The Holistic Fertility Show
Our holistic fertility podcast explores natural and integrative approaches to fertility. Through expert interviews and thoughtful discussions, we aim to empower listeners with knowledge about optimizing reproductive health through lifestyle, nutrition, acupuncture, and other holistic practices.
Male Infertility: Varicoceles, Sperm DNA fragmentation, Poor Sperm Parameters...What can be done?
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Male factor infertility contributes to approximately 40-50% of all conception challenges and frequently involves issues such as low sperm count, reduced motility, abnormal morphology, or elevated DNA fragmentation that can impair fertilization and embryo development.Â
At The Berkley Center for Reproductive Wellness in New York City, we successfully address these concerns with a personalized integrative approach grounded in over 27 years of clinical experience and our founder’s own journey overcoming male factor infertility.Â
Our protocols combine targeted acupuncture and customized herbal medicine to improve blood flow to the reproductive orga...
Having an Embryo Transfer? Worried about an ectopic pregnancy? You should be.
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Ectopic pregnancy occurs when an embryo implants outside the uterus, most commonly in the fallopian tube. In the general, non-IVF population, ectopic pregnancy is typically reported at about 1–2% of pregnancies. In IVF pregnancies, studies and fertility sources report ranges from about 1.4% to 5.4%. Learn how you can avoid this!
Please support our show by subscribing, sharing this episode, and helping us reach more people who need clear, compassionate fertility education.Â
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Why miscarriage often comes down to oxygen!
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Today, we're diving into a topic that might surprise you but could be a game-changer for many: oxygen deficiency as a hidden contributor to miscarriage. You might be wondering – what does oxygen have to do with holding onto a pregnancy?
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Supporting the Energy and Quality of Your Eggs/Embryos
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As women age, the tiny energy centers inside the eggs—called mitochondria—begin to function less efficiently. Because eggs require tremendous energy to mature properly, divide correctly, and support early embryo development, this decline can lead to poorer egg quality, fewer healthy embryos, and greater difficulty conceiving. Fertility naturally decreases with age, and markers such as AMH may also decline over time, reflecting changes in ovarian reserve and reproductive potential. But there is help: targeted lifestyle changes, nutrition, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and supportive reproductive care may help improve the body’s internal environment and su...
Phone Consults Now Available
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The Berkley Center for Reproductive Wellness is a New York City–based complementary medicine fertility clinic specializing in supportive care for individuals and couples facing reproductive challenges. Now offering phone consultations worldwide, the center makes its fertility-focused guidance accessible to patients beyond New York, helping them explore integrative support options such as acupuncture-informed care, reproductive wellness planning, and complementary approaches alongside their medical fertility treatment.
www.berkleycenter.com
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The new reproductive medicine paradigm: Acupuncture, herbs and IVF
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Welcome to the Fertility Hope Podcast, where we explore real solutions for building the family of your dreams. I’m your host, Mike Berkley, L.Ac., FABORM, founder and director of The Berkley Center for Reproductive Wellness in New York City. For over 28 years, I’ve been helping individuals and couples overcome fertility challenges using the best of both Eastern and Western medicine.
Today, we’re diving into one of the most exciting developments in reproductive health: the new paradigm of combining acupuncture and customized herbal medicine with IVF. This integrative approa...
You Only Have Three Months to Improve Egg or Sperm Quality
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The quality of your eggs and sperm is not fixed — it can be significantly improved, but the biological timeline is strict. Sperm take approximately 74 days (about three months) to fully develop from precursor cells to mature sperm ready for ejaculation. Eggs, while present from birth, undergo a critical maturation process in the months leading up to ovulation. This means the lifestyle, nutritional, and therapeutic choices you make today directly impact the gametes that will be used in your next conception attempt roughly 90 days from now.
That’s why the...
Is Inflammation Causing Your Fertility Challenge?
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Welcome to The Holistic Fertility Show. Today we’re talking about inflammation—one of the hidden factors that may interfere with fertility, implantation, egg quality, sperm health, and healthy pregnancy outcomes.
Inflammation can be associated with conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS, recurrent pregnancy loss, failed IVF cycles, and unexplained infertility. At The Berkley Center, we take an integrative approach, using acupuncture and customized herbal medicine to help support circulation, calm inflammatory patterns, reduce stress, and create a healthier reproductive environment.Â
For patients going through IVF, trying naturally, or recovering after...
