Dr Cheryl Phua

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Sydney, NSW
Dr Cheryl Phua

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I am Dr Cheryl Phua and I’m an experienced Sydney based reproductive endocrinologist specialising in Fertility, IVF and Gynaecology.

Follow me, I’ll be posting about life, fertility issues, and general reproductive health.

06/08/2026

🩺 PMOS (formerly known as PCOS) is a complex hormonal and metabolic condition that affects the whole body 🧬 New research (Alur-Gupta et al., 2026) suggests women with PMOS have a significantly higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease, even after accounting for traditional risk factors such as diabetes and high blood pressure ❤️‍🩹

📌 The good news? There are many ways to support your long-term heart health 💪 Regular exercise, a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, managing blood pressure and cholesterol, avoiding smoking, and having routine health checks can all make a difference 🚭 If you have PMOS, speak with your healthcare team about monitoring not only your reproductive health, but your cardiovascular health too 💬 I’m always happy to chat about your care plan 📞

05/08/2026

Myth or Fact? Lying flat after s*x increases your chance of conception.

❌ Myth... mostly.

🤔 There's no strong evidence that lying flat after in*******se significantly increases your chances of becoming pregnant 👶 Once ej*******on occurs, s***m begin their journey through the cervix within minutes ⏰

🥚 The most important factors for conception are timing in*******se around ovulation, healthy s***m, and regular ovulation, not the position you stay in afterwards 🛏️

💡 Looking for more tips on your conception journey? Get in touch with me 📞

30/07/2026

😣 Pain is more than a symptom 🩺 It can affect every part of a person’s life, including physical health, emotional wellbeing, relationships, and fertility journeys 👶

🧬 Conditions associated with chronic pelvic pain, such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, and some gynaecological conditions, can have a significant impact on quality of life and may also affect reproductive health 🥚

🗓 This National Pain Week, we recognise the experiences of those living with ongoing pain and the importance of listening, investigating, and providing compassionate, evidence-based care ❤️‍🩹

📌 No one should have to normalise persistent pain or feel that their symptoms are “just part of being a woman” 💕 If you’d like help managing your gynaecological condition and pain symptoms, then get in touch with me 📞

29/07/2026

🩺 A healthy endometrium (the lining of the uterus) plays a vital role in helping an embryo implant and develop into a healthy pregnancy 👶 While there's no single "ideal" thickness that guarantees success, a persistently thin endometrium can sometimes make implantation more difficult 🔬

📉 A thin lining may be related to low oestrogen levels, previous uterine surgery, scarring (Asherman's syndrome), infection, reduced blood flow, or, in some cases, no identifiable cause 🤔

💡 The good news is that there are a number of evidence-based approaches that may help, depending on the underlying reason 🧬 Your fertility specialist may recommend adjusting hormone treatment, investigating the uterine cavity, or considering other therapies tailored to your individual circumstances 💊

📌 Every uterus is different, and successful pregnancies can still occur even when the endometrial lining is thinner 🧬 If you’d like to discuss your reproductive health and run some tests, get in touch with me 📞

25/07/2026

🥚 Donor eggs have transformed fertility care, giving many people the opportunity to achieve pregnancy when using their own eggs isn't possible 👶 But new research reminds us that egg quality is only one part of the equation 🤔

🔬 A large study found that pregnancy and live birth rates declined, and miscarriage rates increased, in women aged 49 years and older, even when using eggs from young donors (Crestani et al., 2026) 🩺 This suggests that while donor eggs can overcome age-related changes in the eggs themselves, they can't fully overcome age-related changes in the uterus and the body 🗓

📌 This isn't a reason to lose hope 💕 Many women in their late 40s still achieve healthy pregnancies with donor eggs 🥚 Instead, it's a reminder that fertility is influenced by both embryo quality and the environment in which the embryo implants and grows 🧬

🔬 As fertility research advances, scientists hope to better understand uterine ageing and develop treatments that could improve outcomes for women choosing to have children later in life 🩺 Get in touch with me if you’d like to explore how fertility treatment can help you 📞

24/07/2026

🏃‍♀️ Staying active during IVF can support your physical and mental wellbeing, but it's important to adjust your exercise routine as your ovaries respond to treatment 🥚

