How Women Can Improve Their Fertility & Hormone Health | Dr. Natalie Crawford

April 13, 2026

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5 min read

How Women Can Improve Their Fertility & Hormone Health

"Everybody should get an AMH test," Dr. Natalie Crawford says plainly. "It is not a test of egg quality, genetics and competency, but it is a chip of how many eggs you have, and that knowledge can be really impactful for how you view your future and your plan." This recommendation runs directly against current guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which advises against AMH testing for women without diagnosed infertility. Crawford calls that position paternalistic and argues it withholds information people could use to make meaningful decisions about their lives.

Fertility as a Health Marker, Not Just a Pregnancy Goal

Crawford frames fertility as a window into overall health rather than merely the ability to conceive. "If you have infertility, you have increased rates of metabolic syndrome, cancer, heart attack, stroke, and dying early," she explains. The connection is not that infertility causes these conditions, but that it often serves as an early warning sign that something is wrong in the body—higher levels of chronic inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, or underlying autoimmune disease.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:00) **Fertility as a Health Marker** - Dr. Crawford explains why fertility is a vital sign of overall health, not just the ability to get pregnant.
2 (08:15) **Hormone Therapy: Replacement vs. Augmentation** - The discussion clarifies the medical approach to hormone therapy for women, moving beyond strict cutoffs.
3 (14:36) **Environmental Toxins and Fertility** - Dr. Crawford addresses the real but manageable concern of plastics and endocrine disruptors.
4 (23:34) **Age, Fertility, and Secondary Infertility** - A data-driven look at how age impacts the chance of conception, even for women who have had a child before.
5 (30:06) **Pregnancy Loss and the Path to Diagnosis** - Dr. Crawford shares her personal experience with pregnancy loss and the systemic failures in fertility care.
6 (41:49) **Egg Quality, Ovarian Reserve, and the AMH Test** - A clear, accessible explanation of the biology of eggs and the critical blood test everyone should know about.
7 (55:33) **The Cost and Value of an AMH Test** - The practical, financial reality of accessing this key piece of health data.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Dr. Natalie Crawford

Show Notes

Dr. Natalie Crawford, MD, is a double board-certified OB-GYN and reproductive endocrinologist. We discuss how to improve hormone health at any age and the importance of fertility markers not just for pregnancy, but as a powerful window into overall health, vitality and longevity. We discuss hormone replacement therapy, egg freezing, IVF, and what biomarkers like AMH really indicate. Plus, how anti-inflammatory diets and specific supplements can be beneficial and the impact of microplastics and certain fragrances on hormones. We also discuss lesser-known factors that deplete male and female fertility, vitality and health. This conversation highlights how better understanding of hormones and your reproductive markers can empower better informed choices at every stage of life.

Read the show notes at hubermanlab.com.

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Timestamps

(00:00:00) Natalie Crawford

(00:02:26) Fertility as a Health Marker, Infertility

(00:05:34) Perimenopause, Menopause, Hormone Replacement Theory

(00:11:01) Sponsors: David & BetterHelp

(00:13:35) Hormone Therapy, Extending Ovarian Lifespan

(00:19:11) Plastics, Toxins & Fertility

(00:22:02) Does Prior Pregnancy Make Conception Easier?, Secondary Infertility

(00:29:02) Testing Sperm; Pregnancy Loss & Conceiving Again, Fertility Testing

(00:38:17) Sponsor: AG1

(00:39:40) Menstrual Cycle, Egg Number & Quality, AMH Test

(00:48:17) Tool: AMH Test; Fertility Education & Patient Choices

(00:53:13) Tool: Tracking Ovulation; Ovulation Disorders

(00:55:11) AMH Test Cost; Genetic Testing & Patient Choice

(01:01:13) Does Egg Freezing Cause Early Menopause?, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

(01:05:29) Egg Freezing, IVF, Ethical Concerns; Embryo Banking

(01:15:21) Sponsor: Eight Sleep

(01:16:39) Egg Freezing, Cost & Patient Choices

(01:21:22) Concieving After Hormonal Birth Control, IUD or Depo-Provera

(01:27:17) Pregnancy Termination & Concieving Again

(01:29:28) Support Egg Quality, Tools: Ovulation & Avoiding NSAIDs; 5 Lifestyle Non-Negotiables

(01:34:03) Sleep, Melatonin; Cold Plunge

(01:38:41) Curcumin, NAD/NR, CoQ10, Supplements for Prenatal Care & Sperm Health

(01:42:05) Sponsor: Function

(01:43:16)