Sperm problems?
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Male factor infertility is more common than many couples realize, and it can involve sperm count, motility, morphology, DNA fragmentation, hormones, inflammation, oxidative stress, varicocele, and lifestyle factors. In this episode, we’ll discuss why a semen analysis is only the beginning, what men should know before moving straight to IVF, and how a comprehensive, integrative approach may help improve sperm quality and reproductive outcomes.Â
If you find this show helpful, please support us by subscribing and sharing this episode with someone who may be struggling to build their family. Your sup...
Can Herbal Medicine Really Improve Fertility Outcomes?
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Welcome to today’s episode, where we explore how customized herbal medicine may support IVF outcomes by helping improve hormonal balance, the uterine environment, egg quality, implantation, and early pregnancy support.Â
For many IVF patients, an integrative approach that includes herbal medicine may also support sperm count, motility, morphology, and overall reproductive function when male factor is involved.Â
At The Berkley Center for Reproductive Wellness in New York City, we create individualized fertility plans designed to work alongside your IVF care. To learn how herbal medicine may help support your...
Can Low-Level light therapy improve egg/embryo quality?
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Welcome to today’s episode, where we explore Low-Level Light Therapy, also known as LLLT, and its potential role in supporting egg and embryo quality. This gentle, non-invasive therapy uses specific wavelengths of light, including near-infrared light, to support cellular energy production, mitochondrial function, and healthier reproductive tissue activity. Some fertility-focused discussions describe LLLT as a way to help improve ATP production, reduce oxidative stress, and support egg, embryo, sperm, and uterine lining health.
At The Berkley Center, we use an integrative approach to help patients optimize fertility outcomes, especially when eg...
Can sperm be Improved , or must you use donor sperm?
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Welcome to today’s episode. We’re talking about how acupuncture and customized herbal medicine may support male fertility by helping improve sperm count, motility, morphology, liquefaction, and overall reproductive health.Â
At The Berkley Center, we don’t use a one-size-fits-all approach. Each plan is customized to the patient, because sperm health can be affected by stress, inflammation, oxidative damage, circulation, hormones, and lifestyle.
If you or your partner are dealing with low sperm count, poor motility, abnormal morphology, or sperm DNA fragmentation, this episode is for you.
Suppo...
Are your egg cells running out of power? This occurs with aging and diminished ovarian reserve.
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Imagine your body’s trillions of cells running on tiny internal power plants. These power plants are called mitochondria — the engines that turn food into usable energy. Now picture one single cell that carries the entire future of a new human life: the egg. That egg needs an extraordinary amount of energy to mature, fertilize, and kickstart embryonic development. But here’s the problem: as women get older, those mitochondrial engines inside the eggs start to diminish — both in number and in quality.
What happens when those power plants begin to fail? Th...
Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine Shown to Assist IVF in Successful Outcomes
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Welcome to today’s episode, where we explore how acupuncture and customized herbal medicine may support patients going through IVF. For many individuals and couples, IVF can feel physically demanding and emotionally overwhelming, and integrative care is often used to support the body before, during, and after treatment. Acupuncture is commonly discussed for its potential role in reducing stress, supporting circulation to the reproductive organs, improving ovulatory function, and helping create a more receptive environment for implantation.
 Herbal medicine, when carefully prescribed, may also be used to support egg quality, hormone bal...
The Four Pillars of Fertility Enhancement. What You Can do Today!
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Trying to conceive can feel like every door is a different specialist, a different supplement, a different opinion. In this week's episode, we open all four doors at once — acupuncture, low-level light therapy, targeted supplements, and custom Chinese herbal formulas — and walk through, in plain English, what each one actually does inside your body and why combining them works better than any of them alone. We cover how acupuncture boosts blood flow to the ovaries and uterus, how red light wakes up the mitochondria inside your eggs and sperm, which supplements have real rese...
NAD+ Metabolism in Ovarian Aging & Female Fertility: A Comprehensive Briefing.
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NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) plays a key role in female fertility by supporting mitochondrial function and cellular energy production in oocytes. Research shows that age-related declines in NAD+ contribute to reduced egg quality and ovarian aging, leading to infertility, while restoring NAD+ levels can improve oocyte health, reduce chromosomal abnormalities, and enhance embryo development. NAD+ also aids in DNA repair and regulates oxidative stress, creating a more favorable environment for egg maturation and implantation.Â
Additionally, NAD+ infusions may modulate the immune system and reduce inflammation, further supporting fertility. Overall, NAD+ supplementation o...
