Natural Fertility / Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Support Program

How Can Naturopathic Medicine Benefit Fertility?

  • Balance hormones
  • Improve egg quality
  • Improve circulation
  • Improve implantation
  • Reduce clotting and inflammation
  • Reduce the incidence of miscarriage
  • Increase likelihood of maintaining a healthy pregnancy and having a healthy birth
  • Reduce stress.

We understand that couples seeking treatment for infertility are in search of a program that will provide them with the best chance possible for conceiving a healthy child and maintaining a healthy pregnancy for mother and child. In order to maximize the chances for conception, your Naturopathic Doctor creates a partnership with each couple to determine exactly what the problems are and to establish a treatment plan integrating the best of modern medicine and natural therapies in both diagnostic and treatment methods within our Natural Fertility/ ART Support Program.

For couples undertaking or thinking of undertaking in vitro fertilization (IVF) & ART, we ask that you visit us a few months in advance. Our Naturopathic Doctors uses a holistic integrative medicine focus using diet therapy, nutritional supplementation, botanical medicine, and homeopathy, with the aim of achieving a healthy conception and a healthy pregnancy for mother and baby.

Whether you are consulting with a fertility medical specialist and using pharmaceutical fertility drugs, or would just like to optimize your fertility naturally we work with you to optimize your chance of conceiving, maintaining a healthy pregnancy and having a robustly healthy baby.

1. Initial Consultation Preparation

To prepare for your Initial Consultation please complete our adult intake form either online or in printed form plus the Add-on natural fertility/ART support questionnaire. You will bring your completed Intake Form to your Initial Consultation with the doctor.

The Intake Form gives the doctor a tremendous amount of information that will become the basis of conversation during your Initial Consultation. Following this in-depth overview of your current health state and health history, the doctor will do a general non-invasive physical exam.

Expect to spend two and a half hours with us for your initial appointment.

2. Initial Consultation & Testing: Whole Body Regulation Thermography & Darkfield Microscopy

i. During your initial consultation we will get into the specifics about your health history, assess what some of the stressors are on your body that are stopping proper regulation and balance within the body, and decide the best treatment options for you.

ii. Whole-Body Regulation Thermography – is a method of measuring the thermal regulation of your internal organs to determine the functioning of those organs.

iii. Darkfield Microscopy – allow us to evaluate your body’s internal environment to give us more information on what we need to work on.

  1. 3. Treatment Plan

There are numerous reasons why having a baby may be challenged, so plans are completely individual based. However, all programs include diet therapy and a supplementation plan. Some in-office therapies may include:

I.

II. Botanical Medicine (plants and herbs), and Supplement Plan: Natural medicine plans are individualized and based on our assessment. The aim is to remove stressors, re-balance the body and optimize the functioning of the reproductive system.

III. Follow-up visits are scheduled every 4-6 weeks to track progress, make any necessary changes and ensure you are on the right path.

Some additional naturopathic testing used at ANMC for fertility assessment and optimization:

  • NeuroViscero Regulation Assessment allows us to determine what is stressing the body and inhibiting proper regulation.
  • Acupuncture allows us to unblock any blockages to allow the smooth flow of energy in the body as well as to specific organs.
  • Comprehensive Female Hormone Profile
  • Comprehensive Male Hormone Profile
  • Urinary toxic metals testing
  • IgG food sensitivity testing

 

Some References for Naturopathic Fertility in Scientific Literature

Diet:

  • Toledo E et al. Fertilty and Sterility. 2011 Nov;96(5):1149-53.
  • VujkovicM et al. Fertilty and Sterility. 2010 Nov;94(6):2096-101.
  • The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. Pizzorno. 2010. Pg 204-290

Supplementation:

  • Agrawal R et al. Reprod Biomed Online. 2012 Jan;24(1):54-60.
  • Sunawang et al. Food Nutr Bull. 2009;30(4 Suppl):S488-95.
  • Hammiche F et al. Fertilty and Sterility. 2011 Apr;95(5):1820-3.

Male fertility:

  • SafarinejadMR et al. Clin Nutr. 2010 Feb;29(1):100-5.
  • SarafinejadMR. Andrologia. 2011 Feb;43(1):38-47.
  • Atig F. BMC Urol. 2012 Mar;12:6.
  • ShamsiMB et al. Indian J Biochem Biophys. 2010;47(1):38-43.

Stress and fertility:

  • McEwen BS. J Psychiatry Neurosci;30:315-8.
  • Sanders KA, Bruce NW. Hum Reprod 1999;14:1656-1662.
  • Berga SL. Reprod Endocrinol Surg Tech 1996. Lippencott-Raven, Philadelphia:1061-76.
  • Arcuri F et al. Endocrinology 1996;137:595-600.
  • Boivin SL. Reprod Endo Surg Tech. Lippencott-Raven, Philadelphia. Vol 1:1061-1076.
  • Eskiocak S et al. Hum Reprod 2005;20:2595-2600.
  • Klimek M et al. Neur Endocrinol Lett 2005;26:347-50.