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Naturopathy and Fertility
Unfortunately, couples are having more and more trouble conceiving in this modern age. Once upon a time most of the blame lay with the woman, however it is currently believed that 40% rest with the male, 40% rests with the female, 10% is with both and 10% is unknown.
Common causes for infertility;
- Medication
- Subnormal semen analysis results
- Infection
- Hormonal imbalances
- Stress
- Cigarettes, alcohol and recreational drugs
- Toxicity
- Aging
- Thyroid abnormalities
- PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids
- Obesity and low BMI
How can Naturopathy help with fertility?
Your naturopath will take a very thorough case history as well as review any medical tests that you have, so please bring these all with you. We will then suggest dietary and lifestyle changes, as well as necessary medicinal herbs and nutritional supplements. Ideally, it is beneficial to be on a 3 month pre conception plan, as this will give your bodies the best chance for conception and prevention of miscarriage.
Can I use natural therapies in conjunction with IVF?
Yes naturopathy can be very complementary to IVF and works well with couples who are taking this route due to medical reasons.
Can a Naturopath help with both male and female infertility?
Yes we can help both male and female infertility. It is very important that the male’s health is considered and addressed, as 50% DNA will come from the male.
Interesting facts about fertility.
A woman ovulates only 12-24 hours of her monthly cycle, the window of opportunity is small, however luckily the sperm are persistent and can survive 4-5 days
A woman’s basal temperature will rise the day after ovulation due to a spike in progesterone levels, this will stay high until menstruation where progesterone levels drop off, or stay high if implantation is successful and progesterone levels continue to rise
Approximately 200-500 million sperm cells are released during ejaculation, most of these die immediately, and the remainder make their difficult journey to the newly released egg. At this point there are roughly 200 sperm remaining
Acupuncture for Fertility
If you’re having fertility issues, we recommend you seriously look into having Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine. Many conditions reducing fertility can be helped with this combination of treatments. These include:
- Endometriosis
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Unexplained infertility
- Male fertility issues
If you are thinking about starting a family (or adding to it!), our Acupuncturists recommend a 3 month pre-conception programme of Acupuncture (with Chinese Herbal Medicine if required). This allows us to find the root cause of any issues and get you in the healthiest possible state to conceive.
For those with known fertility problems, or those needing assisted reproduction techniques like IVF, Acupuncture really comes into its own. It is very useful in maximising your response to treatment and coping with the stress associated with these procedures. For IVF, there are key times in the cycle that it’s important to have acupuncture treatment for the best results.
Our Acupuncturists are experienced in helping couples boost their fertility naturally, and in working in with an IVF regime. Health-fund rebates are available for Acupuncture treatments.
Improving your chances of conceiving
Preconceptual Care
Preconceptual care involves getting both partners into the best possible physical and mental shape to maximise your chances of creating a pregnancy that lasts to full term, and brings you a healthy baby at the end of it. Research indicates that a three to four month programme of healthy living will get you into excellent shape before trying for a baby, help you become pregnant more quickly and reduce the chance of miscarriage.
Preconceptual care is a common sense approach, and when both couples adopt these principles, it can dramatically increase the chances of a healthy conception.
Five Steps to Fertility
For 3-4 months, both partners should:
- Eat only health, fresh foods
- Eliminate any toxic substances from your system – for example give up smoking and drinking alcohol
- Find out which vitamins and minerals you are short of, and top up
- Become as fit and well as you can – for example exercise regularly and get checked and treated for any low level genito-urinary infections such as thrush
- Reduce the level of stress in your life
Complementary therapy treatments including herbal medicine, reflexology, chiropractic, acupuncture and even counselling can work gently and effectively to eliminate some of the obstacles to conception. Everyone and every couple is unique, and complementary therapies excels at holistically addressing individual health concerns.
Phytotherapy (Herbal Medicine).
