Q&A: I’m 43 and Healthy… What Can I Do to Help Me Get Pregnant?

Hi Krystal,

I think going to licensed health care practitioner would be a good start. This will help you to learn what may be causing your fertility challenges. It will be much easier to know in which direction you should go and what natural therapies may be best for your unique situation if you know what is going on with your body. It is good that you are tracking your ovulation. The thyroid problem could affect your fertility. The thyroid is important in regulating the body’s energy, regulating hormones and aiding the body in the use of hormones and vitamins. If your hormones are out of balance you may not be able to conceive.

It is difficult for us to answer your questions based on just a small piece of the bigger picture of your health. It is helpful for us to know your lifestyle, health history, fertility challenges and detailed questions. That is why Hethir has created Fertility Consultations. This will better help us to guide you in the right direction for bringing about a balanced body and fertility. Honestly we just don’t have the time or resources at NaturalFertilityInfo.com to answer every question when we don’t have enough information about you and your health to answer properly. Please understand we hold you and your health in high regard and want nothing more than to help you help yourself achieve a healthy, fertile body. You may be interested in a Fertility Consultation. When you purchase a Fertility Consultation you will submit your health history, lifestyle, eating habits and your top 3 fertility questions. This will help us to better serve you and guide you to the best natural therapies for your health.

Best Wishes,
Dalene

Hi Bisi,

I am not sure what products you are talking about. We don’t recommend taking any herbs while on fertility medications. Bromocriptine is a medication.

For a natural alternative which may lower high prolactin levels you could learn about the herb Vitex. Prolactin is a hormone that stimulates milk production and breast growth during pregnancy. High levels in the absence of pregnancy are often the result of a very common women’s endocrine’s disorder called hyperprolactinemia. High prolactin levels are also linked to fertility problems. Vitex has been shown to decrease high prolactin levels.

Best Wishes,

Dalene

Hi Maryann,

I am not sure where you saw the 30 drops, 2-3x’s a day dosage? Could you please let me know. Our recommended dosage is: Tincture: Take 10-15 drops of vitex extract, taken 2-3 times a day all month long except during menstruation.

We do not support the use of DHEA as taking pure DHEA is likely to convert into the wrong hormones and can also go into androgen and estrogen pathways, causing more hormonal imbalance. The goal should be to support the endocrine system by using adaptogen herbs and supportive nutrients to help the body to restore hormonal balance instead of using supplements as hormonal replacement therapy. If you do whish to use DHEA, we would suggest you work closely with your doctor a naturopath so your hormones can be monitored while you are taking DHEA.

Have you considered a Natural Fertility Consultation? This will better help us to guide you in the right direction for bringing about a balanced body and fertility.

Best Wishes,

Dalene

Hi Maryann,

You can find the Fertilica Vitex tincture here. Because I don’t know what brand you are using you may want to follow the recommendations for that product. I will let Hethir know about the recommendations on the Maca and Vitex Q&A page and let her know they are not the same as what we generally recommend on the rest of the site. We still think that 15 drops 2-3 times a day is best in general.

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DHEA IS CALLED THE “MOTHER HORMONE” for both men and women because it can be converted into other hormones the body needs on an as-need-be basis. For example: If your testosterone levels are too low, your DHEA hormone will naturally convert itself into more testosterone.

The same holds true for estrogen, melatonin and most all other hormones. For this reason DHEA is called a regulator, because as your body naturally seeks to balance itself (i.e. the correct ratio of estrogen, testosterone, etc.), your DHEA hormone will naturally convert itself into whatever hormone your body happens to be low on.

Without enough natural progesterone in the body, extra stress will be put on the DHEA hormone.

This can not only deplete it, but put undue stress on the adrenal glands, as the synthesis of cortisones is impaired.

Synthetic DHEA is not true DHEA, but rather a chemically altered steroid drug. The molecules in synthetic DHEA are manufactured so as to imitate a real DHEA molecule, and in some respects it does share some of the characteristics.

But it’s not the same as your own DHEA, and yes there are many negative side effects. It’s important to note that synthetic DHEA is a combination of synthetic chemicals that are toxic to the body, and these toxins remain in the body for a very long period of time.

This toxic residue builds up, and has to go somewhere, so it rests in various parts of the body and becomes free radicals which destroy the cells. You can also overdose on synthetic DHEA because of the toxicity.

The facts concerning synthetic DHEA and wild yam have been twisted, which has brought forth some confusion. I would like to shine some light on this subject in hopes of helping you understand.

Wild yam in itself is a nutritional product that can provide many health benefits. Provided a good quality product is used and it is extracted properly, wild yam can be very beneficial and very safe, with no known side effects.

the wild yam in synthetic DHEA is combined with unnatural, synthetic chemical steroid drugs. The wild yam may be good, but the synthetic compounds are not.

