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• Low AMH, Failed IVF, Told Donor Eggs? The Nervous System Behind Your Numbers 29.06.2026 14мин

  Low AMH, failed IVF, or told donor eggs, and still no real explanation for why? This episode looks at the system a standard fertility workup rarely checks: the nervous system, and how chronic stress affects egg quality, progesterone, thyroid function, and ovulation. If you are a high-achieving, Type A woman who has been told your stress is handled and your thyroid is fine, this is the seven things behind low AMH, diminished ovarian reserve, and recurrent pregnancy loss that rarely get investigated, including the cortisol pattern, the full thyroid panel, blood sugar, prolactin, and the stress nerves that run directly through the ovary. This episode covers: low AMH and high FSH, the cortisol curve, a single blood draw misses, thyroid antibodies and reverse T3 behind a "normal" TSH, how stress pulls raw material away from progesterone, blood sugar, and the 3 am wake-up, elevated prolactin, and the nervous system inside the ovary affecting egg quality. This episode is for you if you have low AMH, diminished ovarian reserve, a failed or cancelled IVF cycle, or recurrent miscarriage, and you have been told donor eggs are your only option, and no one has explained why this is happening. CHAPTERS 00:00 Why the woman who handles everything is the one who needs this 03:00 The seven things, and why this is physiology, not mindset 03:40 One: survival first, and reproduction turned down 05:00 Two: why a single cortisol draw misses the pattern 06:00 Three: thyroid antibodies and reverse T3 behind a normal TSH 06:50 Four: how stress competes with progesterone 07:50 Five: the 3am wake-up is blood sugar, not anxiety 09:00 Six: the prolactin that got flagged, then dropped 09:30 Seven: the nervous system inside the ovary 11:00 What you can actually change 12:30 The Functional Fertility Second Opinion NEXT STEPS What Your Clinic Missed guide: the lab markers behind each of the seven, in writing. Email hello@fabfertile.ca, subject MISSED. Functional Fertility Second Opinion: a call where I review your full picture, your labs, your blood sugar, and your partner's results, and help you make an informed next decision. Email hello@fabfertile.ca, subject FERTILE, or book a call with your partner here. I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally, a podcast with over one million downloads. My functional fertility team works with couples navigating low AMH and failed IVF, reviewing functional lab results, gut microbiome, food sensitivity, vaginal microbiome, nutrigenomics, HTMA, DUTCH, toxin testing, and bloodwork alongside nervous system work, to help identify patterns that may not have been considered. We work alongside your medical team, not instead of them. Subscribe to Get Pregnant Naturally for weekly episodes on fertility optimization, IVF preparation, and the lab work your doctor probably isn't running. Get Pregnant Naturally: A Functional Fertility Second Opinion. If this show has helped you make sense of your numbers, please leave a review. It helps other women find the show and be their own advocate.
• Told It Was Unexplained? 9 Tests Your Miscarriage Workup Skipped 22.06.2026 18мин

  You were told to try again. Maybe you were told it was bad luck, or to wait until it happened a third time before anyone would look. Here is what changed this year. In 2026, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine updated its definition of recurrent pregnancy loss for the first time since 2012. Two losses now meet the definition, not three, and a positive test that ended early counts. The old number kept women waiting for a third loss before the investigation even started. Here is the part no one tells you. Meeting the definition gets you a workup. It does not guarantee the workup is complete. After two or more losses, up to half of couples are told the same word. Unexplained. The losses are real. What gets called a complete workup is the question. This episode is the 9 specific things we most often find that are rarely checked before a woman is told her losses were unexplained or simply bad luck. Pull it up. Take notes. Bring it to your next appointment. The 9 patterns: Thyroid, the full panel and antibodies, not just TSH Antiphospholipid antibodies, tested correctly Chronic endometritis The reproductive microbiome, vaginal and seminal The gut, hidden gluten, and inflammation Sperm DNA fragmentation The male partner's full bloodwork Blood sugar and metabolic patterns The nervous system and progesterone These are the areas that sit outside a standard miscarriage workup. A 2012 meta-analysis in Human Reproduction, pooling sixteen studies and nearly three thousand couples, found miscarriage rates rose with sperm DNA damage, with about twice the relative risk. Unexplained rarely means there is nothing to find. It usually means the search stopped at the karyotype, one antiphospholipid test, the anatomy, and a TSH. For the full breakdown of every pattern, read the companion article, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss: The Functional Fertility Approach, at https://fabfertile.com/blogs/learn/recurrent-pregnancy-loss WHAT YOUR CLINIC MISSED The companion guide walks through all 9 of these patterns in more detail, so you can take it to your next appointment and ask the questions. Email hello@fabfertile.ca, subject line MISSED, and we will send you the guide. FUNCTIONAL FERTILITY SECOND OPINION A free 45-minute call where I review your labs, your history, your losses, and your partner's results with you. You leave knowing what your biology has been telling you and what your next decision could be. Email hello@fabfertile.ca, subject line FERTILE, or book here. ABOUT THE HOST I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally, a podcast with over one million downloads. My functional fertility team works with couples navigating low AMH and failed IVF, reviewing functional lab results, gut microbiome, food sensitivity, vaginal microbiome, nutrigenomics, HTMA, DUTCH, toxin testing, and bloodwork alongside nervous system work, to help identify patterns that may not have been considered. We work alongside your medical team, not instead of them. Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile, host of Get Pregnant Naturally (1M+ downloads), and author of Fabulously Fertile. If this episode helped, leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It is how other women find this work. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 What "Unexplained" Means and What the 2026 Guideline Changed 01:30 Who's Reviewing Your Case at Fab Fertile 04:00 Thyroid: The Full Panel, Not Just TSH 05:50 Antiphospholipid Antibodies, Tested Correctly 06:30 Chronic Endometritis 07:30 The Reproductive Microbiome 08:30 The Gut, Hidden Gluten, and Inflammation 10:30 What Your Clinic Missed Guide 11:00 Sperm DNA Fragmentation 12:30 The Male Partner's Full Bloodwork 13:50 Blood Sugar and Metabolic Patterns 15:20 The Nervous System and Progesterone 16:30 What "Unexplained" Really Means 17:20 The Functional Fertility Second Opinion
• Told Donor Eggs? 11 Things Your Clinic Probably Missed 15.06.2026 15мин

