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Fertility specialist Oluyemisi Famuyiwa discusses her article, “Endometriosis and fertility: What every woman should know.” She explores how endometriosis, an inflammatory condition affecting 10 percent of reproductive-age women, disrupts fertility through pelvic …
In past decades, physicians practiced medicine. The majority were dedicated to patient well-being. They were paternalistic and decided what was in their patients’ best interests, and patients generally trusted their judgments. In the 1970s, ethicists concluded that patients and clinicians should make treatment decisions jointly. This position has been championed since then, despite multiple surveys demonstrating that more than 50 percent of patients prefer their physicians to be the decision-makers. …
Pregnancy loss is always a deeply personal and often devastating experience, but for those who experience vanishing twin syndrome (VTS)—where one twin or multiple fetuses are lost during pregnancy—the loss can be uniquely isolating. Unlike a traditional miscarriage, VTS is often discovered incidentally during an ultrasound, leaving many patients to process their grief in the absence of clear guidance, emotional support, or even acknowledgment from their health care providers.
An excerpt from Maternal Ambivalence: The Loving Moments & Bitter Truths of Motherhood.
What is maternal ambivalence?
Motherhood is a messy, loving process, filled with complicated and conflicting feelings that, though it’s hard to admit to, can even include passing moments of hate. The struggle a mother faces as she recognizes troublesome feelings equally allows her to discover new ways to engage with her child. This investigation of the mother within …
As first-year medical students, we are taught to always prioritize patients over politics. However, our research in maternal health has shown us that the two are dangerously intertwined, with political decisions directly impacting the provision of health care not just domestically but around the globe.
On January 24, only four days into his second term, President Trump reinstated “Protecting Life in Global …
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Fertility specialist Oluyemisi Famuyiwa discusses her KevinMD article, “The rise of at-home hormone tests: a double-edged sword for patients.” In this episode, Yemi explores the surge in popularity of at-home hormone testing …
Introduction
Endometriosis is a chronic, estrogen-dependent inflammatory disease affecting approximately 10 percent of reproductive-age women and is a leading cause of infertility. Despite its significant impact, it remains underdiagnosed and inadequately managed. This review examines the pathophysiological mechanisms linking endometriosis and infertility, current treatment strategies, and the role of dietary and lifestyle interventions in optimizing reproductive outcomes.
Endometriosis is characterized by the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the …
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Fertility specialist Oluyemisi Famuyiwa discusses her KevinMD article, “Why is no one listening? The urgent impact of marijuana on fertility.” In this episode, Yemi explores the emerging concerns surrounding marijuana legalization and …
On August 8, 2024, the CDC updated its selected practice recommendations for contraception for the first time since 2016. This revision emphasized the importance of discussing pain management options with patients undergoing intrauterine device (IUD) placement. Although the steps involved in IUD insertion are widely recognized as painful, this update marked the first time the CDC recommended tailoring pain management strategies based on open conversations with patients.
Despite the well-known discomfort …
Maternal mortality crisis in the U.S.
The U.S. faces a significant maternal health crisis, with alarmingly high maternal mortality rates compared to other developed nations. As of 2022, the overall maternal mortality rate was 22.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, with a disproportionately high rate of 49.5 deaths per 100,000 live births among Black women. These figures starkly contrast with much lower rates in countries like Germany, Australia, Japan, and Sweden.
Maternal …
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We dive into the powerful connection between sleep and fertility with guest Oluyemisi Famuyiwa, a fertility specialist. Discover how sleep impacts reproductive hormones, gamete quality, and the success of assisted reproductive technologies (ART). …
In the United States, as many as 20 percent of known pregnancies end in miscarriage (before the end of the twentieth week of pregnancy) and approximately 1 percent in stillbirth (after the twentieth week, including time of delivery).
Parents who experience pregnancy loss are often left to grieve not only the child they never had the opportunity to know but also the loss of a future they had envisioned. The …
At-home hormone testing kits have surged in popularity, offering individuals unprecedented access to tools they believe will help them understand their bodies. Marketed as convenient, empowering solutions to monitor fertility and general hormone health, these tests may seem like a valuable resource at first glance. However, the reality is far more complex. In many cases, these kits create confusion, unnecessary stress, and even lead to harmful interventions.
While the promise of …
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Before children (B.C.), life was completely different. I had the kind of freedom I didn’t even realize I had. I could decide, on a whim, to go out for dinner, catch a late movie, or simply lie in bed doing absolutely nothing (well, that part rarely happened as I was too busy either in school or thinking about work). I could stay up late, not because I had to, but …
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Join us as we talk with Gillian Burkhardt, an obstetrician-gynecology physician currently on assignment with Doctors Without Borders in South Darfur. We explore the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict in Sudan, which …
The growing concern
In the age of marijuana legalization, a troubling health concern is emerging—its impact on fertility. While cannabis enjoys increased social acceptance, its unintended consequences on reproductive health are often overlooked. Daily marijuana use now surpasses high-frequency alcohol consumption, marking a cultural shift that demands urgent attention. Yet, despite accumulating evidence, why does it feel like no one is listening?
As fertility specialists, we are witnessing an alarming trend: couples …
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Introduction
Sleep is not just a luxury; it is essential for maintaining health, and its role in fertility is particularly profound. From regulating reproductive hormones to protecting egg and sperm quality, sleep impacts every stage of the reproductive process. Yet, sleep disturbances—such as insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and irregular schedules—are often overlooked in fertility discussions. Recent research highlights how poor sleep affects fertility in men and women, influencing natural conception …
My sister and I speak almost every day. Sometimes we talk about our kids, our husbands, and our jobs. She is an attorney in the military and part of the JAG corps. I am an academic obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN), which means my practice involves education. We are both Black women in majority-white professions. Our morning conversations about our respective jobs are sometimes about the work itself, which we are both passionate …
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Epigenetics is transforming our understanding of fertility. In this episode, fertility specialist Dr. Oluyemisi (Yemi) Famuyiwa joins us to explore how lifestyle factors like diet, stress, and environmental exposures influence gene expression through …
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Prologue: a life forged in resilience
If you had asked me in the early days of my life where I thought I would end up, my answer would have been straightforward—a career in medicine like my mother, a family of my own, and perhaps a path well-traveled. But life rarely follows the lines we draw for it. Instead, it takes unpredictable turns, tests our strength in ways we never expect, and …
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