Dr. Crawford’s Journey: "I'm a Physician, But I'm a Person First"

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Natalie Crawford, a board-certified OB/GYN and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) specialist who practices in Austin, Texas, and who many will recognize as being one of the most well-known fertility doctors on social media. She has been active on social media for over a decade, hosting the As a Woman podcast and maintaining a YouTube channel, alongside her debut book, The Fertility Formula, scheduled for spring 2026. Her efforts are driven by a passion to provide fundamental knowledge to patients who she felt were seeing her too late and lacked basic understanding of their reproductive health.


Dr. Crawford opens up about her own family building story, which began during her residency and included multiple pregnancy losses and an ectopic pregnancy. Noting that she felt dismissed by her own doctor despite being an OB/GYN herself, this experience profoundly changed how she approaches patients, emphasizing compassion and the power of a physician's words. When conventional testing came back normal, leading to an unexplained infertility diagnosis, she decided to use her REI fellowship research to investigate natural fertility, focusing on topics like inflammation, vitamin D, ovarian reserve, and environmental toxins. Her personal "n of one study" involved anti-inflammatory lifestyle changes which, combined with Clomid, resulted in her pregnancy. Her later diagnosis of celiac disease served as a profound example of how autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, which are often overlooked, can impact fertility. 


Considered an "OG of fertility doctors on social media" for having pioneered this space, when Dr. Crawford first started sharing her personal story and professional insights online, she received "so much hate from our field and my colleagues" who believed physicians should maintain separation between their personal and professional lives. However, she stood firm, believing that being open about her experiences with pregnancy loss and infertility was crucial for building trust and connection with her patients, emphasizing that she is a person first. Ultimately, her commitment to transparency and education has significantly influenced how fertility expertise is shared and received in the public domain.


The conversation also touches on the debate surrounding Restorative Reproductive Medicine (RRM), with Dr. Crawford advocating for comprehensive care that includes conventional treatments like IVF, stressing that while root cause evaluation is crucial, it should not eliminate the option of IVF and that any method that seeks to eliminate or severely restrict standard fertility treatments should be concerning to patients and providers.


Connect with Dr. Crawford at nataliecrawfordmd.com (http://nataliecrawfordmd.com) or on social media @nataliecrawfordmd.


TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:


Reproductive Endocrinologist, OB/GYN, Fora Fertility, Dr. Natalie Crawford, pregnancy loss, infertility, unexplained infertility, ectopic pregnancy, fertility education, fertility treatment, IVF, restorative reproductive medicine, RRM, Celiac Disease, inflammation,  autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, fertility support, family building journey, pregnancy loss, infertility awareness, reproductive health education, natural fertility, hormone health, IVF process, cycle tracking, emotional support for infertility, lifestyle changes for fertility, fertility doctor insights, fertility and inflammation, understanding ovarian reserve, couples fertility health, patient advocacy in fertility, fertility resources, women’s health education, male fertility factors, compassionate care in fertility






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