• Why semen analysis is more than a baby‑making test and what it says about your future health

• How semen quality reflects your hormones, metabolism, and environmental hits

• Why semen behaves like a three‑month blood sugar test (HbA1c) for your virility, and how to use it to track change

• When your labs look “fine” but your sperm doesn’t, and what that should prompt you to check next

Sometimes, just sometimes, a man starts paying attention to his sperm when he wants a baby. But what if optimising sperm health were about more than improving the chances of conception? What if this bit of raw data from your body’s production line was also a readout of overall health, future disease risk, and, more importantly, healthspan?

When Sperm Makes The To‑Do List

By the time sperm finally makes your to‑do list, there is usually an ovulation app on her phone and a small pile of lab slips with her name on them. She may already have had her hormones, thyroid, vitamin D, and ovaries inspected from several angles. You have a calendar reminder to ‘produce a sample’ in a white‑walled room, minus the mood lighting, where you’ll be handed a sterile plastic cup with a lid and a sticker.

On your side, the working assumption is that everything below deck is fine: no symptoms, no drama, no problem. From my side of the desk, it is often the first time your reproductive system has ever been asked to hand in any homework at all.

Male Fertility As A Proxy For Health

This is where the “I’m fine” script gets challenged. Large cohorts now show that men diagnosed with infertility, or with clearly abnormal semen parameters, are less healthy than their fertile peers: more cardiometabolic disease, more hospitalisations, more prescriptions, and a longer diagnostic list, even after adjusting for age and basic health factors.

When you zoom out further, the picture comes into broader relief. Poorer semen quality tracks with higher rates of certain cancers, especially testicular, higher comorbidity scores overall, and, on average, nearly three fewer years of life compared with men who have better semen parameters.

So when you see a rough semen report, you are looking at more than a fertility problem. You are potentially catching a trend that tends to travel with shorter lifespan and greater disease burden.

The good news: it is a snapshot, not a prophecy. Sperm have remarkable regenerative power, and over a relatively short time frame, about three months, you can change what the next snapshot looks like.

You already know how to think about this, because you do it at the gym. You do not judge your strength by a single workout, you set a target and train toward it over a block of time. Same rules apply here: set a goal for your next semen analysis, then do the work between cups.

Even in men starting from an “infertile” place, studies show sperm parameters can improve when they lose weight, move more, clean up diet, and cut smoking and excess alcohol.

The basic take-home is: abnormal semen parameters are not a random glitch or something separate from the rest of you. They are the downstream result of what is going on upstream in your body: the script you were born with, the way you are living now, and the exposures you never signed up for.

The stuff you were born with

Some upstream conditions are established early. Genetics and in‑utero exposures, like poor fetal growth or exposure to endocrine‑disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during pregnancy, can alter how your testicles are built, how hormones signal, and how much sperm you can realistically make across a lifetime.

Those early exposures land on the tiny cells that do the day‑to‑day work. Sertoli cells, which help build each sperm, and Leydig cells, the testosterone‑makers, get their footing in utero. If either starts life on the back foot, you are more likely to carry a more limited sperm‑making capacity.

The stuff you are doing now

And then there is the way you actually live: the choices you make, and the habits you have slid into. Late‑night screens, chronic stress, sleep debt, smoking or vaping, recreational & performance-enhancing drugs, including anabolic steroids, some prescription medications, heavy drinking, ultra‑processed food, sitting most of the day and then trying to outrun it on the weekend. None of these is rare. Together, they are how you build low‑grade inflammation and oxidative stress into the background of your life: more inflammatory signals, more little chemical wrecking balls, not enough clean‑up crew.

Here the data on metabolic health is especially relevant. The same components that make up metabolic syndrome: extra visceral fat, insulin resistance, higher blood pressure, and unfavourable lipids, are each linked with lower sperm counts, poorer motility, more DNA damage, and more hypogonadism, erectile dysfunction, and testosterone problems. And you do not have to tick every box for “metabolic syndrome” before your sperm feel the effects.

Why does that cluster hit sperm so hard? Because those metabolic shifts change how blood reaches the testes, how hormones signal, and how much oxidative stress the factory has to work under.

Chronically high insulin and blood sugar batter blood vessels and mitochondria.

Stiffer, more inflamed vessels make it harder to deliver oxygen and nutrients smoothly.

More abdominal fat means more estrogen and less usable testosterone, thanks to aromatase sitting inside those fat cells and happily converting testosterone into estrogen.

By the time you see those changes in a semen report, you are not just looking at fertility. You are looking at how your day‑to‑day life has started to write itself into both your future health span and your sperm.

The stuff you never signed up for

Finally, there is the background you did not choose. Modern men are unwittingly exposed to environmental toxicants their grandfathers were never dealing with: EDCs, xenoestrogens (compounds that mimic estrogen), and “obesogens” (chemicals that push the body toward fat gain) in plastics, pesticides, flame retardants, personal care products, and air pollution.

Many of them interfere with androgen signalling and increase oxidative stress in the testes, little wrecking balls damaging sperm membranes and DNA, and all of that feeds back into the same hormonal loops that show up in your semen report.

Is Semen A Vital Sign?

Given all of that, it is fair to ask a bigger question: if semen quality tracks with cardiometabolic risk, cancer risk, comorbidity load, and lifespan, should it be sitting in the same camp as your other vital signs, the basics on doctors’ charts like temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation? Those quick checks are there to tell you whether a body is broadly stable or not.

Almost ten years ago, a NIH and CDC working group pulled all of this together in a paper called The sixth vital sign: what reproduction tells us about overall health. Their argument was simple: fertility status in men and women should be treated as a key marker of overall health, not a side note you only care about when someone is trying to conceive.

On the women’s side, ACOG (the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) has already stamped the menstrual cycle as a vital sign. In clinic, I treat menstrual patterns as clues to underlying reproductive and overall health.

On the men’s side… crickets. No routine check, no standard wording, no expectation that anyone will ever look at how the testicular factory is running unless a woman is already struggling to get pregnant.

Men get blamed for not doing their bit, while medicine does not think about giving them a proper dashboard.

So I am going to nominate semen quality as a vital health sign. Sperm tell on your sleep, your visceral fat, your blood vessels, your chemical exposures.

The real question, when you are standing there with a sample cup and a printout, is not “is this good enough to make a baby?” It is “am I going to treat this as an early warning, and actually do something with it?”

What Semen Shows That Basic Labs Don’t

Semen analysis is not better than bloods, it is a different kind of lab. Your fasting glucose, cholesterol, liver function, and even testosterone are like single snapshots taken from different corners of the building. Semen is the fire drill, the stress test for how your whole system is running.

Each ejaculate is the product of about three months of work in the factory: hormones, testicular tissue, blood supply, mitochondria, inflammation, sleep, diet, toxins, the lot. Your standard “annual check‑up” panels can sit in the normal range while that three‑month report card shows:

• dropped total count and concentration

• sluggish motility

• more odd‑looking sperm

• higher DNA damage

You can have “fine” fasting bloods on paper, but if your sperm are fewer, slower, and more fragile than they should be, your body is already telling you that something upstream is not coping as well as it looks on the lab report

That is the point of treating semen as a health sign. It is not to replace your usual labs. It is to add a whole‑system, three‑month readout that can pick up trouble before your basic numbers start flashing red.

If your sperm is under‑performing while your basic labs look okay, that is the moment to:

• look properly at exposures: months of tuna sandwiches, heavy air pollution, solvents, pesticides, plastics, hot laptops

• review habits: alcohol, smoking or vaping, drugs, sleep debt, “gym then Uber Eats” nutrition

• talk with your clinician about broader panels or functional tests that actually match your life: detailed hormones, inflammatory markers, toxic metals, sleep studies, whatever fits your picture

The 3‑Month Living Lab Report

One sperm takes roughly 70–90 days to go from raw precursor to finished swimmer, so every sample is a rolling report card on about the last three months of your life.

If you like tracking, think of semen analysis as your HbA1c for virility. HbA1c sums up your blood sugar behaviour over three months. A semen test sums up your hormonal, metabolic, sleep, toxin, and heat behaviour over the same window.

Stick this on your plastic cup

• A sample is a three‑month report card, not a one‑night performance

• If your sperm looks off, assume your future health does too until proven otherwise

• “Normal” bloods plus abnormal semen means: dig deeper, not shrug

• If you like data, track your bloods and your semen. One from your veins, one from your factory floor

Warmly, Sonja

Work with me: If you’d like help turning your semen report and health history into a practical plan, you can read more and book a free 15‑minute call here.

New Here? Head to the About & Welcome pages for why I started Baby Ready Health and a bit about me.

Issues are free for now. If you’re someone who likes to build things early, you can become a founding member. Or simply subscribe and follow along.

This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before making decisions about your health.

References:

Priskorn, L., Lindahl-Jacobsen, R., Jensen, T. K., et al. (2025). Semen quality and lifespan: A study of 78 284 men followed for up to 50 years. Human Reproduction, 40(4), 730–738.
https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/deaf023

Cedars, M. I., Taymans, S. E., DePaolo, L. V., Warner, L., Moss, S. B., & Eisenberg, M. L. (2017). The sixth vital sign: What reproduction tells us about overall health. Human Reproduction Open, 2017(2), hox008.
https://doi.org/10.1093/hropen/hox008

Llavanera, M., Delgado-Bermúdez, A., Ribas-Maynou, J., Salas-Huetos, A., & Yeste, M. (2022). A systematic review identifying fertility biomarkers in semen: A clinical approach through omics to diagnose male infertility. Fertility and Sterility, 118(2), 291–313.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2022.04.028

Peluso, G., Serrao, M., Urlandini, L., Rago, V., Aquila, S., & Vivacqua, A. (2025). New evidence in male infertility diagnosis: The role of metabolomics. Cells, 14(23), 1886.
https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14231886

Zhao, C. C., Scott, M., & Eisenberg, M. L. (2024). Male fertility as a proxy for health. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 13(18), 5559.
https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13185559

Martins, A. D., Majzoub, A., & Agarwal, A. (2019). Metabolic syndrome and male fertility. World Journal of Men’s Health, 37(2), 113–127.
https://doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.180055

Del Giudice, F., Kasman, A. M., Ferro, M., et al. (2020). Clinical correlation among male infertility and overall male health: A systematic review of the literature. Investigative and Clinical Urology, 61(4), 355–371.
https://doi.org/10.4111/icu.2020.61.4.355

• When a very low AMH genuinely changes the plan

• How POI and “significant diminished reserve” show up in real life

• Why endometriosis (and its surgeries) can pull AMH down faster

• What to actually do if your AMH is very low for your age

In the first AMH issue, I asked you to retire the idea of AMH as an egg‑timer.
No straight low‑to‑high relationship with who does and doesn’t get pregnant, unless it’s very low or very high.

Here we look at AMH in the “very low for age” band, where the number actually can materially influence the plan, because it’s part of a bigger pattern that points to premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) or significant damage to the ovaries.

We’re talking roughly under 5–8 pmol/L in Australia and the UK, or about 0.7–1.1 ng/mL in the US.

Not a slightly‑low 8 pmol/L at the age of 36 with clockwork cycles.

The “this is unusually low for 30–32, and the rest of your labs and history agree” kind of low.

When AMH is sitting in that very‑low‑for‑age band and the rest of the picture is also leaning hard in the same direction, it deserves proper attention.

Patterns that make me pay attention:

• Very low AMH for age plus rising FSH (often >10–15 IU/L) and irregular or absent periods.

• Very low AMH plus a strong family history of early menopause (before 40).

• Very low AMH after chemo, pelvic radiation, or major ovarian surgery.

• Very low AMH in the context of significant endometriosis, especially endometriomas (ovarian “chocolate cysts” filled with old blood and endometrial‑type tissue).

In those scenarios, AMH is less about vague “fertility potential” and more about flagging that the ovarian reserve is significantly reduced or under direct strain.

Here’s a couple of scenarios to give you the picture.

Scenario 1: Early‑30s, Irregular Cycles & a Very Low AMH

She’s 32.
Her cycles have gone from “a bit variable” to “every second or third month if I’m lucky.”

Her AMH comes back at 3 pmol/L (Aust/UK) - about 0.4 ng/mL (US).
Her FSH is up in the mid‑teens, twice, a few weeks apart.
Her mum hit menopause at 39; one aunt had “early change” in her mid‑30s.

This is classic “we need to think about premature ovarian insufficiency” territory.
POI is diagnosed based on symptoms, cycle pattern and repeatedly high FSH, but AMH tends to sit very low or undetectable in this picture and helps document what’s really happening.

In this case you want to:

• Have a proper POI work‑up: this usually means a karyotype (a chromosome study to look for missing or rearranged pieces on the X that can drive early ovarian insufficiency), autoimmune screening, coeliac and thyroid testing, and fragile X premutation testing (looking for a change in the FMR1 gene that can be linked to early ovarian insufficiency) where indicated.

• Have a grounded conversation about time: not “no chance,” because spontaneous ovulations and pregnancies still happen in POI, but “your window is likely shorter than average.”

• Consider your options: trying for pregnancy now rather than “in a few years”, egg or embryo freezing if there is still enough activity to attempt it, and, when needed, early, kind donor‑egg conversations.

In this scenario you want to respect the cluster of signals and not waste time.

Scenario 2: Endometriosis, Surgery & a Diminishing Reserve

She’s 34 with known stage III–IV endometriosis.
She has a 4 cm endometrioma on one ovary, a history of a previous cystectomy in her 20s, and pain that has crept back in.

Her AMH is 5 pmol/L.
Her cycles are still mostly monthly, but lighter.

Women with endometriomas and moderate–severe endometriosis have lower AMH and a faster decline over time than age‑matched controls, even before anyone touches the ovary.

Surgery, especially repeat or bilateral cystectomy, can reduce AMH further and accelerate the drop in ovarian reserve, particularly when baseline AMH is already low.

So here, AMH is not a generic “you’re getting old.”
It is part of documenting ovarian damage and risk to future reserve.

In this case you want to:

• Have a deliberate conversation with the gynaecologist and fertility specialist about timing: do we complete family‑building before more surgery, or at least bank eggs/embryos first.

• Have a surgical strategy that is as conservative as safely possible for the ovary: careful technique, thinking hard before repeat or bilateral cystectomy, and acknowledging that “cleaning everything up” has a cost.

• Focus on working on the inflammatory, immune and metabolic drivers of endometriosis, so surgery is not the only lever you pull.

Again, the number is not the whole story. It is one of the few objective measures we have of how much functional ovary is left in an ovary that has already taken hits.

What To Do With a Truly Low Result

This is where to use the number to focus your mind on decisions.

• Shorten the decision horizon. If you want a baby, we talk about trying sooner rather than “someday,” because biology is already moving.

• Get the right people in the room: a fertility specialist who understands POI or endometriosis, not just generic “unexplained infertility.”

• Consider banking what’s bankable (eggs or embryos) if there is still enough ovarian activity to make that worthwhile.

