INFERTILITY
Each couple having problems conceiving will have a unique journey. You may know you have
a physical problem, you may be going through the range of fertility tests trying to find out whats wrong. You may have found there is nothing physically wrong and yet it still doesn't happen. You may be considering IVF. The aim of this site is to provide some information about
Complementary Therapies and holistic approaches that may help and to provide a space for people to share their experiances. If you have been through the process, or are in the middle of it, perhaps you'd like to write an article to allow others to learn from what you've been through. You may even find the process of writing it is therapeutic.
More than a statistic
Couples having problems concieving our much more than a statistic. They are unique individuals going through an intensely emotional experiance. Yet, we seem to want to know the statistics, what are the odds of me conciveing at my age? What are my chances of a miscarriage? what is the chance of me concieving each month? If you are interested in statistics then we have collected some together for you
here. However, please be careful how you use them, remember you are a unique individual, not a number.
Conventional Treament
This site does not aim to give information about conventional treatment, you can find out more about this by visiting some of the links below. You can also find out about some individual experiances of fertility investigation and treatment by reading some of the Articles below. One thing I would point out though, we used to be told to go and see our doctor after trying for two years, this is now one year and only 6 months if you are over 35. We waited till nearly two years and are now wishing we'd started earlier!
Getting Ready to Conceive
If you've been trying to conceive for some time then much of this section may be old news to you, but I wanted to include it for completeness and to help those who are new to the subject. When deciding to have a baby its a good idea to get your body in good shape. This includes exercising regularly, losing weight if you are over weight, putting on weight if you are underweight and eating a good healthy diet (see below for more on food and supplelments). Also, don't smoke, take drugs, alcohol or coffee (see statistics above). This is not just to help you conceive, but also to help your baby be as healthy as possible. Most of this applies to men as well as women, as the health of the sperm is also vitally important.
Diet and Supplements
To maximise your chances of conceiving and giving birth to a healthy baby it is best for both of you to adopt as healthy a diet as possible. This means, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Eat organic when possilbe. Eat wholefoods and minimse your intake of processed food, fat, sugar, additives etc. Its also a good idea to filter your drinking water. You can read more about the importance of your diet at
http://www.foresight-preconception.org.uk/nutrition.htm. If you think you need some help with changing your diet then it could be helpful to visit a
nutritionist.
As a minimum a woman needs to start taking a daily 400 mg folic acid supplement when she starts trying to concieve. This is the RDA in the UK, however some other countries recommend 800mg, or even 1200mg, so you may want to take more. It can also be a good idea to take a vitamin and mineral supplement especially designed for preconception and pregnancy to ensure that you have the minimum that you need. This should be in addition to eating a healthy diet. There are also other supplements that are recommended when trying to conceive, especially the omega fats, which are essential to the development of the baby's brain and nervous system. Evening primrose oil and star flower oil are also often recommened for those having trouble concieving, as they helps to regulate the woman's hormonal cycle (see below). Again it is important that the man also has sufficient vitamins and minerals to create healthy sperm, so he should also consider taking supplements. Each individual is different and will have different needs as far as supplements are concerned, so again you may want to visit a
nutritionist to get some advice on what to take. They will also be able to recommend certain tests to check for deficiancies and toxic build ups which could be effecting your fertility.
Dealing with the stress
Coping with the emotional ups and downs of trying for a baby, infertility treatment etc. can put enormous strain on all those involved. Trying not to get stressed, because you know that stress can prevent conception, is in itself really stressful! Try to find as broad a support network as you can to help you through this difficult time. Find friends and family who are genuinely helpful and don't keep trying to get support from those who can't give it. Try to tell your supporters what you need from them and what really doesn't help. You may start out finding comments, such as 'don't worry it will happen in the end' or 'have you tried putting a pillow under your hips' helpful, but as time goes by you may need a different kind of support. Maybe you need someone who will allow you to talk about how you are feeling without trying to cheer you up, someone to help you explore just how bad its really got. If you don't have friends or family who can do this then you may find support from other people going through similar things. There are many on line forums for infertility (see below for links to a few). A local support group might be really helpful if you are lucky enough to have one. You might also like to consider
counselling as somewhere you know you can say exactly how you really feel without fear of being judged. Someone you can tell just how much you wanted to scream when your sister-in-law told you she was pregnant, or how you dissolve into tears every time a baby advert comes on the TV. As a start you might like to read the section called 'Understanding' on
this website.
