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166: Low Libido & It’s Connection To Infertility - With Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner Tina
Episode 16629th July 2025 • Natural Fertility with Dr. Jane • Dr. Jane Levesque
00:00:00 00:33:48

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Today, Tina and I dive into a topic that doesn’t get talked about enough: low libido - in both men and women - and how it impacts fertility. Sometimes we overcomplicate things with science and protocols…but sometimes the simplest things can move the needle the most. Small moments of intimacy and deeper connection with your partner can be one of the most powerful ways to support your fertility journey and build the healthy family you’re dreaming of. Tune in to learn more.

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STOP wasting time and grasping at straws. Let’s navigate your fertility journey together, so you can feel more confident and in control for this next BIG chapter of your life. Within the Fertility 101 membership, you'll join me - Dr. Jane, Naturopathic Doctor and a Natural Fertility expert, to learn how to optimize your hormones, improve egg quality and enhance your fertility naturally. 

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Every month, Dr. Jane takes on 2 couples where she works with them 1:1 to identify and overcome the root cause of their infertility.

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Takeaways

Pregnancy is a natural process, and support is crucial.

Libido is a complex issue affecting both genders.

Testosterone levels significantly impact male fertility.

Psychological factors can hinder libido and intimacy.

Open communication is essential for healthy relationships.

Intimacy should be prioritized beyond just intercourse.

Treatment strategies for libido issues vary by individual.

Hormonal changes can affect female libido significantly.

Younger populations are experiencing libido issues earlier.

Environmental factors contribute to fertility challenges.

Sound Bites

"Pregnancy is a natural process."

"Libido is a multifaceted topic."

"We need to prioritize intimacy."

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Infertility and Support

02:41 The Role of Libido in Fertility

05:44 Physical and Psychological Factors Affecting Libido

08:31 The Impact of Stress and Communication on Intimacy

11:19 Treatment Strategies for Improving Libido

14:14 The Importance of Intimacy Beyond Conception

17:06 Hormonal Influences on Female Libido

19:53 The Rise of Low Libido in Younger Generations

22:27 Metabolic Dysfunction and Its Effects on Fertility

24:55 Navigating Modern Relationships and Technology

27:46 Finding the Right Treatment for Libido Issues


Connect with Dr. Jane Levesque

Website - https://www.drjanelevesque.com/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drjanelevesque/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DrJaneLevesque/

Transcripts

Dr. Jane Levesque (:

Pregnancy is a natural process. So if it's not happening or if it's not sticking, something is missing. After having a family member go through infertility and experiencing a miscarriage myself, I realized how little support and education women have around infertility. I wanna change that. I'm Dr. Jane Levesque. I'm a naturopathic doctor and a natural fertility expert. Tune in every Tuesday at 9 a.m. for insightful case studies, expert interviews and practical tips.

and how you can optimize fertility naturally. If you've been struggling with infertility, pregnancy loss, women's health issues, or you just want to be proactive and prepare yourself for the next big chapter in your life, this show is for you. Today, I sit down with Tina, one of my practitioners, and we're going to break down libido. Libido, when it comes to fertility, how it plays a role in male fertility, how it plays a role in female fertility. It's a very multifaceted topic, so Tina and I break it down.

and we break down and talk about some of the treatment strategies. I hope you guys enjoy this episode. Tina, we're back. Hi. It's so good. I love it because usually I don't get to meet the people. Like I just get to talk to them once and then sometimes twice at once, but like we get to connect every month and it's exciting. And we're going to talk about libido today and how it's connected to infertility and

We're back!

Dr. Jane Levesque (:

We're going to break down probably male and female, I'm assuming. You take the lead and tell us what we're going to learn about today.

Yeah, for sure. it's been a pattern I'm seeing specifically with one couple that I've been working with for a while. They've improved exponentially. And the last time I met with them, said, you know, the next time we meet, what do you want to be the next thing to improve? And both of them are struggling with libido. And that's been since we started our work together. And now they're like, we feel so good, but the libido hasn't improved. And that's what we want to see next. And so

you know, it's very multifaceted and this is what I had to speak to them about and this is where conversations sometimes have to get raw and real. There's definitely a physical component there and it's very much tied to fertility but there are behavioral and psychological components as well.

