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IVF Prep at HealthYouniversity

IVF Prep at HealthYouniversity

By: Dr. Susan Fox
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Welcome to Health Youniversity, the podcast dedicated to helping you reclaim your health, through fertility, pregnancy & postpartum, and what I call PRE-perimenopause (so you don't have to suffer when it arrives) I'm your host, Dr. Susan Fox, a women's health expert with over 24 years of experience in helping people navigate hormonal health from menses to menopause.


If you or someone you love is struggling with fertility challenges, you've found the right place. Whether you're just thinking about "maybe" starting a family or are actively trying to conceive, this podcast is here to provide you with the knowledge, tools, and support you need to turn those dreams into reality.


At Health Youniversity, we'll marry traditional medicine with modern science to help you achieve optimum reproductive health. I'll be joined by experts in the field to share comprehensive solutions that you can apply today. Knowledge is power - that's why education is at the core of Health Youniversity. Tune in to our podcast on iTunes and Spotify, and let's turn your dreams of family into reality. I can't wait to guide you on this empowering path of self-discovery and wellness. Stay tuned for our newest podcast season, coming soon.


Take the fertility quiz: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/fertility-quiz

Schedule a Fertile Health Assessment: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/programs

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.susan.fox/



© 2026 IVF Prep at HealthYouniversity Alternative & Complementary Medicine Hygiene & Healthy Living Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • Sperm Epigenetics with Kristin Brogaard, Sperm QT

    Sperm Epigenetics with Kristin Brogaard, Sperm QT
    Oct 25 2026
    When a couple is having difficulty conceiving, the woman often undergoes months of testing before anyone takes a serious look at her partner. Yet male factors contribute to approximately half of infertility cases, and a normal semen analysis doesn't necessarily mean sperm function is normal. After nearly 25 years working with fertility patients, I continue to see how much time can be lost when the male side of fertility isn't investigated early.My guest on Health Youniversity is Dr. Kristin Brogaard, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Path Fertility, the company behind Sperm QT. Kristin earned her PhD in molecular biology from Northwestern University and completed postdoctoral research with genomics pioneer Dr. Leroy Hood. Her work focuses on sperm epigenetics and what newer testing may reveal about male fertility beyond sperm count, motility and morphology.Kristin's interest in this field began when a close friend in her early twenties had been trying to conceive for two years. Her friend had undergone extensive fertility testing, while her partner had received only a semen analysis. That imbalance led Kristin to investigate what was missing from the evaluation of male fertility and whether molecular testing could provide information that conventional testing overlooks.One of the most interesting parts of our conversation was learning more about sperm epigenetics. Epigenetic regulation helps control how genes are expressed without changing the underlying DNA sequence. As sperm develop, numerous genes must be regulated appropriately for normal sperm formation and function. Kristin explained how her research into these processes eventually led to Sperm QT, a test designed to evaluate patterns of sperm epigenetic regulation associated with reproductive outcomes.A semen analysis remains an important first step. It measures sperm concentration, movement and appearance, but it cannot tell us everything about sperm function. Sperm DNA fragmentation testing provides different information by assessing damage to sperm DNA, while Sperm QT examines epigenetic markers. These tests look at different aspects of sperm health, although their clinical usefulness and the circumstances in which they should be ordered need to be considered individually.We also looked at what a Sperm QT report contains, including estimates related to the likelihood of success with timed intercourse or intrauterine insemination (IUI). Kristin explained how these results may help inform conversations about treatment options, including when IVF might be considered. An important distinction is that no single test can definitively rule out every possible male contribution to infertility, and newer tests still require careful interpretation alongside the couple's complete fertility history.As a doctor of Chinese medicine, I'm particularly interested in what men can do to improve sperm health before conception. Sperm production takes approximately two to three months, which gives us a useful window for addressing nutrition, metabolic health, smoking, alcohol, cannabis use and environmental exposures. Kristin discussed research connecting these factors with sperm quality and why reassessing sperm after several months of lifestyle changes may be informative.This is something I emphasize with couples preparing for natural conception, IUI or IVF. The health of eggs and sperm reflects much more than the reproductive organs themselves. Nutrition, inflammation, metabolic health, sleep and environmental exposures can all influence reproductive function. While lifestyle changes cannot correct every cause of male infertility, addressing modifiable risk factors can support overall health and may improve certain sperm parameters.We also discussed oxidative stress and sperm DNA fragmentation. Oxidative stress can damage sperm, and researchers have investigated whether antioxidant supplementation may help in selected circumstances. Kristin shared early findings from research conducted by Path Fertility, while acknowledging the limitations of the available data. Antioxidants aren't necessarily more effective at higher doses, and supplement decisions should take individual circumstances into account.Another reason I want men to pay more attention to sperm health is its relationship with general health. Research, including work from Dr. Michael Eisenberg's group at Stanford, has found associations between semen quality and certain long-term health outcomes. That doesn't mean a sperm test predicts how long someone will live, but abnormal findings may be one reason to look more closely at metabolic, hormonal and other aspects of health.I especially appreciated Kristin's message to women who have been trying to conceive while their own fertility testing appears normal. A male fertility evaluation belongs early in the process. It can help identify concerns that might otherwise remain unexplored while the woman continues undergoing additional testing or ...
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    31 mins
  • Eat for Life: Preconception through Permimenopause with Torie Borelli Hall

