As a fertility specialist, one of the most common questions I get from my patients every day is "Does stress cause infertility?" Some studies suggest a mind/body connection between stress and health issues and infertility is one of the most stressful challenges someone can face. What does the evidence show? How do I answer this question?

Why are people’s reproductive choices or family situations considered open game for small talk? As a fertility doctor, patients talk to me about this all the time: While they are struggling to complete their family with fertility treatments, they are bombarded with questions from family, friends, and even strangers about their reproductive plans and choices. As a woman, I have been asked inappropriate questions from well-meaning strangers (assume best intentions!) ― but enough!

Ovarian reserve testing is currently the best way women can learn about their egg quality and fertility potential, but it is not perfect. The testing involves blood work for hormone levels that fertility specialists have used for years to counsel women about fertility but a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association from the University of North Carolina shows these tests do not predict fertility as well as we previously thought.

In the first study of its kind, researchers from Harvard University found that soy food intake may decrease the deleterious effects of BPA on success rates of patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). BPA (bisphenol A) is a chemical found in many common consumer products such as plastic bottles and the lining of canned food that acts like endocrine disruptor in the body. Over 7 million tons of BPA was produced last year alone and women with higher levels of BPA in their system have been found to have more difficulty conceiving and higher rates of miscarriage.

When Janet Jackson canceled her world tour because she was pregnant at age 50 and delivered her first child at age 51, many celebrated with her but also ask, How? Many women asked themselves 'If she can do it at that age, why not me?' Janet Jackson has a right to her own privacy, but the speculations lead to uncertainty and her silence can be a missed opportunity to educate women on the limitations of fertility treatment.

Grief is one form of adversity discussed in Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy, by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant, and I learned lessons from their work than can help my patients dealing with their family building journey.

Men contribute half of the genetics of a pregnancy and suffer alongside their partners with loss, but they are so often left out of the research, the care, and the discussions surrounding miscarriage and recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). This has been true for all aspects of infertility and reproduction for decades and plays into society’s assumption that reproduction is female-focused (and any issues with reproduction are the woman’s fault). More recently, at medical conferences and in medical journals, men’s health is being discussed in fertility and miscarriage, so we are starting to pay more attention to the other half, finally!

Weight is a sensitive subject for everyone, but for those trying to conceive, it is important to review and understand its impact on fertility and pregnancy. Being either underweight or overweight can make it more difficult to get pregnant, decrease success rates with fertility treatments, and lead to complications in pregnancy. However, you can optimize your chances for a healthy baby by learning more about the impact weight can have on fertility and taking steps to reach a healthier weight.

Dealing with infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss have been compared to dealing with chronic disease and even cancer. Similar feelings of frustration, isolation, and questions like ‘Why me?’ surround these conditions, but the reactions from friends and the support provided can be different. As a society, we know what to do when someone gets cancer – we have meals to organize and flowers to send – but people suffering with recurrent pregnancy loss often suffer in silence. Most miscarriages are in the first trimester, before people are physically showing pregnancy and before they announce it publicly.

Preparing for your first visit with a provider to discuss recurrent miscarriage can be stressful. You are meeting someone new who may or may not be compassionate, you’re going to have to talk about the miscarriages, you’re nervous they are going to tell you something scary, and so on. Being prepared for what to expect and taking a list of questions with you can decrease your anxiety and make the visit more productive. Here's how to prepare for your visit.

It was supposed to be a simple procedure, taking less than an hour out of my day and a week away from work. Weeks later, I am back at work – not yet fully recovered but forever changed… for the better.

If you’re planning to see a fertility doctor, you’ll get the most out of your visit if you come prepared. Discussing issues like egg quality, sperm count, timing sex, and treatment options can leave anyone feeling a little dazed and confused. And getting started on the right foot will make what can be a stressful, confusing process go much more smoothly. This list of questions is a great thing to take along with you to your next visit—and don’t forget to bring something to take notes with!

In September 2016 NPR broke a story about gene editing of embryos that caused quite a stir in academic, ethic, and multiple media circles. NPR was the first to tell us all about Fredrik Lanner, a Swedish biologist at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm who is editing the genes of healthy human embryos. This is not the first or the last time we will hear about science experiments on human embryos, but this story really hit a nerve in the scientific community. Here’s what happened.

As a recurrent pregnancy loss specialist, part of my job is to talk with my patients about their emotional as well as their physical well-being. Having a miscarriage can be an isolating and devastating experience, and when many of my patients come in, they are in the middle of grieving a recent loss. They describe the strain this can place on relationships with friends and family—people can unintentionally be hurtful when trying to be supportive. Many of my patients start to feel isolated from their family and friends, which is unfortunate, because going through a miscarriage is one of those times when people need support more than ever.

Michael Phelps won his 23rd gold medal in the Rio Olympics in 2016, and Katie Ledecky broke world records in multiple events, leaving the rest of the world’s greatest swimmers in her wake. The success of the world’s elite athletes is not only due to drive, determination, practice and persistence, but also to physical and genetic traits that allow them to crush their competition. As a fertility specialist, I talk about genetics every day with my patients and here are my answers to many common misconceptions.