Endometriosis can cause internal bleeding, scarring, abnormal bleeding, inflammation, severe pain during menstruation or during sex, and can often be the cause of infertility. That said, many women don’t experience any symptoms and only discover that have endometriosis once they begin trying-to-conceive.

There are several non-surgical and surgical treatments for endometriosis. A woman may undergo hormone therapy, which can be used in two different ways; hormones to make your body think you are either pregnant or going through menopause. Some hormone therapy may be used to decrease the amount of estrogen your body is producing, as estrogen feeds the growth of tissue. Some surgical options include laser laparoscopy or hysterectomy. The route chosen would depend upon the reason for treatment, whether it be to reduce pain or for treatment of infertility.

Many women with endometriosis have reported positive results when taking a natural fertility supplement such as FertilAid for Women. FertilAid contains a number of fertility enhancing herbs such as vitex (chasteberry) that help to regulate the hormones and correct any imbalances that might be present.

Recently, Vitex has been shown in several clinical studies to help stimulate and stabilize the reproductive hormones involved in ovulation, cycle balance, and menstrual regularity. These studies also document a statistically-significant increase in fertility among women using vitex, with more pregnancies than in control groups using a placebo. Vitex is an important ingredient in both FertilAid and FertiliTea which contain a number of other fertility enhancing and nutritive herbs such as Red Raspberry Leaf, Green Tea, Ladies Mantle and Nettle Leaf.

Couples who are trying to conceive are now, more than ever, turning to more natural ways of addressing infertility. Scientifically validated ingredients found in fertility supplements may lead to increased conception rates and provide a healthful alternative to conventional treatments such as prescription drugs or other invasive treatment options.

Understanding ovulation is very important if you are trying to conceive. Here are a few common myths and misconceptions.

A Woman Can Get Pregnant Only One Day During Her Cycle. It is true that ovulation (meaning the dropping of one or more eggs) generally only occurs on one day of the cycle, but a woman can actually get pregnant from having had intercourse 4-5 days before ovulation occurs. The reason for this is that sperm can live for up to 5 days in a healthy reproductive tract.

A Normal Menstrual Cycle is 28 Days, and Ovulation Occurs on Day 14 of the Cycle. The reality is that every woman’s cycle is different, and generally ranges from 24-36 days. Ovulation days can also depend on the woman and can occur many days before or after the 14th day of her cycle. You will not necessarily be fertile on the 14th day of your cycle. Fertility Charting, and the use of ovulation microscopes and other predictor devices are recommended to test for your window of fertility.

Women Can Ovulate More Than once During Her Cycle. This is not true. Ovulation only occurs once during the cycle of a healthy woman. It is true that more than one egg may be released during ovulation, but this almost always occurs within 24 hours of each other.

Women Ovulate on the Same Day Each Month. While most women ovulate towards the middle of their cycle, the actual day can change month to month, even in women with regular cycles. This is one reason that tracking for ovulation is so important!

Acupuncture

In acupuncture, based on the problem you’re experiencing, different ‘points’ are stimulated using long, thin acupuncture needles. These long, thin needles vary in length according to which point it is to be inserted into. The idea is that by stimulating these points, energy flow is rebalanced and the body can then begin to heal itself. While Western practitioners admit that they are unsure of the connection between acupuncture and fertility, many recommend it as a way of regulating ovulation and menstruation for women trying to conceive, as well as decreasing stress levels, opening blocked sperm ducts in men, and increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs. Acupuncture has been recommended by fertility specialists and naturopaths and homeopathic specialists for both diagnosed and non-diagnosed couples with fertility problems. It has also become widely recommended to women undergoing In vitro Fertilization (IVF) and other fertility treatments. In fact, A German study in 2002 found that performing acupuncture about 25 minutes before and 25 minutes after an embryo transfer increases pregnancy rates to 42.5 percent, compared to about 26 percent without acupuncture! *

Yoga

While gaining popularity by many Westerners as great exercise and an alternative to the gym, like Acupuncture, yoga has also become a recommended alternative to infertility treatments such as In vitro Fertilization and Clomid. Yoga and specific yoga poses recommended for fertility, help to balance hormones while others increase the amount of blood flow to your organs, thereby stimulating and strengthening them. Meditation can also be a part of yoga, which can be a great stress management technique. Check out PhD, RYT, scientist and yoga instructor Anna Davis’s Bend, Breathe & Conceive for a respected fertility yoga DVD that receives incredibly good feedback and reviews!

* http://www.alpineacupuncture.com/Infertility.htm

Here’s an excerpt from the letter:

* Does not harm sperm, or interfere with fertilization & embryo development as shown in presentations at major medical meetings
* Numerous US and International Patents
* Contains the plant sugar, arabinogalactan, for antioxidant support of sperm
* Pre-Seed is applied internally, because it has the same pH, ion concentration and viscosity (consistency) as fertile cervical mucus.
* Clinical tests support Pre-Seed’s benefit in peer-reviewed published studies
* Used in and recommended by hundreds of fertility and women’s health clinics -
* Read our many inspiring Users’ Stories from people just like you

We just got this cute thank you note from a sweety who had written me asking if she should use Pre-Seed, even if she wasn’t one who needed lubricants. I am putting the conversation here below. As you can see, she was glad for the extra boost, even though she didn’t know she needed it!