  For most people, donor eggs is at the bottom of the list. It is not where you wanted to land. And if your clinic is recommending it, something in you is saying there has to be more to look at first. Here is what we see every week. The donor egg recommendation rarely arrives after a complete workup. It arrives after looking at the AMH, the FSH, the follicle count, maybe a basic semen analysis, and maybe being told your TSH is normal. Those numbers are real. The diagnosis is real. What gets called complete is the question. This episode is the 11 specific things we most often find skipped before the recommendation gets made. Pull it up. Take notes. Bring it to your next appointment. The 11 patterns: 1. Thyroid, the full panel, not just TSH 2. The gut, including H. pylori 3. Hidden food sensitivities 4. Medications you are already on that affect fertility 5. The vaginal microbiome 6. The seminal microbiome 7. The male partner's full bloodwork 8. Sperm DNA fragmentation 9. Vaginal and seminal cross-contamination between partners 10. The nervous system and HPA axis 11. Liver function and hormone clearance These are the tests that sit outside the standard fertility workup. A 2024 study in Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics found that ovarian reserve markers like AMH do not significantly predict natural conception in women with regular cycles. The donor egg recommendation comes from one snapshot, not the full investigation. If this is the first episode you have landed on in this series, go back and listen to "Told Donor Eggs Are Your Only Option? Ask This First," then "How Long Should I Try With My Own Eggs Before Donor Eggs?" then "The Gut Findings Your Clinic Did Not Look For," and "Multiple Failed IVF And Told Donor Eggs?" This episode brings all of it together. WHAT YOUR CLINIC MISSED The companion guide walks through all 11 of these patterns in more detail, so you can take it to your next appointment and ask the questions. Email hello@fabfertile.ca, subject line MISSED, and we will send you the guide. FUNCTIONAL FERTILITY SECOND OPINION A free 45-minute call where I review your labs, your history, and your partner's results with you. You leave knowing what your biology has been telling you and what your next decision could be. Email hello@fabfertile.ca, subject line FERTILE, or book here. ABOUT THE HOST I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally, a podcast with over one million downloads. My functional fertility team works with couples navigating low AMH and failed IVF, reviewing functional lab results, gut microbiome, food sensitivity, vaginal microbiome, nutrigenomics, HTMA, DUTCH, toxin testing, and bloodwork alongside nervous system work, to help identify patterns that may not have been considered. We work alongside your medical team, not instead of them. Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile, host of Get Pregnant Naturally (1M+ downloads), and author of Fabulously Fertile. If this episode helped, leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It is how other women find this work. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 The Donor Egg Recommendation and What Gets Called Complete 01:00 Who's Reviewing Your Case at Fab Fertile 02:00 Thyroid: The Full Panel, Not Just TSH 03:00 The Gut and H. pylori 04:00 Hidden Food Sensitivities 05:00 Medications That Affect Fertility 06:30 The Vaginal Microbiome 08:00 The Seminal Microbiome 08:30 The Male Partner's Full Bloodwork 09:00 Sperm DNA Fragmentation 09:30 Cross-Contamination Between Partners 11:00 The Nervous System and HPA Axis 11:30 Liver Function and Hormone Clearance 13:00 The Functional Fertility Second Opinion
• Multiple Failed IVF And Told Donor Eggs? The System Your Clinic Never Looked At 08.06.2026 12мин

  You have done IVF more than once. Maybe twice. Maybe three times. Maybe more. Each cycle they tweaked the protocol. Higher dose. Lower dose. Different stimulation drug. Different trigger. Added growth hormone. Added DHEA. Mini IVF. Dual stim. Each cycle the protocol changed. And now they are telling you donor eggs. Here is the question this episode is about. They changed the protocol every time. Did anyone look at what was already in your body when each of those protocols arrived? That is what this episode is about. The layer underneath every protocol. In this episode: - Protocol vs system: what your clinic was trained to adjust, and what nobody adjusted across any of your cycles - Why the donor egg conversation arrives after the only variable your clinic was trained to address has been exhausted, not after a full review of your body - The thyroid, iron, B12, vitamin D, inflammation, gut, cortisol, mineral, vaginal microbiome, and blood sugar markers that did not change between cycle 1 and cycle 5 - Why we look at ferritin against 80 to 100 going into IVF, not the lab reference of 15 - What a 2024 study in Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics found about ovarian reserve markers and natural conception — and why donor eggs gets recommended on markers the literature itself does not support If this is the first episode you have landed on in this series, go back and listen to "Told Donor Eggs Are Your Only Option? Ask This First," then "How Long Should I Try With My Own Eggs Before Donor Eggs?" and "The Gut Findings Your Clinic Did Not Look For." This episode builds on all three. ——— WHAT YOUR CLINIC MISSED The full thyroid panel, not just a TSH. The iron panel that flags ferritin against the fertility target. The gut microbiome testing your REI does not order. The inflammatory markers they tell you are normal. And the male side that almost nobody investigates. Email hello@fabfertile.ca, subject line MISSED, and we will send you the guide. ——— FUNCTIONAL FERTILITY SECOND OPINION A free 45-minute call where I review your labs, your history, and your partner's results with you. You leave knowing what your biology has been telling you and what your next decision could be. Email hello@fabfertile.ca, subject line FERTILE, or book here. ——— ABOUT THE HOST I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally, a podcast with over one million downloads. My functional fertility team works with couples navigating low AMH and failed IVF, reviewing functional lab results, gut microbiome, food sensitivity, vaginal microbiome, nutrigenomics, HTMA, DUTCH, toxin testing, and bloodwork alongside nervous system work, to help identify patterns that may not have been considered. We work alongside your medical team, not instead of them. Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile, host of Get Pregnant Naturally (1M+ downloads), and author of Fabulously Fertile. ——— If this episode helped, leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It is how other women find this work. ——— TIMESTAMPS 00:00 The Protocol Changed Every Time. Did Anyone Change You? 01:00 Who's Reviewing Your Case at Fab Fertile 02:00 Protocol vs System: The Layer Underneath Every IVF 03:00 What Your Body Brought to Every Cycle 04:30 What the 2024 Research Says About AMH 06:00 The Markers That Did Not Change Between Cycles 07:30 Why Multiple Tests Are Not One Test 09:00 The Donor Egg Recommendation With Half the Data 10:30 The Functional Fertility Second Opinion
• How Long Should I Try With My Own Eggs Before Donor Eggs? 01.06.2026 9мин

  Your clinic told you donor eggs. You walked out wondering how much time you actually have left. Whether waiting six months means missing your window. Whether trying with your own eggs one more time is brave or stupid. The honest answer is longer than your clinic implied. And the window is not your AMH number. In this episode: - Why a 2024 study in Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics found that ovarian reserve markers like AMH do not significantly predict natural conception in women with regular cycles - What the 90-day window before ovulation actually is, and why the eggs you work with six months from now are not the eggs you are working with today - The inputs your clinic's timeline assumed would not change: mitochondrial function, inflammation, iron, B12, zinc, vitamin D, cortisol patterns, toxic load - The clinical pattern we see over more than a decade of cases: month zero to six is where the picture comes into view, twelve to eighteen months is where it can start to move substantially - Why some pictures do not move, and why that is still a reason to look before you decide If this is the first episode you have landed on in this series, go back and listen to "Told Donor Eggs Are Your Only Option? Ask This First" and then "The Gut Findings Your Clinic Did Not Look For." This episode builds on both. ——— WHAT YOUR CLINIC MISSED The full thyroid panel, not just a TSH. The iron panel that flags ferritin. The gut microbiome testing that your REI does not order. The inflammatory markers no one notices. The male side that almost no one investigates. Email hello@fabfertile.ca, subject line MISSED, and we will send you the guide. ——— FUNCTIONAL FERTILITY SECOND OPINION A free 45-minute call where I review your labs, your history, and your partner's results with you. You leave knowing what your biology has been telling you and what your next decision could be. Email hello@fabfertile.ca, subject line FERTILE, or book here. ——— ABOUT THE HOST Now in its eighth year, Get Pregnant Naturally was one of the first podcasts dedicated to the functional fertility approach for low AMH and failed IVF. Hosted by Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile, author of Fabulously Fertile, and host of a podcast with over one million downloads. Fab Fertile is a functional fertility team that works with couples to review the lab work most fertility clinics do not run: gut microbiome, food sensitivity, vaginal microbiome, nutrigenomics, HTMA, DUTCH, full thyroid panel, the iron panel, and inflammation markers, alongside nervous system work. Each week Sarah brings you what the team sees across more than a decade of cases. Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile, host of Get Pregnant Naturally (1M+ downloads), and author of Fabulously Fertile. ——— If this episode helped, leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It is how other women find this work. ——— TIMESTAMPS 00:00 The Donor Egg Recommendation and the Real Question 01:00 Who's Reviewing Your Case at Fab Fertile 01:30 AMH Is Not the Countdown Clock 03:00 The 90-Day Window Before Ovulation 04:30 What Actually Changes In 90 Days 07:00 The Fab Fertile Method: What We Investigate 08:30 Why Some Cases Do Not Shift 09:30 The Functional Fertility Second Opinion
• Told Donor Eggs After Failed IVF? The Gut Pattern Your Clinic Did Not Test 25.05.2026 12мин

