PCOS & Fertility in a Post-Roe Era

Is there a connection between the recent overturn of Roe v Wade and fertility treatments? Unfortunately, the implications for women's healthcare and reproductive care are far-reaching beyond simply allowing states to ban abortion. And there are a lot of considerations that reproductive-aged women may be facing now that they hadn't before. And having a chronic condition like PCOS only complicates matters more.

I've been fielding questions about what these changing laws mean when it comes to women's health with questions like:

• Should I delete my period tracking app?
• What's the best option for birth control?
• How will the laws impact IVF?
• If I have embryos frozen in a state with personhood laws, should I move them?

I've also been hearing from a lot of women who were planning to start a family but now are afraid of getting pregnant in case they find themselves in a situation where they may require emergency care or are forced to carry a pregnancy to term if there's a medical issue with the fetus.

So I wanted to dedicate an episode to PCOS and fertility in a post-Roe era. Frankly, I have a lot of questions about the situation too! So I brought in Dr. Carolina Sueldo, a Double Board Certified Fertility Specialist, to go over how the changing legal landscape may impact fertility care in America.

Dr. Sueldo completed a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the UCSF-Fresno Medical Education Program, then went on to complete her fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) at the University of Connecticut while concurrently obtaining a Master in Science. Dr. Sueldo practices at Women's Specialty and Fertility Center and is also an Assistant Professor for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UCSF-Fresno. She is board certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology (ObGyn), as well as Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI).

This Week We Talk About:

• Why PCOS treatment should be based on whether you're trying to conceive or not
• How to track cycles when cycles are irregular
• Why you should be concerned about privacy of your data with apps you use and practitioners you work with
• Thinking about contraceptives in terms of first-line, second-line, and third-line options and why it's more important than ever to be proactive
• Increased pregnancy risks for people with PCOS
• Impact of state laws on IVF — exactly which procedures are affected and how that will decrease efficiency and success rates and increase costs
• Miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies, and medical terminations

Mentioned in this episode

PCOS Meal Prep Made Easy Workshop – In this hour-long workshop, I break down what foods you want to include for PCOS and what you may want to consider avoiding or minimizing. Learn my simple 3-step formula for planning meals with PCOS, which includes learning how to eat to balance blood sugar.

Where to find Dr. Carolina Sueldo, MD, FACOG, OBGYN/REI

Work with Dr. Sueldo: Women's Specialty and Fertility Center

Dr. Sueldo's Instagram: @drcarolinasueldo

Dr. Sueldo's YouTube Channel: Dr Carolina Sueldo

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Disclaimer: This website and podcast are not intended to provide medical or legal advice. This episode was recorded on July 18, 2022. Dr. Sueldo resides and practices in California and Melissa Groves Azzaro resides and practices in New Hampshire. The legal implications of this decision are a rapidly changing landscape and will continue to evolve.