This is the story of a young fitness trainer who struggled with infertility despite "doing everything right". She exercised consistently, practiced good nutrition habits, and was fully compliant with all the recommendations provided to her by her healthcare providers. In an effort to eliminate any potential cause, she was screened for sleep-disordered breathing using a Home Sleep Test by Dr. Jill Ombrello, despite both patient and doctor assuming she "sleeps great" since she reports having a lot of energy, has no complaints about her sleep, and appears healthy. The Home Sleep Test revealed that in fact this patient experienced a number of suboptimal conditions throughout the night including but not limited to oxygen desaturation, snoring, and grinding. Poor sleep can have a huge impact on hormone regulation and all other biological pathways.
SPOILER ALERT: this story has a happy ending!! After improving her sleep health by stabilizing her airway, this patient got pregnant, had a healthy pregnancy and went on to deliver a very happy and healthy baby :) It's one of Dr. Ombrello's favorite success stories, and it is the reason why every patient is now screened for sleep and airway issues to ensure this problem no longer goes unaddressed for anyone else in her practice.