    Eat for Life: Preconception through Permimenopause with Torie Borelli Hall
    Oct 13 2026
    We talk about nutrition quite a bit on Health Youniversity, because what we eat influences so many aspects of our health, including fertility, pregnancy, postpartum recovery and the hormonal changes that come later in life. But knowing that nutrition matters and knowing what to put on your plate every day are two different things. I wanted to get into the specifics of which foods provide the nutrients we need and how to make those foods part of everyday family meals.My guest, Torie Borrelli Hall, is a functional nutritionist, founder of The Vida Well and author of Eating for Life: A Holistic Cookbook for Pregnancy and a Thriving Family. She has worked in nutrition for nearly 20 years, helping women with fertility, pregnancy, postpartum health, hormonal concerns and autoimmune conditions. Her interest in reproductive health became especially personal through her own experience with pregnancy loss and trying to conceive again.Torie was 15 weeks pregnant when she went to an ultrasound appointment, without her husband, and learned that her baby no longer had a heartbeat. After her miscarriage, it took another year to conceive. On the very day she became pregnant again, although she didn't know it yet, she attended an IVF consultation where she was told that her AMH was 0.003 and that she had only a 3% chance of conceiving naturally. The following day, she had a positive pregnancy test.Having experienced a loss, Torie found herself approaching her next pregnancy with considerable anxiety, checking her progesterone and hCG levels weekly. During that time, she began looking closely at prenatal vitamins and thinking about how many of those nutrients could also come from food. That curiosity eventually grew into her cookbook, which contains 120 recipes organized around nutrients and nutrient-dense ingredients, including bone broth, egg yolks, organ meats and other traditional foods that have largely disappeared from many American kitchens.We spent time discussing how these foods can support women through different stages of reproductive life and why the nutritional needs of pregnancy deserve more attention than simply taking a prenatal vitamin. Torie wrote the book over two pregnancies with her co-author, chef and food photographer Eric Wolfinger, who was also doing much of the cooking at home while his wife was expecting.Another part of our conversation focused on environmental exposures, something I address regularly with my fertility patients. We looked at everyday products, including laundry detergent, bedding, toothpaste and canned beverages, and talked about making informed choices without becoming overwhelmed by everything we encounter in our homes. We also discussed functional testing, when additional investigation may be useful, and the importance of considering sperm health as part of preconception preparation.One of the more personal moments in our conversation came when Torie recalled asking her midwife what she had done wrong after her miscarriage. Her midwife reassured her that she hadn't caused the loss. I think that's particularly important for women to hear, because it's so common to look back at everything you ate, did or didn't do and wonder whether something could have changed the outcome. We can take meaningful steps to support our health before pregnancy while recognizing that many pregnancy losses occur for reasons outside anyone's control.I especially enjoyed the practical part of our conversation. Torie shared how she prepares proteins in batches, turns a roast chicken into several meals and introduces her children to foods such as pâté and clams. Her four-year-old even makes the family salad each evening. We talked about how to involve children in preparing food, how to make nutrient-dense meals manageable when you're pregnant or caring for young children, and ways to work with picky eaters without making every meal a struggle.These are the kinds of habits that can continue serving a family long after pregnancy. The principles we discussed, including adequate protein, nutrient-rich foods, blood sugar balance and reducing unnecessary environmental exposures, remain relevant as women move through perimenopause and beyond. Nutritional needs change with age and life circumstances, but learning to prepare and enjoy nourishing food is something we can carry through every stage.This episode may be especially helpful if you are:Trying to conceive naturally or preparing for IVF or embryo transfer and want more specific guidance about nutritionPregnant after a loss and looking for practical ways to support your healthIn your first trimester and finding it difficult to eat wellPregnant or postpartum while also feeding young children and managing a busy householdConcerned about blood sugar balance or gestational diabetesLooking for ways to introduce more nutrient-dense foods to picky eatersInterested in how nutrition supports hormonal and metabolic health through perimenopause and beyondMy hope ...
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    47 mins
  • Real Support through Loss with Jessica Fisher of Lavela Health