  Told donor eggs after failed IVF? There is a category of testing that your fertility clinic does not run. We rarely run a stool test and find nothing. The IVF cycle did not work. Maybe it was poor response. Maybe it was canceled before retrieval. Maybe you got embryos and they arrested. Maybe the transfer failed. Your clinic looked at your numbers and told you donor eggs. In this episode, Sarah Clark walks through the gut pattern the Fab Fertile team sees in women who come to us after failed IVF with a donor egg recommendation, and why this pattern changes the picture before the next decision. What this episode covers: H. pylori. One of the most common findings in the women who come to us after failed IVF. It impairs absorption of iron, vitamin B12, and zinc, the nutrients that affect egg quality, thyroid function, and hormone production. It is passed back and forth between partners through saliva. If you have it, there is a strong chance your partner has it too. Parasites, giardia, blastocystis. Common findings. Rarely tested at the fertility clinic. Bacterial overgrowth, including streptococcus. Fungal overgrowth and dysbiosis. The reason chasing an anti-candida diet without testing moves you in circles. Elevated calprotectin. A signal of gut inflammation, often present in women with IBD, Crohn's, colitis, and women with no formal diagnosis. Elevated zonulin. A marker of intestinal permeability. The pattern we see after rounds of antibiotics, sinus infections, UTIs, birth control, and high stress. Why this matters before a donor egg decision: H. pylori impairs iron absorption. Ferritin reads low or low-normal. The clinic says iron is fine because the lab range starts around 15. The fertility-optimized range is closer to 50. Iron is foundational to egg quality. The oxygen carrying capacity to your follicles depends on it. B12 affects methylation, the process your body uses to produce the co-factors needed for egg maturation. Zinc affects ovulation and progesterone production. Chronic gut inflammation affects ovarian response to stimulation, implantation, and miscarriage risk. When your clinic looks at a canceled cycle, arrested embryos, or a failed transfer and recommends donor eggs, they are responding to the outcome. They are not asking what is driving the outcome. This episode is for the woman sitting with a donor egg recommendation who is not ready to agree before she understands what was actually evaluated. Next steps: Access the free guide: What Your Clinic Missed. It walks through the markers we review before a donor egg recommendation, including the thyroid panel, the iron panel with the fertility target, the gut testing your REI does not order, the inflammatory markers, and the male side. Email hello@fabfertile.ca, subject line MISSED. Book a Functional Fertility Second Opinion. We will review your labs, your history, your full picture, and your partner's picture together. You will leave knowing what your biology has been telling you and what your next decision should be informed by. Email hello@fabfertile.ca, subject line FERTILE. Or apply here. About the Host I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally, a podcast with over one million downloads. My functional fertility team works with couples navigating low AMH and failed IVF, reviewing functional lab results, gut microbiome, food sensitivity, vaginal microbiome, nutrigenomics, HTMA, DUTCH, toxin testing, and  bloodwork alongside nervous system work, to help identify patterns that may not have been considered. We work alongside your medical team, not instead of them. Subscribe to Get Pregnant Naturally for weekly episodes on fertility optimization, IVF preparation, and the lab work your doctor probably isn't running. Timestamps [00:00] Told Donor Eggs After Failed IVF [01:00] Why the Fab Fertile Team Reviews Your Picture [02:00] H. pylori: The Most Common Gut Finding We See [03:00] Parasites, Streptococcus, and the Bacteria Most REIs Do Not Test [04:00] Why a Single Gut Test Without Fertility Context Misses the Picture [05:00] Iron, Ferritin, and the Fertility Range vs the Lab Range [06:00] B12, Methylation, and Egg Maturation [07:00] Zinc, Ovulation, and Progesterone [08:00] What Your Clinic Missed: The Markers Before a Donor Egg Recommendation [09:00] Why a Donor Egg Recommendation Responds to the Outcome, Not the Cause [10:00] The Functional Fertility Second Opinion: What the Call Covers
• The Workup Most REIs Skip Before Recommending Donor Eggs 18.05.2026 12мин

  The donor egg recommendation rarely comes after a complete workup. It comes after AMH, FSH, and an antral follicle count. That is usually where the investigation stops. In this episode, Sarah Clark walks through what is missing from the workup before women are told donor eggs are their only path: the full thyroid panel, not just TSH. Stool DNA testing for H. pylori, parasites, and food sensitivities. The vaginal microbiome. The male partner's blood work, which most clinics do not run. The nervous system patterns most REIs do not connect to fertility. Sarah shares Rebecca's case as a proof point. Rebecca was 27. Her AMH was 0.04 ng/mL. POI diagnosis. Told donor eggs were her only option. Her stool DNA testing revealed H. pylori and a parasite. Her food sensitivity testing showed gluten, dairy, and egg intolerance. She had adrenal insufficiency, thyroid imbalance, mineral depletion, and toxic load on her workup. Her eczema, migraines, and asthma were not separate issues. After targeted work, she conceived naturally in month five. Outcomes vary. Rebecca's case is one of many we use to illustrate what completing the workup can look like. This episode is for the woman sitting with a donor egg recommendation who is not ready to agree before she understands what was actually evaluated. The goal is clarity. Not opposition to your clinic. Not a guarantee of any outcome. Clarity on what your workup did not include, so that whatever you decide next gets made on the full picture. What this episode covers: The diagnosis is real. The investigation is incomplete. Why TSH alone is not a thyroid panel. H. pylori, hidden food sensitivities, and the gut inflammation driver. Eczema, migraines, and asthma as fertility signals. The male partner's workup should include beyond a semen analysis. Nervous system patterns most REIs do not connect to fertility. Next steps: Access the free guide: What Your Clinic Missed. The guide walks through the markers that the Fab Fertile team reviews before a donor egg recommendation. Email hello@fabfertile.ca, subject line MISSED. Book a Functional Fertility Second Opinion. We'll review your labs, your history, your full picture, and your partner's picture together, so you know what your biology has been telling you and what your next decision should be informed by. Email hello@fabfertile.ca, subject line FERTILE, or book here. About the Host I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally, a podcast with over one million downloads. My functional fertility team works with couples navigating low AMH and failed IVF, reviewing functional lab results, gut microbiome, food sensitivity, vaginal microbiome, nutrigenomics, HTMA, DUTCH, toxin testing, and bloodwork alongside nervous system work, to help identify patterns that may not have been considered. We work alongside your medical team, not instead of them. Subscribe to Get Pregnant Naturally for weekly episodes on fertility optimization, IVF preparation, and the lab work your doctor probably isn't running. Timestamps [00:00] The Donor Egg Recommendation and the Investigation Underneath It [01:00] The Diagnosis Is Real. The Investigation Is Incomplete. [02:00] Sarah's POI Story and Why Fab Fertile Exists [03:00] Rebecca's Case: POI at 27, AMH 0.04, ng/mL Told Donor Eggs Were Her Only Option [04:00] Functional Lab Testing Before a Donor Egg Decision [05:00] What We Found: H. pylori, Parasites, Food Sensitivities, Adrenal Insufficiency, Thyroid [06:00] Eczema, Migraines, Asthma: Not Separate Issues From Fertility [07:00] Rebecca Conceived Naturally in Month Five [08:00] What Your Clinic Missed: The Markers Before a Donor Egg Recommendation [09:00] Why a Standard REI Workup Cannot Answer Why Your Numbers Are What They Are [10:00] Medical Gaslighting and the Permission to Investigate Further [11:00] The Functional Fertility Second Opinion: How It Works  
• Told Donor Eggs at 43? Pregnant Naturally with Low AMH 11.05.2026 13мин

