Show notes
The fitter you are, the easier conceiving should be. It doesn't always work that way. Dr. Sasha Hakman, a fertility specialist and three time IVF patient herself, breaks down what actually affects your chances in your 30s, what the numbers really look like, and why an hour of high intensity training every day can work against you.
We cover your real odds of conceiving in a given month, why you can't test egg quality, when to check your AMH and freeze your eggs, declining sperm counts and why he should be tested first, the MTHFR and folic acid myth, melatonin and CoQ10, how to track ovulation properly, the fertile six day window, and the rapid fire myths about conception you can stop believing.
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Preview/Trailer
1:36 - Intro
7:20 - The fear women feel about conceiving in their 30s and 40s
8:40 - Being called geriatric at 35
9:07 - Why that term is really just insurance coding
9:22 - Advanced maternal age, and what is actually riskier
10:13 - When you are most fertile, and it isn't your teens
10:32 - Your real odds of conceiving in any given month
11:33 - The 12 month rule under 35, and 6 months over
12:00 - Why waiting costs you, and how long sperm takes to fix
12:36 - Conception rates from 35 to 39, and what happens at 40
13:05 - When you shouldn't wait six months at all
13:46 - Male infertility and the decline in sperm counts
14:37 - Why sperm is a window into a man's overall health
15:16 - The heart condition she caught through a semen analysis
15:49 - Why she tests from the start, not after a year
17:08 - Sam on Ian's vasectomy reversal
17:53 - Reversal success rates by how long it's been
18:26 - Pregnancy rates after a reversal at 35
20:08 - Her own IVF story at 32
22:25 - The adrenal condition behind her ovulation issues
24:12 - The embryo transfer, then conceiving naturally
25:28 - Going back for a second IVF round at 37
26:21 - 26 eggs, 15 mature, 6 embryos, 3 normal
28:29 - Should every woman get tested
28:54 - You cannot test egg quality, only quantity
29:37 - AMH, and why she looks for outliers and trends
30:35 - Why to check your egg quantity sooner than later
31:30 - Quantity vs quality, and the noise online
32:41 - When to freeze your eggs
34:27 - How to prep your body for conception
34:50 - High protein, high fiber, fewer ultra processed foods
35:15 - Exercise: resistance training plus cardio
35:44 - When your workouts start working against you
36:18 - Body fat, weight and miscarriage risk
37:27 - Stress, and which kind really interferes
37:54 - Sam on coming off Ironman training
38:52 - Supplements, and prenatals for both of you
39:18 - The MTHFR myth
42:30 - The patient who skipped folic acid
44:31 - CoQ10 and the supplements with real evidence
44:58 - Melatonin for egg quality
46:43 - Where to get your egg quantity checked
47:44 - Track your cycle and gather the data
48:17 - LH, FSH and what ovulation tests show
50:38 - What ovulation actually feels like
51:58 - Sam's gut protocol and getting rid of H pylori
52:49 - Testing your vaginal microbiome before trying
54:55 - The fertile six day window
55:30 - How long sperm really survives
55:56 - How often to have sex when you're trying
56:23 - Why frequent ejaculation improves sperm quality
57:25 - How long the egg survives after ovulation
58:22 - Does the Mucinex trick work
1:01:27 - The emotional toll of trying
1:01:56 - Why conceiving is a team sport
1:05:35 - Rapid fire: myth or fact
1:06:56 - Does an orgasm help conception
1:07:59 - Can you ovulate without a positive test
1:08:40 - What empowerment means to her
1:09:08 - Where to find her
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CONNECT WITH DR. SASHA HAKMAN:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tryingwithdrhakman/
Podcast | Trying with Dr. Sasha Hakman: https://open.spotify.com/show/6KbKJpOEUClmcaWB4xjh0D
Website: https://www.sashahakmanmd.com/
SAM'S LINKS:
ELEVATE App | free 7 day trial: https://www.elevatebysam.com/
Macro Guide: https://samanthachristine.co/nutrition-guides
Running Programs: https://samanthachristine.co/running-guides
#tryingtoconceive #fertilityafter35 #womenshealth
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