If you've experienced failed IVF treatment - this is a must read!
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Acupuncture and customized herbal medicine can support fertility by helping regulate reproductive hormones, improving circulation to the ovaries and uterus, reducing stress, and supporting a healthier environment for egg development, sperm quality, implantation, and early pregnancy. In integrative fertility care, these therapies are often used alongside IVF, IUI, or natural conception plans to help optimize the body’s response and improve overall reproductive wellness.
While research is still evolving, many patients use acupuncture and herbal medicine to reduce stress, improve cycle function, and strengthen the internal conditions needed for conception.
...
The Berkley Center - Changing IVF Outcomes for two Decades.
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The Berkley Center for Reproductive Wellness in New York City focuses on integrative fertility care for patients preparing for IVF, during IVF, and around embryo transfer. Their approach includes acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutrition, and stress-management support, all designed to help create a healthier reproductive environment and support the body through the physical and emotional demands of treatment.Â
By combining reproductive acupuncture with individualized wellness care, The Berkley Center aims to improve IVF outcomes by supporting blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, helping regulate stress physiology, improving the uterine environment, and s...
How come you haven't been taking customized herbal medicine to improve your eggs or sperm?
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Welcome to the Holistic Fertility Show, the podcast where we explore the latest in reproductive health, natural wellness, and the real stories behind building families.
I’m your host, Mike Berkley, and today we’re diving into one of the most exciting and personalized frontiers in fertility support: customized herbal medicine.
Imagine this: instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, skilled practitioners craft precise herbal formulas tailored to your unique body, hormones, genetics, and lifestyle. These personalized blends show remarkable potential to improve sperm quality – motility, count, and morphology – and to e...
Dad's Sperm
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Hey everyone, welcome back to The Holistic Fertility Show— the show where we cut through the confusion, shame, and outdated advice about building a family in the real world.
I’m your host, Mike Berkley, and today we’re diving into a topic that affects millions of men and their partners… but hardly ever gets the spotlight: male factor infertility.
You know that statistic you hear all the time — “one in eight couples struggles with infertility”? What a lot of people don’t realize is that male factors play a r...
How to Get Pregnant...When you cant!
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"Welcome to The Holistic Fertility Show, the podcast where ancient wisdom meets modern wellness. I’m your host, Mike Berkley, and today we’re diving into two of the most powerful, time-tested pillars of natural healing: acupuncture and herbal medicine.
Imagine tapping into your body’s own ability to heal – reducing chronic pain, melting away stress, boosting energy, and restoring balance without a single prescription. Sounds almost too good to be true? It’s not. For thousands of years, these practices have helped millions find relief and vitality, and science is finally ca...
Fertility is a biological luxury.
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Hey everyone, and welcome to today’s episode. I’m your host, Mike Berkley, and today we’re talking about something that touches millions of us—fertility. Whether you’re trying to start a family, supporting someone who is, or just curious about how your body works, this one’s for you. We’re going to keep it real, simple, and hopeful—no medical jargon, no scary stats thrown at you without context. Just the basics of how fertility actually works, what can throw it off track, and why a practice like acupuncture is showing up in...
Do you really need vitamin D when trying to conceive?
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Welcome to The Holistic Fertility Show, where we cut through the health hype and talk about what actually matters for your body and your baby.
Today, we're diving into one of the most overlooked yet powerful nutrients during pregnancy: vitamin D.
You’ve probably heard of folic acid, iron, and calcium… but vitamin D? It often flies under the radar. Yet this humble “sunshine vitamin” plays a starring role in everything from your baby’s bone development and immune system to your own mood, blood pressure, and risk of co...
If you're trying to conceive you need to know about Glutathione!
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Welcome back to the Holistic Fertility Show, where we explore the science, stories, and strategies behind building the family of your dreams.
Today, we're diving into one of the body's most powerful yet under-the-radar defenders in the fertility journey: glutathione — often called the 'master antioxidant.'
Whether you're a woman hoping to optimize egg quality or a man focused on stronger sperm, glutathione plays a starring role. It shields your reproductive cells from oxidative stress — that invisible damage caused by everyday toxins, stress, aging, and inflammation that can...