  Low AMH, high FSH, two miscarriages, told donor eggs were her only option. At 43, she conceived naturally. Here's what her clinic missed before the donor egg recommendation. This episode is for the woman sitting with a donor egg recommendation. Low AMH or high FSH on the chart. Failed IVF or recurrent miscarriage in the history. A clinic that said the numbers leave you no other options. Sarah Clark walks through the case of a 43-year-old client whose REI told her IVF or donor eggs were her only realistic path. Her FSH was 13.6. Her AMH was low. She had two pregnancy losses behind her. The diagnosis of diminished ovarian reserve was not wrong. The numbers were what they were. What had not happened was a structured investigation of why those numbers looked the way they did and whether the rest of the picture had been missed. Eighteen months later, she was pregnant naturally with her own eggs. What the clinic had not investigated was a long list. Her TSH was 3. Accepted as normal, but well above the range her own REI would have flagged before IVF prep. A full thyroid panel was never run. Her stool DNA test showed H. pylori, an infection that impairs nutrient absorption and drives inflammation. She had been gluten-free everywhere else for years, but she had been taking a weekly communion wafer every Sunday without realizing it counted. The cabergoline she was on was lowering her cholesterol and impairing her ability to make sex hormones. Her male partner had not been worked up. His semen analysis showed low volume and low concentration. His blood sugar was elevated. His kidney markers showed stress. The vaginal microbiome had not been tested. The seminal microbiome had not been tested. Her night sweats and disrupted sleep had been mentioned and dismissed. Her case is not a guarantee that anyone else will get the same outcome. Every case is different. The patterns we found in hers may not be the patterns in yours. But the principle holds: a diagnosis of diminished ovarian reserve, low AMH, or high FSH is a starting point for further investigation, not a complete picture of what is possible. What this episode covers: Why low AMH and high FSH are not the complete picture when donor eggs are recommended Why a TSH of 3 is not normal for fertility even when a clinic accepts it How H. pylori, hidden gluten, and gut infections affect egg quality and miscarriage risk What a full male partner workup looks like when there has been pregnancy loss or implantation failure What a structured second opinion covers when you have been told IVF or donor eggs are your only path This episode is for you if: You have low AMH, high FSH, or a diminished ovarian reserve diagnosis You have had a failed IVF cycle, recurrent miscarriage, or implantation failure You have been told donor eggs are your next step and you are not ready to agree before you understand what was actually evaluated You are in your late 30s or 40s and want to understand whether natural pregnancy with your own eggs is still possible Timestamps: [00:00] Low AMH, High FSH, Donor Eggs Recommended at 43 [01:30] Functional Fertility Testing vs Standard REI Workup [03:00] Thyroid and Fertility: Why TSH 3 Is Not Normal [04:30] Cabergoline, Cholesterol, and Sex Hormone Production [06:00] H. pylori, Hidden Gluten, and Gut Infections in Low AMH Cases [08:00] Vaginal Microbiome and Implantation in Recurrent Miscarriage [09:30] Male Partner Workup: Seminal Microbiome and Sperm Health [11:00] Night Sweats, Sleep Disruption, and the Nervous System [12:30] Constipation, Liver Function, and Hormone Clearance [14:00] Pregnant Naturally at 43: The 18-Month Timeline Take action: If you have been told donor eggs are your only option and you want a structured review of your timeline, your labs, and your IVF history before the next decision, the Functional Fertility Second Opinion is where that review happens. 👉 Apply for a Functional Fertility Second Opinion: https://fabfertile.com/pages/book Not sure what has been fully evaluated in your workup? Download the free Embryo Audit Checklist to map your past cycles and labs and see what may have been missed. 👉 Download the Embryo Audit Checklist: https://fabfertile.com/pages/embryo-audit-checklist Or message the team directly: hello@fabfertile.ca, subject line FERTILE to apply for a second opinion or CHECKLIST for the audit. About the Host Sarah Clark is the founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally: A Functional Fertility Second Opinion, a podcast with over one million downloads. For over a decade, Sarah and her functional fertility team have worked with couples navigating low AMH, high FSH, diminished ovarian reserve, failed IVF, embryo arrest, implantation failure, and recurrent pregnancy loss, reviewing functional labs and patterns that standard care often misses. This episode is a re-aired case study originally shared in 2025. Client details have been anonymized.
• Why Iron Could Be Behind Your Low AMH, Failed IVF and Miscarriage 04.05.2026 37мин

  Most women with low AMH and high FSH get one of two answers about their iron: "it's fine," or "it's low, here's a supplement." Both leave the real problem untouched. Failed transfers, failed IVF cycles, miscarriage, irregular cycles, exhaustion that won't lift, and nobody asking why the iron is low in the first place. This episode shows you what the full iron panel actually reveals. In this episode, Sarah Clark sits down with Fab Fertile clinical advisor Katy Bradbury (registered nurse and nutritional therapist) to break down the iron panel every woman trying to conceive should be looking at. Not just the one number your doctor checked, but the full picture. They get into why the standard iron prescription is one of the worst forms you can take, why high dose iron can actually make things worse, and why symptoms you've been told are unrelated (brittle nails, cold hands, hair loss, ice cravings, exhaustion) could all be pointing at the same thing. What you'll learn: The full iron panel every woman trying to conceive should request, and what the numbers actually mean Why being told "your iron is fine" off one number is missing the picture The link between low iron and failed transfers, miscarriage, irregular periods, and pregnancy complications Why low iron is so common with low AMH, high FSH, DOR, and POI The thyroid and iron connection most doctors miss, especially with Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism Hidden reasons your iron is low even when you're eating well: gut infections, H. pylori, SIBO, low stomach acid, celiac, heavy periods Why the standard iron prescription often makes you constipated, nauseous, and no better off What to take instead, and why every other day often works better than every day Iron rich foods that actually move the needle, plus the foods and drinks blocking your absorption without you knowing The thyroid medication timing rule nobody tells you about This conversation is for women navigating low AMH, high FSH, DOR, or POI who have been told their iron is fine without anyone running the full panel. It's also for women who have been on iron supplements for years without anyone asking why the iron got low to begin with, and for anyone who has had a failed transfer, a miscarriage, or a failed IVF cycle and is trying to figure out what was missed. Not sure what's been fully evaluated? Download the free Embryo Audit Checklist to map your past cycles and labs so you can see what's been looked at and what may have been missed. 👉 Download the Embryo Audit Checklist here. Ready to go deeper? If you want an expert review of your labs, IVF history, and full health picture before your next cycle, this is where we start. 👉 Apply for a Functional Fertility Second Opinion here. About the host: I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally, a podcast with over 1 million downloads. My team works with couples navigating low AMH and failed IVF, reviewing functional lab results including gut microbiome, food sensitivity, vaginal microbiome, nutrigenomics, HTMA, DUTCH, toxin testing, and bloodwork, alongside nervous system work, to help identify patterns that may not have been considered. We work alongside your medical team, not instead of them. Subscribe to Get Pregnant Naturally for weekly episodes on fertility optimization, IVF preparation, and the lab work your doctor probably isn't running. Originally aired October 22, 2022. Rebroadcast for our growing community navigating low AMH, high FSH, and DOR. Keywords: iron and fertility, low iron and miscarriage, iron and failed IVF, iron and failed transfer, anemia trying to conceive, low AMH iron, high FSH iron, DOR iron deficiency, POI iron, iron and pregnancy loss, iron and Hashimoto's, iron and hypothyroidism, why is my iron low, ferritin trying to conceive, Sarah Clark, Fab Fertile, Get Pregnant Naturally Timestamps: 00:00 Why this episode matters if you have low AMH, high FSH, DOR, POI, or have had a failed transfer or miscarriage 02:00 Why iron matters for getting and staying pregnant: ovulation, miscarriage, and pregnancy complications 03:00 Why the standard "you're anemic, take this supplement" approach misses the bigger picture 06:00 Hereditary anemia and why some women look fine on paper but aren't 07:00 Symptoms of low iron most women don't connect: fatigue, hair loss, cold hands, brittle nails, ice cravings 11:00 The full iron panel every woman trying to conceive should request 15:00 The thyroid and iron connection: why Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism almost always need iron checked 17:00 Heavy periods, blood loss, and ruling out internal bleeding before anything else 19:00 Why your gut decides whether iron actually gets absorbed: H. pylori, SIBO, low stomach acid, celiac, Crohn's 23:00 When pregnancy, breastfeeding, endurance training, and even turmeric can drain your iron stores 26:00 The thyroid medication timing rule, plus the foods and drinks blocking your absorption 28:00 Iron rich foods that actually work: grass fed red meat, organ meats, salmon, dark leafy greens, blackstrap molasses 33:00 What to take instead of the standard iron prescription, and why every other day often works better 35:00 The vitamin C piece, and why store bought orange juice doesn't count 36:00 Final thoughts: get the full iron panel as part of your fertility workup
• Told Donor Eggs Were Your Only Option? Sarah's POI Story and What Her REI Never Tested For 27.04.2026 47мин