Yeah, I think multifaceted is an understatement because it's like it's two people, not just one. And then it's like your own libido, but then also keeping in mind your partner's libido, matching that up, matching up your schedules, matching up here. Like there's so many different pieces. So do you want to break down? I mean, the immediate questions that I know, and this is something that my clients struggle with as well. I don't think it's something that improves first.

It's rarely, it's usually one of the last things to go, unfortunately. But the questions are, know, male, male libido versus female libido, we can take turns breaking the two down. What causes issues from the physical, psychological, mental, emotional, and then for each person, if you will, for male and the female, and then we can dive into like, how do we go about repairing and improving our libido?

icioner Tina Salicco-Jackson (:

Yeah, so when we look at the mail, think...

it's important to recognize that testosterone is a driving force for libido. But in that it's not just, he has low testosterone. We have to look at why, right? And so right away I'm looking at the amount of body fat that's present because the more body fat, the more it aromatizes testosterone. And what that means is it converts it into estrogen. And that's where we start to see potential things like estrogen dominance, right? Is when testosterone is

being converted into estrogen. And now if we're seeing this low testosterone, we right away need to think, okay, what's happening with sperm production? Right? Because that's going to drive sperm. Testosterone is made in the testes. If testosterone is low, it's going to impact sperm. And if sperm is impacted, well, what's happening with fertility? Right? And so body fat, we also need to consider...

say body fat both ways because the body is all about balance and I have had males who are like I want to be under 10 % body fat and it's like that's not great for fertility you don't want like 8 % body fat for a fertility isn't great for females that body fat is very different and we'll talk about that but I do think it's a healthy balance between that 12 to 15 % versus when we're getting into 18 20 25 30 % body fat for a male that's really high and then we're of course seeing it's

It's not just fat, right? As you said, it's producing hormones. It's making other. So there is an inflammatory cascade of things that's going on for us to unpack, whether it's blood sugar, whether it's cortisol, whether it's estrogen, whether it's whatever infection, you name it. But I do think it's important to mention, cause there's some guys out there or some ladies with some dudes who are very diligent and they're very fit, but we actually have to tell them to, Hey, you gotta chill out a little bit. Eat some, eat some fat, just enjoy things and stuff.

Dr. Jane Levesque (:

of being so rigid.

Yeah, and you you see it with men that are very lean. just, they don't have the energy to produce that libido. You know, they're just depleted. And I'll tie into neurotransmitters in a minute and how those impact. But so now we're looking, okay, so there's body fat, whether too high, too low, and the impact that that has on hormone production and aromatization. And then we need to consider, if you think of the veins in the penis,

they're very small, right? And so if we look...

Let's talk about the veins in the penis. My husband will love overhearing this.

of where we're going to first have issues with blood flow. It's going to start with those smaller veins and then it's going to move up to the larger veins in the heart. And then we're looking at the carotid. So we can see years prior, if there is erectile dysfunction and libido issues, those lead into cardiovascular disease and then down the road, potentially stroke. Right. And we

icioner Tina Salicco-Jackson (:

have this, we can catch it really early when we consider the small veins that exist within the penis and the libido that's happening there. And libido and erectile dysfunction are very connected because if a guy is in the middle of intercourse and he can't get it going or it fails really quick, now there's this psychological component. The next time he goes to have intercourse, the second he thinks,

my gosh, I don't want that to happen again. It happens. And now it's happened twice. then there's no

there you bringing stress into the situation.

So we have this psychological component and this is where when I'm speaking to that couple in front of me, I'm asking, are you aroused? Do you have libido when watching pornography, when you're not in the bedroom with your husband or wife? And if the answer is yes, then there is a psychological component. Things are working physically. There's something happening psychologically. And so this is where we

have to really peel back layers and understand what's going on there. And that's where those hard questions have to come up. So libido being multifaceted is really diving in, asking those hard questions. Then there's the questions around, can you look at yourself in the mirror naked and like what you see? And this is for men and women, think, I think for women potentially more, right?

Dr. Jane Levesque (:

Yes, I would agree.

