Sponsored by Organon.  Photo not of a real patient. Angeline N. Beltsos, MD, is the CEO, Clinical at Kindbody and is board certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. Dr. Beltsos has received numerous awards and is a popular speaker nationally and internationally, as well as a frequent media resource on the topic of infertility. This article is written from the point of view of Dr. Beltsos based on her more than two decades of extensive experience working with patients facing infertility. If you and your partner are struggling to have a child,...

Vaginal infections are no stranger to most women. That’s because the vagina is an ecosystem of both good bacteria and fungi that require a healthy environment to thrive. When the balance is thrown off by outside elements, or even from taking certain antibiotics, this can lead to uncomfortable conditions such as Bacterial Vaginosis, UTIs, or Yeast Infections.  If you are a chronic sufferer of vaginal infections, the good news is that most vaginal infections can be quickly and effectively treated with prescription and, in some cases, over-the-counter medications. Treating early is key because leaving these infections...

Picture this: your period is late. You take a pregnancy test, hoping this could (finally) be the month, and it comes up negative. You’re disappointed but also confused as to what could be going on with your body. Does this sound familiar?If you’ve experienced this exact scenario, you are far from alone. Menstrual cycle irregularities occur in 14-25% of women of childbearing age. While a “normal” menstrual cycle ranges from 21 to 35 days, it’s not unusual for small variations to occur each month. However, if your period is consistently irregular, you should speak with your...

Between ovulation week, PMS week, and period week, it may seem like there's only one week per month where you don't have to wonder what's actually going on with your body. For women with extreme forms of PMS such as Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), their monthly menstrual cycle can feel like a never-ending hamster wheel of pain, bloating, mood swings, and other uncomfortable symptoms. How Do I Know If I Have PMDD? Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a hormone-based mood disorder with severe symptoms. While it is an extreme form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), it's also quite...

2022 was a unique year to be a woman. TikTok trends left you asking questions like, “are my hormones imbalanced? What is hormone imbalance? Are my birth control pills causing infertility?” While the birth control pill and the IUD (Intrauterine Device) can be incredibly helpful for some women, many others have started turning towards the Fertility Awareness Method, or FAM, as a form of birth control, family-planning, or to simply feel better within their bodies.   “Fertility awareness based methods use the biological signs of ovulation to help users understand when ovulation is approaching and thus pregnancy...

You may have heard the saying that a “cold uterus” can cause infertility. This dates all the way back to Traditional Chinese Medicine and is grounded in the idea that a thin uterine lining does not respond appropriately to hormones. In her book, The Infertility Cure, Dr. Randine Lewis, a licensed acupuncturist holding a Ph.D in alternative medicine, describes the second half of the menstrual cycle (when we are praying for that successful implantation!) as the Yang phase, and notes that “[l]ike fuel for the body’s incubator, progesterone is warming and therefore Yang in nature.” Progesterone...