Roohi Jeelani MD Fertility

“How big is the egg retrieval needle?” 🥚

It’s one of the most common questions I hear.

The needle used during an egg retrieval is typically about 1.5 mm wide roughly the thickness of a few strands of hair bundled together. It is guided by ultrasound and used to gently collect the fluid from each follicle where the egg is found.

Like a straw, sucks them out.

While the needle may look intimidating, most patients are asleep or comfortably sedated during the procedure and are often surprised by how quick recovery can be.

Sometimes the scariest part of IVF is what we imagine not what actually happens.

Have you seen this before?

When most people think about male fertility, they think about the ability to have children.

In honor of Father’s Day let’s talk about s***m.

what if s***m health is actually a window into long-term health and longevity?

Male factors contribute to nearly 50% of infertility cases, and growing research suggests that abnormal semen parameters may be associated with more than reproductive outcomes alone.

Studies have found that men with infertility are at increased risk for:
• Metabolic syndrome
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cardiovascular disease
• Testicular cancer
• Autoimmune disease
• Earlier mortality compared with fertile men

In one large study of nearly 80,000 men, better semen quality was associated with a longer life expectancy. Other research has demonstrated that men with infertility have higher rates of chronic disease, both at the time of diagnosis and later in life.

Why?

Because s***m production is one of the body’s most energy-intensive processes. It requires healthy hormones, optimal metabolic function, good vascular health, low levels of inflammation, and intact DNA repair mechanisms. When s***m health declines, it can sometimes be an early signal that something else in the body needs attention.

This is why SwimClub fertility as part of a much bigger conversation.

A semen analysis isn’t just about fertility.
It’s a snapshot of:
✔️ Hormonal health
✔️ Metabolic health
✔️ Cellular health
✔️ Future health risks

The same habits that improve healthspan often improve s***m health:
✓ Regular exercise
✓ Strength training
✓ Quality sleep
✓ Optimizing body composition
✓ Managing stress
✓ Reducing alcohol and ni****ne exposure
✓ Prioritizing metabolic health

Your fertility is not separate from your health.

It’s one of the most powerful biomarkers of how your body is functioning today and potentially where it’s headed tomorrow.

The goal isn’t just to live longer.
It’s to live healthier, perform better, and understand the signals your body is already giving you.

Did you know this?

Aren’t you using up all your eggs if you do IVF?

This is one of the most common fertility myths I hear.

The answer? No.

IVF does not make you lose extra eggs.

Here’s what actually happens:

Every month, your ovaries recruit a group of follicles. While one egg typically goes on to ovulate, the rest of that month’s recruited follicles naturally die off in a process called atresia.

When we do IVF, we’re not taking eggs away from your future fertility. We’re simply using medications to help more of the follicles that were already recruited for that month continue growing instead of being lost.

Think of it this way: IVF doesn’t empty your egg bank account. It helps us collect more of the eggs that your body had already selected for that cycle.

This is why:
✨ IVF does not cause early menopause.
✨ IVF does not “use up” your lifetime supply of eggs.
✨ Egg retrieval does not take eggs from future months.

Your ovarian reserve is determined by biology and age not by the number of IVF cycles you’ve completed.

As a fertility doctor, I love busting this myth because so many people delay treatment out of fear that IVF will somehow leave them with fewer eggs later.

Science says otherwise. 💛

Did you know this before starting your fertility journey?

Create a space you wish existed for you.

That’s .health for us.

Understanding how your reproductive health is tied to your overall health.

Being proactive and just not reactive with your fertility.

And truly redefining what access means!

This month we will be launching

Clarity program: $99

A simple, low-pressure fertility check-in designed to help women better understand their reproductive health.

Whether you’re planning for the future or simply curious where you stand today, Onto Clarity offers an approachable first step into proactive fertility care.

Your visit includes:

AFC (antral follicle count) ultrasound
Mini-consult with an Onto provider
Personalized fertility insight and guidance
Onto Clarity is designed to provide an introductory snapshot of your fertility health — not a full fertility workup or diagnostic evaluation.

For patients who may benefit from more comprehensive testing, advanced diagnostics are available.

No pressure. Just clarity, education, and support designed around your goals.

Endometriosis is NOT cancer.

But new research suggests it behaves in ways that are remarkably similar.

A 2026 review found that endometriosis exhibits many of the same biological “hallmarks of cancer” including abnormal cell growth, invasion into surrounding tissues, the ability to create its own blood supply, evade immune surveillance, and survive outside its tissue of origin.

This does not mean endometriosis is cancer, but it may help explain why it can be so persistent, painful, and difficult to treat.

One of the most exciting findings involves cellular metabolism.

Researchers discovered that endometriosis lesions rely on increased glycolysis (a metabolic pathway also seen in many cancers), leading to excess lactate production and inflammation. In preclinical studies, a medication called dichloroacetate (DCA) reduced lactate levels and decreased lesion size by targeting these metabolic abnormalities. (PNAS)

Early clinical studies have since explored DCA as a potential non-hormonal treatment for endometriosis-associated pain, with enough promise to support larger placebo-controlled trials currently underway.

Why does this matter?

For decades, endometriosis treatment has largely focused on surgery and hormone suppression. Understanding endometriosis as a disease of altered metabolism may open the door to entirely new treatment options especially for women who cannot or do not wish to use hormonal therapies.

The future of endometriosis treatment may not just be hormonal.

Exciting right?

Nobody warns you that IVF can feel like an emotional marathon and there’s a real biological reason for that.

Estrogen, progesterone, and GnRH agonists don’t just prepare your body for embryo transfer. They also directly affect the brain chemicals that regulate mood, sleep, and anxiety. The tearfulness, the irritability, the 2am spirals? Not in your head.

Literally in your hormones.

As a fertility doctor and someone who’s been on the other side of this process, I want you to know: what you’re feeling is valid, it’s temporary, and you don’t have to white-knuckle through it alone.

Save this if you’re in a cycle or supporting someone who is.

At what point in your cycle do you start treating your body like you could be pregnant?

Typically, this starts after ovulation or after embryo transfer in an IVF/FET cycle because implantation happens before most people even know they’re pregnant.

If you’re in the two-week wait, trying to conceive, or preparing for pregnancy:
• Limit alcohol
• Be mindful with raw sushi and high-risk foods
• Reduce unnecessary toxin exposure
• Prioritize sleep, hydration, and nutrition

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s creating the healthiest environment possible before that positive test ever appears.