Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Pregnancy is a transformative experience—but what does a truly healthy pregnancy look like, and how can patients prepare for one?
In this episode of HERology, Dr. Anu Lala is joined by her co-hosts, Dr. Joanne Stone and Dr. Anna Barbieri, for an honest and wide-ranging conversation about pregnancy before, during, and after delivery.
They discuss why a preconception visit can be so important, how a woman's pregnancy history can provide a window into her current and future health, and why "common" symptoms shouldn't necessarily be dismissed as normal.
The conversation also explores what symptoms and complications deserve closer attention, choosing the right obstetric practice, birth plans and vaginal delivery after a C-section, medications and pregnancy—including the unanswered questions surrounding GLP-1 medications—and the larger gaps in what we know about medication safety during pregnancy.
If this episode inspired you, please consider supporting the Mount Sinai Health System. As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we rely on philanthropy to advance compassionate patient care, groundbreaking research, and medical education. Your generosity helps make conversations like this possible—and fuels the work behind them. To learn more or make a gift, visit give.mountsinai.org.
HERology is a production of the Mount Sinai Health System and the Carolyn Rowan Center for Women's Health and Wellness. For more groundbreaking conversations on women's health, subscribe to HERology on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
00:00 — What Makes a Healthy Pregnancy?
04:00 — Why Your Pregnancy History Matters
08:00 — The Importance of Preconception Care
11:00 — What's Normal—and When to Speak Up
15:00 — The Pregnancy Symptoms We Don't Talk About
20:00 — Vaginal Birth After a C-Section
23:00 — Pregnancy, Medications & GLP-1s
29:00 — Pregnancy Myths: Sushi, Sex, Coffee & More
35:00 — The Importance of Support During Pregnancy
39:00 — The Doctors' Advice for a Healthy Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a transformative experience—but what does a truly healthy pregnancy look like, and how can patients prepare for one?
In this episode of HERology, Dr. Anu Lala is joined by her co-hosts, Dr. Joanne Stone and Dr. Anna Barbieri, for an honest and wide-ranging conversation about pregnancy before, during, and after delivery.
They discuss why a preconception visit can be so important, how a woman's pregnancy history can provide a window into her current and future health, and why "common" symptoms shouldn't necessarily be dismissed as normal.
The conversation also explores what symptoms and complications deserve closer attention, choosing the right obstetric practice, birth plans and vaginal delivery after a C-section, medications and pregnancy—including the unanswered questions surrounding GLP-1 medications—and the larger gaps in what we know about medication safety during pregnancy.
If this episode inspired you, please consider supporting the Mount Sinai Health System. As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we rely on philanthropy to advance compassionate patient care, groundbreaking research, and medical education. Your generosity helps make conversations like this possible—and fuels the work behind them. To learn more or make a gift, visit give.mountsinai.org.
HERology is a production of the Mount Sinai Health System and the Carolyn Rowan Center for Women's Health and Wellness. For more groundbreaking conversations on women's health, subscribe to HERology on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
00:00 — What Makes a Healthy Pregnancy?
04:00 — Why Your Pregnancy History Matters
08:00 — The Importance of Preconception Care
11:00 — What's Normal—and When to Speak Up
15:00 — The Pregnancy Symptoms We Don't Talk About
20:00 — Vaginal Birth After a C-Section
23:00 — Pregnancy, Medications & GLP-1s
29:00 — Pregnancy Myths: Sushi, Sex, Coffee & More
35:00 — The Importance of Support During Pregnancy
39:00 — The Doctors' Advice for a Healthy Pregnancy
![[PX2025] Cullman Awards Video](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/dZsGaKqUcms/mqdefault.jpg "[PX2025] Cullman Awards Video
[PX2025] Cullman Awards Video")
