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About Elisa Yao, M.D
In my early 30s, I set my sight on starting a family. I planned what my life would be like if I had a baby 9 months later. I worked hard towards my goal, just as I had worked hard to graduate with honors from UC Berkeley and then from UC Davis School of Medicine despite being an immigrant. But years went by, and no baby.
I was surprised that my medical doctor background did little to help me face this challenge. While I did seek help from various OB/GYNs and later my reproductive endocrinologists (RE's), for many years, I was told I had "unexplained infertility." Despite not knowing the cause of my fertility challenges, they were quick to prescribe me fertility medications. I became quite unsatisfied with the typical impersonal and cookie-cutter medical approach to infertility. I started exploring alternative treatments and reading the latest research studies on optimizing fertility naturally.
I also started learning about functional medicine, which is about treating the root causes of health problems. This resonated deeply within me. I was thirsty for this knowledge. I became board-certified in integrative & holistic medicine (another term for functional medicine).
It was through application of functional medicine that I quickly fulfilled my dream of having my first child naturally, after 6 years of trying, and despite years after being considered advanced maternal age. And I feel tremendously blessed now to have a beautiful and healthy second child in my 40s after an uneasy journey that you can read more about here.
Dr. Yao's Education: Dr. Yao graduated among the top of her class from the prestigious Lowell High School in San Francisco. At UC Berkeley, Dr. Yao studied Molecular and Cell Biology and graduated with Phi Beta Kappa honors. Later, she attended UC Davis Medical School and completed her residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at UC Davis Medical Center. During medical school, Dr. Yao took a year off to study Traditional Chinese Medicine. Dr. Yao is board certified in integrative & holistic medicine, and has training in FEMM, Neofertility, & Natural Procreative Technology (NaPro).
Dr. Yao is the creator of Fertility Breakthru Academy. She has been a speaker on women's health topic with FACTS (Fertility Appreciation Collaboration to Teach the Science), a non-profit organization aimed to provide information about natural or fertility awareness based methods of family planning with the medical community.
Dr. Yao also has been a speaker at multiple Unexplained Infertility Summits, as well as at her local Mother-Daughter programs, where she taught girls and their mothers about their cycles. If you are interested in inviting Dr. Yao to speak with your organization, please use the Contact form.
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