Infertility and Emotional Trauma.
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Infertility is more than a medical diagnosis. It can touch every part of a person’s life, affecting mental health, relationships, identity, and even how they experience the world around them. Many people facing infertility describe feelings of grief, anxiety, isolation, and emotional exhaustion, especially when pregnancy seems to come easily to others.
In today’s podcast, we’re talking openly about that hidden pain—the emotional turmoil of infertility. We’ll explore how this journey can strain marriages, deepen sadness, and leave people feeling alone, while also discussing the importance of support...
Are you taking the right fertility supplements?
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In this episode, we explore the science and strategy behind supplements for both male and female fertility enhancement. We discuss which supplements are considered foundational, how certain nutrients may support egg quality, sperm parameters, and overall reproductive health, and why nutrition, sleep, and lifestyle matter alongside supplementation. The conversation also highlights the importance of choosing supplements based on evidence rather than marketing hype, and of tailoring recommendations to the individual rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.Â
Ready to create a supplement plan designed for your fertility goals? Schedule your supplement consult t...
Can Low Level Light Therapy Really Improve Egg/Embryo Quality?
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Welcome back to The Holistic Fertility Show, where we explore real, science-backed ways to support your fertility journey—without the overwhelm.
Today, we're shining a light—literally—on one of the most exciting and gentle tools gaining attention in reproductive health: Low-Level Light Therapy, or LLLT.
Imagine a painless, non-invasive treatment that uses specific wavelengths of near-infrared light to recharge the tiny power plants inside your cells—your mitochondria. These mitochondria are the energy source your eggs rely on to mature properly, fertilize successfully, and grow int...
Herbs & Lasers - Can you believe they actually improve Live Birth Rates!
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Herbal medicine is often used in integrative fertility care to support ovulation, hormonal balance, uterine receptivity, and overall reproductive health. Low-level light therapy is also used to support circulation and cellular energy production, to create a healthier environment for implantation and ongoing pregnancy. Together, herbs and LLLT are commonly used as complementary tools to help improve the chances of a successful pregnancy and live birth, especially when paired with IVF and other fertility treatments. A recent study evaluating integrative care during a second IVF cycle reported improved live birth rates in women who...
Fertility: Fight or Flight!
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Acupuncture may help improve fertility outcomes by shifting the body from a stress-dominant state to a more regulated parasympathetic state, which can support hormonal signaling, pelvic blood flow, and implantation. In IVF settings, research suggests it may reduce uterine artery impedance, improve endometrial blood flow, and enhance the physiologic conditions needed for embryo implantation. Some studies also report improved hormone regulation, better embryo quality, and higher pregnancy rates when acupuncture is used alongside IVF, suggesting that calming and rebalancing the nervous system may be one of the pathways through which reproductive outcomes improve. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]<...
Reduce Endometriosis Pain without Drugs
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Acupuncture and herbal medicine are often used as complementary approaches to help reduce pain associated with endometriosis by calming inflammation, improving pelvic blood flow, and modulating pain signaling. Acupuncture has been reported to produce clinically relevant improvements in pelvic pain, likely through neural and circulatory effects that may reduce inflammation and ease pain perception, while some sources also describe benefits in promoting smoother blood flow in the pelvis and improving overall symptom relief.
Herbal medicine is often used alongside acupuncture to further reduce pain and support the body’s response to in...
We can help you have a baby!
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The Berkley Center for Reproductive Wellness is a specialized New York City clinic that integrates Eastern therapies with Western medical standards to treat infertility. Founded by expert practitioner Mike Berkley, the facility offers a diverse range of services, including fertility acupuncture, customized herbal medicine, and low-level light therapy to improve reproductive health for both men and women. Their approach focuses on enhancing egg and sperm quality, supporting assisted reproductive technologies like IVF, and providing ...
Does Stress Really Affect Fertility?
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Welcome to The Berkley Center for Reproductive Wellness podcast, where we explore the many factors that can affect fertility and what can be done to improve the chances of a healthy pregnancy. Today, we’re talking about stress, infertility, and acupuncture.
For many people trying to conceive, stress becomes an unavoidable part of the journey. The emotional strain of negative pregnancy tests, failed cycles, and uncertainty can take a real toll on the body. Stress can influence hormone balance, affect ovulation, impact sperm health, and alter the internal environment needed for co...