• Do the basics which are nonetheless powerful, that support whatever ovarian function remains: blood sugar, thyroid, micronutrients, inflammation, sleep, medications and supplements that actually fit your picture.

And do keep one more fact on the table: even in POI, ovaries can and do have spontaneous, unpredictable bursts of activity.
Pregnancies happen.

You deserve information that is sharp and honest enough to change your plan when it needs changing, without erasing the part of the story that is still open.

Warmly, Sonja

New Here? Head to the About & Welcome pages for why I started Baby Ready Health and a bit about me.

Issues are free for now. If you’re someone who likes to build things early, you can become a founding member. Or simply subscribe and follow along.

This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before making decisions about your health.

References:

Huang Y, Kuang X, Jiangzhou H, Li M, Yang D, Lai D. Using anti-Mullerian hormone to predict premature ovarian insufficiency: a retrospective cross-sectional study. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024;15:1454802. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2024.1454802

Hunter JE, Epstein MP, Tinker SW, Charen KH, Sherman SL. Fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency: evidence for additional genetic contributions to severity. Genet Epidemiol. 2008;32(6):553-559. https://doi.org/10.1002/gepi.20329

Hwu YM, Wu FS, Li SH, Sun FJ, Lin MH, Lee RK. The impact of endometrioma and laparoscopic cystectomy on serum anti-Mullerian hormone levels. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2011;9:80. https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7827-9-80

Magraith K, Wong J. Premature ovarian insufficiency and infertility. Aust J Gen Pract. 2023;52(1-2):26-31. https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2023/january-february/premature-ovarian-insufficiency-and-infertility

• An AMH result that looked “super‑fertile” on paper

• Why high AMH in a PCOS‑type picture is often a risk flag, not a bonus

• How that result changed three things: the PCOS pattern , the egg‑freezing risk chat, and what we worked on first

She’s in her mid‑30s.
Carrying extra weight. Irregular cycles that have never really settled. Adult acne that overstayed its welcome.

She arrives with a set of basic GP labs.

On the report, everything is “within normal limits.”
On the actual numbers, her glucose and HbA1c are in pre‑diabetic territory and have been trending that way for years. Not yet bad enough to trigger a diabetes diagnosis. Clear enough, for me, that blood sugar and insulin are part of this story.

She isn’t trying to get pregnant. However, she is contemplating egg freezing.

So before we even talk about clinics, I ran a panel that included reproductive hormones (including AMH) and their upstream influences: thyroid, insulin and glucose, lipids, and the nutrients I care about when someone is about to ask their ovaries for extra work. Plus a CGM, so we can see what her glucose is actually doing in real time.

The story that comes back is exactly what her body has been hinting at for years: insulin resistance, acne, irregular cycles. A PCOS‑type picture that had never been joined up on paper.

This is where AMH can help.

For her age, it’s clearly high: she’s in her mid‑30s with an AMH of 28 pmol/L (about 4 ng/mL), which sits in the “very high for age” band.

High AMH: More Dancers, No Prima Ballerina

AMH is made by small, growing follicles.
More of those, more AMH. Fewer, less.

In a straightforward cycle, a small group of follicles starts to grow and one gradually pulls ahead. That one matures, ovulates, and gets to be the prima ballerina for the month.

In a PCOS‑type ovary with very high AMH, that selection process stalls. Too many follicles hover in the “almost” stage without any of them becoming the prima ballerina for the month.

Later, she has an ultrasound. The report comes back with the classic polycystic‑looking ovaries and a PCOS diagnosis from her doctor.

So when I see a very high AMH in a woman with irregular cycles, acne, insulin resistance and now a polycystic‑looking ovary on scan, I don’t see “super fertility.” I see:

• A lot of follicles stuck in early development

• A higher chance of no ovulation, or ovulation turning up occasionally

• A flag about how egg‑freezing (and IVF) medications are used

What That AMH Actually Changed

In this consult, the AMH did three useful things.

1. It strengthened the PCOS picture

A clearly high‑for‑age AMH sitting on top of dysglycaemia, acne, weight and cycle history told us these ovaries are crowded and reactive. It nudged us from “vibe of PCOS” to “we should treat this as PCOS‑type”.

2. It reshaped the egg‑freezing conversation

A high AMH like hers means that if a clinic stimulates her ovaries for egg freezing or IVF, they’re likely to respond strongly. That can mean more follicles and more eggs per cycle than someone her age with a very low AMH.

In a PCOS‑type ovary, that’s exactly where ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) shows up: very enlarged, painful ovaries, fluid in the belly, feeling bloated and unwell, and in bad cases, hospital. So this AMH result isn’t a “you’ll smash egg freezing” green light. It’s a clear flag that egg‑freezing medications need to be chosen and dosed carefully, with “enough response” as the target, not “as many eggs as possible.”

3. It set the limits of what AMH can tell her

Her number cannot tell her whether she’ll conceive naturally in two years’ time.
It cannot give a verdict on egg quality.
It certainly doesn’t operate as a fertility bank account that lets her ignore what her glucose, insulin and weight are doing.

What We Actually Did

The obvious next step wasn’t to rush her into a freezing cycle.
It was to work on the terrain those follicles are growing in.

We talked through the link between insulin resistance, ovarian function and this “crowded studio” ovary. We looked at what was realistic for her life in terms of food, movement, rhythm, workload and targeted supplements.

Then I put her on my PCOS protocol.

That’s my structured way of working on metabolic health, ovulation, inflammation and environment, then tailoring it to the person in front of me: her labs, her history, her job, her capacity.

In her case, the next step wasn’t to rush into a freezing cycle. It was to get the PCOS picture under better control - especially the blood sugar story - while she kept thinking and planning ahead about whether egg freezing was something she actually wanted to do, and if so, when.

Pop a Post‑It Note on Your Labs

• “High” has an age.
  A number that looks great on a chart still has to be read against your age, your cycles and your other labs.

• High AMH in a PCOS‑type picture ≠ super‑fertile.
  Think “crowded studio, no clear ovulation” and “handle stimulation drugs with care.”

• AMH is one piece of the puzzle.
  Use it to ask better questions about timing, clinic choice and metabolic health. Don’t let it be the only thing driving your decisions.

Warmly, Sonja

New Here? Head to the About & Welcome pages for why I started Baby Ready Health and a bit about me.

Issues are free for now. If you’re someone who likes to build things early, you can become a founding member. Or simply subscribe and follow along.

This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before making decisions about your health.

References:

Dewailly D, Barbotin AL, Dumont A, Catteau-Jonard S, Robin G. (2020). Role of Anti-Müllerian Hormone in the Pathogenesis of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 11, 641. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2020.00641

Sun B, Ma Y, Li L, et al. (2021). Factors Associated with Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) Severity in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Undergoing IVF/ICSI. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 11, 615957. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2020.615957

Vale-Fernandes E, Pignatelli D, Monteiro MP. (2025). Should anti-Müllerian hormone be a diagnosis criterion for polycystic ovary syndrome? An in-depth review of pros and cons. European Journal of Endocrinology, 192(4), R29–R43. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejendo/lvaf062

• Why AMH cannot tell you how many eggs you have left or how much time you have

• Where AMH is clinically useful and where it provides very little value

• What actually determines whether an egg makes it to ovulation

• The core physiological markers that shape egg quality and pregnancy outcomes

• A simple framework for when testing is worth doing and when it adds very little

A 25‑year‑old sat down in my clinic recently and announced, matter‑of‑fact, “I only have 11 eggs left.” As if someone with a magical microscope had zoomed in and done a stocktake.

We don’t have a test that can do that. A number, whether it comes from an AMH blood test or an ultrasound follicle count (ie. how many follicles have been recruited that month), can’t tell us exactly how many eggs you have left, or how many months you’ve got before you “run out of time.”

This issue is my attempt to pull that apart: why your fertility is not a numbers game, why AMH is the noisiest, least helpful number being sold to women as an “egg‑timer test”, and where the real, powerful levers on your future baby actually live.

The Rise of the Egg‑Timer Test

We haven’t just started having children later; that shift has been underway for decades. What’s changed recently is that women are finally being told, loudly and repeatedly, that fertility declines with age.

At the very same time, a whole industry has grown up around “doing something about it.”

The reality: more people in their 30s are still studying, building careers, saving for a home deposit, and looking for the right partner. The years when biology is more relaxed about conception are now the same years a lot of people are still just trying to get their lives off the ground.

The market response: whether you’re actively trying or just thinking about babies one day, your feed now offers you:

• “Fertility tests” with AMH as a paid add‑on to “check your egg reserve”

• Egg‑freezing payment plans

• “Know your number, own your timeline” campaigns

• At‑home kits and lab bundles marketed as “check your fertility”

Some of this is genuinely good news. Onco‑fertility exists now: people about to have chemo can freeze eggs or embryos. We pick up premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) earlier than we used to.

If you’re already heading for IVF or planning egg freezing, AMH can be genuinely useful as a way to gauge how your ovaries are likely to respond to the drugs.

The problem is that the same test has been pushed out to a much bigger group of women: the late‑night‑Googling, “I’m 34, am I running out of eggs?” crowd, as if it were the obvious solution.

Depending on the number you’re handed, that can mean years of background anxiety about being “low”. Or it can give you a false sense of security, that a “good” AMH implies abundant fertility so that you don’t to need to think about for ages.

Woven through all of this is a very particular story: that a single number can tell you how fertile you are and how fast you should move.

Front and centre in that story is AMH.

Rebadged as the “egg‑timer test”, it’s sold as if it can count your remaining eggs and ping you when the sand is about to run out.

What AMH actually is

Your ovaries are full of tiny resting follicles - a troupe of young ballet dancers. Each month a small group is invited to start training, and one will usually be picked as the prima ballerina.

Those in‑training follicles make AMH, so more in play means higher AMH; fewer means lower AMH. AMH is like crowd control for these small follicles: it paces which ones step on stage. What it does not do is act as a timer that rings an alarm to warn you you’re running out of eggs.

What the evidence says about AMH and fertility

There’s no neat, straight‑line relationship between your AMH result and your personal chance of conceiving naturally. Lower AMH does not mean a proportionately lower chance of conceiving – unless it is very low, or very high in a PCOS‑type picture, and even then, that’s a minority of cases.

“Very low / very high” bands that are generally considered significant:

• “Very low”: under about 5–8 pmol/L (Australia/UK) or roughly 0.7–1.1 ng/mL (USA)

• “Very high” in a PCOS‑type pattern: over about 25–30 pmol/L (Australia/UK) or roughly 3–4 ng/mL (USA)

In between those bands, there’s no clear linear relationship between AMH and who will and won’t get pregnant naturally.

This is the part the marketing rarely explains.

IVF and egg freezing – when AMH is useful

If you’re doing IVF or egg freezing, AMH is genuinely useful because it helps estimate how strongly your ovaries are likely to respond to stimulation. Higher AMH usually means we can expect more follicles to respond to the drugs; lower AMH usually means fewer.

That helps with dosing (how much medication to start with, how cautious we need to be about OHSS – ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome) and with expectations (roughly how many eggs we’re aiming for, and whether one cycle is likely to be enough or if you may need more than one).

When AMH does matter: the extremes

Very low AMH: when it’s a red flag

When AMH is very low for your age and there are other signals: irregular or absent periods, rising FSH, strong family history of early menopause, or past chemo/major ovarian surgery, it becomes a clue.

In that context, very low AMH can help diagnose premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) or significant diminished ovarian reserve after surgery or treatment.

It still doesn’t mean “no chance”: people with POI can and do have spontaneous ovulations and pregnancies. It does mean your window is likely shorter, and you deserve a proper work‑up and plan, not a pat on the head.

Very high AMH: PCOS and over‑response

At the other end, very high AMH usually means lots of small follicles, often in a polycystic ovary pattern. High AMH in that context does not mean “super fertility.” It usually means more stalled or irregular cycles, a higher risk of over‑responding to fertility drugs, and more risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) if IVF isn’t carefully managed.

Here, AMH becomes a safety tool: it helps your clinician guide protocols and avoid flooding an already sensitive ovary.

So at the extremes, AMH is useful; everywhere in the middle, it’s context only, not a crystal ball.

What really matters: are you ovulating?

Another client recently suggested a repeat AMH to “see how things were tracking” after a result in the lower (but not ‘very low’) zone. Her doctor quite rightly said, “It probably won’t change what we do; we’re interested in whether you’re ovulating.”

I agreed, and added that whether your ovaries are home to hundreds of thousands of eggs or somewhat fewer, each month still comes down to the same question: Did you ovulate?

For most women who are not at the very extremes of AMH, there are still plenty of eggs waiting in the background; you don’t need all of them, you just need one to make it to ovulation.

Real empowerment: your labs, not your egg timer

AMH and egg freezing are sold as empowerment: “Know your number.” “Take control.” “Buy yourself time.” But real empowerment does not come from knowing a single number.

When I review labs for someone who wants to support her fertility, whether she is planning to conceive now or in a few years, I do not fixate on her AMH to the first decimal place. I focus on the more fundamental markers that reflect underlying physiology, including:

• Glucose, insulin and lipids – how well her body handles energy.

• Thyroid function – because thyroid hormones set the pace for ovulation, implantation and early pregnancy.

• Iron, B12 and folate – can she actually oxygenate and build tissue.

• Liver function and inflammatory markers – how well she clears hormones and handles chronic low‑grade inflammation.

• Properly timed sex hormones across a cycle – not just “Day 3 plus a random luteal progesterone,” but the actual pattern of how her body is doing ovulation.

On top of that, I care deeply about things you can’t see in a single blood draw: nervous system regulation, sleep, nutrition, movement, endocrine disruptor exposure, genetics, microbiome, and how she makes and uses energy.

This paints a much richer picture of reproductive health. And if you decide that you’d like to try for a baby soon, or pursue egg freezing or IVF, it’s this more comprehensive set of labs plus your health history that will tell us where to focus on improving egg quality.

On my panel, AMH is often the background context number in the room. If it’s very high or very low, I pay attention. Otherwise, I mostly ignore it.

When AMH Deserves a Seat at The Table

• If your cycles are regular, you feel generally well, and you’re not trying yet (or only just starting), you probably don’t need an AMH test. It won’t change the advice: watch your cycles, mind your timing, look after the basics.

• If you’ve had chemo, pelvic radiation, major ovarian surgery, or there’s a strong family history of very early menopause, AMH can be useful, but only as part of a bigger conversation that includes FSH, estradiol, and what your periods are actually doing.

• If you’re about to spend serious money and energy on egg freezing or IVF, then yes: get an AMH.

• In that context it earns its keep as one piece of the planning puzzle for dosing, response, and safety, not as your personal fertility score.

For the fridge, the mirror, or your better judgement

• AMH reflects follicle activity, not a countdown to infertility

• Extremes of AMH carry clinical meaning; the middle range rarely changes management

• Ovulation remains the central monthly event that influences conception

• Metabolic, hormonal and inflammatory markers shape fertility and egg quality far more than a single hormone value

• Testing should be guided by context, not anxiety

Warmly, Sonja

New Here? Head to the About & Welcome pages for why I started Baby Ready Health and a bit about me.