As well as this support network there are other things you can try to help you relax including
meditation,
reiki and
massage (though check first that the therapist will give you a massage if there's a chance you could be pregnant). Also consider taking a holiday or regular weekend breaks. Try to keep up your hobbies and interests so that getting pregnant doesn't completely take over your life.
Xenoestrogens
These are compounds that mimic true oestrogen and can interfere with the natural balance of hormones in your body. They come from external sources such as pestacides and plastics. Try to avoid or at least limit your intake by eating organic food, using natural products for washing ( shampoo, soap etc. - many high street brands are full of chemicals and you just don't know what effect they might have on you), useing natural household cleaning products and avoiding working with pestacides etc.
Which Complementary Therapies may be able to help?
For each therapy I have included a brief introduction and links to other websites that provide further information.
You can also find out more about the therapy itself and look for therapists in your area by clicking on the
name of the therapy.
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Acupuncture is a holisitc therapy and as such can treat most conditions. Some people have had great success with acupuncture, conceiving after treatment when they were only months away from starting IVF. Acupuncture is good for those with functional rather than structual infertility problems (eg blocked tubes are structural).Acupuncture appears to work really well for pelvic pain; it seems to alter pelvic blood flow and may have an effect on healing the damage caused by scarring as a consequence of infection or endometriosis. It has also been shown to have some effect on hormonal regulation, an observation supported by a number of clinical trials. You can read more about accupuncture and infertility by visiting the following sites:
Acupuncture and Infertiity
A BBC Article on the use of
Accupuncture with IVF
A summary of some of the
research on Infertility and acupuncture
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Ayurveda is a traditional Indian approach to medicine. It looks at underlyling imbalances that may be the root cause of infertility. Possible causes may be toxin build up, stress, poor nutrition, poor digestion, weakened immune system etc. The ayurveda practitioner will assess you as an individual and put together a unique programme of treatment for you. This may include, diet changes, massage, herbs, heat treatment, enemas, meditation, yoga and lifestyle changes.
General information about
Ayurveda
More information on
Ayurveda and Fertility
Ayurveda and
Infertility
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Herbal Teas and Tinctures
Various herbal teas, infusions, tinctures etc. are recommended to help with conception and womens reproductive health in general. I've listed some of the most common here.
Red Clover is said by some to be the best remedy for women over forty who want to conceive but can't; even if there are medical reasons for not conceiving such as blocked tubes, diabetes, ovarian cysts, internal scarring, or endometriosis. Drinking 2 to 4 cups of the infusion of the dried blossoms (neither tincture nor tea nor pills will work for this application) is said to do wonders for fertility, no matter what your age. However, others claim that large doses may actually cause infertility, although this seems to be more speculation than experience! As with many treatments there are conflicting reports about whether or not red clover works and whether or not it is dangerous to take when pregnant! Whilst most sites say it is safe, you may want to consult a herbalist who has specialist knowledge before trying it yourself.
Nettle tea is also said by some to aid conception. It is also recommended during pregnancy and to improve lactation, so no risks there. In fact its said to be good for all kinds of things, as a tonic, to detox, etc.
Raspberry leaf tea. You may have heard of taking raspberry leaf tea for period pains and during pregnancy, but it is also recommended for fertility, as it tones the uterus.. Some say you should not take it during the first trimester, but others disagree.
More on
red clover and other herbs
More on
nettle tea
Find a
herbalist, who is a member of the National Institute of Meidcal Herbalists, in your area
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There are many herbs which have traditionally been said to help with infertility. However, many herbs are powerful and can interact with conventional medicine. It is therefore advisable to consult a herbalist before taking anything stronger than a herbal tea, especially if you are on medication. I'm not aware of any studies that have been done on the effectiveness of herbs on fertility, but there are plenty of anecdotal stories of women conceiving after taking herbs. The following may be worth looking into.
- Vitex angus castus (chasteberry) : This is meant to help with hormal problems, especially luteal phase defects. click here for testamonial. Some sites say only take between menstruation and ovulation, others say its safe throughout cycle, just stop when you find out you are pregnant. Do not take with clomid or similar drugs.
