Essential Tests To Optimize Preconception Health (That Your Doctor Won't Tell You About) with Alexandria DeVito

We're digging into the essential testing needed for preconception health.

It may feel overwhelming when you are trying to conceive with all the contradictory advice out there.

But what if your doctor is missing critical testing that can fast-track your chances of pregnancy success?

It’s not about waiting until you’ve tried for more than one year if you’re under 35 or six months if you’re over 35. That’s outdated advice that only keeps you stuck.

It’s about taking charge of your health now to optimize preconception health and get pregnant.

So, what tests will help you understand your reproductive health so you can prepare your body in the best way for your baby?

I’m excited to welcome Alexandria DeVito to the podcast. Alexandria is the CEO of Poplin, the first pre-pregnancy wellness company of its kind, and a functional nutritionist specializing in fertility and preconception health.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. What tests to ask for if you’re planning to get pregnant
2. Our take on AMH testing and which markers are more important to test
3. Which biomarkers you need to ask to be tested (these are regularly missed), and why they are so crucial for preconception health

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HIGHLIGHTS:

• It was the lack of answers that really riled me up.
• Infertility is a symptom; it's not really a diagnosis.
• Recognizing how critical it is to dig into the root causes of infertility
• Poplin: the first pre-pregnancy wellness company for couples - use code GPN10 for 10% off (US residents only)
• Alexandria DeVito’s Book | 9 Months Is Not Enough: The Ultimate Pre-pregnancy Checklist to Create a Baby-Ready Body and Build Generational Health

• Reproductive anxiety is real, and it's on the rise.
• Reproductive anxiety refers to any feelings of concern or anxiousness that come up when we think about our ability to get pregnant and have a healthy pregnancy and baby
• Reproductive anxiety is on the rise due to the perceived lack of control we have over our fertility
• Historically, the choice has been to do nothing or do IVF, but there are actually hundreds of things in between those two.
• There’s a massive gap in support and guidance on the fertility journey

• Testing should be one of the first steps on the journey, so you know what you're working with
• Fertility is an extension of your overall health.
• We look at five categories: your blood status, your hormone status, your immune status, your metabolic status, and your nutrient status
• The earlier you start this process, the more room you give yourself and your body to reflect those changes.

• Blood Status
• Here’s where you look at the health of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and iron levels
• Hormone Status
• This goes beyond sex hormones and looks at other markers, such as stress hormones and thyroid function
• Immune Status
• Autoimmune conditions are on the rise and disproportionately present in the female population
• There are things we can do to prevent and prepare.
• Your gut and your immune system are so intimately connected.
• Metabolic Status
• This looks at blood sugar management, cholesterol metabolism and liver function
• Nutrient Status
• The primary deficiency we see is vitamin D
• Tips for addressing common nutrient deficiencies
• We should be aiming to be in the functional range, not the lab range
• Fab Fertile Blog Post | Fertility Factors Exposed: Vitamin D's Influence on FSH, AMH and Antral Follicle Count

• Inputs do not always equal outputs.
• If you're eating in a stressed state, the absorption of nutrition is significantly lower
• Stress increases the demand for a lot of nutrients.
• The value of periodically resetting your diet and lifestyle routines

• People think that IVF is the fast track, but taking care of your health is the fast track.
• In a lot of cases, IVF is being used too early and too often
• People are not being given the complete information about their options to build their family
• The critical difference between sterility and infertility
• People are walking around thinking they can't conceive, but that is not true for most of the population.
• The panic and rush create the opposite environment from what is needed when you want to expand your family

• It’s essential to put your numbers in context.
• There are multiple situations in which AMH can be artificially depressed
• AMH has no predictive value for natural fertility.
• At every age, egg quality is much more important than egg quantity.
• Rather than focusing on something that we can’t control, like age, it's so much more empowering to focus on something that we can, like egg quality

• A high-quality egg and high-quality sperm are a function of a high-quality lifestyle.
• Baseline supplementation recommendations for fertility

• Poplin: the first pre-pregnancy wellness company for couples - use code GPN10 for 10% off (US residents only)
• What’s included in Poplin’s pre-pregnancy testing
• It's much more empowering to have the information and a path forward.
• Different use cases of Poplin’s clients

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RESOURCES:

Fab Fertile Method - https://fabfertile.com/pages/what-we-do

Connect with Alexandria DeVito

• Alexandria DeVito’s Book | 9 Months Is Not Enough: The Ultimate Pre-pregnancy Checklist to Create a Baby-Ready Body and Build Generational Health
• Poplin: the first pre-pregnancy wellness company for couples - use code GPN10 for 10% off (US residents only)

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Prepare your body for a successful pregnancy with Fab For Life Naturals Fertility Collection. Get professional-grade supplements designed to support reproductive health for men and women.

Use code launch15 to save 15%.

Access our foundational supplements for low AMH and/or high FSH here - https://fabfertile.com/collections/supplements

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Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant This Year If You Have Low AMH/High FSH

Top Fertility Supplements You Need To Get Pregnant This Year - Access your free guide at www.suppguideffl.com

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Get Pregnant Naturally | Related Episodes

• Episode 407: The Ultimate Diet For Egg And Sperm Health
• Episode 389: Want to get pregnant this year?

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I get this question all the time: Where should I start to optimize pregnancy success?

I developed the Fertility Preparation Bundle https://fabfertile.com/products/fertility-preparation-bundle so that you can quickly figure out how food impacts your health AND fertility (plus you'll also get three (3) of our most popular fertility supplements that will optimize egg health).

This 10-day plan is to figure out exactly how food is impacting your fertility. And no, you will not be drinking green juice and starving.

It’s GENUINELY what we recommend to our clients to help improve pregnancy success (especially if you have low AMH/high FSH).

Get started here https://fabfertile.com/products/fertility-preparation-bundle and use code LAUNCH15 to save 15% (US residents only).

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Eating for your fertility does not have to suck and it is not about deprivation. It’s about eating food that tastes amazing and nourishes your body as you prepare for pregnancy success.

I’m excited to announce that our Spring Fertility Recipe Guide is ready! I worked with a chef/nutrition background to prepare these spring recipes. In this 5-day challenge you’ll learn how food impacts your body while enjoying delicious meals - no you will not be drinking green juice and starving! Start this challenge today with your partner.

Your free guide includes a meal plan, grocery shopping list and everything you need to get started with nourishing foods that improve your chances of pregnancy success.

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Join my FREE Facebook group and get my training on How To Improve Pregnancy Success With Your Own Eggs.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/451444518397946

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