Issues are free for now. If you’re someone who likes to build things early, you can become a founding member. Or simply subscribe and follow along.

This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before making decisions about your health.

References:

Steiner, A. Z., Herring, A. H., Kesner, J. S., Meadows, J. W., Stanczyk, F. Z., Hoberman, S., & Baird, D. D. (2011). Antimüllerian hormone as a predictor of natural fecundability in women aged 30-42 years. Obstetrics and gynecology, 117(4), 798–804. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0b013e3182116bc8

Copp T, Thompson R, Doust J, et al. Community awareness and use of anti-Müllerian hormone testing in Australia: a population survey of women. Hum Reprod. 2023;38(8):1571-1577. doi:10.1093/humrep/dead111

Lin C, Jing M, Zhu W, et al. The Value of Anti-Müllerian Hormone in the Prediction of Spontaneous Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021;12:695157. Published 2021 Oct 13. doi:10.3389/fendo.2021.695157

Steiner, A. Z., Herring, A. H., Kesner, J. S., Meadows, J. W., Stanczyk, F. Z., Hoberman, S., & Baird, D. D. (2011). Antimüllerian hormone as a predictor of natural fecundability in women aged 30-42 years. Obstetrics and gynecology, 117(4), 798–804. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0b013e3182116bc8

• How sperm quality shapes your genetic legacy

• How the next three months shape your genetic cargo

• How today’s habits change how your genes actually perform and your future child’s health

When I got pregnant with our first, my husband started holding my hand every time we crossed the road.

“Why?” I asked.
“I’m protecting my genetic legacy,” he said.

You’ve gotta laugh, but he wasn’t wrong.

Men can go from vaguely aware of “the swimmers” to fiercely protective of their genetic future in about three heartbeats. Pride kicks in when there’s a future self in play.

I mean, since when have women named their daughters after themselves? This nod to immortality was brought home to me reading The Names by Florence Knapp, where a mother registers her baby’s name under the husband’s assumption that of course he will be named after him, just as he was. She hesitates, wondering if she’s just copying a name or copying a man.

That’s legacy in a nutshell: the sense that what you pass on isn’t just a child, but a version of you. The trick is earning that pride earlier, when there are millions of potential “yous” in a teaspoon of semen. It may not feel as real as a few cells on an ultrasound screen, but this is when your legacy is still being created. What shape those potential versions of you take depends on what’s going on inside your own body.

The Comfort Blanket of Male Fertility

You’ve heard the line: “Don’t worry mate, you make new sperm every day.”

True, but misleading. Yes, production never stops. Yes, the numbers are huge. That doesn’t mean they’re all in racing shape. Sperm counts have dropped drastically in recent decades, and quality has slid with them. Less Olympic relay team, more Sunday social squad.

There are still some good performers in there, but “survival of the fittest” doesn’t help if you’ve lowered the bar for what “fit” means.

Beyond the Factory Floor: Sperm As Envoys Of Your Genes

Sperm aren’t just tiny swimmers racing for a medal. They’re couriers, each one a delivery vehicle for your half of the blueprint that builds a human.

To go the distance they strip down to bare essentials:

• a head packed with DNA

• a mid‑piece loaded with mitochondria for fuel

• a tail built for propulsion

That minimalism makes them fast but fragile. Oxidative stress (think wrecking balls from smoking, pollution, pesticides), poor metabolic health, even persistent inflammation can batter the DNA cargo, fragment it, or sabotage the battery pack driving the tail.

Your Life Talks To Your Sperm, Constantly

Your DNA code is fixed. But how that code is packaged and protected inside each sperm depends on the 70–90 day window before ejaculation, the full development cycle from raw precursor cell to finished swimmer.

During that time, your genes are responding to the daily signals from:

• what you eat, drink and inhale

• how you sleep, move and recover

• exposure to heat, phones, laptops, smoke, chemicals or chronic stress

• your gut and immune systems

• and more…

This signalling impacts how intact that DNA remains. Whether your DNA arrives like a well‑bound book or a pile of loose pages depends entirely on the conditions you’ve set. That “loose pages” scenario has a name: DNA fragmentation.

DNA fragmentation is what happens when the DNA inside sperm has been broken into pieces. The genetic story is technically still there, but it’s harder for an embryo to read cleanly.

That kind of damage shows up as trouble conceiving, early miscarriages, or embryos that start but don’t develop properly, even when a conventional semen analysis looks “normal” (unless a DNA fragmentation test has been added to the sample).

In IVF and ICSI, higher sperm DNA fragmentation is linked with lower implantation and live‑birth rates.

What “Genetic Legacy” Really Means

Even if your DNA arrives intact, that doesn’t guarantee your genetic legacy is optimal. This also depends on how well those genes can actually function and stay protected at the moment your sperm meets egg.

So, two men could deliver intact (and let’s assume identical) DNA on a lab report, but the way that DNA is actually expressed can be very different. One might be passing on physiology that runs steadier blood sugar, more resilient stress responses, more balanced immunity and better detox capacity, while the other carries patterns of expression that create vulnerabilities on all these fronts.

What are the implications for your future child?

Mounting research and clinical evidence suggest that these differences in how your genes are expressed before conception can shape a child’s long‑term metabolic balance, stress resilience, immune patterns and even aspects of brain development.

The signals you send your genes through food, sleep, stress and environment, in the years before conception, and certainly in the 90-day spermatogenesis runway, are establishing a pattern of gene expression that will be passed on.

Fixed Genes, Personal Weak Spots: Your SNPs

Your genes are fixed, but they are not all equally sturdy. We all carry variants, SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms), that are more sensitive to the evolutionarily incoherent signals of modern life.

Everyone carries a unique set of variants in genes that influence biological pathways related to inflammation, ability to handle oxidative stress, detoxification, insulin handling, hormone metabolism, DNA repair, etc.

We’re not talking dramatic disease‑causing mutations, just subtle but material differences in how these pathways run, and in how hard the modern environment can derail them.

In a world of ultra‑processed food, poor sleep, sedentary lifestyle, constant stress and environmental exposures, those more vulnerable pathways can have outsized impacts.

If you know which genes are your personal weak spots, you can prioritise the labs you need to track, your eating patterns, including targeted nutrients, lifestyle habits and specific detox strategies that protect them.

Virility, Reclaimed

True virility goes beyond “getting your partner pregnant”. The man who prepares his biology before conception is strategic. He’s building the conditions for resilience and lifelong health potential in the child he’ll one day call “my kid”.

From this standpoint, you could say that true virility is legacy stewardship.

Your Three‑Month Legacy Window

If conception is on your horizon, soon or someday, you’re already in the prequel. Every batch of sperm you make today will audition about three months from now.

Here are the very basics to focus on:

• Metabolic strength: build lean muscle, eat enough protein and whole foods, steady your blood sugar, ease up on processed food and alcohol.

• Low oxidative stress: quit smoking, vaping, cannabis (and all drugs obviously), moderate alcohol, move heat and electronics away from your lap, clear up obvious home or workplace chemical exposures.

• Rhythm and recovery: protect sleep, manage stress, and actually switch off so you’re not running on adrenaline 24/7.

Asceticism and punishing self‑denial are not the strategy here. The strategy is intelligent care that creates a body that turns out an Olympic‑ready swim squad, not sperm that limp across the finish line.

For the Inside of Your Gym Locker:

• 90 days: this is the (minimum) window where today’s choices shape developing sperm and the genetic cargo they carry.

• Same DNA, different expression. Your habits decide.

• SNPs flag vulnerable spots in insulin, detox, stress, inflammation, hormones, etc.

• Food, sleep, training, stress and environment are your main levers.

Precision support

If you’re curious about your DNA, the Baby Ready DNA Blueprint turns your genetics into a practical preconception plan. Learn more here: Work with me.

Warmly, Sonja

New Here? Head to the About & Welcome pages for why I started Baby Ready Health and a bit about me.

Issues are free for now. If you’re someone who likes to build things early, you can become a founding member. Or simply subscribe and follow along.

This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before making decisions about your health.

REFERENCES:

Bale, T. L. (2015). Epigenetic and transgenerational reprogramming of brain development. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 16(6), 332–344.
https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3818

Donkin, I., & Barres, R. (2018). Sperm epigenetics and influence of environmental factors. Molecular Metabolism, 14, 1–11.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmet.2018.02.006

Jenkins, T. G., & Carrell, D. T. (2012). The sperm epigenome and potential implications for the developing embryo. Reproduction, 143(6), 727–734.
https://doi.org/10.1530/REP-11-0450

Ni, W., Yang, X., Wang, Y., et al. (2025). Impact of sperm DNA fragmentation index on assisted reproductive outcomes: A retrospective analysis. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 16, 1530972.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2024.1530972

Zhao, J., Zhang, Q., Wang, Y., & Li, Y. (2014). Whether sperm deoxyribonucleic acid fragmentation has an effect on pregnancy and miscarriage after IVF/ICSI: A systematic review and meta‑analysis. Fertility and Sterility, 102(4), 998–1005.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2014.06.033

In This Issue

• We go inside the egg: what it’s doing while you’re busy living your life, how food, the environment and stress talk to your genes, and

• What ‘genetic legacy’ actually means for a future baby.

• Spoiler: it’s about much more than ‘how many eggs you’ve got left’.

The Story You’ve Been Told About Your Eggs

In clinic a common enough question I get asked is ‘How many eggs have I got?’ Or, more to the point, ‘How many have I got left?’

We’re told we’re born with all our eggs, a fixed number locked away in the ovaries, like a vault full of assets that can only ever go down.

Every year means fewer eggs, more “wastage,” and a shrinking window.

It’s a powerful image: a vault, a fixed balance, and a rapid countdown.

The lab marker we use, AMH, is an indicator of ovarian reserve – the go‑to ‘how many eggs have I got?’ number (which is not actually an “egg count”).

But ‘how many’ is almost beside the point. Indeed, unless AMH is very low or very high, its predictive power for your actual fertility is surprisingly limited (I’ll have much more to say about that in a future post).

The focus on number leaves out the most important part of the story – not just how many eggs you have, but what kind of genetic legacy each egg is preparing to carry.

Beyond The Vault: The Egg as a Guardian of Your Genes

Your eggs are not inert objects sitting untouched and fully protected in a vault.

Each one is a living cell whose job is to protect and carry your genes into the next generation.

Even when it’s still resting in the ovary, an egg is busy maintaining its structure, drawing in nutrients from the surrounding fluid, managing oxidative stress (think wrecking balls from toxins and metabolic by‑products) and repairing everyday DNA wear‑and‑tear as best it can with the resources available. You can think of it as a tiny lab, constantly patching and protecting its precious cargo.

When it’s recruited into a follicle, it enters a roughly 90‑day period of intense preparation: building and revving up mitochondria (the energy engines that will power fertilisation and early embryo growth), lining up and dividing chromosomes (the gift- wrapped packages of DNA) so they can be shared cleanly, without errors, and switching genes on and off as part of the process of becoming half of another human being.

Whether an egg is nested in the ovary or moving through its final maturation, it’s working hard to safeguard your genetic material. And so the deeper question becomes not ‘How many?’ but How will you support it in that work?

Your Life as a Conversation With Your Genes

Your genes are written in a fixed code, but they are not acting in a fixed way.

During those years in the “vault”, and especially during the 90‑day runway before ovulation (or egg retrieval), your biology is in constant conversation with that code.

Day after day, your eggs are listening and responding to signals from:

• What you eat and drink

• The air and toxins you’re exposed to

• How well you sleep and move

• How you experience and recover from stress

These inputs don’t rewrite your DNA sequence, but they do shape how well genes can perform their tasks inside the egg: how cleanly it generates energy, how effectively it repairs damage, and how stable it remains under pressure.

That is gene expression in action: the same script, different performances depending on the cues the egg receives.

What “Genetic Legacy” Really Means

Genetic legacy isn’t only which genes you pass on.

It’s the condition those genes are in – and how they are functioning – at the moment you pass them on.

For your child, that influences their starting point for:

• Metabolic health, including future risk of insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease or weight challenges

• Stress resilience, nervous system reactivity and neurodevelopment

• Immune balance and tendencies toward allergy or autoimmunity

• Detoxification capacity and tolerance of modern exposures

• And more.

In other words, it shapes their health potential and their buffer against the world they’re born into.

A “good egg”, therefore, is not merely an egg that can be fertilised. It is an egg in good genetic shape – where your genes are being expressed as well as possible at that moment, offering your child a deeper reserve of resilience from day one.

Fixed Genes, Individual Vulnerabilities

So, your genes are fixed – along a double helix of ‘code’ made up of the letters A, C, G and T – and how they function depends on constant interaction with your internal and external environment.​

Individual arrangements of those letters come with built‑in strengths and weak spots, called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or variants: not dramatic mutations, just small changes in how efficiently certain biological pathways work.

We’re not talking about eye colour here, but about genetically governed pathways that run the basics of life: insulin and blood sugar control, detoxification and toxin clearance, stress chemistry and mood, hormones, immune balance and inflammation handling and how well you use certain nutrients.

SNPs highlight where your biology may come under pressure if your internal and external environment is less than ideal (pretty much a given in the modern world). Some examples:

• Some people carry more vulnerabilities in insulin and lipid metabolism pathways.

• Others are more sensitive in detox pathways, accumulating toxins more easily.

• Others have greater fragility in mood & stress‑neurochemistry.

• Some require more of certain nutrients to keep these pathways working smoothly.

• And so on.

SNPs/variants show us which pathways may need more focused support for your eggs – and your future child – so that they may experience the best possible expression of their inherited genetic potential.

Choosing How You Support Your Legacy

Once you know your genes, you no longer have to follow generic preconception advice or hope you’re doing “enough”.

You can prioritise support based on your own blueprint.

Someone with insulin‑pathway vulnerabilities will have different food and lifestyle priorities from someone whose main challenges sit in detoxification or stress‑neurochemistry.

The shared goal is the same – a healthy pregnancy and baby – but the route you take is personalised to the genes running your biology and the reality of your health history and labs.

You cannot choose the exact DNA letters you pass on, but you can choose how well supported that DNA is inside the eggs that are about to become your future child’s starting point.

That is your genetic legacy in an egg: a living cell, already working to protect your genes, deeply shaped by your daily environment, and especially responsive when you support the pathways your SNPs make most vulnerable.

Pin This Next to Your Prenatal

• Your eggs are not marbles in a vault; they’re living cells already working to protect your genes.

• The 90‑day runway before ovulation is prime time: food, sleep, stress and toxins are all in deep conversation with those genes.

• Gene expression is the lever you actually control – same DNA script, better (or worse) performance depending on the signals you send.

