Naturopathic Support for Fertility & Conception

You’ve made the decision to grow your family. How exciting! Now what? For some, the process of getting and staying pregnant is relatively straightforward and low risk. For others, there are hurdles in the way that can be significantly challenging to your physical, mental, emotional and financial wellbeing. A recent report from the World Health Organization revealed that 1 in 6 people worldwide are affected by infertility, which is defined as the inability to conceive after one year of trying. This figure is consistent with previous community health studies specific to families in Ontario as well as the national average in Canada. Approximately 85% of infertile couples have an identifiable cause, with the remaining 15% given a diagnosis of “unexplained infertility”.

Infertility can be a complex and sensitive issue, and many people who are struggling may not seek appropriate assistance or may feel their concerns are dismissed by their care providers if insufficient time has passed in their journey to conceive. For Ontario family doctors, guidelines suggest making a referral to a fertility clinic after 6 months of trying if you are over the age of 35, or to wait a full year before referral for younger patients. Some family doctors are comfortable managing basic fertility assessments and medications, but this is not always the case. In many situations, appointments with fertility clinics and specialists can feel rushed and impersonal, without the space to ask all of your questions or access appropriate guidance.

In my practice as a naturopathic doctor, it is common for patients to seek assistance in determining their potential fertility, perhaps even years before initiating the discussion of attempting to conceive with a partner. If fertility is a short or medium term goal for you, our initial pre-conception consultation will cover the basics of tracking your menstrual cycle and identifying fertile days, discussing any potential barriers to fertility via health history review and diagnostic testing, and improving reproductive heath potential through targeted supplementation, medication, nutrition and stress management. If you are actively trying to conceive and struggling, we will discuss factors that might be standing in the way of conception, many of which respond well to naturopathic interventions.

There are many possible causes of infertility, both in women and men. Here are some of the most common causes that I see in practice.

Ovulatory disorders:

Problems with ovulation are the most common cause of female infertility. This can be caused by hormonal imbalances, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thyroid disorders, or premature ovarian failure. During your visit with me, we discuss possible signs, symptoms and appropriate testing to rule out these conditions and/or provide evidence based treatment to encourage more regular ovulatory cycles. If you are someone who has experienced pregnancy loss, this kind of assessment and testing can be a helpful step in increasing the likelihood of carrying to term.

Age related factors:

As we age, the number and quality of eggs decreases, making it more difficult to conceive. The focus for these patients is to improve egg quality through nutrition and supplementation, to regulate ovulation timing and to support each ovulatory cycle as best we can to increase the likelihood of healthy conception.

Male factor infertility:

Male factor infertility includes issues such as low sperm count, poor sperm motility, or abnormal sperm morphology. There are specific nutrients that can make meaningful changes to these markers, many within 90 days, which is an ideal window of time to begin working with an ND to improve male factor fertility.

Lifestyle factors:

Lifestyle factors such as obesity, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption can also contribute to infertility. Working with an ND can help you come up with realistic and meaningful goals and habits that can improve fertility, support optimal pregnancy outcomes, and also contribute to lasting benefits to your overall health.

Whatever your concerns related to fertility, it’s important to work with a health care provider who can conduct a proper assessment of your health, and provide you with an evidence based planmto reach your goals. In my practice, I take the time to make sure the recommendations we discuss are reasonable, meaningful, and safe to use with any pre-existing medications or planned fertility interventions including IVF.

If you are currently working to grow your family and are looking for support, consider booking in an initial consultation here to discuss how to reach your goal. I also offer complementary discovery calls if you are looking to add to your health care team but want to make sure we are a good fit prior to initiating care.

References:

World Health Organization. (2023, April 3). “Infertility Prevalence Estimates, 1990–2021.”

Retrieved from https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/978920068315

Bushnik, T. , Cook, J.L., Yuzpe, A.,Tough, S., Collins, J. (2013). “Estimating the prevalence of

infertility in Canada.” Human Reproduction, 28(4): 1151. Https://doi.org/ 10.1093/humrep/des464

Carson, S. A., & Kallen, A. N. (2021). Diagnosis and Management of Infertility: A

Review. JAMA, 326(1), 65–76. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2021.4788

Wang, X., Wang, Y., Wei, S., He, B., Cao, Y., Zhang, N., & Li, M. (2021). An Overview of

Systematic Reviews of Acupuncture for Infertile Women Undergoing in vitro Fertilization and

Embryo Transfer. Frontiers in public health, 9, 651811.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.651811