Video summary
For women in their thirties and forties seeking to optimize fertility, hormone health, and longevity, the most impactful immediate steps involve avoiding smoking, understanding natural biological changes, and addressing severe menstrual issues. Smoking is particularly detrimental not only to lung and brain health but also directly harms ovarian function. It is equally important for individuals to be educated about the inevitable decline of ovarian reserve over time, rather than fearing fertility treatments unnecessarily. Furthermore, women should recognize that debilitating period pain or excessive bleeding are not normal conditions to simply endure; seeking medical treatment for these symptoms is crucial for overall well-being and quality of life.
A significant misconception regarding perimenopause is the belief that pregnancy is impossible once a woman reaches this stage. In reality, as long as a woman is still ovulating and releasing eggs, there remains a chance of conception, although the probability decreases with age. Therefore, if pregnancy is not desired, contraception must be used during perimenopause because fertility has not completely ceased. This distinction is vital for women to understand so they can make informed decisions about their reproductive health without being misled by the assumption that menopause marks an absolute end to the possibility of getting pregnant.
The video also highlights a powerful anecdote where treating a woman's autoimmune issues and gut health led to her becoming pregnant with twins at age forty-two, illustrating how lifestyle changes can positively affect fertility outcomes. This story underscores the importance of open communication between patients and doctors regarding how interventions might influence reproductive potential, as some women may initially feel angry when their cycles regularize unexpectedly. Additionally, it is essential to clarify that having a low quantity of eggs does not equate to infertility or poor egg quality; many women with diminished ovarian reserve can still conceive naturally, dispelling the fear that a low egg count guarantees an inability to have children.
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Um, if a woman in their 30s and 40s
wants to optimize fertility, hormone
health, or longevity, what are the three
highest impact things that they could do
right now?
>> Number one, don't smoke. I think, you
know, we've known this for years how bad
smoking is for our lungs and our vessels
and our brain, but it's equally as bad
for our ovaries.
Number two, be aware of what's going to
happen to your body, right? Like, I'm
not saying that you have to do fertility
treatment, but know that your ovarian
reserve is going to decline. So, have
edge get educated, have knowledge.
And number three,
if your periods are so bad, so painful
that you can't go to work or school, or
if you bleed I had a friend of a friend
text me yesterday being like, uh I've
soaked through like, you know, my
clothes five times over, what should I
do? I'm like, you should see your
doctor. Like, that's not normal, right?
So, we have to recognize that we're not
just supposed to like tough it out and
be like, okay, I'll bring seven changes
of clothes and get an ulcer from all the
Advil. Like, that's not normal. Use your
voice, speak up, and get yourself
treatment.
>> Mhm, love that. Cuz yeah, there are
women suffering. I feel like the
hormonal issues, the infertility,
everything is increasing because of
stress, environmental exposures, and all
these things. Um, what's the biggest
myth about perimenopause? Like, what are
people not thinking about that they
should be thinking about?
>> I guess the biggest myth, I mean, you
can get pregnant in perimenopause,
right? You're not in menopause. So, once
you if you are still ovulating, still
releasing eggs,
yeah, the chances go down, but the
chance is still exist. So, you have to
be aware of that. Not because again,
that nobody's trying to scare you and
tell you like, oh my god, like, you
know, you're never baby. But, the point
is be aware that it can happen, and if
you don't want it to happen, you should
use contraception.
>> Yes, I'll never forget one of my first
or second years of practice, I had a
lovely woman in her 40s and we treated
her autoimmunity and her gut health and
all of her good stuff, got her eating
right and sleeping well and
she came back very angry because we had
fixed her irregular cycles and she was
pregnant at 42 with twins. Now, in the
hindsight, it's the best thing that ever
happened, of course, in the end, but it
was so because at first she was so angry
like, "Why didn't you tell me that
changing my lifestyle could affect
fertility?" And I didn't even think of
it cuz it was so obvious and I learned
I'm like, "Wait, we have to talk about
these things."
>> Yeah, exactly. It's so funny.
>> Yeah, I'm sure you've had cases like
that, too, where they, you know, not
expecting and then
>> Well, you know what I've seen a bunch is
what our women who I've said, "Oh, your
egg quantity is low." Women who are
coming to egg freezing and I say,
"Doesn't mean your infertile, means your
quantity is low." And then they call me
the couple months later and they're
like, "I got accidentally pregnant." And
I'm like, "Well, what happened?"
[laughter] They're like, "You told me my
eggs were bad." I was like, "No, no, I
did not tell you that. I said your
quantity was low. I never said your
quality. This is not on me."
>> Yeah, exactly, exactly. It is funny. And
then usually it's a good thing, but not,
you know, it's so interesting.