Yeah. And so there's those layers and then we have to look at neurotransmitters. And I think this also does tie to how much they're eating if they're absorbing what they're eating. And we look at this with their nutrient panels when they come to us because amino acid, gut function, right? Amino acids come from protein and actually if serotonin is too high, libido and erectile dysfunction are more present. We need dope.

to be high and serotonin to be low or lower to have that libido and proper erection. So this is where, you know, we have to really dive into and they suggest men that are dealing with low libido and erectile dysfunction to avoid pornography because it gives them that quick spike of dopamine, but it's not translating to those, you know, that, that

you

Dr. Jane Levesque (:

Prolactin, the oxytocin and the euphoria that comes with human connection and that's right. Yeah, it's

I do what the thing that I want to like give out shout out to the men and especially in the fertility space where sometimes it becomes such a mechanical process where it is like, man, we used to just have sex because it was fun. And now it's like, I hate seeing that happy face. Like I remember telling one of my patients, like, I just hate seeing that happy face, which is the LH strip. You know, there's certain LH strips that give you the happy face of like, you're ready to concede. And he's like, I just hate seeing it because it takes away all of the spontaneity.

like I probably would have, but now there's this pressure to perform. sometimes we, as women look at it, well, guys should be ready to go whenever. And it's not necessarily the case, right? There is, like you said, a big psychological, mental, emotional component. And we've talked about it as in a couple, but also like work is a big piece, right? So if you're really stressed and you have a lot going on and it's like last thing you're thinking about is, you know, being intimate. And then you're looking for that dopamine hit from scroll.

or shopping or drinking or whatever food because you just want the relief not realizing that you know it's perpetuating a problem deeper.

That's right. And so in considering this couple, was the question that I had because he is.

Dr. Jane Levesque (:

highly.

He's stressed with work incredibly burnt out cardiovascular system is extremely inflamed so we know Like I said, right the small veins first then the larger veins. So these libido issues They're not new they've been happening for a while because we're seeing this cardiovascular inflammation But his his work world is so stressful that he just doesn't have the energy to come home and want to perform and

And this has to be a conversation between couples. think as a society, it's still very taboo because we expect men to just go and they feel less manly when they can't. And it needs to be an open conversation with partners to really dive in. This couple is really good at having that conversation. It doesn't seem like there's discomfort there. It can often translate over to...

Some discomfort, they're just handling it well. There's always discomfort. sure. I just think it's it's naive to think that when there's no discomfort that means you've had that conversation so many times it's easier for you to have it is how I see it.

Yeah, that's fair. And I think, you know, she has expressed that she also has low libido, but she has questioned, it that I have low libido or is it fear of being rejected? And I think we see that a lot with couples as well is, you know, does he not want to be with me because he's not attracted to me?

icioner Tina Salicco-Jackson (:

And that's a huge thing. And again, multifaceted, right? This brings in the psychological. And I think when we try to unravel if it's just physical, if it's just psychological, or if it's a combination, that guides our treatment strategy quite a bit. For men, there are things that can be done to kind of interrupt this cycle of erectile dysfunction and improve libido. So, you know,

We're a very natural route, but I think, I don't know if you've heard, but very low dose Cialis every day can actually help interrupt the cycle because it's going to slow down or it's going to cause the erection. So now that thought of, my God, I can't do this. I'm not lasting. It interrupts it. And it's like, I can do this. And then, I can do this again. And there's actually...

The side effects with low dose Cialis are like headache, potential back pain. There's no really big...

side effects that we see a lot of pharmaceuticals. It actually helps the epithelial of the cells. So it's really good and it's not something that they need to stay on long standing because it interrupts that behavioral pattern and that anxiety in the bedroom. So they can come off of it and, and eventually improve libido and get rid of that erectile dysfunction. So that's one of the treatments that being, that's being used for the physical, I think sex therapy is also something.

that can help with the psychological for men and women and is being used really successfully. I also encouraged this couple to bring play back in the bedroom because like you said I think it's like on the clock gotta do it and like we need to bring fun and like laughter back in because there's moments that are really awkward and stupid and like we have to be able to laugh about those. I think that's really important for both as well.