• SNPs are not alarm bells, but they do flag which pathways need more hand‑holding: insulin, detox, stress chemistry, inflammation, and, for some people, extra focus on specific nutrients.

• Your daily choices don’t just help you conceive; they influence your future child’s start in life and health potential.

Next week: One for the boys & their genes.

Warmly, Sonja

If this sparked something for you, tap 🧡 and hit Restack to pass it on.
Thanks for helping thoughtful fertility conversations travel further. 🤍

Share

Work with me

I offer the Baby Ready DNA Blueprint – a genomics‑based package that turns your DNA into a clear, science‑backed plan for fertility, pregnancy and your future baby’s health. Learn more here: Work with me

Curious to know more? Head to the About & Welcome pages for why I started Baby Ready Health and a bit about me.

Issues are free for now. If you’re someone who likes to build things early, you can become a founding member. Or simply subscribe and follow along.

This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before making decisions about your health.

References

1. May‐Panloup, P., Chao de la Barca, J. M., Desquiret‑Dumas, V., et al. (2016). Mitochondrial dysfunction and oocyte quality. Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 32(1), 9–21. https://mednexus.org/doi/full/10.4103/2096-2924.210693

2. Combelles, C. M. H., Gupta, S., & Agarwal, A. (2009). Oxidative stress and the oocyte. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 7, 108. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0890623825001820

3. Lord, T., & Aitken, R. J. (2013). Oxidative stress in the oocyte during mid‑prophase induces premature loss of cohesion and chromosome segregation errors. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 110(46), E4613–E4622. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1612047113

4. Zhang, Y., Li, W., Xu, J., et al. (2024). Mitochondrial DNA damage and its repair mechanisms in aging oocytes. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(24), 13572. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11642581/

5. Fleming, T. P., Watkins, A. J., Velazquez, M. A., et al. (2012). Parental diet, pregnancy outcomes and offspring health: Metabolic determinants in developing oocytes and embryos. Reproduction, 143(6), 603–617. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24305182/

6. Liu, Y., Loganath, A., Ng, S. C., et al. (2018). Epigenetic mechanisms link maternal diets and gut microbiome to obesity in offspring. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 9, 811. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6119695/

7. Lowe, W. L., Jr., Bain, J. R., Nodzenski, M., et al. (2020). Maternal metabolic traits and genetic variation associated with insulin resistance in pregnancy. Diabetes, 69(9), 1913–1926. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32556615/

8. Hayes, M. G., Urbanek, M., Hivert, M. F., et al. (2012). Inflammatory pathway genetic variation and maternal metabolic phenotypes during pregnancy. PLOS ONE, 7(3), e32958. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0032958

In This Issue

• How sunset light and glasses act as hormone helpers for sleep and fertility

• How evening light habits shape melatonin and cortisol rhythms

• Why cortisol at the wrong time disrupts ovulation, implantation, and sperm quality

• What mistimed cortisol and melatonin mean for egg protection and embryo development

• The household battle over downlights vs. table lamps (and why biology is on the side of lamps)

The Zombie Incident & Sunset Glasses

The other night my husband and I were lying on the sofas watching The Last of Us.

I don’t like horror, or gore, or the adrenaline spikes that come with them. But in the interest of staying culturally relevant I committed to watching it, armed with a strategy: close my eyes and block my ears during the horror scenes, and think about lemon trees in Tuscany. Or baked ricotta. Or literally anything else.

Husband: What’s the point then? Fair question.

When the first zombie was slain, I remarked, “Oh! So zombies have black blood.”
My husband looked at me, then burst out laughing: “No… it’s the usual red. It’s those ridiculous orange glasses you wear.”

I was practicing what I preach in my clinic: millennia of evolutionary biology have programmed us to use the frequencies of the sun’s evening rays, its oranges and reds, to turn up melatonin and ease us into a night of restful, restorative sleep.

A recent article, What Alpacas Know About Sunset, Circadian Rhythm & New Life, dives into the melatonin–fertility connection. Its importance is why I don’t stop at evening glasses with orange lenses.

Living as nature designed us to live is not without its challenges. Habits get hardwired, and they cleverly sabotage what the prefrontal cortex has deemed to be a sound scientific rationale for riding light waves.

Sunset Lighting

Before our evening lighting habits became hardwired, I would turn on as few lights as possible at sunset. My husband would turn them on. “I’m bumping into things!” I’d dial down the dimmers. If our daughters were coming for dinner, they’d dial them all back up. “We can’t see our food.” So out came the candles and now we have romantic family dinners. If we ate before sunset, as our circadian rhythms would prefer, we could avoid this entirely. The daylight-dining habit is still being entrained in our brains.

Downlights are the bane of circadian rhythm.

Ban the downlights.

We didn’t evolve to have a dozen blue-light-emitting midday suns blaring down on us as our biology is attempting to wind us down and get us ready for bed—or baby-making, for that matter.

Bring back table lamps, set low, equatorially mimicking the sun as it sinks toward the horizon. Fit them with orange or red-hued bulbs. Okay, red might give off slight brothel vibes, but it still sends the right message: the day is over.

Let your body know the sun has set.

May melatonin rise and babies be made.

The Cortisol Catch

Wearing ‘sunset’ glasses at night and changing your lighting is a great first step and relatively easy compared to altering other evening habits. I mean, there was me watching a cortisol-spiking horror series through orange-tinted lenses—assaulting my nervous system while trying to protect the melatonin. And recently I went down a research rabbit hole until my normal bedtime, couldn’t fall asleep till the early hours, and felt rubbish the next day.

Zombie shows / Laptop / Doom Scrolling ⇒ blue-light-drenched eyes + sympathetic arousal ⇒ adrenaline ⇒ cortisol ↑

A signal scramble ensues, leaving melatonin and cortisol wrestling for dominance. If, after dinner, we settled in with a book by evening light, melatonin would take the lead. But cortisol in modern life is a fierce contender, fuelled by urgent evening emails and binge-worthy shows.

Cortisol vs. Fertility Hormones

The ovaries and endometrium are exquisitely time-sensitive, taking cortisol’s dawn and melatonin’s dusk as cues. When cortisol is mistimed, it scrambles the choreography of estrogen, progesterone, and ovulation — and studies show this pattern is linked to irregular cycles, reduced fertility, lower IVF success and higher miscarriage rates.

Men are not immune either: disturbed cortisol rhythms have been linked to reduced testosterone and altered sperm parameters.

In both sexes, the message is the same: reproductive biology is wired to a circadian metronome, and cortisol at the wrong times throws it off beat.

The Night-Time Shield for Follicular Development

Melatonin protects developing eggs by acting as an antioxidant and supports follicular growth. Eggs like it so much there’s more melatonin in the follicle than almost anywhere else in the body.

When cortisol barges into the evening, melatonin’s climb is blunted, and reproductive tissues lose their nightly shield. Eggs are left exposed to oxidative stress (the cellular wear and tear caused when free radicals overwhelm antioxidant defences).

What looks like just another late-night email or streaming binge is, at the cellular level, a hormonal signal that the world is unsafe for conception.

Thou shalt not self-guilt

I heed my advice most of the time, and don’t guilt myself when I don’t—the same applies to you, because we no longer live in caves where hunting and gathering only happened during the day. Besides, you don’t want guilt-induced cortisol spikes.

But if you gradually and persistently start to make even small modifications, you’ll be surprised how much more intensely a late-night binge hits you—or how wound up you used to be.

Lights down, parasympathetic up: that is biology’s normal, even if not yet common practice.

Stick This On Your Amber-Hued Table Lamp

• Change your lighting one bulb at a time

• Start with lighting where you use it most in the evening

• Keep light low rather than overhead — mimic sunset, not midday

• Use amber or red tones to signal “day is over”

• Skip (when you can) zombie shows, doom scrolling, and late-night emails

• Try out some parasympathetic routines: books, convivial conversation, calming music, craft, puzzles, even games nights

• Protect your fertility hormones from cortisol’s wrong-time surge

• Eggs like to go to bed under their nightly melatonin shield

• Listen to Sunglasses at Night on Spotify on high rotation
  until your brain gets wired into evening-to-night light mode

Subscribe now

Warmly, Sonja

If this sparked something for you, tap 🧡 and hit Restack to pass it on.
Thanks for helping thoughtful fertility conversations travel further. 🤍

Share

Curious to know more? Head to the About & Welcome pages for why I started Baby Ready Health and a bit about me.

Issues are free for now. If you’re someone who likes to build things early, you can become a founding member. Or simply subscribe and follow along.

This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before making decisions about your health.

References

De Almeida Chuffa, L., Lupi, L., Cucielo, M., Silveira, H., Reiter, R., & Seiva, F. (2019). Melatonin Promotes Uterine and Placental Health: Potential Molecular Mechanisms. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21010300

Hao, E., Chen, H., Wang, D., Huang, C., Tong, Y., Chen, Y., Zhou, R., & Huang, R. (2020). Melatonin regulates the ovarian function and enhances follicle growth in aging laying hens via activating the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway. Poultry Science, 99, 2185–2195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2019.11.040

Kolbaşı, B., Bulbul, M., Karabulut, S., Altun, C., Çakıcı, Ç., Ulfer, G., Mudok, T., & Keskin, I. (2021). Chronic unpredictable stress disturbs the blood-testis barrier affecting sperm parameters in mice. Reproductive Biomedicine Online. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2020.12.007

Roberts, A., Mcclure, R., Weiner, R., & Brooks, G. (1993). Overtraining affects male reproductive status. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 46. https://doi.org/10.1016/0020-7292(94)90343-3

Tamura, H., Takasaki, A., Taketani, T., Tanabe, M., Kizuka, F., Lee, L., Tamura, I., Maekawa, R., Aasada, H., Yamagata, Y., & Sugino, N. (2012). The role of melatonin as an antioxidant in the follicle. Journal of Ovarian Research, 5, 5. https://doi.org/10.1186/1757-2215-5-5

In This Issue

• Heat as Medicine – how sauna sparks repair proteins, antioxidants and calm inflammation.

• The Inflammation Switch – why calming immune signals matters for implantation and balance.

• Detox With Timing – when sauna helps clear the decks, and when to hold back.

• How to Sauna Well – simple protocols for before conception.

• The Dose is the Medicine – why more heat isn’t always better.

• To Stick on Your Electrolytes Bottle – quick reminders to carry into your next sweat.

Saunas Are Having a Moment

Hot rooms have always been woven into human culture. In Finland and Sweden, they are less a trend than a rhythm, as ordinary as family meals. Today, saunas are showing up in gyms, wellness studios and even homes across the world. But as with every health practice, especially when fertility is in focus, the right question is not whether saunas are popular but whether they belong in your preconception plan.

The answer: sometimes yes, sometimes not now.

A Fertility Caveat: The 90-Day Runway

Both eggs and sperm go through a roughly three-month preparation phase before they are ready for conception. I call this the 90-day runway.

During this runway, eggs prepare for ovulation by finishing maturation and expanding their energy supply through mitochondrial growth, while sperm complete their development cycle. (For men, it’s a bit less than 90 days, but rounding up makes planning easier.)

What happens during this period directly shapes the quality of your DNA and the eggs and sperm you pass on.

For men: sperm are heat-sensitive. If conception, sperm freezing or IVF is on the calendar within 90 days, pause sauna use. After collection, or after a full spermatogenesis cycle, sauna can be re-introduced.

For women: sauna can be a supportive part of preconception care. The key is timing. Active detox strategies—such as sauna combined with binders or chelators—should be completed before the 90-day egg maturation cycle begins.

Once you enter that runway, sauna use shifts from detoxification to gentle restoration.

What Heat Does Inside the Body

Heat shock proteins

These are your cellular repair crew. They refold damaged proteins or recycle the ones that can’t be saved. Eggs and sperm are particularly sensitive to protein misfolding, so this support matters for quality.

NRF2 is your body’s internal switch for antioxidants

While food-based antioxidants play a role, NRF2 goes further by telling your cells to make their own powerful antioxidant defences.

These in-house antioxidants neutralise free radicals that can damage eggs, sperm and DNA, and they also help with natural detoxification.

On top of that, NRF2 calms inflammatory signals, creating a steadier environment for hormone balance, egg maturation and implantation.

Helps calm inflammation

A single session sparks a short immune signal that flips into a stronger anti-inflammatory response.

Over time, regular use lowers markers of inflammation and steadies immune balance. In the preconception window, this matters because a calmer immune system supports implantation, hormone balance and lowers risk when autoimmunity is in the mix.

Enhances Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)

Sauna also boosts BDNF, a protein that supports mood, memory and neuroplasticity. In preconception, this is not just about mental health, it’s about nervous system regulation, especially for women with HPA axis dysregulation or mood-related fertility challenges.

Redox Balance

Think of redox as your body’s tuning fork. On one side are oxidative molecules (free radicals) that damage membranes, DNA and mitochondria. On the other are antioxidant defences. Fertility is particularly redox-sensitive, and heat in moderation helps restore that balance.

Detox With Timing

Toxins such as BPA, phthalates, pollution, heavy metals and mycotoxins (from mould) can disrupt egg and sperm quality as well as hormone balance. Detoxification helps reduce that burden through the liver, kidneys, gut and skin. Sauna can support this process, but timing matters.

• Before the 90-day egg and sperm runway: sauna combined with binders or other detox tools can help “clear the decks.”

• During the runway: avoid active detox. Use sauna gently, for restoration and circulation rather than mobilisation.

How to Sauna Well

Phase A: Before The 3-Month Runway

• 2–4 sessions a week, 10–25 minutes

• Move first (walk, swim, light jog)

• Shower and rinse after, replete minerals

• Practitioner-guided toxin-specific binders if there is a confirmed burden

Phase B: The 3-Month Runway (Females)

• 1–3 light sessions per week, 10–15 minutes

• Aim for circulation, relaxation and recovery

• Avoid binders, chelators or “sweat it out” detox protocols

Men’s Lane

Within 90 days of conception or sperm collection, pause sauna use

The Dose Is the Medicine

Sauna is hormesis in action: a small, controlled stress that prompts resilience. Stay in until you sweat and begin to feel the edge of discomfort, then step out. More is not better. Light-headedness, nausea or poor recovery are cues to shorten time or reduce frequency.

Minerals, Hydration, Food

• Rehydrate with electrolytes during and after

• Prioritise sodium, potassium and magnesium

• Snack on protein with salt beforehand if you trend lightheaded

• Pair with a balanced meal afterwards if sessions are in the evening

Safety and Pregnancy

• First trimester: avoid

• Second and third: brief, moderate sessions may be tolerated, but only with practitioner oversight

• General cautions: cardiovascular disease, hypertension, syncope (fainting), or poor thermoregulation

Stick This on Your Electrolytes Bottle

• Heat sparks repair proteins that protect eggs and sperm

• NRF2 switches on antioxidants that shield DNA and aid detox

• Sauna calms inflammation, creating a steadier environment for implantation

• Outside the 90-day window: pair with detox tools if needed

• Inside the window: keep it light, restorative and binder-free

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Warmly, Sonja

If this sparked something for you, tap 🧡 and hit Restack to pass it on.
Thanks for helping thoughtful fertility conversations travel further. 🤍

Share

Curious to know more? Head to the About & Welcome pages for why I started Baby Ready Health and a bit about me.

