Needed Experts

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) impact one in five women, yet most won't be screened until their six-week visit, if at all. They can arise at any point from conception through one year postpartum, and affect partners too. Dr. Melissa Drake, MD, FACOG, brings both clinical precision and genuine compassion to a topic that deserves far more attention in conventional care. She walks through the full spectrum of perinatal mental health, including the difference between baby blues and intrusive thoughts and more clinical mental health conditions. Dr. Drake offers practitioners and listeners the clarity to know what's normal, what warrants monitoring, and what requires same-day intervention. She also covers why nutrition matters for mental health, how to assess for gaps, and how to realistically support women in optimizing their nutrition throughout the perinatal journey. Healthcare practitioners can earn continuing education credits for listening. Visit NeededExperts.com for more information.

Dr. Leslie Stone, MD, IFMCP, an OB-GYN with more than 5,000 deliveries, discusses the landmark research showing how trimester-by-trimester nutritional exposures shape a child's health and lifelong risk of chronic disease. She explains key nutrient deficiencies and lifestyle factors that influence pregnancy outcomes and makes the case for personalized, collaborative care starting before conception. She shares insights into her GrowBaby model, demonstrating over a decade of improved pregnancy and birth outcomes in a Medicaid setting. If you believe nutrition matters in pregnancy but haven't had the clinical framework to act on it, this is a conversation you need to hear. Healthcare practitioners can earn continuing education credits for listening. Visit NeededExperts.com for more information

What if the nutrients a mother consumes during pregnancy could program her child's stress response, cognitive potential, and mental health resilience before that child is even born? That's not a hypothesis. It's the emerging science of epigenetics. Dr. Lucia Aronica, PhD, lecturer in epigenetics and nutrigenomics at Stanford University, makes the case for why choline may be the most underappreciated nutrient in perinatal care and what practitioners can do about it. She shares what practitioners need to know: the four critical roles choline plays in every cell in the body, why the optimal pregnancy dose may be higher than the current AI, how the PEMT gene variant shapes individual requirements, the specific foods and supplement forms that actually move the needle, and how choline and folate are complementary partners. Healthcare practitioners can earn continuing education credits for listening. Visit NeededExperts.com for more information.

Endometriosis takes an average of seven to ten years to diagnose. Fibroids affect up to 70% of women. And yet both conditions remain vastly under-addressed in clinical practice. Dr. Roxanne Pero hopes to change that trajectory. She shares the pathophysiology, shared risk factors, and the integrative treatment framework she uses at her Dallas practice to help women get real answers. From diet to stress, sleep, environmental exposures, and when surgery is non-negotiable, this episode is packed with clinical pearls for practitioners and patients alike. Healthcare practitioners can earn continuing education credits for listening. Visit NeededExperts.com for details.

Preconception health can play a powerful role in fertility outcomes—whether couples are trying to conceive naturally or pursuing assisted reproductive technologies. In this episode, Dr. Leah Gordon, ND, shares what every practitioner needs to know about preconception health: how nutrition shapes egg and sperm quality months before conception, often overlooked lifestyle components, what's missing from the standard IVF workup, and why fertility loves mind-body nourishment. She also shares clinical insights for supporting patients through IVF, IUI, and egg freezing.  Healthcare practitioners can earn continuing education credits for listening. Visit NeededExperts.com for more information.

Dr. Deanna Minich, PhD, MS, CNS, IFMCP brings her signature whole-systems lens to one of the most underserved transitions in women's health. She breaks down why the standard conversation around perimenopause misses the bigger picture, and what a truly integrative approach looks like instead. Deanna discusses the role of the endocrine system, common myths surrounding perimenopause, and the significance of nutrition, light exposure, and lifestyle factors in managing symptoms. Learn what you can do to support women navigating this rite of passage. Healthcare practitioners can earn continuing education credits for listening. Visit NeededExperts.com for more information.

Dr. Aviva Romm, midwife, herbalist, and Yale-trained MD, tackles what every woman and practitioner needs to know about herbal medicine.  Dr. Romm breaks down how to evaluate herbal safety trimester by trimester, why clinical hesitation is actually well-founded, and herbal recommendations that support women navigating preconception through perimenopause.  From galactagogues and postpartum adaptogens to perimenopause support, this episode bridges traditional botanical wisdom with evidence-based practice. You'll also walk away knowing what red flags to look for in product quality and sourcing and how to protect both your patients and your practice. Healthcare practitioners can earn continuing education credits for listening. Visit NeededExperts.com for more information.

Most of the nutrition conversation around pregnancy ends the moment baby arrives, but the postpartum and breastfeeding period may be even more nutritionally demanding. In this episode, Allegra Gast, RD and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, breaks down exactly what new mothers need to stay nourished, recover well, and produce nutrient-dense breast milk without the pressure of eating perfectly. Allegra draws on her work at WIC, her private practice, and her own experience breastfeeding twins to cover caloric needs, key nutrients like choline, iodine, omega-3s, and protein, practical one-handed snack strategies, and the truth behind common myths. She also discusses postpartum weight loss, elimination diets, signs of nutrient depletion that often go unaddressed, and why a team approach changes outcomes for both mom and baby. Whether you're caring for postpartum patients or navigating this season yourself, this episode delivers practical, empowering guidance you can use right away. Healthcare practitioners can earn continuing education credits for listening.  Visit NeededExperts.com for information.