Various herbal medicines are available to us to balance and enhance reproductive health, fertility and sexual vitality in both men and women. Herbs can have a potent effect on the reproductive system, and you will get the best results if you see a qualified naturopath or herbalist who are trained in the actions and administration of herbal medicine.
Some herbal remedies especially for women:
Vitex agnus-castus (Chaste Tree) – can assist to regulate periods and balance out the oestrogen and progesterone levels and rations.
Chamaelirium luteum (False Unicorn Root) – this North American herb has an excellent reputation as a tonic for the uterus and ovaries, and a balancing effect on the sex hormones. It is traditionally used for encouraging fertility in women.
Angelica sinensis (Dong Quai) – a traditional Chinese herbal tonic for women to regulate hormones and ovulation. This herb should not be taken in early pregnancy and avoided if there is a possibility you could be pregnant.
Withania somnifera (Winter Cherry) – is strengthening, rejuvenating and an important herb for stress and fatigue.
Asparagus racemosa (Shatavari) – a hormone balancer from India, which also enhances libido in women.
Some herbal remedies for men:
Turnera diffusa (Damiana) – strengthens the male reproductive system and also has a reputation as an aphrodisiac.
Panax ginseng (Korean Ginseng) – a useful herb for impotence, stress, low sperm count and fatigue.
Nutrition.
Both prospective parents should consider adequate intake of:
- Protein
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B-complex
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Essential Fatty Acids
- Calcium
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Iodine
- Iron
- Copper
- Boron
- Selenium
- Chromium
Where possible, minerals should be chelated and from an organic, natural source.
Finally, positive thinking is important. Whether this is through visualisation, verbal affirmations, hypnosis, meditation or other relaxation techniques, it can be a wonderful way to create change in your body.
Oriental medicine and fertility – a personal and professional view.
Facing fertility problems can be a very stressful experience. I have always had an interest in this area of health and have worked with many couples trying to conceive. But it wasn’t until I battled with infertility myself that I really understood how deeply it can affect you. I now know first-hand that it can take you to some very dark places. The experience has made me passionate about helping people in the same predicament.
In my case, a combination of issues meant the odds were not looking good, even with IVF. I’m sure that following a pre-conception program of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, and continuing the acupuncture to support the IVF cycles, was instrumental in having a successful pregnancy. Other things helped too, which I will go into later.
First, let’s look at how Oriental medicine boosts fertility.
Oriental medicine looks at the body as being governed by the flow of energy (Qi), which in turn influences the flow of Blood. (The concept of Blood in Oriental medicine is a bit broader than that in Western medicine, so we are talking about more than just the fluid that we know as blood in the West.) The smooth flow of Qi and Blood in the meridians (energetic channels) is vital to the various organ systems working harmoniously together. This is especially true when it comes to the reproductive system. Oriental medical theory sees the Kidney, Liver and Heart organ and meridian systems as being particularly important, but others can be involved as well.
By regulating Qi and Blood flow, Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine help regulate the menstrual cycle and calm the mind, so that your body is in the optimum state to conceive and carry a baby. One way that this works is by increasing the blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, something that has been measured in scientific studies.
Preparing the ground.
In Oriental medicine, we see preparation for pregnancy as being very important. In the same way as a farmer would carefully prepare the soil to grow crops, we work on your internal environment so that it is ideal for an embryo to implant and grow for the next nine months. I recommend a pre-conception program of around 3 months, as this is the time an egg takes to mature in the ovary. During this time we focus on observing your body’s natural signs, regulating the menstrual cycle and calming the mind, as well as looking at any lifestyle changes that may be beneficial.
Similarly, it takes between 2 to 3 months for sperm to develop, so this time-frame works well for men too. Ideally, both partners should come in for treatment for best results.
Specific fertility issues.
Many conditions affecting fertility can be helped with Oriental medicine. These include endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and sperm problems.
A recently published review of several studies showed that women taking Chinese herbal medicine for fertility problems were 3.5 times more likely to conceive than those having drug therapy alone.