Dr. Jane Levesque (:

Yeah, I mean, there's so many, and this is where the therapy is going to be so individual because sometimes it's, you know, like low dose DHEA that helps to improve and increase testosterone. And sometimes it's getting rid of that inflammation. And sometimes it's coming home earlier. And a couple that I'm thinking about that, that's like really put intimacy and it's like, we'll just do the IVF route. then it's like the, the act that gets you to have the baby, we for some reason forget.

and think that it's not important because now we have the science that's coming in. But there's so much research even when you're doing...

a transfer of having sex post transfer, how that helps to support implantation and supports the microbiome and the oxytocin that the woman releases. And because the man also releases oxytocin and the euphoria and that exchange, how that relaxes the woman and relaxes the immune system and allows her to accept. So there is so much that happens during sex that we kind of don't even really realize and have forgotten. And I think genuinely it's because we are

distracted, we are so stressed out, we are so toxic, we are not, we don't have time for intimacy and so for some of my couples I'll say like let's not even worry about sex yet, let's get you intimate. So for women and we'll go into that it's like well it's important how the woman is.

acknowledged throughout the day and how many times she, right? It's the little like, how did he touch her throughout the day? And did he, did she feel heard? Did she feel taken care of that leads up as opposed to just the act of like, okay, tonight we're going to have sex because I'm ovulating. there's an intimacy is well, taking a shower together or holding hands while you're walking or cuddling or taking a bath or whatever. Those are all components where you can start to get out of the dopamine cycle and

Dr. Jane Levesque (:

start to build that connection. And I have patients who come in there, it's really intimacy is like difficult to fit into the schedule. And, you know, they don't really think about it. They go on vacation and they're like, man, we had sex every day while we were away. And I'm like, okay, so how can we bring some of the vacation people home? Because that tells me you're now relaxed. And their desire is actually there. And it's quite strong. It's just your

so bombarded with all your daily to-dos, you don't have time to tap into it. And then we just don't think it's that important. I mean, the study is just showing you how like...

for women having orgasms on a regular basis, how it changes her skin, her hormones, how she feel, like so many things, let alone the connection that she feels for her partner. And obviously the changes for the man as well. So yeah, like I think the therapy is very individual and it just depends so much on what's going on with a couple and there's lots, there's lots that can be done.

And then, you know, in, touching on the female, the female absolutely needs testosterone for the libido, the arousal piece. But estrogen is very important for the desire. the female needs both. And so we often see this for older women or women going through perimenopause where estradiol is decreasing. Not only do we have less lubrication in the vaginal area, thinner

Yes.

icioner Tina Salicco-Jackson (:

painful sex now, but the desire and the arousal diminish.

And the confidence goes with estrogen too. That's right. usually, right, like the weight comes on and the...

Yeah. So estradiol helps with fat distribution. So women, and I often say this, I'm like, okay, where do men carry fat? And it's typically like around the belly, right? Women, carry it in our size and our hips, but as estradiol decreases, that fat distribution changes and we carry it more in our abdominal area like males do because we have lower estradiol. And so we just start to notice it more because it's all in one area. It's all in one region. Confidence declines.

where I say, you look at yourself in the mirror naked and be happy with what you see? If not, you're not gonna feel comfortable being intimate with your partner.

Yeah, it's like trying to turn off the lights in the bedroom to make sure that nobody sees you and it's like you think.

icioner Tina Salicco-Jackson (:

That's being on top, right? Like different positions. Cause now you're like, my gosh, what's he looking at? What do I look like? You're not enjoying the moment. Your mind is in a thousand places. Just like his mind is when he's thinking, can I maintain this erection right now? And then right away he's not. So, for women, it's really difficult, but those two hormones play a big role. and as they decline, we do start to see issues there.

One way to combat that is...

a suppository of estradiol as you get older, which is not systemic estradiol. It's just going to help with lubrication in the vaginal area. Over time, it will increase the thickness of the skin in that area. So there's not soreness when there's penetration. But then there's all those behavioral pieces and there's communication. And for the woman, it's like you said, if you're not even getting a kiss through the day, but then there's this like.

we're gonna go to the bedroom and we're gonna get it on. There's no warming up there. And, you know, a woman who is highly stressed is not going to want to be touched in the bedroom. And if those...

She's going to be in her head a lot too, right? Yeah.

icioner Tina Salicco-Jackson (:

And if those issues exist prior to bringing a baby home, it is shown that women at least six months postpartum, if not more, they're not getting back that desire because they feel touched out, exhausted, hormones aren't back on board at the beginning.

to please.