I must say this reminds me of…me! Prior to inventing Pre-Seed I had never used an intimate moisturizer deposited intravaginally. I was, and remain, pleasantly surprised how much more fun intimacy can be with moisture coating deep inside the vagina. And at my ripe old age it has nothing to do anymore with babymaking! Everyone at any point in the life cycle should try it at least once.

Karen in July: “I have never used a lubricant but have been using Evening Primrose Oil for Fertility (Fairhaven Health). Both my husband and I noticed that it really works and it is much more moist and comfortable in there around ovulation. Our question is, should we still use Pre-seed or will that be too much lubrication then? We wouldn’t want the mucous to be too runny??? Hope this makes sense and you can offer some insight as to whether these products can be combined.

Dr. E in July: Pre-Seed is 100% guaranteed with our “Love it or its free” guarantee, so you can try it for your own body’s needs knowing there is no risk if you feel the product is too much. We do know people use Pre-Seed with a variety of other Cervical Mucus stimulant supplements. Pre-Seed has the same viscosity (thickness) as fertile CM, so it won’t make it “too runny”. In fact, some women have trouble distinguishing their own CM from Pre-Seed. Best Wishes!

Karen in August: Hi Dr E! I just wanted to send a quick email and say THANKS! Your Pre Seed product was just what we needed. and I didn’t even know it. I have seen it on the market forever but never considered myself having a “dryness” problem so never considered buying it. We have been trying to conceive our 4th child for 9 months (Twins IVF and 1 natural birth) and having sex 3 or 4 days in a row has been getting exhausting and has been using up all my natural lubrication. I really appreciate having a product like this that I can use. It was not too slippery at all for us, and my husband was quite happy to have the extra slipperys.
Thanks again, I’ll really thank you if this turns out to be the month! LOL! Blessings!

If you are interested, my favorite store for Pre-Seed is: http://www.early-pregnancy-tests.com/pre-seed.html

How Does Being Overweight Affect Fertility?

Being overweight or obese is often associated with fertility problems. In fact, 12% of infertility cases are due to weight issues. One common weight related infertility diagnosis is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Women who are overweight or obese have more fat cells in their bodies. This fat increases the amount of estrogen. Because 30% of estrogen comes from fat cells, women with more fat produce more estrogen. More estrogen can negatively influence ovulation, menstruation, and ultimately, conception. Women who are overweight also tend to be more resistant to insulin. Insulin resistance can force a woman’s body to produce excess levels of insulin, which inhibits ovulation.

The Benefits of Exercise

Getting a healthy amount of exercise not only lowers fat cells, but it also can help lower levels of stress. Stress has been found to inhibit fertility, and should be avoided, or at least minimized by those trying to conceive. Exercise releases endorphins, which encourages your body to better deal with pain and stress. Activities, such as yoga can be a great stress reliever and have been connected to optimal fertility by specialists world-over.

Additionally, exercise can help both women and men achieve good sleep patterns. Lack of proper sleep has been shown to negatively affect fertility, making sleep a facet of good health that should be addressed by those trying to conceive. As well as minimizing stress and increasing positive sleep patterns, exercise also increases blood flow to all areas of the body, including reproductive organs.

Too Much Exercise Can Have Negative Affects on Fertility.

Many women are unaware of the fact that too much and/or excessive exercise hurts their chances of conceiving a child. Excessive and extreme exercise which causes weight loss and low levels of body fat can cause ovulation to cease. The reason for this is that not enough nutrients in a woman’s body, i.e. too little fat, means that there are not enough nutrients to nourish a fetus. The body senses this and stops ovulation from occurring, making it impossible to get pregnant.

If you would like more information about health and diet while trying to conceive, click Here and/or speak with your doctor about an exercise regiment and proper diet plan for optimal fertility. Get out, get fit, and get pregnant!

We often receive the question, “Can you take Fertilaid for women if you have a regular cycle and ovulate on your own?” While FertilAid for Women does help to normalize an irregular cycle, there are many other benefits realized by those who happen to have regular cycles. FertilAid offers complete vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant support (including folic acid) that is optimized specifically for trying-to-conceive women. The herbal components, in addition to helping balance hormonal levels, have also been shown in various studies to enhance conception rates.

From time to time women with regular cycles may notice slight changes when first starting with FertilAid. This is perfectly normal as there may be an adjustment period with the body beginning to assimilate the new vitamins, minerals and herbs. Things generally normalize after the first cycle or two and, again, for most women this is generally not an issue.

FertilAid is a natural, non prescription, doctor-recommended formula which receives a great deal of positive feedback from women with irregular and normal menstrual cycles. It is the only fertility supplement that combines all the recommended daily requirements of a prenatal vitamin along with a proprietary blend of fertility enhancing herbs.

