Why Iron Could Be Behind Your Low AMH, Failed IVF and Miscarriage

Most women with low AMH and high FSH get one of two answers about their iron: "it's fine," or "it's low, here's a supplement." Both leave the real problem untouched. Failed transfers, failed IVF cycles, miscarriage, irregular cycles, exhaustion that won't lift, and nobody asking why the iron is low in the first place. This episode shows you what the full iron panel actually reveals.

In this episode, Sarah Clark sits down with Fab Fertile clinical advisor Katy Bradbury (registered nurse and nutritional therapist) to break down the iron panel every woman trying to conceive should be looking at. Not just the one number your doctor checked, but the full picture. They get into why the standard iron prescription is one of the worst forms you can take, why high dose iron can actually make things worse, and why symptoms you've been told are unrelated (brittle nails, cold hands, hair loss, ice cravings, exhaustion) could all be pointing at the same thing.

What you'll learn:

• The full iron panel every woman trying to conceive should request, and what the numbers actually mean
• Why being told "your iron is fine" off one number is missing the picture
• The link between low iron and failed transfers, miscarriage, irregular periods, and pregnancy complications
• Why low iron is so common with low AMH, high FSH, DOR, and POI
• The thyroid and iron connection most doctors miss, especially with Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism
• Hidden reasons your iron is low even when you're eating well: gut infections, H. pylori, SIBO, low stomach acid, celiac, heavy periods
• Why the standard iron prescription often makes you constipated, nauseous, and no better off
• What to take instead, and why every other day often works better than every day
• Iron rich foods that actually move the needle, plus the foods and drinks blocking your absorption without you knowing
• The thyroid medication timing rule nobody tells you about

This conversation is for women navigating low AMH, high FSH, DOR, or POI who have been told their iron is fine without anyone running the full panel. It's also for women who have been on iron supplements for years without anyone asking why the iron got low to begin with, and for anyone who has had a failed transfer, a miscarriage, or a failed IVF cycle and is trying to figure out what was missed.

Not sure what's been fully evaluated?

Download the free Embryo Audit Checklist to map your past cycles and labs so you can see what's been looked at and what may have been missed. 👉 Download the Embryo Audit Checklist here.

Ready to go deeper? If you want an expert review of your labs, IVF history, and full health picture before your next cycle, this is where we start. 👉 Apply for a Functional Fertility Second Opinion here.

About the host: I'm Sarah Clark, founder of Fab Fertile and host of Get Pregnant Naturally, a podcast with over 1 million downloads. My team works with couples navigating low AMH and failed IVF, reviewing functional lab results including gut microbiome, food sensitivity, vaginal microbiome, nutrigenomics, HTMA, DUTCH, toxin testing, and bloodwork, alongside nervous system work, to help identify patterns that may not have been considered. We work alongside your medical team, not instead of them.

Subscribe to Get Pregnant Naturally for weekly episodes on fertility optimization, IVF preparation, and the lab work your doctor probably isn't running.

Originally aired October 22, 2022. Rebroadcast for our growing community navigating low AMH, high FSH, and DOR.

Keywords: iron and fertility, low iron and miscarriage, iron and failed IVF, iron and failed transfer, anemia trying to conceive, low AMH iron, high FSH iron, DOR iron deficiency, POI iron, iron and pregnancy loss, iron and Hashimoto's, iron and hypothyroidism, why is my iron low, ferritin trying to conceive, Sarah Clark, Fab Fertile, Get Pregnant Naturally

Timestamps:

00:00 Why this episode matters if you have low AMH, high FSH, DOR, POI, or have had a failed transfer or miscarriage

02:00 Why iron matters for getting and staying pregnant: ovulation, miscarriage, and pregnancy complications

03:00 Why the standard "you're anemic, take this supplement" approach misses the bigger picture

06:00 Hereditary anemia and why some women look fine on paper but aren't

07:00 Symptoms of low iron most women don't connect: fatigue, hair loss, cold hands, brittle nails, ice cravings

11:00 The full iron panel every woman trying to conceive should request

15:00 The thyroid and iron connection: why Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism almost always need iron checked

17:00 Heavy periods, blood loss, and ruling out internal bleeding before anything else

19:00 Why your gut decides whether iron actually gets absorbed: H. pylori, SIBO, low stomach acid, celiac, Crohn's

23:00 When pregnancy, breastfeeding, endurance training, and even turmeric can drain your iron stores

26:00 The thyroid medication timing rule, plus the foods and drinks blocking your absorption

28:00 Iron rich foods that actually work: grass fed red meat, organ meats, salmon, dark leafy greens, blackstrap molasses

33:00 What to take instead of the standard iron prescription, and why every other day often works better

35:00 The vitamin C piece, and why store bought orange juice doesn't count

36:00 Final thoughts: get the full iron panel as part of your fertility workup