Nutrients are depleted. So her body is still doing a lot of work after delivering. And so that's where we can just see this vicious cycle that spirals through conception, bringing the baby home and onwards. I was working with a couple that, you know, their first job was just a 10 second kiss every morning and it felt so awkward for them because they hadn't kissed in forever.

forever. So, you know, and it's important to have those little, little tasks as uncomfortable as they feel. It is important to start bringing that back in.

Yeah, I say the skin-to-skin contact is huge like and whether it's just you know, like hey Can I have my hand on your belly or on your leg like whatever I can reach while you're falling asleep or? Having your husband put hand on his chair on your chest or you laying flat on him and not having that skin to skin and just without any intention I think is Grossly underestimated and I think because you and I like we learned so much about this stuff and I know like Leah has so many lectures and posts that she's been making on

Dr. Jane Levesque (:

oxytocin and then you learn it and you can feel it and then you're like, oh, this is why I do it. But in this is why we share it because you start doing it and you'll be like, I crave hugs. Like I want

a hug and I need someone to hug me and I need that skin to skin contact. And mean, that's what babies need. If you think about the first thing, they're like skin to skin, skin to skin. That's what makes them feel safe. It's like, still true for us. We're just, you know, older beings, if you will. I do want to talk to you about, cause this is interesting, that we're seeing a lot of lower libido and younger population, which is like, I don't want to say alarming, but it is alarming. I don't remember.

having so many women, you know, now it's been 10 years in practice of like, you're in your twenties and you have a low libido or you need lubrication in your early thirties, versus like you're in perimenopause and even like Mary perimenopause can be divided into three stages. Like that first stage of initial hormones change where a lot of women are not going to notice big changes, but then there is the estrogen is all over chaos and you'll actually have way more lubrication and you'll probably

ovulate like crazy for some months and then not others. And then there's like the shutdown phase. But yeah, seeing it in younger populations and seeing like lack of white cervical fluid production and lack of libido and all of that, you want to speak a little bit about

Metabolic dysfunction. We're obese kids much younger. We're seeing blood sugar dysregulation so young. Kids are on their devices. The toxic

Dr. Jane Levesque (:

And even if you're not obese, can have blood sugar dysregulation. I'll tell you that. myself have a much higher, like I have my glucose monitor on me now because I'm realizing that I'm not dropping as low as I used to at nighttime. And it like depends on my activity during the day.

but I have a patient who is like, has thinness can be and her insulin and HOMA are like through the roof. And I'm just like, what the hell? So we're getting a CGM on her, it is not, it's metabolic dysfunction does not mean you have excess weight. It means that you have a dysregulation with your blood sugar and inflammation and how your metabolism is working. And that has a cascade of effects. Sorry, I wanted to add that. I've been struggling with blood sugar.

We're just, if you look around in the schools, we're seeing a very different, to me we're seeing much more feminine looking young boys, I think. You know.

All the xenoestrogens, all the plastics, man, like it's crazy. Atrazine, like atrazine literally feminizes frogs. Like we've seen that in research and in studies. It's, yeah, it's horrifying that they're putting that stuff on our food and in our water.

That's right and I've spoken to this before in that a mom that exposes the male fetus to phthalates and things like that we see huge changes in their hormones and fertility ability but I think with these metabolic dysfunctions and toxic load we are seeing lower testosterone in men and women from a younger age and so we are seeing huge issues with little bito

icioner Tina Salicco-Jackson (:

and erectile dysfunction and cervical fluid much earlier because we are just a very metabolically unhealthy society. Low testosterone definitely triggers type two diabetes in males. you know, again, cardiovascular disease, type two diabetes, these are all things that we can.

prevent if we open up the conversation and start getting real with what males and females are experiencing in the bedroom.

Yep.