Acupuncture & herbal medicine scientifically proven to increase pregnancy rates.
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Today, we're diving into a topic filled with hope for so many: how acupuncture and herbal medicine can improve pregnancy rates.
For centuries, Traditional Chinese Medicine has helped women balance their bodies, regulate cycles, and create optimal conditions for conception. Modern research is catching up – meta-analyses of clinical trials show that acupuncture, especially when used alongside IVF or assisted reproductive technologies, can significantly boost clinical pregnancy rates and even live birth rates in many cases.
Studies highlight improvements like better blood flow to the reproductive or...
Why IVF often fails and what you can do about it.
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Why does IVF work for some people—and not for others? In this episode, we’re unpacking the real, medically proven reasons IVF often fails, beyond the myths and oversimplified explanations. From egg and sperm quality to embryo development, uterine receptivity, genetics, timing, and lifestyle factors, we’ll break down what the science actually shows—and what can be changed.
This isn’t guesswork or trends. Everything we discuss is grounded in peer-reviewed research and established clinical practice. More importantly, we’ll explore practical, evidence-based ways patients and clinicians can improve the odds of...
Why Modern IVF Needs Acupuncture
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IVF may benefit from acupuncture because acupuncture creates a healthier physiologic environment for follicular development and ovarian function, which supports egg quality. From an integrative perspective, improved ovarian and pelvic blood flow enhances the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the developing follicles, while modulation of stress signaling and inflammatory activity may help protect the ovarian microenvironment during IVF stimulation. Acupuncture is reasonably described as an adjunct to IVF that supports ovarian function, follicular health, and overall reproductive readiness in selected patients. American and European literature both suggest supportive roles for acupuncture in I...
Sperm Health Contributes to Late Stage Embryo Quality
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We used to believe the sperm's job was pretty much done once it delivered its DNA payload to the egg. But emerging research is turning that idea on its head. Turns out, the quality of sperm — from its DNA integrity to the tiny RNA molecules and epigenetic tags it carries — can influence embryo development well beyond those first few cell divisions.
We're talking about effects showing up in the later preimplantation stages, during blastocyst formation, implantation, and even tying into pregnancy outcomes like miscarriage risk or placental health. Damaged sperm DNA or a...
Rebuilding Good Quality Sperm in 90 Days.
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Here's something fascinating most men don't realize: your body is constantly producing new sperm, but the full cycle—from stem cell to mature, fertilization-ready swimmer—takes about 74 to 90 days. That means the choices you make today directly shape the quality of sperm you'll have in three months. It's not magic; it's biology. And that's exactly why a focused 90-day protocol can create such dramatic shifts.
In this series, we'll explore a holistic, time-tested approach that combines:
Acupuncture — strategic needle placements that research has linked to improvements in spe...Ferny - Groundbreaking Reproductive Medicine in NYC.
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IVF Success: A Responsible Approach. While IVF success is highly individualized based on variables like age, ovarian reserve, embryo genetics, and medical history, patients confidently choose FernyNY because the practice consistently combines advanced reproductive endocrinology expertise, research literacy, and a deeply compassionate patient experience.
Location, Contact & Recommendations
Address: FernyNY – 290 Madison Office, 290 Madison Ave, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10017.
Phone: (212) 535-5350.
Website: www.ferny.com
Endorsement: Highly recommended by Mike Be...
Electrolytes & Egg Quality
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Improving Egg Quality via Electrolytes
What do electrolytes have to do with egg quality, ovarian function, and fertility success? Much more than most people realize.
In this episode, we explore the important role that electrolytes such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium play in cellular energy, fluid balance, mitochondrial activity, and the delicate environment surrounding the developing egg. We also discuss why these minerals matter for women trying to conceive and how imbalances may quietly affect reproductive function.
If you want to better understand one...
PCOS & TTC? You can!
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PCOS is one of the most common causes of infertility, but what many people do not realize is that inflammation may be one of the key drivers behind it. Inflammation can disrupt ovulation, affect hormone balance, impair egg quality, and create an environment that makes conception more difficult. In this episode, we’re taking a closer look at the connection between PCOS, inflammation, and infertility, and discussing why addressing inflammation may be an important part of improving reproductive health and fertility outcomes.
To learn more about how we support fertility naturally an...