Issues are free for now. If you're someone who likes to build things early, you can become a founding member. Or simply subscribe and follow along.

This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before making decisions about your health.

References

Brown-Woodman, P., Post, E., Gass, G., & White, I. (1984). The effect of a single sauna exposure on spermatozoa. Archives of Andrology, 12(1), 9–15. https://doi.org/10.3109/01485018409161141

Huhtaniemi, I., & Laukkanen, J. (2020). Endocrine effects of sauna bath. Current Opinion in Endocrine and Metabolic Research, 11, 15–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coemr.2019.12.004

Patrick, R., & Johnson, T. (2021). Sauna use as a lifestyle practice to extend healthspan. Experimental Gerontology, 154, 111509. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2021.111509

Singh, M., Shin, Y., Ju, S., Han, S., Choe, W., Yoon, K., Kim, S., & Kang, I. (2024). Heat shock response and heat shock proteins: Current understanding and future opportunities in human diseases. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(8), 4209. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25084209

In This Issue

• A New Series - exploring what virility means today, from biology to culture to legacy.

• The Mirror Trick - why men and women see themselves so differently.

• The Myth of Infinite Sperm - daily production isn’t the same as healthy production.

• What the Data Says - sperm counts, DNA fragmentation, and miscarriage risk.

• Reclaiming Virility - toward creating a legacy of health for your future children.

• To Stick on the Vanity Mirror - five quick reminders to carry into your day.

Hello Men. Guys. Boys. Males. Carriers of the X and Y chromosomes, however you identify, this your invitation to the conversation.

Your sperm carries your legacy through its DNA. It is both the carrier and the code. Its health matters twice: first, to help your partner conceive, and second, to pass on your share of your child’s lifelong health potential.

Now to the Hall of Mirrors. A woman steps out of the shower, catches herself in the mirror, and sighs. She notices her stomach, pushes it out a little farther just to prove the point, and decides she ought to do something about the weight. A man steps out of the shower, looks at the same stretch of stomach, pulls it in, flexes a bicep, and thinks he looks quite hot.

I’ve seen versions of this scene play out enough times to know it isn’t just a sitcom trope. Men and women appear to carry different mirrors in their heads. Does that mean men are inherently egotistical? I don’t think so. I think it’s closer to biology than psychology. After all, in the animal world it’s often the males who show off. Peacocks fan their tails, frogs belt out their midnight anthems, elaborately antlered creatures lock horns. Virility has always liked a stage.

Humans complicate things. In our species, it’s often women who add the signals: lipstick, heels, curated outfits (although mercifully, the era of stiletto heels seems to have largely faded). The instinct in men remains, a belief that they are broadcasting fitness, strength, and appeal, even when biology tells another story.

In the clinic, the disconnect shows. It’s usually women who lead the charge, ordering the tests, engaging deeply during the consults, initiating the preconception protocol. Men, meanwhile, often assume their side of the equation is covered. After all, don’t they make new sperm every day?

Well, yes and no. Men are capable of releasing sperm every day, but each sperm cell takes about 70 days to develop. Think less corner-store white bread and more artisanal sourdough. It takes time to proof, to rise, to develop that golden crust. And like any bakery, the quality depends on the ingredients and the care taken.

When the body is well tended, it produces strong, healthy sperm. When it is not, DNA - your legacy - begins to fragment. Why? Age, toxins, inflammation, poor sleep, alcohol, and metabolic dysfunction all leave their fingerprints on the very cells that carry a man’s genetic legacy forward.

Men are implicated in close to half of infertility cases worldwide. Yet the pattern holds: it is still women who show up first, women who change their diets, women who invest in supplements, women who endure cycles of IVF.

Male partners often enter the process late, reluctantly, or not at all. Yet, given a head cold - “man flu”- and suddenly the whole household is in crisis. Somehow the possibility of compromised sperm production does not register with the same urgency as a runny nose.

Virility, in a biological sense, is not guaranteed, and it’s not preserved by a daily turnover of sperm. It is vulnerable, measurable, and deeply consequential.

The data on sperm counts, motility, and morphology (how sperm are built) have been trending downward for decades. DNA fragmentation in sperm is linked not just to whether conception occurs, but to miscarriage risk and the long-term health of offspring. In other words: the mirror flex tells you very little about what is really happening at the cellular level.

So you think you’re virile? That’s the hook, but it isn’t just about sperm counts or mirror flexes. The word itself has been battered around in culture, sometimes celebrated, sometimes mocked, sometimes dismissed altogether.

I’ve chosen virility deliberately, because reclaiming it isn’t about peacock feathers or bravado. It’s about men taking their role in fertility, and in the legacy of health they pass on to their children, as seriously as women are asked to.

This first piece has looked at the biology, but in future instalments we will widen the lens. Virility, beyond what the microscope can see, is also a cultural idea, a political force, and, ultimately, a responsibility. Along the way I’ll share the measures that strengthen it and secure your legacy.

To Stick on the Vanity Mirror

• Fresh sperm is not always healthy sperm.

• The sperm factory reflects sleep, stress, toxins, and time.

• Men are implicated in nearly half of infertility cases.

• DNA damage in sperm shapes conception, miscarriage risk, and a child’s lifelong health.

• Virility carries weight as legacy, not performance.

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Warmly, Sonja

If this sparked something for you, tap 🧡 and hit Restack to pass it on.
Thanks for helping thoughtful fertility conversations travel further. 🤍

Share

Curious to know more? Head to the About & Welcome pages for why I started Baby Ready Health and a bit about me.

Issues are free for now. If you're someone who likes to build things early, you can become a founding member. Or simply subscribe and follow along.

This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before making decisions about your health.

References:

Agarwal, A., Mulgund, A., Hamada, A., & Chyatte, M. (2015). A unique view on male infertility around the globe. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology: RB&E, 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-015-0032-1

Agarwal, A., Baskaran, S., Parekh, N., Cho, C., Henkel, R., Vij, S., Arafa, M., Selvam, M., & Shah, R. (2020). Male infertility. The Lancet, 397, 319–333. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32667-2

Eisenberg, M., Esteves, S., Lamb, D., Hotaling, J., Giwercman, A., Hwang, K., & Cheng, Y. (2023). Male infertility. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 9, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41572-023-00459-w

Fainberg, J., & Kashanian, J. (2019). Recent advances in understanding and managing male infertility. F1000Research, 8. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.17076.1

In This Issue

🔹 How sunset light cues your brain’s master clock and influences hormone timing
🔹 Why artificial light at night disrupts both sleep and reproductive signalling
🔹 The science of circadian rhythms in fertility: from ovulation and sperm quality to embryo development
🔹 Melatonin’s surprising role inside the ovaries and testes
🔹 What happens when the body loses track of time and what to do about it
🔹 A simple, daily ritual to bring your body and fertility into sync

The Alpaca and the Sunset

Years ago I was on a rural property with my then young daughters watching an alpaca give birth. Just one alpaca, in a clearing, mid-afternoon, new life unfolding.

What struck me as much as the miracle of birth was what mother alpaca and her fresh, spindly-legged baby did next. They simply sat there, side by side, watching the sunset.

The experience was awe inspiring. I remember thinking, even alpacas enjoy a beautiful sunset. What didn’t appreciate at the time was that they were also doing something else: they were tuning their biological clocks, syncing to time and winding themselves down.

The Biology of Sunset

Sunset is both scenic and a biochemical messenger.

The fading rays of dusk are dominated by longer wavelengths: reds, oranges and ambers. This warm spectrum, mesmerising to watch, also signals the master clock in your brain that night is coming.

When we work late at the office under fluorescent panels, and at home scroll & stream, we light up our evenings with flickering LEDs and blue-light backlit screens. The signal to stop has been drowned out by devices designed to keep us activated in the sympathetic state, producing cortisol and keeping melatonin under wraps.

Many of us already know this, but has it got to do with fertility?

How the Master Clock Sets the Stage for Conception

Yes, we have a menstrual cycle. But it doesn’t operate in isolation. Behind that monthly rhythm is a daily one: the circadian clock.

This clock is located in a part of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or SCN. It responds to light, especially the contrast between morning and evening light, and sends timing signals to the rest of the body.

Why does this matter for fertility?

Hormone release isn’t random. It follows a rhythm. GnRH (Gonadotropin-releasing hormone), the hormone that kicks off the reproductive cascade, pulses in time with the circadian clock.

In women those pulses trigger LH (luteinising hormone) and FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), which in turn drive egg maturation and ovulation. In fact, the mid-cycle LH surge, the signal that prompts ovulation, is precisely timed. It doesn’t just happen when estrogen is high. It happens when the hormonal environment and the circadian clock align.

As for sperm, testosterone secretion also follows a circadian rhythm, with levels peaking in the early morning and declining throughout the day.

This daily pattern is regulated by the SCN and can be flattened by circadian disruption. Sleep deprivation, late-night light exposure, shift work and chronic stress have all been shown to reduce testosterone levels and impair spermatogenesis, lowering both sperm count and quality.

Melatonin is more than a nocturnal, sleep-inducing hormone. It is a powerful antioxidant, synthesised not only in the brain but also within reproductive tissues, including the ovaries and testes.

In the ovary, melatonin protects developing follicles from oxidative stress and supports oocyte quality.

In the testes, it helps stabilise sperm DNA and supports normal testosterone production.

Melatonin’s synthesis is tightly linked to light exposure, particularly darkness. When that dark window is shortened by late-night screen use or artificial lighting, melatonin production drops, and the reproductive tissues lose one of their key protective signals during critical phases of maturation.

When You Fall Out of Sync

Disrupting the body’s internal clock can interfere with every stage of reproduction, from hormone regulation to embryo development.

In Females:

o Irregular menstrual cycles

o Anovulation (lack of ovulation)

o Longer time to conception

o Increased risk of miscarriage

o Possible links to endometriosis (via hormonal and inflammatory pathways)

In Males:

o Reduced testosterone (especially with late-night light exposure)

o Lower sperm concentration and motility

o Impaired spermatogenesis with chronic sleep disruption

In Early Pregnancy (animal models):

o Altered embryo development

o Disrupted placental function

Sunset as Medicine

A regular dose of sunset is your free, daily signal that helps bring your body back into rhythm.

You just need to step outside and look.

Let the sunset invite your hormones, nervous system, and reproductive clock to ease back into sync.

Tape This Onto Your Dimmer Dial

• Step outside in the final 30–60 minutes before sunset

• Leave your phone behind, or switch it to airplane mode

• Watch the light change - no sunglasses

• Stand or sit on natural ground if you can (grass, dirt, sand)

• Let yourself do nothing for a few minutes

• Use amber or red lighting indoors after dark, especially in the hour before bed

• Keep lights low rather than overhead, like a true sunset

• Dim your house as the sun dims. Let your home “set” too

• Forget the downlights. We didn’t evolve with half a dozen suns overhead in the evening

• Sleep in sync. Melatonin isn’t just for rest, it’s a fertility ally

Subscribe now

Warmly, Sonja

If this sparked something for you, tap 🧡 and hit Restack to pass it on.
Thanks for helping thoughtful fertility conversations travel further. 🤍

Share

Curious to know more? Head to the About & Welcome pages for why I started Baby Ready Health and a bit about me.

Issues are free for now. If you're someone who likes to build things early, you can become a founding member. Or simply subscribe and follow along.

This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before making decisions about your health.

References:

Ono, M., Dai, Y., Fujiwara, T., Fujiwara, H., Daikoku, T., Ando, H., Kuji, N., & Nishi, H. (2025). Influence of lifestyle and the circadian clock on reproduction. Reproductive Medicine and Biology, 24. https://doi.org/10.1002/rmb2.12641

Sati, L. (2020). Chronodisruption: effects on reproduction, transgenerational health of offspring and epigenome. Reproduction, 160(5), R79–R94. https://doi.org/10.1530/rep-20-0298

Sciarra, F., Franceschini, E., Campolo, F., Gianfrilli, D., Pallotti, F., Paoli, D., Isidori, A., & Venneri, M. (2020). Disruption of Circadian Rhythms: A Crucial Factor in the Etiology of Infertility. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21113943

Sen, A., & Sellix, M. (2016). The Circadian Timing System and Environmental Circadian Disruption: From Follicles to Fertility. Endocrinology, 157(9), 3366–3373. https://doi.org/10.1210/en.2016-1450

In this issue

• Why rhythm is the missing piece in lifestyle practices

• How the parasympathetic state supports fertility

• Signs your nervous system is stuck in “high alert”

• The difference between stress management and nervous system regulation

• COMT: the gene that shapes stress sensitivity (and estrogen clearance)

• A simple reset practice you can bring home from holiday

• Quick reminders to help restore rhythm day to day

When Time Away Restores Equanimity

How often have you returned from a holiday and thought, if only I could keep this feeling a little longer? That sense of equanimity, like a nervous system reset that seems to widen your tolerance for life’s challenges.

I felt it myself after a conference in Singapore on precision health through DNA, when my husband and I headed to the jungle of Malaysia’s Langkawi Island. At the eco-retreat, families and couples slipped into slower rhythms of swimming, yoga, and forest walks while children played free of devices. It took us a couple of days to unwind, a reminder of how stealthily speed creeps in until it takes hold. And still, some holiday-makers resisted the pull of nature’s rhythms and stayed tethered to their screens.

Why Rhythm Matters More Than Lifestyle Practices

When I guide patients through the preconception period, I focus on three levers: nutrition, environment, and what I call rhythm. Rhythm gathers the ideas people associate with “lifestyle” and folds them into patterns of activity, rest, and recovery that align with the rhythms we evolved with: circadian, menstrual, seasonal.

You can technically follow sound lifestyle practices. You can head to the gym for a morning workout, gulp down a green smoothie, and sip coffee on the way to work. You can take a lunch break with a seasonal salad while checking emails. You can come home, unload your stresses onto your partner while cooking dinner from scratch, and relax in front of the television. You can even go to bed at 10.30, after a phone-scroll nightcap, and wake at 6.30, logging your “eight hours.”

On paper it all looks good: exercise, healthy food, time to unwind, plenty of sleep. Yet without rhythm, the body reads it differently. A workout that ends with rushing to work leaves no space to shift down a gear. Moving from home to indoor gym to office without seeing the sun means missing its rise and fall, the cues that align circadian rhythm. A meal eaten on the run, or while multitasking, dampens digestion instead of nourishing it. Replaying your boss’s unreasonableness over dinner hard-wires the brain into boss equals stress. “Relaxing” in front of cortisol-spiking television winds the nervous system up, not down. And a bedtime scroll pushes the brain into alert mode, inhibiting melatonin and robbing sleep of its deep, restorative cycles.