  Sarah Clark was told donor eggs were her only option. No second opinion. No workup. Just an IVF brochure pulled off the shelf. This is the story of what was actually going on, and what nobody looked for. At 28, Sarah was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure (now called premature ovarian insufficiency). Her OB/GYN handed her an IVF brochure during the appointment. She went to the REI, got on the donor egg list, and had both her kids through IVF with donor eggs. It took another decade before she discovered the underlying imbalances her REI never screened for: food sensitivities to dairy, gluten, and corn, plus a gut infection with H. pylori, streptococcus, fungal overgrowth and nervous system dysregulation (stressed out but didn;t even know it). In this rebroadcast episode, Monica Cox interviews Sarah about the clues her body was giving her for years before the POI diagnosis, and what she wishes someone had told her in her twenties. What you'll learn: The seemingly unrelated symptoms that were early signals (irregular periods twice a year, cystic acne, fungal rashes, chronic yeast infections, dark circles since age 12) Why a POI diagnosis at 28 doesn't automatically mean donor eggs, and why a second opinion matters The post-pregnancy health collapse that exposed the underlying gut and immune dysfunction Food sensitivities beyond digestion: mood, joint pain, skin, brain fog, autoimmune flares Why partners have to be in the protocol from day one, because infections pass back and forth The four foundational tests: food sensitivity, DUTCH hormone, GI-MAP stool, HTMA hair Why IVF should be the last choice, not the first, given the $60K average spend and three-cycle average Where to actually start: just diagnosed vs. one failed cycle vs. multiple failures behind you Timestamps: 00:00 Why this episode is for you if you have low AMH, high FSH, DOR, or POI 02:00 Diagnosed at 28 with premature ovarian failure, handed an IVF brochure, no second opinion 03:00 The clues in her twenties: irregular periods, acne, fungal rash, yeast infections 07:00 Post-kids health crash: chronic sinus infections, bladder infections, vertigo, antibiotic damage 08:00 Discovering food sensitivities (dairy, gluten, corn) and gut infections (H. pylori, strep, fungal overgrowth) 13:00 Connecting the dots: why every "unrelated" symptom was related 15:00 Why partners must be in the protocol, because infections pass between couples 21:00 Multiple failed IUIs and IVFs: burnout, cortisol, and the case for a pause 24:00 The four foundational tests: food sensitivity, DUTCH, GI-MAP, HTMA 35:00 Where to start: just diagnosed vs. one failed cycle vs. multiple failures This conversation is for women who've been told donor eggs are their only option, who are staring down a POI, low AMH, high FSH, or diminished ovarian reserve diagnosis, and who suspect their REI hasn't looked at the full picture. Not sure what's been fully evaluated? Download the free Embryo Audit Checklist to map your past cycles and labs so you can see what's been looked at and what may have been missed. 👉 Download the Embryo Audit Checklist here. Ready to go deeper? If you want an expert review of your labs, IVF history, and full health picture before your next cycle, this is where we start. 👉 Apply for a Functional Fertility Second Opinion here. About the host: I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally, a podcast with over 1 million downloads. My team works with couples navigating low AMH and failed IVF, reviewing functional lab results including gut microbiome, food sensitivity, vaginal microbiome, nutrigenomics, HTMA, DUTCH, toxin testing, and bloodwork, alongside nervous system work, to help identify patterns that may not have been considered. We work alongside your medical team, not instead of them. Subscribe to Get Pregnant Naturally for weekly episodes on fertility optimization, IVF preparation, and the lab work your doctor probably isn't running. Keywords: premature ovarian insufficiency story, POI diagnosis at 28, donor eggs second opinion, low AMH underlying imbalance, high FSH functional medicine, diminished ovarian reserve, H pylori fertility, gut infection infertility, food sensitivity fertility, Sarah Clark story, Fab Fertile, Get Pregnant Naturally
• Why "Normal" Labs Aren't Optimized for Fertility | TSH, Ferritin, Glucose & IVF Failure 20.04.2026 10мин