Supporting IVF or ART (assisted reproduction technology).
In some cases, IVF or ART are needed, and acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine work well with these treatments. In fact, research shows that they can improve the success rate of IVF, particularly in poor responders (when few eggs develop in response to hormonal stimulation) and women over 35.
Again, it is important to prepare the body adequately before having these invasive procedures. During this time, acupuncture and Chinese herbs are useful. When the IVF cycle starts (hormonal injections begin), we usually continue with acupuncture alone, to avoid interactions with fertility drugs. It is important to have acupuncture at key times in the IVF cycle, with a treatment before and after embryo transfer being very important in maximising the chances of implantation. We also tailor the acupuncture program to the type of IVF cycle (long down-regulation, antagonist etc.).
Acupuncture increases blood flow to the reproductive organs, helping follicle development, and preparing the endometrium (lining of the uterus) for implantation. It may also help stop the uterus from contracting after the transfer, thereby helping implantation. It also has a key role in balancing the emotions and counteracting stress. Which is useful, as undergoing IVF can be extremely stressful, and you may find yourself on an emotional rollercoaster.
What else can help with fertility issues?
Here are some of the things I found useful:
- Research. Spend some time educating yourself about any diagnosed fertility problems, so that you can ask the right questions of your health care team. If further medical help is needed, think carefully about the best specialist and clinic for you. I can help you with some factors to consider.
- Have your diet looked at by a Naturopath. Many nutrients and supplements are important in boosting fertility. But you need a dietary approach that is sustainable and that doesn’t add to your stress. If you need to lose weight (and this can be important in some types of fertility issues), slow and steady is best.
- Relaxation / stress reduction. This is important in dealing with infertility, especially if you need ART or IVF. Keeping a balanced frame of mind can be difficult but is important from an Oriental medicine point of view. Yoga worked well for me, but for others the answer might be reflexology or massage. Some people deal with stress through exercise, and this is certainly beneficial. But it’s important not to do intense exercise from a few days after ovulation (or after the embryo transfer if you are doing IVF) until the end of the cycle, as this can be counter productive.
- Find an outlet. Talking with friends or family that understand, online discussion forums, counselling – these can all save your sanity.
Chiropractics role in fertility.
Most people think of seeing a Chiropractor for body pains and headaches, but Chiropractic care does have an impact on the whole body, including organ systems. In that way it does have a small role in helping with infertility, but is best used as an adjunct to other treatments such as Acupuncture or Naturopathy.
The principle of Chiropractic is to balance the physical body and allow it to function as it is designed to. This will in turn reduce any tension in the muscles, and pressure on the joints and spinal discs, and hence reduce pain. It also has the effect of reducing any pressure on the nerves. If the nervous system is free of pressure it is also able to function as normally as possible, hence the body’s organ systems will receive the optimal nerve supply and hence function optimally also. In this way Chiropractic can have an impact on systems including digestion, circulation and fertility.
The nerves that originate from the lumbar and sacral spine, ie the lower back and pelvis, supply the reproductive system, so if there is some imbalance to these structures there may be interference to how well the reproductive system works and hence possibly affect fertility.
Another way a Chiropractor may help when it comes to fertility, is with the Neuro Emotional Technique (NET), described in our June newsletter. Sometimes we can have fears that hold us back in life, and these fears and emotions can be strong enough to affect our body and how well it functions. When it comes to fertility, pregnancy and parenthood, there are many emotions that can come up, and potentially impact on our fertility (either by increasing stress levels or by affecting hormone levels). These can include fear of being pregnant or the birth, or self esteem issues around being a good parent. Commonly it can also bring up concerns of how a baby will impact your career, social life, relationship with your partner to name just a few. NET can be a great tool to allow you to be free those emotional blocks and hence function more optimally.
Once you fall pregnant, then Chiropractic can be of a great benefit in reducing any discomfort that can come about due to all the changes your body will be going through. See next month newsletter article, Chiropractic and Pregnancy.