Instead of riding the natural waves between sympathetic “go” and parasympathetic “pause,” you stay stranded in the sympathetic. Always a little too wired, never fully restoring. For some, the toll is so great that energy reserves run dry, leaving you flattened on the sofa, not by choice but by exhaustion.

Why the Parasympathetic State Matters for Fertility

The parasympathetic state is not only where rest, repair, and restoration occur. It is the state that allows reproduction because the body is receiving safety signals. By contrast, a constant state of high alert tells it that now is not the time to make babies.

A dysregulated nervous system, when the sympathetic arm dominates, has been linked to fertility issues in both men and women. In women, it can contribute to anovulation by disrupting the hormonal balance that governs the menstrual cycle. In men, autonomic dysfunction can impair sexual function, libido, testosterone, and sperm quality. More broadly, chronic stress, poor nutrition, and inflammation all feed into nervous system dysregulation, and the brain’s reproductive hormone-producing neurons are highly sensitive to these signals. In other words, when the nervous system is unsettled, fertility feels it.

What’s Your State?

You may be so used to living in an upregulated state that you don’t even recognise it. Some signs include:

• Difficulty falling asleep, or waking in the night and struggling to fall back asleep.

• Waking without feeling fully restored.

• Feeling jittery after coffee, or needing more and more of it just to function.

• Poor digestion, whether constipation, loose stools, or food-related discomfort.

• For women: irregular cycles or more severe PMS.

• For men: reduced testosterone and libido.

• For almost everyone: irritability, anxiety, quickness to anger, or a mind that won’t switch off even when the body is exhausted.

• Being easily triggered, reacting rather than responding.

• Chronic health issues despite “doing all the right things.”

These are the body’s way of signalling that rhythm has been disturbed.

For those facing fertility challenges, this plays out in very real ways. The stress of trying to conceive, the rollercoaster of IVF cycles, and the constant tracking can push the nervous system deeper into sympathetic mode. When that happens, even carefully timed ovulation tracking or medical cycles are working against a background of dysregulation that adds a hidden layer of resistance. In such a state, the nervous system prioritises survival over reproduction.

Beyond Stress Management: Nervous System Regulation

We hear a lot about stress management techniques: meditation, yoga, breathing exercises. These can be helpful when stress overwhelms us. But nervous system regulation is different. Rather than waiting for stress to take hold and then trying to reduce it, regulation is about living in rhythm from the outset.

When practices are woven into daily rhythm, the nervous system develops a wider “window of tolerance.” The antics of your boss may register as mildly irritating rather than threatening, and the body doesn’t tip so easily into survival mode. Stressors still exist, but they land differently because the foundation is more stable.

The good news is that rhythms can be restored. Our biology is remarkably responsive once we begin to give it the right cues, and the clearest cues come directly from nature:

Light. Morning sunlight and the darkness that follows sunset synchronise cortisol and melatonin, setting in motion the reproductive hormonal cascade that prepares an egg for ovulation.

Sleep. A conducive evening environment allows depth, repair, and restoration. Going to bed and waking at regular times anchors the body’s internal tempo.

Food. Eating meals at regular times in a convivial atmosphere, and aligning them with daylight hours, helps regulate insulin and cortisol, which stabilise reproductive hormones.

Movement and Rest. Bursts of activity balanced with recovery. The type and timing of exercise can also be tuned to monthly cycles and time of day. Some forms ramp up the nervous system, while others calm it.

Direct nervous system practices. Breathwork, eye movement exercises, time in nature, and creating space for unstructured moments all signal safety to the body, giving the green light to fertility.

Cultivating the ability to shift gracefully between sympathetic and parasympathetic states won’t only support fertility, it will elevate your experience of the ordinary moments of life.

Your Genes and Your Nervous System

And because I’ve just come back from a genetics conference, you might be wondering: do genes play a role in nervous system regulation?

Some of us are genetically wired to carry stress longer, others to clear it quickly. Both patterns come with strengths and vulnerabilities. One gene that illustrates this well is COMT.

Gene Spotlight: COMT and Stress Sensitivity

Variations in the COMT gene influence how quickly we clear stress chemicals like dopamine and adrenaline. The rate of clearance affects how long these signals stay active in the body:

Slower clearance variants
Stress hormones linger, sympathetic activation builds, and it becomes harder to return to calm. Everyday life might look like replaying a difficult conversation hours later or still feeling wired long after a stressful meeting.
The upside: slower clearance also means dopamine stays around longer, which can support creativity, drive, and persistence.

Faster clearance variants
Stress chemicals are broken down quickly, which can make it harder to sustain focus or motivation. This often looks like losing steam mid-afternoon or needing extra coffee to stay on task.
The upside: faster clearance usually makes people more resilient to acute stress and less likely to get “stuck” in rumination.

Reproductive health note: COMT also clears estrogen. Because estrogen is central to cycle regularity and reproductive health, COMT has implications well beyond stress resilience.

Key takeaway: When we understand our genetic tendencies, we can use rhythm, nutrition, supplements, and environment to buffer vulnerabilities and turn them into strengths. Of course, genes are best considered in the context of the wider genetic picture, not in isolation.

Nervous System Reset

I’ll be writing more in future issues about simple ways to bring rhythm back into daily life. In the meantime, start small. Begin by simply noticing the rhythms of your day. Are there natural moments of winding up and winding down? Do mealtimes feel like pauses, or are they just pit stops? In the evenings, is there a sense of transition toward rest, or are you still in work mode until the moment you collapse into bed?

Just begin to take note. The act of noticing rhythms: circadian, seasonal, menstrual, or daily, opens the door to restoring them.

The catch? We can become so out of sync that we mistake it for normal. It often takes stepping away to realise how dysregulated we’ve been. That’s what a holiday or retreat can do: reveal what it feels like when the nervous system recalibrates.

Reminders to Scatter Around Your Home

Rhythm = Fertility
Your nervous system sets the tempo. Safety signals open the door to rest, repair, and reproduction. Stress signals close it.

Daily cues to restore rhythm:

Light: Morning sun, dim evenings, darkness at night.

Sleep: Consistent bed and wake times, screen-free wind down.

Food: Regular meals, eat in a calm state.

Movement: Alternate effort with recovery; match exercise to time of day and cycle.

Nature & Breath: Step outside, slow your breath, create unscheduled moments.

Remember: Genes may tilt the scales, but rhythm, nutrition, and environment set the stage.

Subscribe now

Warmly, Sonja

If this sparked something for you, tap 🧡 and hit Restack to pass it on.
Thanks for helping thoughtful fertility conversations travel further. 🤍

Curious to know more? Head to the About & Welcome pages for why I started Baby Ready Health and a bit about me.

Issues are free for now. If you're someone who likes to build things early, you can become a founding member. Or simply subscribe and follow along.

This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before making decisions about your health.

REFERENCES:

Chow, R., Wessels, J., & Foster, W. (2020). Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression and function in the mammalian reproductive tract. Human Reproduction Update. https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/dmaa008

Mcilwraith, E., & Belsham, D. (2020). Hypothalamic reproductive neurons communicate through signal transduction to control reproduction. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mce.2020.110971

Moenter, S., Silveira, M., Wang, L., & Adams, C. (2020). Central aspects of systemic oestradiol negative‐ and positive‐feedback on the reproductive neuroendocrine system. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 32. https://doi.org/10.1111/jne.12724

Prévot, V., & Sharif, A. (2022). The polygamous GnRH neuron: Astrocytic and tanycytic communication with a neuroendocrine neuronal population. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 34. https://doi.org/10.1111/jne.13104

Qiu, Q., Chen, J., Xu, N., Zhou, X., Ye, C., Liu, M., & Liu, Z. (2023). Effects of autonomic nervous system disorders on male infertility. Frontiers in Neurology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2023.1277795

Yu, Y., Chen, T., Zheng, Z., Jia, F., Liao, Y., Ren, Y., Liu, X., & Liu, Y. (2024). The role of the autonomic nervous system in polycystic ovary syndrome. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2023.1295061

In This Issue

• How your genes work on conception and pregnancy

• Why gene expression matters more than the gene itself

• The roles of genes in sperm production, ovulation, implantation, placental development, and your baby’s brain

• How gene variants (like MTHFR, SLC30A8, GSTM1) can affect fertility outcomes

• What you can do, with or without testing, to support your genetic foundations

Beyond Eye Colour: What Most Genes Are Really Doing

When most people think of genes in the context of having a baby, they imagine inheritance. Will they get your straight black hair or your partner’s red locks? Your determination or their easy-going charm?

Some genes are indeed about traits. But most of them provide codes for jobs to be done: make and balance hormones, regulate inflammation, support detoxification and countless other biological processes, including the daily recreation of every cell and fibre of your being.

And the creation of a baby.

How Your Genes Drive Conception, Pregnancy, and Legacy

Your genes have a lot to get done in order to make a baby. Think of them as molecular project managers, overseeing the balance of hormones, the production of sperm, the release of the egg, the timing of ovulation, the preparation of the uterine lining and lots more. But they can’t do it alone.

They need the right tools: nutrient-dense food, a low-toxin environment, steady rhythms, restorative sleep. That’s your part of the arrangement.

So the question is more than: What genes will I pass on?
It’s: How are my genes working right now, and how do I help them along?

So let’s zoom out and see the kinds of things that come under their influence:

Conception

For women
Genes regulate hormone signalling, support egg maturation, coordinate ovulation, help maintain blood sugar balance, and prepare the uterine lining for implantation.

For men
Genes support sperm production, affecting count, shape, and motility, and influence the sperm’s ability to fertilise the egg.

Pregnancy

Once conception occurs, your genes continue working behind the scenes, forming the placenta, supporting immune tolerance, and managing nutrient delivery to your baby.

Legacy

Quite aside from inheriting traits, your genes can shape your baby’s long-term health.
They help lay the foundation for their immune system, metabolic health, brain development, and future resilience.

You & Your Baby Are More Than a DNA Blueprint

Your genes are hard wired, but how well the reproductive cycle works depends less on the genes themselves, and more on how well those genes are functioning.

That’s what we call gene expression. And you have an extraordinary ability to influence this.

When the conditions are right: nutrient-dense food, clean air and water, steady circadian rhythms, and a regulated nervous system, your genes do a stellar job. When they’re not, less so.

You’ve probably heard the phrase: genes load the gun, environment pulls the trigger.

Some genes are resilient. Others? More like hair triggers. They’re sensitive to stress, toxins, inflammation, or nutrient deficiencies. When the inputs are suboptimal, those more vulnerable pathways are the first to falter.

And we’re all different in that regard. Each of us carries a unique mix of gene variants, some offer built-in robustness, others need a little extra hand-holding.

You know that classic interview question: “So, what are your strengths and weaknesses?” You don’t hide the weak spots. You reframe them, explain how you manage them, how you turn them into strengths. Think of your genes in the same way.

So Let’s Help Your Genes Make a Baby

Your genes are constantly listening for signals. Food, environment, rhythm - all influence how they show up.

In my clinical practice, I focus on the preconception window. We work on metabolism, hormones, gut and microbiome, detoxification and creating a clear runway for egg and sperm to develop, and for conception to occur.

Knowing your unique DNA blueprint ties all of this together.

It helps guide how we personalise care, targeting what your body actually needs.

We also use functional labs, ranging from standard blood work to more advanced testing, to see how these genes are actually performing and guide where to focus.

This is precision medicine for the preconception window. And it does more than support conception. It sets the tone for pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and even your child’s long-term health.

Gene Variants & How You Can Influence Them

Here are a few examples of gene variants (small changes in a typical DNA sequence) that can influence your fertility:

MTHFR C677T or A1298C variants

Variants affects your ability to convert folate into its active form (5-MTHF), which plays a critical role in DNA synthesis, repair, and methylation - a process involved in gene regulation, hormone and neurotransmitter balance, and detoxification.

Why it matters:
Suboptimal folate metabolism can increase the risk of neural tube defects, early miscarriage, and implantation challenges. It can also affect egg quality, early fetal development, and even influence the baby’s brain development and long-term stress regulation.

This means:
We look closely at folate sources, using food-first strategies (e.g. leafy greens, legumes, organic liver) and supplementing with bioavailable forms like folinic acid or methylfolate when needed (which form is highly individual). We may also support related pathways using B12, riboflavin, choline, and betaine.

What you can do even without knowing your genes:
Focus on a daily intake of folate-rich foods like rocket/arugula, spinach, lentils, and asparagus. Avoid synthetic folic acid where possible and check both food and supplement labels. It may not be well converted by those with certain gene variants.

If you’re taking a prenatal, look for forms like folinic acid or methylfolate. Folinic acid is generally well tolerated, while responses to methylated folate (5-MTHF) can be highly individual. It’s best to speak with a practitioner before supplementing with methylated forms (which, by the way, can be a game changer for some).

SLC30A8 or IGF2BP2 variants

These genes are involved in insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. When certain variants are present, the body may struggle more with blood sugar regulation, especially under stress or with a high refined-carb diet.

Why it matters:
Impaired insulin function can disrupt ovulation, lower egg quality, and increase the risk of gestational diabetes. For men, it can influence sperm production and hormone balance.

This means:
Stabilising blood sugar through personalised nutrition (e.g. balancing carbs with protein and fat, lower-GI options), appropriate exercise, and possibly nutrients like magnesium, myo-inositol, or berberine depending on the picture.

What you can do even without knowing your genes:
Build your meals around blood sugar stability. Include fibrous, lower-carb vegetables, a source of protein, and healthy fats with every meal. Think eggs with avocado, or salmon with greens.

Avoid “naked carbs” like toast with jam or fruit on its own, which can cause blood sugar spikes. If you're curious, consider using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to gain real-time insight into how your body responds to different foods.

GSTM1 or GSTT1 deletion

Your body may be missing one of the key enzymes to neutralise oxidative stress (think: damaging free radicals) and process toxins. This isn’t uncommon, but it can leave you with fewer tools to handle environmental exposures, internal inflammation, or even everyday metabolic byproducts.

Why it matters:
Oxidative stress can damage developing sperm and eggs, interfere with implantation, and increase the risk of pregnancy complications.

This means:
We may prioritise antioxidant support, through food (like cruciferous vegetables, berries, spices), low-tox living, sauna, grounding and sometimes targeted supplementation (e.g. sulforaphane, NAC, or glutathione).

This is where “detox” becomes less about juice cleanses and more about helping your body do what it’s already trying to do.

When to Consider Genetic Testing

If you’re dealing with fertility challenges, endometriosis, PCOS, or broader health issues, genetic insights can highlight why your system may be more sensitive or less efficient.

But they’re just as valuable for anyone who wants to understand how their body works, and how to give their future baby the best possible start.

By understanding your genetic blueprint, we can personalise support to help:

• Promote healthy egg and sperm development

• Improve hormone and metabolic balance before and during pregnancy

• Carry to full term

• Reduce the risk of complications like gestational diabetes or pregnancy-related preeclampsia (high blood pressure)

• Support optimal birth weight and growth for gestational age

• Promote neurodevelopment and stress resilience in the baby

It’s also a test that only needs to be done once.