🩺 During ovarian stimulation, the ovaries become enlarged and heavier, increasing the risk of ovarian torsion (where the o***y twists on itself) 😣 While uncommon, it's a medical emergency 🚨

📌 To reduce this risk, it's generally recommended to avoid:
🏃‍♀️ High-impact activities (running, jumping)
🏋️‍♀️ Heavy weightlifting
🏈 Contact sports
🥵 Intense interval training (HIIT)
🏐 Exercises involving excessive twisting or sudden changes in direction

🧘‍♀️ Instead, opt for gentle movement such as walking, light strength exercises (if approved), stretching, or yoga (avoiding deep twists after egg collection) 😌

🔬 Every IVF cycle is different, so always follow the advice of your fertility specialist regarding activity levels 💬 I’m always happy to chat about fitting fertility treatment into your lifestyle 📞

17/07/2026

📝 A recent Lancet review has sparked important conversations about IVF adjuvants: additional treatments or procedures offered alongside standard IVF to try to improve success rates 📈 The review found that there was a lack of evidence that some IVF add-ons boost fertility treatment success 👶

📌 One key message worth remembering: a lack of evidence is not the same as evidence that something doesn't work 💡 It simply means we don't yet have enough high-quality research to know who benefits, when, or by how much 🩺

🧬 Some adjuvants may prove valuable for carefully selected patients, while others may offer little benefit while adding cost, inconvenience, or potential side effects 🔬

⚖️ The goal isn't to say "yes" or "no" to every add-on, it's to weigh the potential benefits against the risks, costs, and strength of the available evidence for your individual situation 🤔

🩺 The best fertility care combines scientific evidence with personalised medicine, so give me a call today if you want to create a personalised fertility treatment plan 📞

15/07/2026

👶 If you're trying to conceive or are undergoing fertility treatment, now is a great time to think about your flu vaccination 💉

🩺 The influenza vaccine is safe for people planning a pregnancy and throughout pregnancy, helping protect both you and your future baby 👶 Pregnancy naturally changes the immune system, making expectant mothers more vulnerable to severe illness and complications from influenza 🤧

📌 Getting vaccinated before or during pregnancy can reduce your risk of serious infection and also provides your baby with protective antibodies during their first few months of life 🦠

💕 If you're hoping to conceive this winter, don't wait until you see a positive pregnancy test, as being up to date with your vaccinations is an important part of preconception care 🗓

💬 Speak with your GP or healthcare provider about whether your vaccinations are up-to-date, and make an appointment with me if you’re ready to get started on your fertility journey 📞

11/07/2026

👶 For many people trying to conceive, hope isn't always loud or easy 😔 Sometimes it's found in booking another appointment, starting a new treatment cycle, asking difficult questions, or simply believing that tomorrow may bring different news 🤞

💕 Hope doesn't guarantee an outcome, but it can provide the strength to keep moving forward through uncertainty ➡️ Whether you're trying naturally, undergoing fertility treatment, preserving your fertility, recovering from pregnancy loss, or supporting someone you love, know that your journey matters 📍

🗓 Today is a reminder to hold onto hope, while also giving yourself permission to feel every emotion that comes with the path to parenthood 🩺 If you’re ready to try again, get in touch with me 📞

09/07/2026

🩺 Uterine (endometrial) polyps are small growths that develop in the lining of the uterus 🧬 While many are harmless and cause no symptoms, some can contribute to heavy or irregular bleeding, difficulty conceiving, or recurrent miscarriage 😔

📌 Depending on their size and location, polyps may interfere with embryo implantation by changing the environment inside the uterus 🔬

🤔 The good news? Uterine polyps can often be diagnosed with an ultrasound or hysteroscopy and, if needed, removed with a straightforward procedure 🩺 In some cases, removing a polyp may improve the chances of pregnancy, particularly before fertility treatment 👶

🩸 If you're experiencing abnormal bleeding or have been struggling to conceive, it's worth discussing with a gynaecologist/fertility specialist like me 📞

Address

Level 3, 321 Kent Street
Sydney, NSW
2000

Telephone

+611300208909

Website

http://www.drcherylphua.com/contact/

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The Skin Project
63 West Street
VitaHit Infusions