Yeah, I think the other component that I would speak to is like the cell phone, you know, just like we're so distracted and we have, and Leah has this like one lecture. need to like go back and watch it. Cause she talks about the dopamine loop and how to like get out of the dopamine. needs to be, prolactin rise. And then there is oxytocin and then euphoria and oxytocin is that chemical, you know, that helps us feel connected. It's the thing that we as mothers

release when we have our baby. But the truth is we release it every time we feel connected and loved and supported. And if we don't have that human touch, a lot of the times, or at least even the thought of it, you kind of get stuck in this dopamine and prolactin, dopamine, like prolactin starts to rise, but nothing happens out of it. And so the dopamine loop is the, need the likes, I need to scroll, I need to eat something, I need to buy something, I need to, and we're very much training people to do that.

Dr. Jane Levesque (:

You know, like I have such a hard time, like I know the phone is bad. And then like, there's 10 minutes that's gone and I can't get back. Now I'll catch myself 10 or 15 minutes versus an hour or two hours. But in reality, you know, when we meet people and they're like, we don't have time because our lives are so busy. And then I'm like, what are you doing every day? And then we write it down and I'm like, so there's at least an hour and a half there of like,

my relaxed time and it's like, it's not really relaxing because you're kind of stimulating yourself, you know? And so I do see that as a big problem. And even I was driving today, I saw teenagers and there was like a group of teenagers talking, but there was a few teenagers were just on the side staring at their phones and they were totally fine. And it's like,

We used to just like stand awkwardly with nothing. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Which is hard, but it allowed, like it made you go out and make, build the connection. Whereas now you're like, I don't need to, I have this thing that is distracting me and I'm building a connection online. And there's lots of pros and cons to that. we are all interconnected more, but it's also not the same as having that.

there's a lot of people who say things online, they would never say it in person. And so we need to have those in-person conversations to build our ability to connect to people. And I just, I don't feel like that's not happening, you know?

Yeah, and this is why you know, I started saying it's very multifaceted. It is not one thing Yep The only thing that I can say across the board is we do need to open that conversation So that we can change things because it can be changed. Like I said, there are a number of options. There's Peptides that can help with it. There's the talking it through there's games and just Having fun with your partner again

itioner Tina Salicco-Jackson (:

There's just so many things to consider. I think the biggest piece of it is just knowing that stress is a big driving force and being putting down your defensiveness and knowing, you know, I said this to a client of mine who her boyfriend.

delayed ejaculation, which is a whole other issue. There's premature ejaculation, delayed ejaculation. Those are different from erectile dysfunction, but delayed ejaculation. she's like, maybe he's just not into me. And I said, right now, all you know is it took him longer to ejaculate. The stories and stuff are what are preventing us from communicating. So when we look at factually, what do I know right now is this. And yeah.

It's really hard to do that.

Yeah, it is. But it's important to do that because I think that allows us to have the conversation and it allows our partner to be honest with what they're dealing with. But it is very difficult. And I think that's where we have to really, I think that's what makes the strongest couple. Like I can talk to Ken, my husband, about any of this, any of it, and be totally fine. know? Yep.

Yeah, because you've had that conversation before. Yeah. I do think it's hard, like I think that my next question to you is, you know, what about if you feel like you are doing everything and the libido hasn't come back? I am a big proponent of like you're doing everything that you know that you can do. is...

Dr. Jane Levesque (:

not everything. And I do think that there is a big piece about having difficult conversations and whether it's not feeling safe with your partner, not feeling attracted to your partner, or maybe you're not actually enjoying sex because you don't know what you like, so he has no idea what you like. And so it becomes this thing like, well, I should be enjoying it. And it's so romanticized in movies and where women are just

two minutes and everything is great. And it's like, that's not actually how it works. Like I just remember listening to many sex podcasts and feeling so validated to be like, my God, like we do need touch points throughout the day. We do need a certain amount of time. We do need to know what works for us. And I don't think that women have like, don't, when sex becomes not an enjoyable thing, I'm always wondering why, you know, cause it should be something that you're really looking forward to.

maybe there is not enough time in the day because you prioritize other things. But the way that I see it is like, man, this is your time to, just to be you, and to connect with this person that you have chosen to spend your life with. it should be this really cool time that you make for each other and the euphoria and the connection and all that stuff. And I just feel like that's not really happening, especially when we have been struggling

infertility for a while and it's just this timed sex and we got to do it again and but research shows when a woman orgasms and especially if the couple can time it together from the fertilization rates to implantation that it it improves and it's like a significant percentage it's like 15 to 20 percent increase in fertilization and it's like that's pretty that's almost the stats of IVF by the way so yeah we should figure this out.