Read more about FertilAid and it’s various ingredients by visiting www.FertilAid.com. ]]> http://site.fairhavenhealth.com/blog/115-fertilaid-with-regular-cycle.html/feed 4 http://site.fairhavenhealth.com/blog/75-natural-therapies-for-infertility.html http://site.fairhavenhealth.com/blog/75-natural-therapies-for-infertility.html#comments Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:37:15 +0000 Fairhaven Health http://site.fairhavenhealth.com/blog/?p=75

by Chris Meleltis, ND
Contributing writer

A great deal of research supports that there are numerous nutritional and botanical supplements that can assist the body in overcoming common factors that adversely affect fertility.

Vitamins, Minerals, and Amino Acids

B Vitamins

B vitamin deficiency may predispose a person to altered hormone levels. Folic acid, in particular, is very important for preventing cellular oxidative damage and maintaining the health of the cervix.

Iron
Iron is an important nutrient for erythropoiesis and is necessary in substantial amounts during pregnancy. Iron deficiency may cause amenorrhea, and iron deficiency during pregnancy is associated with pregnancy complications and increased perinatal maternal mortality. Research indicates that iron supplementation in women with lower iron levels improves fertility.

Zinc
Research indicates that low zinc concentrations negatively affect serum testosterone levels and seminal volume. Seminal plasma zinc concentrations are positively correlated with sperm density, which may exert a positive effect on spermatogenesis. Data indicates that infertile males have lower concentrations of seminal plasma zinc, which correlates with reduced blood zinc levels. In one study, men with reduced sperm motility were supplemented with zinc for 3 months. At a 6-month follow-up, the men exhibited significant improvements in sperm counts, progressive motility, and fertilizing capacity; as well as a reduced incidence of anti-sperm antibodies.

Vitamin C
Antioxidants play a significant role in promoting fertility in both men and women. In men, low levels of vitamin C are associated with increased oxidative damage to spermatic DNA. In one study, vitamin C intake in normal healthy men was reduced from 250 mg to 5 mg per day. This resulted in a reduction of seminal levels of vitamin C by 50% and a 91% increase in spermatic DNA damage. Another study found that vitamin C supplementation to infertile men for 1 week resulted in 112-140% increase in sperm count.

Vitamin C is also important for female fertility. Using animal models, researchers have shown that supplementation with vitamins C and E decreased age-related reduction in ovulation rates compared to the control group of animals of similar age. Another study found that women taking a fertility drug clomiphene with no results were able to have a menses and ovulate with the addition of 400 mg of vitamin C daily.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E supplementation has been shown to significantly decrease malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, a measure of lipid peroxidation, in the seminal plasma and spermatozoa as well as improve sperm motility. A similar study showed that supplementation with Vitamin E and selenium in men with low sperm counts and decreased motility improved both of these infertility factors after 6 months of supplementation.

Selenium
Selenium is important for sperm motility. In one study, infertile men were supplemented with selenium, selenium plus vitamins A, C, and E, or placebo for 3 months. The subjects in both selenium treatments groups’ demonstrated significantly improved sperm motility, and 11% of the men impregnated their partners during the 3-month study.

Amino Acids
Arginine is an amino acid that is converted to several compounds believed to play a role in sperm motility. In one study, 74% of the men supplemented with arginine for 3 months showed improved sperm counts and motility. Another amino acid, carnitine, is important for the development of healthy spermatozoa. In infertile patients, research has shown a direct correlation between sperm motility and semen carnitine content and a positive correlation between carnitine supplementation and sperm counts and number of motile sperm. L-Carnitine is a key ingredient in most male fertility enhancing supplements, including FertilAid for Men.

Herbal Support

Vitex agnus castus (Chasteberry) has several hormone-normalizing effects. In women with hyperprolactinemia, 3 months of Vitex supplementation resulted in suppressed prolactin release, a lengthened luteal phase, and improved progesterone synthesis.  In another study, women with polymenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, and corpus luteum insufficiency were treated with Vitex for 6 months. Vitex supplementation increased average progesterone levels, normalized the menstrual cycle in 64% of the women, and 29% of the women became pregnant. Vitex is a key ingredient in many natural fertility supplements, including FertilAid for Women.

Panax Ginseng (Asian ginseng) is an adaptogenic herb used traditionally to enhance libido. In one study, men supplemented with a ginseng extract showed an increase in sperm number and motility, increase in total and free testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, LH, and FSH, and a decrease in prolactin. In addition, the active constituents in ginseng known as ginsenosides modulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Lepidium meyenii (Maca) has been shown to improve seminal parameters without modulating hormone levels. In one study, men supplemented with 1500 or 3000 mg of maca per day for 4 months showed increase in seminal volume, sperm counts, motile sperm numbers, and sperm motility.

Mind-Body Treatments

Mind-body treatments such as yoga and acupuncture have been shown to help support stress reduction and improve fertility One study showed that adding acupuncture to conventional treatments for anovulation infertility improved the pregnancy rate to 44% from 16% in the group receiving conventional treatment alone. Targeted yoga practices, such as the one featured in the DVD, “Bend, Breathe, and Conceive” by Dr. Anna Davis, have been developed specifically for trying-to-conceive women.

Chris Meletis is an internationally renowned naturopathic doctor, author and educator in the field of natural medicine.