Why Chronic Disease May Begin Before Birth

In this episode of New Frontiers in Functional Medicine, Dr. Kara Fitzgerald is joined by Dr. Emily Stone Rydbom, Dr. Leslie Stone, and Dr. Kalea Wattles to explore the science of preconception health, fertility, epigenetics, and chronic disease prevention.

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Learn how maternal nutrition, mitochondrial health, methylation, the microbiome, inflammation, and environmental exposures influence fertility, pregnancy outcomes, and lifelong health through the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) framework.

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Topics include:

• Why chronic disease risk may begin before conception

• Epigenetics, methylation, folate, and MTHFR

• Mitochondrial health and fertility

• Functional medicine approaches to infertility and pregnancy

• The future of AI and precision medicine in reproductive healthcare

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Whether you're a healthcare practitioner, planning a pregnancy, or simply interested in functional medicine and precision health, this episode offers practical, science-backed insights into improving health across generations.