Top Period Questions + Fertility Q&A
Many reach out to us asking questions about their periods, fertility health, and hormonal balance, ovulation and how this all impacts their ability to conceive. A period or menstruation is the shedding of the endometrium lining of the uterus. This generally occurs monthly, releasing blood and tissues from the uterus. For many, it may not occur monthly, rather be irregular, or the period’s length, consistency, color and/or symptoms cause concern. So, I created this video to share some of the tough questions that we get about periods and menstrual health. Download the Periscope App to get notifications of my live broadcasts!
1. Q: What does it mean when you have a light period?
A. It depends! The answer is not black and white. There can be a couple of different causes of very light periods that are pale in color:
- lack of circulation
- hormonal imbalance (not enough hormones being produced)
- nutritional deficiencies.
If you have had a light period since your cycle started, you may just have a lighter cycle than others. This may be normal for you.
If you are having a period that is less than 3 or 4 days and it is light in amount and color the whole time, consider:
- supporting an increase in circulation with Self Fertility Massage and regular moderate-intensity exercise
- helping to build the blood (look into the herb Dong Quai)
- eating a healthy fertility diet that is high in iron (green leafy plants) and rich in protein.
2. Q: Should I Fertility Cleanse while I am on my period?
A: No, we do not suggest using the Fertility Cleanse while you are on your period. The Fertility Cleanse is designed to be started the day after menstruation ends. The reason: when you have your period your body is cleansing itself and releasing the endometrial tissue/uterine lining that has built up for the month. I want that natural process to happen and stay intact. We want all of the benefits fertility cleansing offers the body to be accumulating and and ready for the following menstrual cycle.
3. Q: Are there any herbs that should not be used during menstruation?
Most herbs can be used during menstruation and after ovulation (all month long). There are some herbs that should not be taken if you have a very heavy flow or “flooding”. Reach out to our team if you have heavy menstrual bleeding and are wondering about the herbs and nutritional supplements you are taking.
4. Q: Are there any herbs that should not be used during the two week wait?
A: With our programs and the herbs that we suggest, they come with instructions on whether or not to use them during the two week wait.
If you are looking to get pregnant despite a fertility issue, or help the body overcome it, a lot of times the herbs will not be suggested for use while you are pregnant. For instance, we strongly suggest not trying to conceive during the month of the Fertility Cleanse. These herbs are not fertility herbs, they are very cleansing and are helping the body for a specific purpose.
If you are using a fertility kit to help with any major fertility issue and helping the body to make shifts, you are going to get results quicker if you focus on your program and try to conceive after that.
I would not use very strong herbs on a daily basis during the two week wait. The reality is that during the two week wait, the embryo hasn’t implanted yet, it is not sharing any blood with you, and the placenta has not formed. The baby has yet to start to survive off of you, and what you are consuming/putting into your body is not impacting its health yet. I think that is part of the amazing design of our bodies; that there is a period of time, even when implantation has happened, that the embryo/fetus is not getting anything from us just yet, it is still surviving off the yolk.
I am always super cautious and careful with herbs especially in early pregnancy, so it is not ideal to use preconception herbs in early pregnancy.
5. Q: What about herbs to help with cervical mucus while on Clomid?
A: I would just let your doctor know if you are wanting to use Evening Primrose Oil or L-Arginine to increase cervical mucus. I do not see how they would interact. It is hormone balancing herbs being mixed with fertility medications that we are more concerned about. Check with your doctor.
6. Q: Can you talk more about MH5?
A: MH5 created by me for male fertility support. This blend of herbs that help to support healthy testosterone production in men, healthy sperm, and help to increase libido. A blend that men can use all month long to help support normal and natural fertility for men. I put everything into this one formula, so that it is very easy and simple for men to use.
7. Q: Can candida overgrowth cause infertility?
A: Not so much. It is not a cause, rather a sign that there is an underlying health issue/imbalance. These guides will help you learn more:
How Yeast Infections & Candida Affects Fertility
Are You Prone to Vaginal Yeast Infections? How To Balance Yeast Naturally
8. Q: How to decrease estrogen?
A: There are a lot of different ways. I have done many videos if you would like to view full videos on YouTube about estrogen and how to reduce it. But, to get started, you want to first remove the causes of excess estrogen in your life and system. One of the best ways to do that is to eat more fiber! You will also want to:
- reduce the amount of animal foods that you eat choose free range, organic, grass fed animal foods
- reduce plastic water bottle usage and the use of other plastics
9. Q: Can you have a period without ovulating?
A: Yes. A lot of people have periods with ovulation. You can also ovulate without having a period. Periods and ovulation are part of a cycle, but they are not always connected.
A period is the body shedding the lining of the uterus that has been built because there is no pregnancy. Menstruation is all induced by hormone shifts.
Ovulation occurs within the ovaries, where a follicle matures and is then released (ovulated). This is hormonally driven, but does not rely upon menstruation to happen. Neither menstruation or ovulation trigger each other.
10. Q: Is ovarian pain normal during ovulation?
A: It depends on how much pain there is. Short-lived cramping or a little pinching (mittelschmerz) can be normal on the side of the ovary that is ovulating. Some people may have more pain or it lasts longer than a day. If this is you, consider getting checked by your doctor for an underlying fertility health issue.