(And for clarity, this isn’t carrier screening or disease-risk prediction, which tests for inheritable conditions.)

Pin This Next to Your Prenatal

1. Genes don’t just determine traits, they run your body’s systems.
Most help regulate hormones, detoxification, metabolism, and inflammation - all crucial for conception and pregnancy.

2. Gene expression matters more than the genes themselves.
Your DNA is fixed, but how your genes behave can be improved with the right inputs: food, rhythm, sleep, stress reduction, and a low-tox environment.

3. Some genes are more sensitive to stress, toxins, or nutrient gaps.
Think of them like high-maintenance employees. They still get the job done, but do so much better if you give them the right tools and conditions.

4. You can support your body wisely even without a gene test.
Simple practices like eating leafy greens, stabilising blood sugar, and minimising toxins support even vulnerable pathways.

5. Genetic testing offers powerful precision.
If you're navigating fertility challenges, PCOS, endometriosis, or other health issues, DNA insights help identify where your system may need extra support, cutting down guesswork.

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Warmly, Sonja

If this sparked something for you, tap 🧡 and hit Restack to pass it on.
Thanks for helping thoughtful fertility conversations travel further. 🤍

Share

Curious to know more? Head to the About & Welcome pages for why I started Baby Ready Health and a bit about me.

Issues are free for now. If you're someone who likes to build things early, you can become a founding member. Or simply subscribe and follow along.

This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before making decisions about your health.

REFERENCES:

Chrysanthopoulos, I., Petsavas, A., Mavrogianni, D., Potiris, A., Machairiotis, N., Drakaki, E., Vrachnis, D., Machairoudias, P., Karampitsakos, T., Perros, P., Koratzanis, C., Drakakis, P., & Stavros, S. (2023). Detection of GSTM1-null Genotype in Women Undergoing IVF Treatment. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12237269.

Ray, G., Zeng, Q., Kusi, P., Zhang, H., Shao, T., Yang, T., Wei, Y., Li, M., Che, X., & Guo, R. (2024). Genetic and inflammatory factors underlying gestational diabetes mellitus: a review. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2024.1399694.

Vandana, R., & Pradeep, K. (2025). Detrimental Effects of Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (MTHFR) Gene Polymorphism on Human Reproductive Health: A Review. Clinical Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. https://doi.org/10.29328/journal.cjog.1001182.

Zhang, T., Zhang, S., Zhang, C., Liu, H., Liu, M., Zhang, G., Duan, G., Chen, S., & Ren, J. (2024). The moderation effect of GSTM1/GSTT1 gene polymorphisms on the association of sperm mitochondrial DNA copy number and sperm mobility. Scientific Reports, 14. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-74968-3.

Inside This Issue

• How EDCs affect not just conception, but pregnancy, baby biology and even grandkids

• Why these hormone-disrupting chemicals cross the placenta and show up in breast milk

• The overlooked science of skin absorption, layering and low-dose accumulation

• A practical audit to clean up your bathroom cabinet, plus what ingredients to look out for

• A gentle reminder that reducing the dose lightens the load, for your body, your baby and the planet

Last time, we looked at how personal care products could affect your reproductive health and ability to conceive.

Here it is if you missed it:

The Lingering Effects of EDCs

As we covered in the last issue, endocrine disruptors impair ovulation and sperm development, with wider ripple effects across reproductive health. They’ve been linked to menstrual irregularities, PCOS, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, testicular disorders, low testosterone and hormone-related cancers including breast, testicular and ovarian.

But after conception, these chemicals don’t stop outside the cells of the rapidly dividing zygote: the fertilised egg.

They can also alter the course of a pregnancy, with research consistently linking EDC exposure to higher risks of miscarriage, preterm birth, low birth weight, small-for-gestational-age infants, placental dysfunction and gestational diabetes.

EDCs are lipophilic, meaning they’re fat lovers, and like to store themselves in fatty tissues. Why? Because our bodies haven’t evolved to figure out how these Johnny-come-latelies should be cleared.

They’re intrepid travellers too, crossing the placenta and entering the developing fetus via the umbilical cord.

Not only do we have evidence that these chemicals are found in meconium (baby’s first poo), but also in breast milk.

Think about that: breast milk is biologically designed to nourish and protect. But that same richness - its fat content - can also serve as a vehicle for toxin transfer. As such, it’s an inadvertent detox. A pump-and-dump, where the mother’s toxic load goes down while the baby’s goes up.

Evolution never saw this coming. Not because evolution got it wrong, but because it never anticipated the chemical soup in which modern life exposes us to.

And all the more reason to consider a preconception detox, because breast milk is gold, and we want to keep it that way.

EDCs Don’t Just Pass Through. They Rewire the Developing Fetus

Once EDCs cross the placenta, they don’t simply pass through. They interact with a developing system that is exquisitely sensitive. Even low doses can alter biology and architecture in ways that influence lifelong health.

Potential outcomes associated with prenatal EDC exposure include:

• Altered brain development, particularly in stress reactivity, emotional regulation and attention (including increased risk of ADHD and other neurodevelopmental differences)

• Shifts in how metabolism, immunity and hormones are calibrated, often with effects that only emerge later in life

• Changes to the timing of puberty, either earlier or later than expected

Some effects are sex-specific.

Prenatal EDC exposure has been associated with:

In females:

• Irregular or disrupted menstrual cycles

• Increased risk of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis

• Shorter anogenital distance, which has been linked to higher endometriosis risk in adulthood

In males:

• Reduced sperm count and motility in adulthood

• Smaller penis size (unfortunately labelled ‘micropenis’), higher rates of hypospadias (where the opening of the penis is in the wrong place), and undescended testes at birth

• Shorter anogenital distance, associated with reduced fertility potential and impaired testosterone signalling

A Word About Grandkids

In animal studies, the ripple doesn’t stop with the parent or their child - it reaches the third generation. That means the grandkids, who were never directly exposed, still show the effects.

What have they found in these grand-offspring? Changes in sperm and egg function, disrupted puberty timing, reproductive tract abnormalities and even altered stress and metabolic responses, none of which came from direct exposure.

Are rats humans? No. But we’re not about to test the safety of EDCs by rubbing them on a group of women trying to conceive, following them through pregnancy, and tracking their children’s reproductive health. That would be unethical - and a hard study to recruit for!

So instead, we find ourselves in a kind of global, unintentional trial. Eight billion of us, and for those who can afford it, layered in lotions, serums and fragrance, part of an experiment we didn’t exactly opt into.

Delivered Daily, Just Not in Tablet Form

Personal care is just one source of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. These compounds are also found in:

• Food packaging and plastic containers

• Household cleaners and flame retardants

• Pesticides sprayed on food

• Dust, tap water and indoor air

Whether via skin, air, water or food packaging, these chemicals still get into our bodies, just not as pills. If they were pills, many endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) would never have made it past regulatory approval.

But because they’re considered ‘indirect’ exposures: airborne, trace-level or leached from materials, they’ve slipped through the cracks of chemical regulation. Often, there's a scientific disconnect between presence and effect.

Biology doesn’t make that distinction. A molecule that mimics estrogen is still received as estrogen, no matter how it entered the body.

How Did These Chemicals Get a Free Pass?

Many of these chemicals were grandfathered into use decades ago, long before modern safety testing standards. And unlike pharmaceuticals, which require pre-market evidence, industrial chemicals, including those used in personal care products, don’t need to be proven safe before being widely used.

Yes, skincare products are dermatologically tested, but not for endocrine disruption, and rarely for cumulative or long-term effects after absorption.

Instead of proving safety upfront, regulators tend to act only when enough harm has already been documented. And even then, the bar is high.

Europe has banned over 1,700 ingredients from cosmetics. The US? About 11.
Australia? Somewhere in between, and good luck finding transparent stats.

Do the French, Americans and Australians have different biology? Different science?Or just different systems of accountability?

Watch the Layering: Cumulative Exposure, Compounded Risk

But is there real harm in dabbing on a little moisturiser?

Even small doses of EDCs, applied daily through moisturiser, deodorant, or foundation, can accumulate over time. Especially if you’re layering multiple products or adding heat (think hair dryers, saunas or sun).

And if these chemicals can’t ethically be studied on the general population, let alone pregnant women, their cumulative, synergistic effects certainly aren’t being studied either.

Less In, Less Passed On

You don’t need to (and can’t) eliminate everything. Just reduce the dose. These choices add up, not just in your body, but in the world around you.

Many of these chemicals end up in soil, water and wildlife, disrupting their reproduction too. So every swap you make lightens the load for your hormones, your future child and the planet they’ll inherit.

If you're ready to start somewhere, start with your skin. A few small swaps go a long way, especially when you're using them every day.

Bathroom Cabinet Clean-Out Is the New Pantry Clean-Out

• Pick a scanner app and audit your bathroom shelf. Try Yuka, Think Dirty or EWG’s Healthy Living

• Start with the products that get the most skin time: moisturisers, deodorants, sunscreens

• Then look at what lingers: leave-in treatments, masks, serums

• Finally, check the ones that rinse off: cleansers, soaps, scrubs

And if you’re curious about other everyday exposures beyond the bathroom, I’ll be writing more in a future issue on how to bring nature in and escort toxins out.

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What to Watch For on the Label

You don’t need to memorise every chemical. Just start recognising the names that come up most often:

Parabens
Mimic estrogen. Disrupt cycles and sperm quality. Look for methyl-, propyl- and butyl-paraben.

Phthalates
Interfere with testosterone and ovarian signalling. Often hidden under “fragrance.”

Triclosan
Antibacterial. Disrupts thyroid function and the skin microbiome. Found in soaps and acne products.

Benzophenones
UV filters like oxybenzone. Cross the placenta. Estrogenic. Found in many sunscreens.

Siloxanes
Used for that ‘silky’ feel. Accumulate in fat. Potential endocrine disruptors.

Formaldehydes
Slow-releasing preservatives in hair, nail and cleansing products.

BHA / BHT
Synthetic antioxidants. Weakly estrogenic. May impact thyroid metabolism.

Till next time…

Warmly, Sonja

If this sparked something for you, tap 🧡 and hit Restack to pass it on.
Thanks for helping thoughtful fertility conversations travel further. 🤍

Share

REFERENCES:

Fudvoye, J., López-Rodríguez, D., Franssen, D., & Parent, A. (2019). Endocrine disrupters and possible contribution to pubertal changes. Best Practice & Research. Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 101300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beem.2019.101300

Gaspari, L., Tessier, B., Paris, F., Bergougnoux, A., Hamamah, S., Sultan, C., & Kalfa, N. (2021). Endocrine-disrupting chemicals and disorders of penile development in humans. Sexual Development, 15, 213–228. https://doi.org/10.1159/000517157

Gore, A., Moore, T., Groom, M., & Thompson, L. (2022). Prenatal exposure to an EDC mixture, NeuroMix: Effects on brain, behavior, and stress responsiveness in rats. Toxics, 10. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics10030122

Hassan, S., Thacharodi, A., Priya, A., Meenatchi, R., Hegde, T., R, T., Nguyen, H., & Pugazhendhi, A. (2023). Endocrine disruptors: Unravelling the link between chemical exposure and women's reproductive health. Environmental Research, 117385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.117385

Hull, S., Hougaard, K., Toft, G., Petersen, K., Flachs, E., Lindh, C., Ramlau-Hansen, C., Wise, L., Wilcox, A., Liew, Z., Bonde, J., & Tøttenborg, S. (2025). Fetal exposure to a mixture of endocrine-disrupting chemicals and biomarkers of male fecundity: A population-based cohort study. Andrology. https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.70039

Liu, B., Lu, X., Jiang, A., Lv, Y., Zhang, H., & Xu, B. (2023). Influence of maternal endocrine-disrupting chemicals exposure on adverse pregnancy outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 270, 115851. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115851

López-Rodríguez, D., Aylwin, C., Delli, V., Sevrin, E., Campanile, M., Martin, M., Franssen, D., Gérard, A., Blacher, S., Tirelli, E., Noël, A., Lomniczi, A., & Parent, A. (2021). Multi- and Transgenerational Outcomes of an Exposure to a Mixture of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) on Puberty and Maternal Behavior in the Female Rat. Environmental Health Perspectives, 129. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP8795.

Mitra, T., Gulati, R., Ramachandran, K., Rajiv, R., Enninga, E., Pierret, C., R, S., & Janardhanan, R. (2024). Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: Gestational diabetes and beyond. Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome, 16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13098-024-01317-9

Padmanabhan, V., Song, W., & Puttabyatappa, M. (2021). Praegnatio perturbatio: Impact of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Endocrine Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1210/endrev/bnaa035

Pan, Z., Zhu, F., & Zhou, K. (2021). A systematic review of anogenital distance and gynecological disorders: Endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2021.696879

Paul, J., Calderon, L., Gunier, R., Kogut, K., Harley, K., & Eskenazi, B. (2025). Prenatal residential proximity to endocrine-disrupting agricultural pesticides and menstrual cycle characteristics among Latina adolescents in California. American Journal of Epidemiology. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwaf059

Rodprasert, W., Toppari, J., & Virtanen, H. (2021). Endocrine-disrupting chemicals and reproductive health in boys and men. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2021.706532

Rutkowska, A., & Diamanti-Kandarakis, E. (2016). Polycystic ovary syndrome and environmental toxins. Fertility and Sterility, 106(4), 948–958. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.08.031

Shen, C., Weng, J., Tsai, J., Su, P., Chou, M., & Wang, S. (2021). Prenatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and subsequent brain structure changes revealed by voxel-based morphometry and generalized Q-sampling MRI. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094798

Zhang, H., Li, Y., Zhang, X., Chen, W., Liang, Q., Li, C., Knibbs, L., Huang, C., & Wang, Q. (2022). Potential occupational exposure of parents to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, adverse birth outcomes, and the modification effects of multi-vitamin supplement and infant sex. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 233, 113314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113314

This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before making decisions about your health.

What You’ll Get in This Issue:

• What endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are and how labelling conceals their true identity

• How they mimic your natural hormones to disrupt egg and sperm development

• A fertility-focused field trip to buy moisturiser

• Which products bombed the endocrine test and which came out on top (spoiler: price and packaging were no predictors)

• How to navigate labels without memorising a chemistry degree

• A cheat-sheet for your bathroom mirror

• And a look ahead at how these chemicals may affect not just conception, but you legacy

  ---

In the Olden Days (cue my 20-something daughters: Here we go!) there was no such thing as self-care. Your skin was dry, oily or normal. Cleanse, tone, moisturise. Hair care followed suit: shampoo and conditioner, pick your type, lather, rinse, repeat.

Clinique, with its pale green packaging and “3 Step System,” was the epitome of simplicity. Further, the label dermatologically tested gave the impression of serious scientific endeavour behind it. The older ladies might reach for an Estee Lauder serum, but younger skin didn’t seem to demand the 10-step complexity it now apparently requires.

