Healthful Woman Podcast

Dr. Simi Gupta returns to the podcast to discuss umbilical cord issues in pregnancy. She discusses the function of the umbilical cord, umbilical cord issues that can be seen on an ultrasound, and what can be done to remedy these issues.

Dr. Fox welcomes Dr. Torri Metz, an associate professor of OB-GYN and Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the University of Utah to the podcast to discuss cannabis use in pregnancy. Dr. Metz dives into her research encompassing this topic and her findings.

Dr. Fox welcomes Dr. Caroline Friedman back to the #podcast to discuss #PROM, or premature rupture of membranes. This means that the membranes have ruptured, or your water breaks, before labor begins. While this is a rare occurrence, it is essential to know what to expect after it occurs.

Dr. Melka tells her story of her own high risk pregnancy, explaining how she chose her own OB/GYN, bonding with patients who were pregnant at the same time, and working as an OB/GYN through her pregnancy.

particularly with regard to Jewish fast days. On fast days, observers do not eat or drink for up to 25 hours, depending on the holiday. Dr. Fox and Dr. Melka explain when it is and isn’t safe for pregnant women to fast and how they advise their Jewish patients.

Our very first guest host, Dr. Stephanie Melka, sits down to interview Dr. Nathan Fox and give our listeners more insight into his background and how he got started in the field of maternal fetal medicine. He shares how he met his wife in college and got married before starting medical school at Mount Sinai. As a second-year med student, Dr. Fox got the chance to do delivers with OB Dr. Jay Bauman and was immediately intrigued with the field. He went on to complete his residency (while balancing his home life with three children) and got a job at Mount Sinai where he and Dr. Melka started together on the same day, Dr. Melka being his intern. Ever since Dr. Fox has been fully invested in the field of maternal field medicine and is dedicated to patient education and patient care that focuses on their overall health.

On our third mailbag episode, Dr. Nathan Fox invites Dr. Caroline Friedman to answer some of the top questions from our listeners. They discuss shoulder dystocia during childbirth, gestational hypertension, and laser hair removal during pregnancy.

Dr. Mariam Naqvi, a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist in Los Angeles, joins Dr. Fox to discuss fetal growth restriction (IUGR). Mariam is both an expert in the diagnosis and management of suspected IUGR, and is also someone who had suspected IUGR herself when she was pregnant with her first. In this episode, she gives her personal and professional reflections on this important topic.

Dr. Simi Gupta joins Dr. Fox to discuss fetal growth restriction, which refers to babies who are under the 10th percentile in size. Dr. Gupta has researched this condition and explains that while most of the time there are no health concerns, doctors can watch out for other signs that may mean the baby is at risk.

Dr. Shari Lusskin joins Dr. Nathan Fox to discuss anxiety before and during pregnancy. Dr. Lusskin explains that a possible pregnancy (planned or unplanned) is something she always considers when first treating women for anxiety since certain medications are not safe for pregnant women. Fortunately, most anxiety and depression medications are safe to take during pregnancy. Even still, having a detailed pregnancy and birth plan with your mental health provider and OB-GYN can be incredibly helpful for many women, especially those with diagnosed anxiety whose symptoms might worsen during pregnancy.