Fertility Drugs… really? For many women, the thought of taking fertility drugs is scary. Who hasn’t heard about the side effects which can include multiple births and even cancer? Deciding that fertility drugs aren’t for you does not necessarily mean that you have to give up on your dream to become a parent. There are plenty of more natural infertility treatment alternatives to these powerful medications. Here are just a few to consider:
Vitex and Maca – Nature’s Clomid
Clomid is the most widely used fertility drug to enhance and regulate ovulation and for unexplained infertility. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, clomiphene, aka, Clomid, “is in a class of medications called ovulatory stimulants.” Despite its common use, it does come with some side effects, including the possibility of multiple births, hyperstimulation of the ovaries and ovarian rupture. For those wanting to use a more natural ovulation enhancer, Maca and Vitex may be the answer. Maca is used to regulate female hormones that aid in ovulation; increasing egg health and beefing up sperm production in men. Vitex too can benefit fertility by regulating hormones without the use of hormones. It has been very helpful in treating infertility.
Learn more: Clomid: Natural Alternatives to Clomid
Increase IVF Success With This 3-Pronged Approach
While it is always best to try and avoid fertility drugs if possible, sometimes they and other fertility treatments like IVF are necessary in order to conceive. That doesn’t mean you should forget about using natural methods to enhance the process though. In order to increase your chances of IVF success be sure to follow this simple 3-step approach to increase egg health in preparation for IVF:
Cleanse: The life cycle of a typical female egg is about 150 days, during which secondary growth begins at about 120 days. 120 days is how long it takes the egg to make its journey to ovulation – through the secondary and tonic growth phases in the ovary. The key time frame to work to improve egg health starts 90 days before ovulation. The healthier the egg, the better chance for implantation. In order to ensure that your eggs have the best shot at creating a baby, be sure to cleanse your body of any chemicals and toxins that could impede this crucial step at least three months or 90 days before trying to conceive. This includes avoiding processed foods; trans fats, dairy and refined sugar. Instead opt for whole grains; fresh fruits and vegetables and organic meats and dairy. A good fertility cleanse is good at not only helping you to clear your body of toxins that could stand in the way of a pregnancy, but it can also rid your body of extra hormones and excess blood and tissues in the uterus that could block conception.
Nourish: In step two of the program, you will begin to nourish your eggs and prepare the uterus for growing a healthy baby. This is best done by providing your body with the nutrients it needs to grow new life. Eating a well-balanced diet free of preservatives and hormones is a good start, but you also need to take a good multi-vitamin and some good fertility boosting nutrients like CoQ-10 and L-arginine to help strengthen the lining in your uterus. Other fertility boosting foods that can help to increase your chance of conceiving include: Maca, a fertility super food grown in the mountains of Peru. It is known to balance female hormones, lower FSH levels and strengthen eggs. Royal Jelly is another superfood worth learning more about. Rich in protein and essential minerals, this fertility boosting super food may help to increase the quality and health of a woman’s eggs.
Nurture: In the final step for preparing your body for that all-important IVF treatment, you will begin to nurture your uterus by utilizing two important therapies: guided imagery and acupuncture. Both have been used for centuries throughout the world to calm a chaotic body; increase circulation; reverse energy blockages in the reproductive system and balance hormone production and release. Used within one day of the IVF procedure, both acupuncture and mind-body therapies have been shown to increase success rates between 50-65%.
A study in Fertility and Sterility found a dramatic increase in IVF success rates for those who participated in a Mind Body program prior and during their IVF procedure: 143 women under 40 years of age undergoing IVF participated. First cycle success results for all subjects was 43%. Those that had finished at least half of their mind body session prior to their 2nd IVF cycle had a 52% success rate of pregnancy while the control group had 20% success rate of pregnancy. (Fertility & Sterility June 1, 2011)
Sperm Health Supplements
Female issues are not the only cause of fertility problems for many couples. The male factor can account for 20-50% of all infertility issues. One way to help boost sperm production, health and mobility is to add a few sperm health supplements to your diet. Some of the best to consider include zinc, folic acid, B-12, Vitamin C, L-Carnitine and CoQ10. Don’t worry about having to take all of these supplements separately, all of these supplements can be found in the Male Factor Formula Kit.
Supplements… a Possible Alternative to Endometriosis Surgery
Some of the best ways to reduce uterine inflammation and prevent excess uterine growth may be to add these important supplements to your daily diet: Progesterone (between days 8-26 of your cycle); DIM, to help rid your body of excess estrogen; Systemic Enzyme Therapy, helps dissolve excess uterine tissue; and Pycnogenol a powerful antioxidant that helps improve egg health and quality as well as help to reduce the pain caused from endometriosis.
Fertility Massage
Fertility massage is an easy way to enhance fertility by:
- Clearing mucus congestion which can cause blockages in the fallopian tubes
- Increasing circulation to the uterus
- Ridding the uterus of stagnate blood and tissues
- Help to regulate female hormones
- Improving communication within the endocrine system
- Increasing cervical mucus
- Bringing fresh oxygenated blood to female eggs
- And more!
Sure, it may be necessary to rely on fertility drugs and IVF to conceive for some couples, but adding a few of these natural remedies to your conception regime can only help to increase your chances of a successful implantation. One last tip, most natural supplements and herbs should not be used in conjunction with fertility drugs or medications. It is best to use them in preparation before your procedure for at least 3 months for best results.
- Clomiphene. (22, 0ctober 2018). U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682704.html
- Clomiphene. (22, October 2018). U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682704.html
- The Downside of Clomid. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.womens-health.co.uk/downside-of-clomid.html
- Domar, A. Ph.D., Rooney, K., B.A., et el., (2011). Impact of a group mind/body intervention on pregnancy rates in IVF patients. Fertility and Sterility. Volume 95, Issue 7, Pages 2269–2273. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2011.03.046 Retrieved from: https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(11)00476-6/fulltext