  Your TSH is "normal." Your ferritin is "normal." Your glucose is "normal." And IVF still isn't working. Here's why normal lab ranges were never built for fertility and what optimal actually looks like. Most reference ranges are designed to flag disease in the general population, not to optimize egg quality, embryo competence, or implantation. That gap is where a lot of unexplained IVF failure, embryo arrest, and recurrent loss live. In this episode, Sarah Clark walks through the four biomarker categories most often dismissed as "fine" but influence cycle outcomes in women with diminished ovarian reserve, low AMH, high FSH, and failed transfers. What you'll learn: - What "normal" lab ranges actually measure and what they miss - Why fertility-optimized TSH sits closer to 1–2 mIU/L, not 4.0 - Ferritin 80–100 ng/mL and what it means for egg energy and endometrial development - Fasting glucose under 86, insulin stability, and follicular development - Why hsCRP under 1 mg/L matters for implantation and embryo quality - The full thyroid panel most REIs skip: Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, TPO, TBG - Male factor inflammation, sperm DNA fragmentation, and recurring infections - The reframe: normal protects against disease, optimal supports conception Timestamps: 00:00 Why "normal" labs don't mean fertility-optimized 00:30 What conventional reference ranges actually measure 01:30 Why DIY fertility optimization stalls without functional lab review 03:00 TSH "normal" vs optimal and the full thyroid panel REIs skip (Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, TPO, TBG) 04:30 How thyroid signaling affects egg quality, ovulation, and pregnancy loss 05:00 Ferritin 80–100 ng/mL: the iron range for IVF and egg energy 06:00 Fasting glucose under 86, insulin stability, and follicular development 07:00 hsCRP under 1 mg/L: low-grade inflammation, implantation, and embryo development 07:30 Male factor inflammation, sperm DNA fragmentation, and recurring infections 08:30 Embryo Audit Checklist + Functional Fertility Second Opinion: next steps This conversation is for women navigating diminished ovarian reserve, low AMH, high FSH, embryo arrest, implantation failure, or recurrent pregnancy loss who keep being told their bloodwork looks fine. Not sure what's been fully evaluated? Download the free Embryo Audit Checklist to map your past cycles and labs so you can see what's been looked at and what may have been missed. 👉 Download the Embryo Audit Checklist here. Ready to go deeper? If you want an expert review of your labs, IVF history, and full health picture before your next cycle, this is where we start. 👉 Apply for a Functional Fertility Second Opinion here. About the host: I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally, a podcast with over 1 million downloads. My team works with couples navigating low AMH and failed IVF, reviewing functional lab results including gut microbiome, food sensitivity, vaginal microbiome, nutrigenomics, HTMA, DUTCH, toxin testing, and bloodwork, alongside nervous system work, to help identify patterns that may not have been considered. We work alongside your medical team, not instead of them. Subscribe to Get Pregnant Naturally for weekly episodes on fertility optimization, IVF preparation, and the lab work your doctor probably isn't running. Keywords: normal labs IVF failed, fertility-optimized lab ranges, TSH for fertility, ferritin and egg quality, hsCRP fertility, low AMH normal labs, diminished ovarian reserve, IVF failure functional medicine, fertility second opinion, Embryo Audit Checklist, Sarah Clark, Fab Fertile, Get Pregnant Naturally
• The IVF Mistake That Causes Failed Cycles to Keep Repeating 13.04.2026 11мин

  If you're heading into another IVF cycle after a failed transfer, you're probably being told to trust the process and try again. But what if the process is the problem? In this episode, we get into how to tell whether your next cycle is actually different — or whether you're about to repeat the same outcome with a new protocol number. In this episode you'll learn: The three signs your last cycle wasn't fully interpreted, just failed Why changing the protocol doesn't always change the outcome What "unexplained" actually means and why it's often a gap, not a diagnosis How time pressure pushes couples into decisions that don't serve them The specific questions to ask before you commit to another cycle I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally, a podcast with over 1 million downloads. My team works with couples navigating low AMH and failed IVF, reviewing functional lab results including gut microbiome, food sensitivity, vaginal microbiome, nutrigenomics, HTMA, DUTCH, toxin testing, and bloodwork, alongside nervous system work, to help identify patterns that may not have been considered. We work alongside your medical team, not instead of them. Not sure what's been fully evaluated? Download the free Embryo Audit Checklist to map your past cycles and labs so you can see what's been looked at and what may have been missed. Access it here Ready to go deeper? If you want an expert review of your labs, IVF history, and full health picture before your next cycle, this is where we start. Learn more and apply for a Functional Fertility Second Opinion here.
• Normal Semen Analysis but IVF Still Failing? What Wasn't Tested 06.04.2026 10мин

  Failed IVF with normal sperm? You're not alone, and the answer may be in what wasn't tested. DNA fragmentation and oxidative stress don't show up on a standard semen analysis. But they can drive fertilization failure, embryo arrest, and poor blastocyst development. If the male side was cleared after the basic parameters were evaluated, it may not have been fully evaluated. In this episode, you'll learn: What a semen analysis actually measures and what it leaves out Why normal parameters don't always translate to embryo development How DNA fragmentation and oxidative stress affect fertilization and blastocyst outcomes The patterns we see in recurrent IVF failure when male factor hasn't been fully assessed Why embryo development is a shared biological process, not an egg quality issue I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally, a podcast with over 1 million downloads. My team works with couples navigating low AMH and failed IVF, reviewing functional lab results including gut microbiome, food sensitivity, vaginal microbiome, nutrigenomics, HTMA, DUTCH, toxin testing, and bloodwork, alongside nervous system work, to help identify patterns that may not have been considered. We work alongside your medical team, not instead of them. Not sure what's been fully evaluated? Download the free Embryo Audit Checklist to map your past cycles and labs so you can see what's been looked at and what may have been missed. Access it here Ready to go deeper? If you want an expert review of your labs, IVF history, and full health picture before your next cycle, this is where we start. Learn more and apply for a Functional Fertility Second Opinion here.   Timestamps 00:00 Why a "normal" semen analysis doesn't rule out male factor 01:00 What a standard semen analysis actually measures: count, motility, morphology 01:45 What semen analysis misses: DNA integrity, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function 02:30 Why couples with "normal" sperm still see embryo arrest and failed IVF 03:00 DNA fragmentation: what it is and why it matters for embryo development 04:00 Oxidative stress drivers: lifestyle, toxins, inflammation and metabolic health 05:15 The 70–80 day sperm lifecycle and why timing matters 06:00 Embryo development is shared biology, not just egg quality 07:15 Environmental and occupational factors impacting sperm health 08:30 When to revisit male testing before another IVF cycle          
• Why a Good Embryo Doesn't Implant in IVF (What's Often Missed) 30.03.2026 12мин

  If your IVF transfer failed despite a good embryo, normal lining, and a smooth protocol, you may have been told it was "just bad luck." But failed implantation with a euploid or high-quality embryo is not random. It often means key biological factors were never fully evaluated before the transfer. You followed the plan. The embryo looked good. The lining was "fine." And it still didn't work. This is where many people get stuck. Not because there are no answers, but because no one stepped back to assess the full picture before repeating another transfer. In this episode, we break down why embryo quality alone does not determine implantation and what is often missed when a transfer fails. In this episode, you'll learn: Why a good embryo does not guarantee implantation The three biological layers that influence whether implantation happens How uterine environment, hormone timing, and systemic health interact What subtle inflammation and thyroid patterns can do to implantation What to review before transferring another embryo I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally. For over a decade, my team and I have reviewed hundreds of low AMH and failed IVF cases using functional testing alongside conventional fertility care. We specialize in helping couples identify the physiological patterns driving poor outcomes so decisions are grounded in interpretation, not guesswork. If you've been moving from cycle to cycle without a clear way to evaluate what's actually been addressed, I created a free resource called the Embryo Audit Checklist. It helps you organize past cycles and labs so you can see what's been looked at and what may not have been considered yet. Access it here. 👉 Start with a Functional Fertility Second Opinion If you want an expert review of your labs, IVF history, and full health picture to identify missed patterns, this is the smartest first step before another cycle. Learn more and apply here. --- Timestamps 00:00 Failed IVF transfer with a good embryo 01:00 Why embryo quality doesn't guarantee implantation 02:00 Implantation is embryo + endometrium signaling 03:00 Uterine environment and implantation success 04:30 Ferritin, oxygen delivery, and implantation failure 06:00 Thyroid function and endometrial receptivity 07:30 Inflammation and immune response in implantation 09:00 Progesterone timing and implantation window 10:30 Nervous system, stress, and hormone regulation 11:30 What to review before your next embryo transfer
• Unexplained IVF Failure What Is Being Missed Before Your Next Cycle 23.03.2026 9мин