    Real Support through Loss with Jessica Fisher of Lavela Health
    Oct 5 2026
    Reproductive loss is far more common than most of us realize until it happens to us or someone we love. Miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, termination for medical reasons and the losses that can accompany infertility are very different experiences, but they share something important: people often leave medical care still needing support for everything that comes afterward.My guest, Jessica Fisher, founded Lavela Health after experiencing a ruptured ectopic pregnancy in 2021. She went looking for a therapist who understood reproductive loss and discovered how difficult that was to find. Over the next two years, she researched what was missing and eventually created Lavela, which connects people with therapists who specialize in reproductive loss.Jessica's own story continued after her ectopic pregnancy. She experienced four additional losses and later went through another pregnancy carrying a tremendous amount of anxiety. We talk about what it means to move forward after loss when pregnancy itself may no longer feel safe or uncomplicated.One of the things I found especially important in our conversation was the distinction between having a good therapist and having a therapist who understands reproductive loss. You may already have a therapist you trust and want to continue seeing. Specialized care can be added when you need someone who understands the particular grief, fear and physical experience that can accompany reproductive and pregnancy losses.Jessica explains how Lavela matches clients with clinicians based on the type of loss they've experienced and what they're looking for in a therapist. Because care is virtual, access isn't limited by geography in the same way as a local practice, although clinician licensing restricts their offerings to California. Lavela intends to expand beyond the state to accommodate the need. Another part of our conversation focuses on what happens outside the therapy room. Partners, family members and friends may desperately want to help and have no idea what to say. Sometimes their attempts to make things better can leave the person who is grieving feeling even more alone. Having a skilled therapist can take some of that pressure off the relationships closest to you.We even get into AI and the growing number of people turning to technology for emotional support. There may be a place for tools that help someone find information or organize thoughts, but Jessica feels strongly that grief needs human connection. Reproductive loss is deeply personal, and being heard by someone who understands this particular kind of loss matters.Toward the end of the episode, we talk about recognizing when additional support may be helpful. Grief doesn't follow a schedule, and there is no set time to be “over it” . Sometimes you simply need someone in your corner who understands what you've been through and where you are now.This episode may be especially helpful if you are:grieving a miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy or termination for medical reasonsgoing through infertility and carrying losses that may not be visiblethinking about trying again after a losspregnant again and finding it difficult to trust the pregnancywondering whether specialized support could complement the therapy or medical care you already havetrying to support a partner, friend or family member through reproductive lossReproductive loss can be isolating, particularly when the rest of the world seems to expect life to return to normal long before it feels normal to you. My hope is that this conversation helps you understand what specialized support can look like and reminds you that you can ask for more help when you need it.Support your fertility journey with the Preconception Plan at Health Youniversity:https://healthyouniversity.co/programsLearn more about Lavela Health:https://lavelahealth.comFollow Lavela Health on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/lavelahealth/Follow Lavela Health on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/lavela-health/ 💻 About Susan Fox: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/aboutTake your 5-Element Fertility Quiz: http://yourfertilityquiz.com/Detox to De-Stress: View the FREE Masterclass on the importance of detoxification to prepare for a healthy pregnancy: https://susanfox1.easywebinar.live/gentle-detoxLearn about our program entitled Your Fertile Health: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/programsSchedule a Fertile Health Assessment: https://www.healthyouniversity.co/your-fertile-health-callLet us journey with you as you navigate your fertile health. Connect with me:🎧 iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/health-youniversity-with-dr-susan-fox/id1592763186 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08U9QJf...📸 Instagram: @dr.susan.fox💗 Facebook: ...
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    55 mins
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