11. Q: I used the Fertility Cleanse Kit and I have some remaining products left over. May I use those up the following cycle?
A: Yes, that is fine to start again and finish the products.
12. Q: What if all hormones (including estrogen) are normal but no baby yet?
A: There is more going on then. We have a really great guide on “unexplained infertility” which is a good starting point. It’s titled What About Unexplained Infertility?.
Are you ovulating? There is a lot that you can tell from fertility charting. If you are charting, and everything looks perfect or nothing is being revealed from it, we would suggest a Fertility Consultation for you. We can look at everything in greater detail (diet, health history, BBT temperatures, etc.).
If you are not ovulating and hormones look okay through testing, there may be a nutritional deficiency going on, this is very common.
13. Q: Can women with only one fallopian tube still get pregnant or would fertility medications be needed?
Yes! The body generally takes turns ovulating from the right ovary one month and then the left the following month. If you have one fallopian tube and it is functioning well (not blocked), then you definitely have a chance to get pregnant with that fallopian tube, but it is going to be an every other month situation.
14. Q. What is the right age to go to a gynecologist?
A: I would say as soon as you first start getting your period.
15. Q: Should the most painful part of your period coincide with the heaviest bleeding time?
A: There shouldn’t be a most painful part of the cycle, but often painful days do coincide with heavier bleeding days. Periods don’t have to be painful! It would be helpful to talk to your doctor about what could be causing the pain. Tips for helping yourself through this pain can be found in our guide Natural Remedies for Painful Menstruation.
16. Q: What is a healthy uterine lining? Mine was 5.79 millimeters the day before ovulation.
I do not know of it by millimeters, that is not how we look at uterine lining health from a natural perspective. We are not able to do an ultrasound and look at the uterine lining. So, ask your doctor what this measurement means for you.
17. Q: My wife tested positive (digital) for LH surge. Wondering if that can ever be false for ovulation?
A: Most likely not. There is a specific hormone, LH or luteinizing hormone, that is being released in the body about 24 hours before ovulation occurs (it triggers ovulation). That is all the test is saying is happening – that there is an LH surge. Consider also fertility charting because then you can see for sure that ovulation has happened.
OPK tests will tell you about when ovulation may occur, so you can get ready and try to conceive, but charting will tell you that it did happen by showing a basal body temperature (BBT) drop. I would use those two methods together, just to make it more clear.
18. Q: I am taking Milk Thistle during the Fertility Cleanse. I am feeling sick and nauseous.
A: This is something that may happen for some people when they are cleansing the liver. You can sometimes feel nauseous, get headaches or feel moody. The reason for this is because the liver is being cleansed and stimulated. There can be a lot of toxins moving around.
Try drinking more water, slowing down a bit/resting, and taking the Milk Thistle with food, which will slow the absorption a bit. This should go away in a couple of days. Some people will not feel anything on the cleanse.
19. Q: How would you know if everything is working and not blocked?
A: If you have blocked fallopian tubes and you want to make sure that tube is not blocked, you would have to get a HSG test. This is a procedure that is done by a doctor.
20. Q. Are there any natural ways to increase testosterone in men?
A: There are a couple of different things to focus on:
- Diet and exercise (circulation) – This is important! Eating a nutrient-dense Male Fertility Diet will help to provide the nutrients needed for healthy testosterone production. A lot of issues with testosterone actually have to do more with circulation, so exercise would be very beneficial. Men really need good circulation in order to produce testosterone and for healthy sperm production.
- Research Maca, Tribulus, L-Arginine and L-Carnitine. These are all things that help to support sperm health more specifically than testosterone production. I have also read about an herbalist who works with men and uses Vitex to help support testosterone production in men.
21. Q: How soon should my period return after my missed miscarriage and a D&C?
A: I am so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. That is going to be different for everybody. Some women see their cycles the next month, for others it may take a couple of months. After having a miscarriage and D&C, your hormones have to come back from being pregnancy hormone levels, they have to come back down and readjust to building your cycle back up again. It does take some time for that.
22. Q: Herbs for uterine fibroid shrinkage or removal?
A: I have in-depth videos on YouTube for this. Lifestyle changes are one of the main focuses. Anytime there is anything growing in the body, such as fibroids or endometriosis, you also want to reduce excess estrogen. Our guide that explains this is detail and more is The Best Natural Remedies for Uterine Fibroids….
23. Q: Can DIM increase low estrogen?
A: DIM does not have an impact on estrogen production. It has an impact on estrogen circulating in the body by helping the body properly metabolize excess estrogen. It is not going to cause the body to produce estrogen.
Hethir Rodriguez is the Founder and President of Natural Fertility Info.com. She has been a Certified Herbalist for over 19 years, holds a Bachelors degree (BS) in Nutrition Sciences and is a Certified Birth Doula and Massage Therapist specializing in fertility massage. Since founding Natural Fertility Info.com in 2007, Hethir’s research, articles, and guides have been read by over 40,000,000 people, currently averaging at over 1,000,000+ readers per month. Hethir has dedicated her life to helping provide a source for high quality, research based information and support for those on their journey to becoming parents.