  Unexplained IVF failure happens when a cycle doesn't work, and no clear cause is identified, but that doesn't mean nothing is wrong. In many cases, it means the biology behind the cycle wasn't fully evaluated. You did everything you were told to do. The protocol looked good. The embryos developed. The lining was fine. And it still didn't work. Then you hear the word "unexplained." That's where many people get stuck. Not because there are no answers, but because no one has stepped back to assess the full picture. In this episode, we break down what unexplained IVF failure means and why repeating another cycle without deeper analysis often leads to the same outcome. We walk through the patterns that don't show up on a standard IVF summary but still influence embryo development and implantation. If you've been told to try again but feel like something is being missed, this will help you start asking better questions before your next step. In this episode, you'll learn: Why "unexplained" IVF failure often reflects a gap in interpretation, not a lack of information The three patterns that are commonly overlooked before repeating a cycle What to look at beyond embryo grading and lining thickness How to think about your next step without defaulting to another round Why clarity matters more than changing protocols I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally. For over a decade, my team and I have reviewed hundreds of low AMH and failed IVF cases using functional testing alongside conventional fertility care. We specialize in helping couples identify the physiological patterns driving poor outcomes so decisions are grounded in interpretation, not guesswork. If you've been moving from cycle to cycle without a clear way to evaluate what's actually been addressed, I created a free resource called the Embryo Audit Checklist. It helps you organize past cycles and labs so you can see what's been looked at and what may not have been considered yet. Access it here. 👉 Start with a Functional Fertility Second Opinion If you want an expert review of your labs, IVF history, and full health picture to identify missed patterns, this is the smartest first step before another cycle. Learn more and apply here. Timestamps 00:00 Unexplained IVF failure what it means and why it matters 01:00 Why "unexplained" is not a diagnosis in fertility 02:00 The IVF interpretation gap what clinics may miss 03:00 Inflammation and IVF failure how it impacts egg quality and implantation 04:00 Hidden inflammation markers that affect IVF success 05:00 Metabolic instability blood sugar thyroid and nutrient deficiencies 06:00 Why "normal labs" may not be optimal for fertility 07:00 Nervous system and IVF how stress physiology affects implantation 08:00 What to review before repeating another IVF cycle 09:00 Embryo audit checklist and next steps before your next round    
• Failed IVF Cycle: How to Audit What Went Wrong Before Trying Again 16.03.2026 11мин

  When an IVF cycle fails, the focus usually shifts to the next protocol. Different medications. Higher doses. Another retrieval. But an IVF cycle produces a huge amount of biological data that is rarely fully analyzed before repeating treatment. Ovarian response, egg maturity, embryo development, and the internal environment around transfer all provide important signals about what may be influencing the outcome. Yet many couples are encouraged to move forward with another cycle before those patterns are carefully reviewed. In this episode, we step back and walk through how to interpret a failed IVF cycle from a systems perspective so the next decision is based on biology, not momentum. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why a failed IVF cycle contains important biological clues that often go unexamined • What a true IVF cycle audit should include before repeating a protocol • The patterns in ovarian response, egg maturity, and embryo development that may reveal underlying imbalances • Why embryo development reflects whole body physiology, not just the laboratory environment • How to decide whether repeating a cycle makes sense or whether a different approach should be considered I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally. For over a decade, my team and I have reviewed hundreds of low AMH and failed IVF cases using functional testing alongside conventional fertility care. We specialize in helping couples identify the physiological patterns driving poor outcomes so decisions are grounded in interpretation, not guesswork. If you've been moving from cycle to cycle without a clear way to evaluate what's actually been addressed, I created a free resource called the Embryo Audit Checklist. It helps you organize past cycles and labs so you can see what's been looked at and what may not have been considered yet. Access it here. 👉 Start with a Functional Fertility Second Opinion If you want an expert review of your labs, IVF history, and full health picture to identify missed patterns, this is the smartest first step before another cycle. Learn more and apply here. Timestamps 00:00 Why failed IVF cycles are rarely fully analyzed 01:00 What an IVF cycle audit should review before trying again 02:05 Ovarian response in IVF and what estrogen levels may reveal 03:15 Inflammation, thyroid, and blood sugar patterns affecting IVF outcomes 04:05 Uneven follicle growth and hormonal signaling during stimulation 05:05 Egg maturity in IVF and the role of cellular energy 06:10 Iron, thyroid, and nutrient patterns that may affect egg development 07:00 Embryo development from Day 3 to Day 5 and why embryos arrest 08:15 Implantation environment including inflammation, progesterone, and the microbiome 09:30 How to review a failed IVF cycle before repeating treatment  
• Why Implantation Fails: Gut Health, Inflammation and the Vaginal Microbiome 09.03.2026 5мин

  Implantation failure is often blamed on the uterus. The lining. The timing. The transfer protocol. But implantation is not something the uterus decides on its own. Implantation is an immune event that reflects what is happening across the entire body. When inflammation, gut dysfunction, or microbial imbalance is present, the immune system may not shift into the receptive state required for implantation, even when embryos appear strong and transfers are performed correctly. In this episode we step back from the narrow focus on the uterus and explore how gut health, inflammation, and the vaginal microbiome can quietly interfere with implantation. These factors are often missed during standard fertility workups but can influence whether the body can support implantation. In this episode, you'll learn • Why implantation is an immune decision, not simply a mechanical one • How gut health influences immune signaling that affects implantation • The connection between chronic inflammation and repeated implantation failure • How the vaginal microbiome can influence the local immune environment of the uterus • Why focusing only on the uterus may miss the biological pattern affecting implantation I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally. For over a decade, my team and I have reviewed hundreds of low AMH and failed IVF cases using functional testing alongside conventional fertility care. We specialize in helping couples identify the physiological patterns driving poor outcomes so decisions are grounded in interpretation, not guesswork. If you've been moving from cycle to cycle without a clear way to evaluate what's actually been addressed, I created a free resource called the Embryo Audit Checklist. It helps you organize past cycles and labs so you can see what's been looked at and what may not have been considered yet. Access it here. 👉 Start with a Functional Fertility Second Opinion If you want an expert review of your labs, IVF history, and full health picture to identify missed patterns, this is the smartest first step before another cycle. Learn more and apply here. Timestamps 00:00 Implantation failure and why the focus often stays only on the uterus 01:00 Implantation is an immune decision, not just a mechanical one 02:05 How inflammation can interfere with embryo implantation 03:10 Gut health and immune signaling affecting fertility 04:20 Gut infections and microbiome imbalance in fertility cases 05:25 When embryos look good but implantation still fails 06:20 Why the partner's microbiome and health may also matter 07:05 The role of the vaginal microbiome in implantation 08:05 Why testing the vaginal microbiome alone can miss the bigger picture 09:00 The Embryo Audit Checklist and Functional Fertility Second Opinion        
• Why Your IVF Cycle Was Decided 90 Days Before It Started 02.03.2026 8мин

