Fertility Friday

Lisa Hendrickson-Jack has been recording Fertility Friday since 2014, which puts her somewhere past 500 episodes at this point. She's a fertility awareness educator and the author of The Fifth Vital Sign, a book that argues your menstrual cycle tells you more about your health than almost any other marker. The podcast reflects that same conviction. Each week Lisa interviews researchers, doctors, midwives, and other practitioners about how the cycle actually works and what happens when it doesn't. Topics range from charting basal body temperature and cervical fluid to luteal phase defects, thyroid health, coming off hormonal birth control, and the long-term effects of suppressing ovulation. Episodes tend to run long, often 90 minutes or more, because Lisa likes to let her guests explain things properly. She asks good questions and clearly does her homework. If you're trying to conceive, recovering from years on the pill, or just want to understand why your period shows up when it does, this is one of the most thorough resources available. It's not a quick listen, but it rewards the time. A solid pick for anyone serious about learning their own body.