- Evening Primrose oil : This is meant to help with the production of quality cervical fluid necessary for conception ( it helps the sperm to swim and stay alive longer). Some sources say take only from menstruation to ovulation as it can cause uterine contractions, others say its ok to take right through pregnancy! You need to take about 200omg a day. It is also a good source of omega 6. If you do take large amounts of EPO you need to ensure you also have enough omega 3 to balance it. The recomended ratio is 1:4 (omega 3 to omega 6). You can do this by taking fish oil supplements, or flax oil if you are vegetarian. (If you take fish oils make sure they come from a good source, as cheaper sources can be made from polluted fish).
- Ginseng : For mail fertility - said to boost immune system and help with male impotance and mail infertility.
- Flaxseed oil : For men and for women. Said to improve quality of man's sperm. Said to help regulate a woman's cycle. ITs also a good source of omega 3.
Find a
herbalist, who is a member of the National Institute of Meidcal Herbalists, in your area
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The remedies used in homeopathy are based on a variety of factors. Before any treatment is prescribed, a full consultation is carried out. This looks at the patient's general health, sexual history, family history, moods, likes, dislikes, emotional state, and whether they have been exposed to any toxic substances. It is common for emotional blocks to prevent a pregnancy from occurring. Maybe there are high expectations from the family, or one partner wants a baby more than the other. Perhaps a bad experience from a previous pregnancy, birth or miscarriage has introduced fear of a subsequent pregnancy. Homeopathy is invaluable in this area.
Remedies can be made from a wide variety of sources, including plants, minerals, metals or the slightly more unusual such as amethyst or moonstone. Because the remedies are so highly diluted, they don't actually include any of the original material but an energetic 'fingerprint' of its healing powers.
'Health and Homeopathy Spring 2006' containing an article on using homeopathy to treat Endometriosis, a common cause of infertility.
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Mind Power
The human mind is incredibly powerful. Posative thinking can help us to stay fit and healthy. So can you think yourself pregnant? This may seem like a ridiculous idea, but there are therapies that aim to clear any mental blocks that you may have about pregnancy and child birth. Consciously you desperately want a baby , but do you subconciously not want to get pregnant? Maybe you are subconsciously afraid of the birth, or think you will be a bad parent, or that having a child will leave you poor and exhausted. There may be some deeper self beliefs about being unworthy or not good enough that are stopping you concieving. Amongst the therapies that look to help you identify and remove such blocks are hypnotherapy, EFT and theta healing.
You may also like to work with the power of visualisation. By visualising your body as healthy you can help your body to heal. This can be particularly helpful if you know what is causing your infertility. For example visualising your cysts dissolving, or your overies releasing an egg. This can work well along side other complementary therapies and meditation.
Hypnotherapy and infertility
Hypnotherapy and "Unexplained" Infertility
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There has been some success with conception, in particular in relation to inducing ovulation in those with polycystic ovarian syndrome or other problems effecting ovulation. You can read more about reflexology and infertility by visiting the following sites:
Women's experiance of
getting pregnant after reflexology
A Daily Mail Article on
Reflexology and infertitily
A summary of some of the
research on Infertility and reflexology
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Wurn Technique
This is a new therapy currently only available in the US and New Zealand. It is a form of deep massage that can clear adhesions ( one of the most common causes of infertility) and unblock tubes. They claim high success rates, 61% successs rate in unblocking tubes, 67% pregnancy rate for women going on to have IVF and 71% pregnancy rate for those concieving naturally. Side effects include reduced intercourse pain, reduced menstrual pain, improved libido, improved orgams etc. However, they can't do this massage if you have cysts, as there is a danger of them rupturing.
You can find out more on their website.
www.clearpassage.com
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Infertilty Articles
Read the following Infertility articles on this site.
Waiting For a Baby .
- my story of trying to conceive
We are constantly trying to improve this site, so please send me information about any therapies that can help with infertility, articles about your own experiances, other suggestions etc. Email to admin@inspirationalfriends.co.uk.
General Infertilty Links
http://www.womens-health.co.uk/infertility.asp General information about the causes of infertility, things you can do, fertility testing etc.
http://www3.fertilethoughts.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=4 Infertility forums, taking to others in a similar situation can help
http://www.infertilitynetworkuk.com/A UK support and campaigning group
http://www.ihr.com/infertility/ Lots of useful information on infertility
http://www.foresight-preconception.org.uk/Foresight have a comprehensive pre conception plan that has helped many couples to have a healthy baby. Their site includes information on nutrition, the dangers of alcohol, radiation etc.
http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.phpForum to share experiances and information. The 2WW diaries makes me cry everytime.
Click here to view more details
