Start Here: Your Fertility Is More Than a Number

What happens after a miscarriage when the medical appointments end, but the grief doesn’t? In this episode of Beyond AMH, Dr. Marc Sklar is joined by Arden Cartrette, founder of The Miscarriage Doula and author of Moving Forward, Not Moving On, for an honest conversation about what pregnancy loss can really leave behind. They talk about the physical and emotional reality of miscarriage, why grief extends far beyond the pregnancy itself, what it means to lose trust in your body, and why becoming pregnant again does not automatically make the fear disappear. Most importantly, Arden explains why healing after loss is not about “moving on.” It is about learning how to move forward while still making space for what happened.

Fertility nutrition can get overwhelming very quickly. Should you eat low-carb? Mediterranean? Keto? More protein? Cut dairy? Avoid meat? Take more supplements? In this episode of Beyond AMH, Dr. Marc Sklar is joined by Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist and bestselling author Lily Nichols to cut through some of the conflicting advice around food and fertility. They discuss why there is no single fertility diet that works for everyone, why protein and nutrient density matter, how metabolic health and blood sugar fit into the picture, and why supplements should support a strong nutritional foundation rather than replace one.

IVF gives patients a lot of numbers, but not always enough context to understand what those numbers actually mean. In this episode of Beyond AMH, Dr. Marc Sklar is joined by fertility specialist and Gen 5 Fertility Center president Dr. Samuel Wood to look more closely at IVF protocols, age, AMH, embryo development, and what may be learned from an unsuccessful cycle. They discuss why IVF treatment should be individualized, what AMH can and cannot tell you, why embryos may develop differently between day three and day five, and how much the laboratory and embryology team can influence an IVF outcome. Dr. Wood also shares his work in ovarian rejuvenation and his perspective on where fertility science may be heading next.

Fertility struggles rarely exist in isolation from the rest of your health. For many women, the journey to conceive comes after years of painful periods, fatigue, digestive symptoms, brain fog, hormonal changes, metabolic issues, or simply knowing something in their body doesn’t feel right and struggling to get answers. In this episode of Beyond AMH, Dr. Marc Sklar is joined by internationally recognized hormone expert, nutrition scientist, and bestselling author Dr. Jolene Brighten for a wide-ranging conversation about endometriosis, inflammation, metabolic health, ADHD in women, hormones, and fertility. They explore why endometriosis can affect far more than periods and pelvic pain, how inflammation and metabolic health may influence reproductive function, and why body size alone tells us very little about metabolic health. They also discuss the emerging research around ADHD and women’s hormones, including how symptoms may change throughout the menstrual cycle and different hormonal stages of life. Above all, this conversation looks beyond individual symptoms and lab results to the bigger picture of women’s health and fertility. In this episode, we discuss: Why endometriosis is about much more than painful periods, and why diagnosis can take so long

Trying to conceive can take up far more mental and emotional space than most people expect. The waiting. The symptom checking. The constant decisions. The hope that this month might be different. The disappointment when it isn’t. The comparisons, age pressure, relationship strain, and feeling like your brain never truly switches off. In this episode of Beyond AMH, Dr. Marc Sklar is joined by psychologist, mindfulness teacher, and author Elisha Goldstein for a conversation about the hidden mental load of fertility struggles and what may help when TTC begins to feel emotionally consuming. Rather than telling people to “just relax” or stay positive, Marc and Elisha explore why uncertainty can send the mind into repetitive emotional loops, how stress can show up physically in the body, and how becoming more aware of those patterns may create space for a different response. Elisha also shares the four-step framework from his book Tiny Shifts: Recognize, Release, Refocus, and Reinforce. Together, they explore how these small psychological shifts can be applied to fertility stress, disappointment, comparison, communication, relationship strain, and the everyday moments when the journey starts to feel overwhelming. This Episode... Why fertility uncertainty can feel so consuming How stress can show up mentally and physically Fear, comparison, and repetitive thought loops The Tiny Shifts 4R framework Creating space between what you feel and how you respond Why partners may cope very differently Fertility stress, intimacy, and disconnection Connect With Elisha Goldstein Website: https://www.elishagoldstein.com Instagram: @drelishagoldstein TikTok: @drelishagoldstein YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drelishagoldstein Free 3-Day Tiny Shifts Experience Try Elisha’s free 3-day introduction to the Tiny Shifts method: https://3days.elishagoldstein.com Tiny Shifts book is available wherever books are sold. Work With Dr. Marc Sklar Book a Free Fertility Assessment: https://bit.ly/hopebeyondamhpodcast Sponsorship This episode is sponsored by the HOPE Fertility Program, Dr. Marc Sklar’s personalized fertility coaching program designed to help you look beyond the numbers and uncover what may be affecting your fertility. Apply to join the HOPE Fertility Program: https://bit.ly/hopebeyondamhpodcast