  Most couples do not walk into IVF lightly. By the time you reach a cycle, you have likely changed your diet, added supplements, tried acupuncture, adjusted your lifestyle, and done everything you were told might help. And yet, stimulation begins, and the outcome feels underwhelming. Here's the biological reality: egg and sperm development are influenced during the 90 days before a cycle ever starts. Follicles recruited at stimulation were already developing months earlier. During that window, metabolic signaling, inflammatory load, hormonal communication, and stress physiology quietly set the ceiling for response. When outcomes disappoint, protocols are often adjusted. Doses increase. Supplements stack. Timelines shorten. But stimulation does not create egg quality. It recruits what has already been developing. In this episode, we clarify the difference between preparing for IVF and auditing biological readiness so your next decision is informed, not reactive. In this episode, you'll learn: Why egg and sperm quality are shaped months before retrieval How metabolic instability and inflammation influence follicle recruitment Why adding support without removing interference often changes very little The difference between execution and systems readiness How a functional systems lens protects time, energy, and future cycles I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally. For over a decade, my team and I have reviewed hundreds of low AMH and failed IVF cases using functional testing alongside conventional fertility care. We specialize in helping couples identify the physiological patterns driving poor outcomes so decisions are grounded in interpretation, not guesswork. If you've been moving from cycle to cycle without a clear way to evaluate what's actually been addressed, I created a free resource called the Embryo Audit Checklist. It helps you organize past cycles and labs so you can see what's been looked at and what may not have been considered yet. Access it here. 👉 Start with a Functional Fertility Second Opinion If you want an expert review of your labs, IVF history, and full health picture to identify patterns being missed, this is the smartest first step before another cycle. Learn more and apply here. TImestamps [00:00] Why IVF Really Starts 90 Days Before Stimulation Understanding follicle development timing and why egg and sperm quality are shaped months before retrieval. [01:00] The 3 Biological Patterns That Limit IVF Success An overview of ovarian signaling, inflammation, and metabolic readiness before a cycle begins. [02:00] Why Stimulation Medications Don't Create Egg Quality How IVF drugs recruit existing follicles rather than improve underlying egg quality. [03:00] Inflammation and hs-CRP: What Gets Missed Before IVF How elevated inflammatory markers can quietly influence follicle recruitment and embryo development. [04:00] When Pre-IVF Prep Becomes Busy Work Why stacking supplements without investigating root physiological drivers rarely changes outcomes. [04:45] Blood Sugar, Gut Health, and Immune Signaling Before IVF How metabolic instability and immune activation affect egg and sperm quality. [05:30] Stress Physiology and Cortisol Dominance in Fertility The impact of chronic nervous system activation on ovarian signaling and implantation. [06:00] Preparing for IVF vs Auditing Biological Readiness The difference between assuming the plan is correct and evaluating whether the body is ready. [06:30] Is Now the Right Time to Push the System? Why timing matters before deploying another IVF cycle. [07:00] The Embryo Audit Checklist and Functional Fertility Second Opinion How to review your labs, IVF history, and systems patterns before making another high-stakes decision.
• Day 3 vs Day 5 Embryo Arrest: What the Timing Really Means 23.02.2026 7мин

  Poor embryo development is not random. And "it just didn't work" is not an explanation. If your embryos stopped growing on Day 3 or Day 5, you've likely been told some version of the same thing. Bad luck. Egg quality. Try again. But Day 3 vs Day 5 embryo arrest are not interchangeable events. The timing carries biological clues. And when those clues are ignored, couples often repeat cycles without addressing what actually shaped the outcome. In this episode, we break down what early arrest, later arrest, and repeating arrest patterns may be signaling and how to think more clearly before your next attempt. In this episode, you'll learn: Why Day 3 embryo arrest often reflects maternal energy and developmental support patterns Why Day 5 embryo arrest often leans toward paternal or combined biological coordination How sperm contribution becomes more influential as embryo activation progresses Why repeating embryo arrest is usually a shared systems pattern, not a single isolated issue How to use embryo timing as data instead of accepting vague explanations I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally. For over a decade, my team and I have reviewed hundreds of low AMH and failed IVF cases using functional testing alongside conventional fertility care. We specialize in helping couples identify the physiological patterns driving poor outcomes so decisions are grounded in interpretation, not guesswork. If you've been moving from cycle to cycle without a clear way to evaluate what's actually been addressed, I created a free resource called the Embryo Audit Checklist. It helps you organize past cycles and labs so you can see what's been looked at and what may not have been considered yet. Access it here. 👉 Start with a Functional Fertility Second Opinion If you want an expert review of your labs, IVF history, and full health picture to identify patterns being missed, this is the smartest first step before another cycle. Learn more and apply here. Timestamps 00:00 Why Embryo Arrest Is Not Random 01:05 Early Embryo Arrest: What Day 3 Often Signals About Egg Development 02:00 Signs of Low Egg Energy: Sleep, Stress, Blood Sugar and Cycle Changes 03:05 Later Embryo Arrest: Why Day 5 Often Leans Paternal or Combined 03:45 Sperm Quality Factors: Motility, Morphology, DNA Fragmentation 04:30 Environmental Stress, Illness and Inflammation Impact on Embryo Development 05:00 The Embryo Audit Checklist: Organizing Your IVF Pattern Data 05:20 Repeating Embryo Arrest Across Cycles: Shared Systems Pattern 06:00 Why Changing Protocols Alone Often Fails 06:30 Functional Fertility Second Opinion: Interpreting Your Full Biological Picture
• Why Rushing Into the Next IVF Cycle Often Backfires 16.02.2026 10мин

  After a failed IVF cycle, the pressure to move quickly into the next one can feel overwhelming. Clinics often encourage momentum. Emotionally, it can feel safer to stay in motion than to pause. But rushing into another IVF cycle too quickly can quietly reinforce the same biological conditions that shaped the last outcome. If you've been told to increase stimulation, change protocols, or "just try again," this episode challenges that reflex. Because before another round begins, the more important question is: What actually needs to shift in the biology? In this episode of Get Pregnant Naturally, we explore why recovery windows matter after a failed IVF cycle and how back-to-back stimulation can compound physiological stress, especially in cases of low AMH, embryo arrest, or recurrent implantation failure. In this episode, you'll learn: Why stacking IVF cycles too closely can affect cellular energy and egg development How hormonal rhythm and communication break down when recovery time is skipped The hidden impact of inflammation and immune load between cycles Why more medication does not always mean better coordination inside the system How to recognize when repetition is happening without recalibration IVF is physically and emotionally demanding. Medications, procedures, disrupted sleep, and stress all increase the body's workload. Biology improves during recovery windows, not during nonstop stimulation. Strategic pauses are not delays. They are opportunities for recalibration. I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally. For over a decade, my team and I have reviewed hundreds of low AMH and failed IVF cases using functional testing alongside conventional fertility care. We specialize in helping couples identify the physiological patterns driving poor outcomes so decisions are grounded in interpretation, not guesswork. If you've been moving from cycle to cycle without a clear way to evaluate what's actually been addressed, I created a free resource called the Embryo Audit Checklist. It helps you organize past cycles and labs so you can see what's been looked at and what may not have been considered yet. Access it here. 👉 Start with a Functional Fertility Second Opinion If you want an expert review of your labs, IVF history, and full health picture to identify patterns being missed, this is the smartest first step before another cycle. Learn more and apply here. --- Timestamps 00:00 Why Rushing Into the Next IVF Cycle Can Backfire 01:10 What Happens When You Stack IVF Cycles Too Close Together 02:05 IVF Recovery Windows and Cellular Energy Depletion 03:15 How Back-to-Back Cycles Impact Egg Maturity and Embryo Development 04:05 Hormone Communication Breakdown During Repeated Stimulation 05:10 Why More Medication Doesn't Always Improve IVF Outcomes 06:00 Embryo Audit Checklist: What to Review Before Another Transfer 06:45 Detox Load, Liver Stress, and IVF Medications 07:20 Inflammation and Failed IVF Cycles: The Overlooked Pattern 08:40 Functional Fertility Second Opinion Before Your Next IVF Round