Hi Dr. Bean, I had a question and I was wondering if you can give me some tips. Me and my wife have been married for 5 years now , i am 35 years old an she is 42 now. We tired IVF once but it failed as according to the doctor he extracted very few eggs and they were not in good condition, /my examination showed no problems at all in term of sperm count and motility. She has one blocked fallopian tube but she conceived successfully in her previous marriage. What can naturopathy offer us?

Thank you for your question! Naturopathy can offer a lot in terms of supporting fertility in both men and women. The information I will be offering will be to help her body not only be ready to conceive but to make healthy and viable eggs.

Firstly, if this hasn’t been done already, I would be ruling out low thyroid function (optimal TSH is between 1-2), hormonal imbalances which includes ensuring the menstrual cycle is 28-32 days (under 28 can indicate a short luteal phase), adrenal function, celiac disease, insulin levels, and lastly genetic mutations (such as MTHFR polymorphism).

For every woman I work with that wants to get pregnant, I start with a detoxification program. This includes eliminated the foods and choices that can be prohibiting efficient detoxification, such as smoking, drinking coffee and alcohol, and inflammatory foods such as fried foods, high glycemic foods, excessive red meat and processed foods. In addition, I provide products that support liver cells to function optimally with herbal medicine, amino acids, vitamins and minerals that address the phases of detoxification. After 3-6 months of detoxification and addressing any findings on lab work, then I encourage trying to conceive a child.

Once the detoxification period is over, boosting the body with particular nutrients that are used to synthesize strong eggs becomes paramount. The egg is largely made of glutathione, while the sperm is abundantly zinc. So it is important address these nutrients in both parties. Other important vitamins:

• – Vitamin C, which helps to increase serum progesterone levels along with helping induce ovulation and can even enhance the effect of the fertility drug clomiphene.
• – Vitamin D levels have been linked to better success rates in IVF as well as influencing production of estradiol and progesterone.
• – Vitamin E helps protect reproductive cells (the follicles) along with helping improve endometrial response during IVF

Beyond detoxification, nutrition, and supplements, there are other naturopathic modalities that are excellent to explore, which include acupuncture and homeopathy.

With one blocked fallopian tube and the use of IVF, acupuncture becomes a key treatment because it can help produce more follicles and thicken the uterine lining. In addition, it is commonly used before the transfer of an embryo as it can help slightly dilate the cervical opening to make it a bit easier to transfer the embryo to the uterus.

One last modality I really enjoying using and has been part of my treatment plans includes homeopathy. I use particular remedies during each of the two phases of a woman’s cycle to help balance hormones.

Overall, there are a variety of treatments I implement to support a woman’s body as she tries to conceive. Some may need more support than others but once you find the missing link, there can be some miraculous results!

Resources

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