Yeah, we should be figuring it out. And I think, you know, we do a lot of that physical work to get a couple there. Like I said, with this couple, we've done a lot of the physical stuff. And now it's what questions you guys need to ask each other.

itioner Tina Salicco-Jackson (:

And I did ask that. asked, you know, I asked the wife, said, do you know what feels good? Do you tell him what feels good? Because that's important because guys can't like they don't know, you know, there's

love them to death but they have no idea. I'm not a mind reader that's what my husband is.

Give me a clue. Like don't fake it. Be honest. Be like, that's not the spot this is. But if you don't know, because you haven't gotten comfortable with your own body, then they don't know. And that goes for the guy as well. What feels good for you? Do you communicate that? Like it's so important. You know, I remember when I was living in central America, I was much younger and I was with a group of women and this girl was like,

He slaps my ass and like, I don't like that. I don't know why I've never told him that I don't like that. Like, he's gonna keep doing it and then if you don't like it, it's an immediate turn off, right?

Yeah, because he loves it probably. And she's like, yeah, she likes that. And you're like, hate it. Yeah. Well, it's like us women finding our voice, right? And it's an uncomfortable and it's a vulnerable state. So you might not be able to have that conversation while you're in that state, but to have it outside of that is important.

icioner Tina Salicco-Jackson (:

Yeah, and I think I'm like so glad I've grown to the point where I'm so comfortable to be like, love this, don't love this, don't ever do that again. It takes a lot of growth to get to that point and just, I think we just need to be okay with being silly, you know, and like stop making it so serious because like it's going to be awkward to take your socks off in the middle of it. Yeah, it's weird. it would just be okay with like the silly, you know.

But it

Dr. Jane Levesque (:

Yep, totally. Yeah. I love this, Tina. Thank you. Such a good topic. Do you have anything else? Did we miss anything? Did I address it? Did we address the questions?

I think we got everything. think just understanding there's a lot to it and...

If you guys have more questions, you let us know. You send us a message in the DM. We go live every week. We talk about the things that you want to talk about genuinely want to help you piece the puzzles together. Cause I know a lot of people are not doing it. know when you're sitting down with your IVF specialists, they're not like, how's your libido? Are you intimate still? You know, it's like they should be. Yeah.

Yeah, and just know it can lead to the end of relationships, right? Like it's serious. The root of it. And so if there's, we didn't touch on like tons of treatments or anything like that, but if you have questions about resources or what can be done, reach out because we have a wealth of knowledge in that.

Yes, and it does.

Dr. Jane Levesque (:

Yep. Yeah, and I want to say like.

I'm cautious with treatments because I don't want people to go, well, I've tried everything because it's not about doing everything. It's about doing the right thing. Right therapy, right person, right time. And so for some people it might be a little bit of a pharmaceutical while for others it's right. Like a little bit of hormone replacement therapy. While for someone else, it could be a herb combination of some tribulus or some Maca or some adrenal support or some cardiovascular support, or it could just be getting a counselor and getting some heavy stuff.

off your heart, the treatment isn't a one size fits all. That's right. Especially when you're working with a couple, like even with an individual couple. So I'm cautious to give a bunch of treatments because I don't want people to go, I've tried it and it didn't work for me. And it's like, well, that's probably not that natural medicine doesn't work. It's that that wasn't the thing.

Isn't the right thing for you?

in the first place. So keeping it open minded, but thank you, Tina. And I'm excited to see what you come up with next time we chat. Thank you so much for listening. To read the full show notes of this episode, including summary, timestamps, guest quotes, and any resources that were mentioned on the episode, visit www.drjanelevec.com forward slash podcast.

itioner Tina Salicco-Jackson (:

So excited. Thank you so much.

Dr. Jane Levesque (:

And if you're getting value from these episodes, I'd love it if you took two minutes to share it with a friend, rate and leave me a review at www.Ratethispodcast.com forward slash Dr. Jane. The reviews will help with the discoverability of the show and who knows, I might share your review on my next episode. Thank you so much for tuning in and let's make your fertility journey, your healing journey.

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