Fortunately, here in Australia we have Chemist Warehouse, our one-stop shop (or should I say institution?) for all the products we feel compelled to apply before walking out the door. A mega-store chain that we had apparently been waiting for all our lives. Think Walgreens in the US. In Europe… well, the mega-pharmacy model hasn’t quite caught on (perhaps for the best?).

Recently I was there deliberating which travel-size cleanser to purchase, alongside a young woman doing the same. Of course (as a mother, preconception clinician and scientist with the fate of human evolution weighing on my mind) I couldn’t help myself.

I scanned her selection with my Yuka app (no affiliation), which rates personal care products for safety, and proceeded to give her a Lesson in Chemistry: EDCs (Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals) And Their Effects On Reproductive Health. Out of the handful she was considering, only one came up clean.

I half-apologised for giving mum-like unsolicited advice. But she was travelling and actually missed her mum’s advice. “Now I’ve got a Mumma in my pocket,” she said, holding up the newly downloaded app.

And while most men haven’t entered the realm of 10-step routines, they’re in on it too with Bro-formulas, beard oils, charcoal masks, anti-wrinkle creams. Back in the day, the entire male grooming routine might’ve consisted of a bar of soap and a splash of 7-Eleven eau de cologne.

Lesson in Chemistry: EDCs and Reproductive Health:

So here’s your Lesson in Chemistry, as delivered to one unsuspecting young woman in the travel-size section at Chemist Warehouse.

Endocrine disruptors mean what they say on the tin, even if they don’t say so on the packaging: they interfere with your hormones. Some of the worst offenders are parabens and phthalates, often hiding behind unpronounceable names or vague terms like “fragrance” and “parfum.”

More Than Skin Deep

While the products might be tested on the skin for everything from reactivity to being able to turn back the clock, the scientists aren’t tracking them once they’re absorbed by the skin.

The skin forms a great protective shield, but it’s also porous and not able to hold EDC’s off at the pass. In they go, into our bloodstream where they masquerade as real hormones, upsetting the hormonal harmony essential for reproductive (and general) health.

Hormonal Disharmony

Think of your hormones as musicians in an orchestra. All hormones, including sex hormones like estrogen, testosterone, FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinising hormone) each have their part to play. And harmonising them all is The Conductor: your hypothalamus. It listens to your environment and adjusts the tempo accordingly.

Now picture a group of punk rockers - EDCs - dressed in orchestra blacks, slipping into the pit unnoticed. Mimicking a classically trained musician but not following the score, they throw off the rhythm, distort the melody and break the harmony. What should be a hormonal symphony becomes a cacophony.

To the audience, it might just sound a little off. But backstage, their ovaries and testes are taking the full hit.

For sperm, EDCs mean compromised spermatogenesis - the months-long training program that turns stem cells into swimmers.

EDCs can sabotage testosterone production, damage DNA and mitochondria (you need clean energy to make babies) and leave sperm misshapen, sluggish and reduced in number.

And guys, that 24-hour sperm myth? You know the one: We men make sperm every 24 hours, so no need to stop drinking and smoking just yet.

Not quite. Every 24 hours is how often sperm get launched into the holding pen: the epididymis (that long, coiled tube behind your testicles) where swimmers wait until go-time. Spermatogenesis itself takes around 2 ½ months (I like to round up to 3 mths).

For eggs, EDCs mean interference with folliculogenesis - the process that prepares an egg for ovulation. Even though you’re born with all your eggs, each one undergoes months of hormonal development, maturing from a dormant state into a viable contender.

Think of a young ballet dancer preparing for her solo. EDCs can derail that process before she even makes it to the stage. Disruptions here can affect estrogen signalling, slow egg development and damage the egg’s DNA and mitochondria.

The result: eggs that are less resilient, energy depleted, less viable and less able to complete their final maturation.

Reproductive Health Is More Than Fertility

Even if parenthood isn’t on your horizon, consider that EDCs are also associated with menstrual irregularities, PCOS, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, testicular disorders, low testosterone, hormone-related cancers (breast, testicular, ovarian) and more.

The Endocrine Disrupting League Table: White Coat vs Hooves

If only one of a handful of travel-sized cleansers passed the test for the young traveller I met, what might that mean for the products that stay on your skin the longest - moisturisers?

So I returned to Chemist Warehouse for a fertility field trip, conducting a randomised scan of moisturisers from a range of brands whose packaging all seemed to say Pick Me, like something out of Alice in Wonderland.

I scanned across:

• Doctor-formulated ranges
• Promise-heavy contenders
• Clinical-clean aesthetics
• Nature-drenched branding
• Nostalgic classics
• And the humble Goat

Keeping score was the Yuka app, which links ingredients to scientific data, including studies on EDCs.

Turns out neither packaging, promise, nor price had any bearing on performance in the field. In fact, there were significant variations within brands.

At one end, Dr. Lewinn’s Private Formula produced a 5. Not out of 10. Out of 100.
At the other, Goat Moisturiser: 93 out of 100.

Apparently, the better formulator wears hooves, not a white coat.

And boy, were there some real surprises:

Rated ‘Bad’
• Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturiser: 0/100
• Elucent Day Moisturiser: 2/100
• QV Oil-Free Moisturiser: 7/100

Rated ‘Poor’
• Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+: 25/100
• Nivea Essentials Night Cream: 49/100
• Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Moisturiser: 47/100

Rated ‘Good’
• Garnier Daily Mattifying Air Cream: 65/100
• Antipodes Baptise Hyaluronic Gel Ultra-Hydratant: 50/100
• Weleda Skin Food Light: 58/100

Rated ‘Excellent’
• Glow Lab Pro Collagen Plumping Night Cream: 93/100
• La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermallergo Nuit: 100/100
• Avène Xeracalm Nutrition Baume Hydratant: 100/100

NB: Scores can vary dramatically within brands. Don’t write off one and praise another without doing your due diligence.

Scan Before You Smooth It On

To navigate the chemical maze, you could either memorise an extensive glossary of ingredients, or simply use an app. I use Yuka, however there are more out there, including Think Dirty and the EWG’s Healthy Living app.

And don’t stop at moisturisers. EDCs and other questionable ingredients also show up in makeup, sunscreen, deodorant, hair products, shaving creams, nail polish, fake tan, fragrance, vaginal washes, bath soaks and more.

Ancient Rituals, Modern Paradoxes

Beautifying rituals have long been part of being a woman. They’re fun and sensual. A moment to feel feminine, to pause, to be present with ourselves. Cleopatra bathed in donkey milk and anointed herself with scents and oils her body could recognise. (OK, the lead-based eye kohl was a problem...)

Today, we’re layering products containing chemicals that confuse our internal biochemistry, disrupting the very hormones that govern fertility, not to mention mood and libido. The paradox, of course, is that while we’re ‘looking after ourselves’ and perhaps hoping to enhance our attractiveness to a future partner, we may be undermining our reproductive and generational health.

Write This on Your Bathroom Mirror

• Your skin is porous. What you smooth on doesn’t just sit there - it can enter your bloodstream, travelling far and wide.

• EDCs like parabens and phthalates mimic hormones and throw off your reproductive signals.

• EDCs are often hidden behind vague terms like “fragrance” or “parfum.”

• Disrupting your hormonal rhythm can affect egg development, sperm quality and overall fertility.

• Even "clean aesthetic" or "doctor-formulated" products can rate poorly.

• Moisturiser is just the start. Check your makeup, sunscreen, deodorant, fragrance, shaving cream, hair products, bath soaks and vaginal care.

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IN THE NEXT ISSUE

When we think about having a baby, conception is top of mind. But if only endocrine disruptors stopped there. These chemicals linger in the body, cross the placenta and may impact the health of our children… their children… and even their children.

Next issue, I’ll explore what the research says about these ripple effects, how EDCs end up in our ecosystems and share an aspect of health politics you may not have known about.

Warmly, Sonja

If this sparked something for you, tap 🧡 and hit Restack to pass it on.
Thanks for helping thoughtful fertility conversations travel further. 🤍

Share

Curious to know more? Head to the About page for why I started Baby Ready Health and a bit about me.

Issues are free for now. If you're someone who likes to build things early, you can become a founding member. Or simply subscribe and follow along.

REFERENCES:

Bijlsma, N., & Cohen, M. (2018). Expert clinician’s perspectives on environmental medicine and toxicant assessment in clinical practice. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 23. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12199-018-0709-0.

Hassan, S., Thacharodi, A., Priya, A., Meenatchi, R., Hegde, T., R, T., Nguyen, H., & Pugazhendhi, A. (2023). Endocrine disruptors: Unravelling the link between chemical exposure and Women's reproductive health.. Environmental research, 117385 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.117385

Interdonato, L., Siracusa, R., Fusco, R., Cuzzocrea, S., & Di Paola, R. (2023). Endocrine Disruptor Compounds in Environment: Focus on Women’s Reproductive Health and Endometriosis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065682.

Pan, J., Liu, P., Yu, X., Zhang, Z., & Liu, J. (2024). The adverse role of endocrine disrupting chemicals in the reproductive system. Frontiers in endocrinology, 14, 1324993. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2023.1324993

Rattan, S., Zhou, C., Chiang, C., Mahalingam, S., Brehm, E., & Flaws, J. (2017). Exposure to endocrine disruptors during adulthood: consequences for female fertility.. The Journal of endocrinology, 233 3, R109-R129 . https://doi.org/10.1530/JOE-17-0023

Sharma, A., Mollier, J., Brocklesby, R., Caves, C., Jayasena, C., & Minhas, S. (2020). Endocrine‐disrupting chemicals and male reproductive health. Reproductive Medicine and Biology, 19, 243 - 253. https://doi.org/10.1002/rmb2.12326

This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before making decisions about your health.

Here we move past ovulation kits, trackers and prenatals into the art and science of preconception: not just the lead-up to trying, but a window of potential, where the way you live begins shaping fertility, pregnancy and the health of future generations.

Whether you’ve already decided or are still circling the idea. Whether you’re a planner or someone who wanted to be pregnant yesterday, this is your runway. A place to learn how to understand and support your fertility, so you can move toward what you’re ultimately hoping for: a healthy baby who thrives in life.

Yes, we cover food, lifestyle and environment. And you probably already know that being healthy helps you get pregnant: that eating well, sleeping well and managing stress matter. That hormones need balance. That toxins and plastics can interfere. But how do all those things actually connect to your ability to conceive, grow a baby and give them the best start? And, more importantly, what can you do about it?

What you eat, how you move, the world around you, your stress, your sleep - all of it sends messages. Not just to your hormones, but to your cells. To your genes. To your microbes. Which in turn influence your fertility and help shape the biological blueprint you pass on. Speaking of which...

Beyond DNA – Most Genes Aren’t Set in Primordial Stone

When you think about what you’ll pass on, you’re probably thinking genes, and hoping they get your good ones (those beautiful blue eyes), not the so-called bad ones.

But most genes aren’t carved in primordial stone. They have jobs: balancing hormones, regulating inflammation, supporting detoxification and orchestrating countless other biological processes, including recreating every fibre of your being on a daily basis

And before you pass them on, they’re already working on your fertility, and influencing conception and pregnancy outcomes. We, in turn, can powerfully influence how well they do those jobs. Our food, lifestyle and environment ‘talk’ to our genes, affecting how effectively they function and manage your fertility.

Your Genetic Legacy

So yes, genes are part of your biological legacy. But that legacy isn’t fixed. You’re not just handing over a static blueprint, you’re passing on how well they function. We call that gene expression. This means you're not just passing down traits, but tendencies: how well your offspring handles stress, responds to their environment, metabolises nutrients or maintains hormonal balance.

Your Other Baby-Making Partner

While you and your partner (if they’re even in your orbit) get down to the business of baby-making, let’s talk about the other one: the multitude of microbes inhabiting every nook and cranny of your body.

They coat your skin, with different microbial populations gathering in curious places: your belly button, behind your ears, your eyelashes, nipples and perineal skin. From the mouth to the south, they take up residence in your gut, airways and reproductive system.

Together, they form your microbiome: a living ecosystem that regulates hormones, mood, metabolism, immunity and importantly, fertility.

Your Conception Companion

You can’t make babies without your bugs by your side. These microbes patrol your vagina, help usher sperm to the finish line and play many other behind-the-scenes roles that support fertility and overall reproductive health.

So yes, when it comes to making a baby, it’s not just the two of you.

Your Microbes Are a Family Heirloom

Your microbes don’t just live and work with you. You pass them on. Your baby’s early microbial settlers help train the immune system, influence metabolism, support brain development and more, in ways that echo well into adulthood.

Your Child’s Real Inheritance

Put aside houses and trust funds for a moment. What you’re really passing on is your genes and microbes and how well they function.

Both systems respond to daily signals: the food you eat, how you move and sleep, your stress levels, your environment, your exposure to light and dark and even the air you breathe and the water you drink.

The Stuff That Gets in the Way

Even when you’re making sound food and lifestyle choices, some things sneak in without your knowledge, let alone your consent.

And without wanting to end on a downer, it’s worth saying this too: the ubiquity of toxins in and around us unfortunately also influences fertility and the legacy we pass on.

You’re probably hearing more about them lately. Forever chemicals. Endocrine disruptors. The substances that show up in everything from plastics to perfumes to polluted waterways.

They’re hard to avoid completely. But minimising toxin transfer (yeah, it happens) matters. We can’t eliminate them all, but we reduce the load and move them out. And there’s no better opportunity to do that than during preconception.

Vitality & The Spark of Life

What is fertility, really, if not an expression of life force? A force fuelled by how your body makes, moves and manages energy, powered by the everyday signals from food, lifestyle and environment:

Food feeds it.

Rhythms tune it: circadian, hormonal and seasonal.

It’s powered by light.

It’s charged by your mitochondria, the microscopic batteries inside your cells, passed down from your mother and her mother before her.

These systems don’t just sustain life, they spark it. Life begins when egg and sperm meet, and that moment is electrical, literally.

So when we talk about vitality, we’re not just talking about whether you have enough energy to get through the day. We’re talking about the role your vitality plays in fertility and the energy you pass on.

Preconception is where the next generation’s health begins. Let’s get started...

To Ponder While Your Coffee Percolates

• You’re not just passing on genes. You’re passing on how well they work.

• Your microbes matter: they co-pilot fertility and are a baby’s first settlers.

• Toxins aren’t just out there, they’re in here and they interfere.

• Food, environment and rhythm are levers; what they influence is generational.

• Fertility is vitality: metabolic, rhythmic, electric.

Curious to know more? Head to the About page for why I started Baby Ready Health and a bit about me.

Issues are free for now. If you're someone who likes to build things early, you can become a founding member. Or simply subscribe and follow along.

Subscribe now

Warmly, Sonja

If this sparked something for you, tap 🧡 and hit Restack to pass it on.
Thanks for helping thoughtful fertility conversations travel further. 🤍

Share

This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before making decisions about your health.