG1 00:35:59 Estrogen, Progesterone & Menstrual Cycle 00:38:08 Hormonal Birth Control & Ovarian Reserve, AMH Testing, Fertility 00:42:42 Spermatogenesis & Testosterone; Heat: Ovaries vs Testes 00:46:11 Period & Pregnancy, Conception Window 00:48:56 Estrogen, Libido & Ovulation; Mittelschmerz 00:51:33 Tool: Intercourse Timing & Conception; Artificial Insemination, IVF 00:55:03 Egg/Sperm Quality, Cigarettes, Vaping, Cannabis & Alcohol 01:02:20 Sponsor: InsideTracker 01:03:29 Intrauterine Device (IUD), Depo-Provera & Fertility 01:10:00 Birth Control Risks & Benefits, Cancers, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) 01:19:39 Blood Clotting & Birth Control Pill; Health Screening 01:24:50 Tool: AMH Testing, Ovarian Reserve, Antral Follicle Count Ultrasound 01:29:55 IVF, In Vitro Maturation (IVM); Early Ovarian Reserve Screening 01:35:40 Tools: Egg Freezing, IVF; Age & Egg Quality 01:43:37 Egg Freezing & IVF Procedures, Maternal Age, Success Rates 01:51:30 Tool: Sperm Freezing & Paternal Age, Vasectomy 01:55:01 Hormones, Egg Freezing & IVF 02:00:42 Three-Parent IVF, Mitochondrial DNA 02:05:21 IVF Embryo Storage & Donation; Donor Education & Consent 02:14:29 Autism, Developmental Disorders, IVF Babies, Age 02:20:36 Tools: Sleep, Nutrition & Fertility; Dietary Fat 02:27:32 Protein, Meat, Tofu, Fish; Sugar, Artificial Sweeteners; Weight & Miscarriage 02:37:38 Tools: Supplements; Prenatal Vitamins, Omega 3s, Vitamin D, Coenzyme Q10 02:42:26 L-Carnitine & Male Fertility; PCOS & Myo-inositol; Metformin 02:47:11 Egg Retrieval, Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome, Minimal Stimulation 02:57:56 INVOcell 03:03:12 Egg Freezing, Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), Sperm Fragmentation 03:11:45 Genetic Testing, IVF Transfer & Success Rate, Embryo Banking 03:15:10 Menopause 03:19:47 Hormone Replacement Therapy & Menopause 03:22:25 Early-signs of Menopause 03:25:18 Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter #HubermanLab #HormoneHealth #Fertility Disclaimer: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer