Holistic Approach to Fertility
Many couples struggle with fertility now more than ever before. Much of the fertility challenges I see in my practice stem from decreased ovarian reserve, egg quality and hormonal imbalances causing menstrual irregularities. The good news is that there are holistic treatment options available to assist in making a healthy pregnancy a reality.
Understanding the details of a woman’s menstrual cycle, hormones used in the past, her diet and lifestyle, medical history, family history and getting updated hormone tests are key to assessing a woman’s fertility potential.
Once the obstacles to fertility are identified, I use a combination of hormone testing, acupuncture, a fertility-focused diet, appropriate exercise and specific supplements to balance hormones, improve egg quality and correct other health issues potentially affecting fertility and the different parts of the menstrual cycle.
During the Menstrual Cycle
Acupuncture and Chinese herbs have an amazing effect on clearing the uterine lining, which is important for implantation during ovulation. This can be especially relevant in a woman who has fibroids, polyps, endometriosis or very clotty periods.
After the Period ~the Follicular Phase
The follicular phase is when the ovaries produce estradiol to support growth of the follicles in preparation for ovulation. As women get older, the amount of estradiol produced begins to wane and as such, ovulation can become more challenging.
In Chinese Medicine, this is often described as Kidney Yin or Essence (jing) deficiency. In Western Medicine, these women often have elevated FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) levels, have been told that their AMH (anti-mullerian hormone) levels would make it difficult to conceive naturally. If the woman has PCOS, irregular periods, other hormonal imbalances, unreliable ovulations, has any anatomical challenges or is hypothyroid, these can make healthy ovulation even more challenging.
Holistic treatments such as acupuncture, Chinese herbs, diet and specific supplements treat hormonal imbalances and Kidney Yin and Essence deficiency. The goal is to enhance follicle development, produce a healthy endometrial lining and support effective ovulation to increase female fertility and the likelihood of conception & implantation after ovulation.
Ovulation Phase
Ovulation is an exciting time for couples. Much of fertility has to do with timing and knowing when the right time is to “try.” I teach couples how to recognize the signs of ovulation and suggest other tools that help pin point the woman’s most optimal fertile period.
Some challenges that I see in this phase are a physical blockage preventing the egg from it’s descent to meet the sperm or a sluggish conversion of Yin to Yang energy-allowing the ripened follicle to be released.
There are ways to remedy the above situations using both western medical technology, as well as Chinese herbs, acupuncture and naturopathic medicine.
After Ovulation ~ the Luteal Phase
In some cases, there is Kidney Yang and/or Kidney Qi deficiency. This is common in women who have experienced recurrent miscarriages, tend to put on weight easily, are hypothyroid, experience PMDD or PMS, those who are always cold, women diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and women with luteal phase defect (a shortened luteal phase). From a hormone perspective, this can be reflective of lower progesterone output resulting in an insufficient uterine lining to support pregnancy after conception.
The good news is that there are many different approaches to remedy Kidney Yang and/or Kidney Qi deficiency through diet, lifestyle, herbs, supplements and acupuncture. By correcting the hormonal imbalances, many women who have miscarried in the past go on to have healthy full term pregnancies and babies.
Male Fertility
Twenty percent of fertility cases I see are related to male fertility-issues with sperm concentration, sperm motility or sperm morphology. Acupuncture, herbs, and natural supplements can support male fertility, alongside some diet and lifestyle recommendations.
Fertility is an area I am especially passionate about. If you or someone you know is struggling with fertility, find out what you can do to improve holistically to improve your fertility today.