Many synthetic DHEA products use wild yam in their formula, which can confuse people. They say it’s natural, when in fact the product as a whole is not natural, but dangerously synthetic. The wild yam part of synthetic DHEA in and of itself is no problem, but it is combined with synthetic compounds, which are the problem.

”

To read this entire article click here: Natural DHEA Facts

So to make it clear- your body produces natural DHEA, all other DHEA is synthetic, not natural, even if some natural ingredients are used.

Best Wishes,

Dalene

Hi Neomie,

It is difficult for me to say whether or not you will get pregnant or not, no one knows that for sure. Your chances of achieving pregnancy after the age of 45 decrease. Some things women your age choose to focus on to maintain healthy fertility- uterine tone, egg health, hormonal balance, cervical mucous, regulating ovulation (if your periods are irregular).

Herbs for uterine tone and strength-

Nettles
Red Clover
Red Raspberry
Oat Straw
Lemon Balm
Skullcap
Rose Hips
Conceptions Tea

I wish you the best!

Dalene

Hi Notat,

We do not recommend taking Vitex while on birth control. Birth control may be making your body have a regular menstrual cycle, but you will never be able to conceive while on it. It may impact your fertility negatively in the long run, especially when taken over a long period of time. If you choose to stop taking birth control you may want to learn about Fertility Cleansing. There are specific herbs that help to support the liver to getting rid of excess hormones and toxins. There are also herbs and nutrients that support the uterus to cleanse of old contents and stagnant blood. The Fertility Cleanse Kit may help your body to do this.

I have never heard of women becoming depressed or fatigued while on Vitex. In one study, vitex outperformed vitamin B6 for relieving PMS symptoms like depression, headaches, water retention and constipation.

Traditional application for Vitex:
Capsules: 1,000mg a day is the suggested amount to use. For best results use vitex capsules all month long except during menstruation.

Tincture: Suggested usage is 10-15 drops of vitex extract, 2-3 times a day all month long except during menstruation.

However, unlike powerful hormone drugs, vitex works slowly to normalize the body. Maximum benefits are often achieved after 6-12 cycles with vitex. Vitex may be taken for up to 18 cycles.

Have you considered a Natural Fertility Consultation? This may help us to guide you in the right direction.

Please discuss with your doctor if you are thinking of going off of birth control.

Best Wishes,

Dalene

Hi Notat,

We have not had many women write in with this problem. You may want to learn about herbs that support hormonal balance such as Maca, which nourishes the endocrine system. The herbs Vitex and Saw Palmetto may also help. These herbs help to work toward hormonal balance. Your hair growth may be a symptom of hormonal imblance. They do take time to be effective. I am not sure about the statistic you speak of, but in one study, vitex helped normalize progesterone levels and increased the luteal phase from 5.4 days to 11.4 days. In addition, two double-blind studies show vitex extract increases a woman’s fertility and chances of successful conception. Vitex has been shown to normalize heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia), relieve amenorrhea (absent menstrual cycle), and decrease polymenorrhea (too frequent periods).

Speaking to your doctor about working toward relieving your symptoms through actually balancing your hormones rather than just treating the symptom of facial hair growth may be something to think about.

Best Wishes,

Dalene

Hi Notat,

Please follow the directions for use of each individual product you purchase on the box or lable that comes with the products (no matter where you purchase them from).

You can learn how to use Progesterone Cream properly at our Progesterone Fertility Guide Page. This guide includes how to use it for inducing ovulation.

It is safe to take Maca, Progesterone Cream and Vitex all at the same time. Be sure to follow the directions exactly.

All the best,

Dalene

Congratulations Marilyn! We are so excited for you!

If you were taking Maca for low progesterone you may want to talk to your doctor about continuing it into your 1st trimester. Please get your doctors approval to continue the Maca. Be sure you are taking a good prenatal vitamin. We like Baby and Me Multivitamin because it is 100% whole food. You should not have to continue taking extra folic acid if you’re prenatal vit. contains 800mg of folic acid. You may continue the vit. B if your doctor thinks you need it. Please let us know how you are doing as you progress.

Best Wishes,
Dalene

Hi Arlene,

We do not recommend using Vitex while using DHEA. Vitex does have the potential to throw off what your doctor is trying to accomplish with the DHEA. Please let your doctor know of any herbs you are wanting to use or are using while you are in their care.

We do not support the use of DHEA as taking pure DHEA is likely to convert into the wrong hormones and can also go into androgen and estrogen pathways, causing more hormonal imbalance. The goal should be to support the endocrine system by using adaptogen herbs and supportive nutrients to help the body to restore hormonal balance instead of using supplements as hormonal replacement therapy. In your case you are using it in preparation for IVF, which is a medical procedure. We are not medical doctors we are herbalists so our views may differ a bit.

We wish you all the best for your IVF!

Dalene