When it comes to fertility supplements, there are some basic nutrients we know we have to check off. Essential micronutrients like selenium, iron, zinc, folate, choline, vitamins A-E and K, and iodine all come as semi-no-brainers.  And if you’ve spent any time shopping the aisles for fertility supplements, you know these nutrients are found in just about every single prenatal vitamin you pick up.  These are all great and fully necessary micronutrients, yes, but there are a handful of other, well-researched compounds that help to maintain the health of your reproductive cells (sperm or eggs) and...

When I first saw the description of The Retrievals, a podcast from the New York Times, I was horrified…but I wasn’t exactly shocked. The podcast details the stories of patients who sought out IVF treatments but experienced excruciating pain during their egg retrievals. The pain persisted after these patients went home…and for a while, no one could understand why. As it turns out, a nurse at the clinic was stealing fentanyl and replacing it with saline. This is a specific story with a particular culprit. It happened for a simple reason: Someone tampered with the narcotic...

Let's dive right in: The pelvic floor consists of a series of muscles that sit at the base of your abdomen and connect all the way towards the bone you feel when you sit down for too long — the "sits" bone for short. The pelvic floor helps to support, stabilize, and secure your pelvic organs and has a strong connection to your "core" as well as to maintaining sexual function. Now, the core is a huge buzzword, especially in the fitness world. But do we even truly understand what the core is? Don't worry, I'm...

Cycle-syncing apps have been all the rage lately, and we’re here for them — especially since they help women understand their bodies on a deeper level. Nearly one-third of women in the U.S. use them, too.  It’s crazy when you peel back the layers and realize how many women don’t know anything about their own menstrual cycle, including when they’re ovulating, which "phase" they’re in at any given time of the month, what that means for them and their body, and more.  When we don’t understand what’s going on inside our bodies, we can’t optimize our...

They say glowing on the outside starts from the inside, and it turns out, there’s actually some scientific truth to that down to the microscopic level (literally).  Gut health and the gut microbiome seem to be all the rage these days and for good reason. We’ve learned more about the gut microbiome in the past 10 years than ever before, and the SparkNotes version of those findings is that the strength and diversity of your gut microbiome affect every single aspect of your health.  From your immune system to sleep quality — the bacteria, viruses, and...

Sponsored by Organon. Visit FertilityJourney.com for infertility resources and information. Jennifer “Jay” Palumbo is a writer, public speaker, infertility advocate, author of the blog “The 2 Week Wait,” and a proud in vitro fertilization (IVF) mom of 2 boys. This article is based on her own fertility journey. If you're just starting out on your fertility journey, you may feel a bit overwhelmed with all of the new information being thrown at you. I know I sure did!  One thing I noticed when starting my infertility journey is that there are a ton of acronyms and...

If you’ve logged onto TikTok or Instagram recently, you may have noticed the seemingly endless scroll of videos claiming to help you improve your health and fertility. Some are from legitimate medical providers, some are from people with absolutely zero credentials; a lot of it is conflicting, and, if you’re anything like me, all of it is overwhelming.   You should be exercising 5-6 times per week for optimal health and fertility — but you shouldn’t work out too hard during your period, or else you’ll disrupt your hormones. You should get rid of all of the endocrine-disrupting...

Women don’t have enough information about their bodies — that’s just a fact. Speaking of facts, where do you draw the line between those actual truths and the rampant myths that exist in the realm of women’s, menstrual, and reproductive health? It’s tough, especially since we’ve been brought up to believe these issues aren’t up for discussion in social settings. The shame associated with that idea leaves us both wondering if what we’re experiencing is “normal” and afraid to voice concerns when it comes to the realities of our bodies. Of course, it also doesn’t help...

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) doesn’t have the greatest reputation in the fertility community, mainly because of its low success rates. But that doesn’t mean people trying to conceive should dismiss this procedure out of hand. IUI remains a good option for a number of reasons, such as if you’re using donor sperm or experiencing unexplained infertility. In addition, IUI is a minimally invasive, lower-cost alternative to in-vitro fertilization (IVF), making it a more appealing choice for those who may not be ready to invest in more expensive fertility treatments.  After years of unexplained infertility, I finally got...

Our hardships are meant to be shared so others don’t have to suffer as much. This isn’t a story I thought I’d ever tell my friends or family, let alone strangers on the internet. Even writing it right now still makes me want to crap my pants to a degree.   But one of my favorite sentiments to remind myself of is that our experiences happen to us because we’re meant to share them — to learn from them, to use them as a catalyst to prevent others from going through the same pain we did, and to...