Browse the Journal
Why IVF Stimulation Weeks Demand a Specific Nutrition Strategy During ovarian stimulation, follicles grow rapidly in both number and size, dramatically increasing the metabolic demands on the ovary. Protein is the primary building block
Read article
Sleep, Hormones, and the Reproductive Axis FSH and LH are released in pulses during sleep, and the sleep-wake cycle gates their secretion. Studies of women undergoing IVF found that those sleeping fewer than 7
Read article
Why Constipation Is So Common in Pregnancy Two main drivers: progesterone and iron supplements. Progesterone relaxes smooth muscle throughout the gastrointestinal tract, slowing intestinal motility and roughly doubling transit time. Iron supplements — particularly
Read article
Blood Pressure in Pregnancy: What Is Normal and When Is It Concerning Blood pressure naturally decreases in the first and second trimesters (due to progesterone-driven vasodilation) and rises again in the third trimester. A
Read article
What Gestational Diabetes Actually Means Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is glucose intolerance first diagnosed during pregnancy. The pancreas cannot produce sufficient insulin to manage the anti-insulin effects of pregnancy hormones, causing blood glucose to
Read article
Why Anemia Is Common in Pregnancy Anemia affects 37–52 percent of pregnant women globally. Blood volume expands by approximately 40–50 percent during pregnancy, and the fetus actively draws iron from maternal stores regardless of
Read article
Endometriosis, Inflammation, and Why Nutrition Matters Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus. It affects approximately 10 percent of reproductive-age women and 25–50 percent
Read article
Why BMI Is a Poor Sole Indicator for Fertility Body mass index does not measure body fat distribution, muscle mass, metabolic health, or hormonal status — all of which directly affect fertility. A woman
Read article
Understanding What Lab Results Actually Tell You Fertility lab results can be deeply anxiety-provoking when reviewed without context. The most important principle: no single number predicts whether you will conceive. Labs provide probability guidance
Read article
Exercise and Fertility: The Evidence Moderate exercise supports fertility: it improves insulin sensitivity, reduces chronic inflammation, supports healthy weight, lowers cortisol chronically, and improves sleep. However, the relationship between intensity and fertility follows an
Read article