Fertility can be an extremely sensitive subject. If you are struggling with fertility issues, you might be feeling like you can’t speak to anyone about your fears or if you do, you may be getting all kinds of advice such as:
• “Relax and it will happen!”
• “Just give up and adopt.”
• “Why don’t you try IVF?”
However, understanding fertility treatment starts with understanding what causes fertility issues in the first place. Fertility problems have skyrocketed in the past two decades, and today as many as 1 in 6 couples in the UK have been labelled infertile.
What causes infertility?
Infertility can have many causes. Some have to do with women’s reproductive systems; some have to do with men’s; and in many cases, the cause of infertility is simply unknown or a combination of both. This is why it saddens me to see women in my clinic who have been TTC for years with no luck and her partner hasn’t even done a semen analysis! I’ve found some men without any sperm when I have tested them. Imagine the years of anxiety and heartbreak that woman could have avoided if only her man had been tested earlier.
The most common causes of infertility include:
Female Infertility (40% of cases)
• Ovulation failure
• Tubal damage
• Endometriosis
Male Infertility (40% of cases)
• Limited sperm count
• Low sperm motility
• DNA fragmentation
• Poor vein health
Unknown Issues (20% of cases)
If the infertility is diagnosed as being a male or female issue, that doesn’t mean it is the man or the woman’s “fault”. It simply means that something isn’t working as expected. Knowing the cause can help direct treatment where it is needed for a happy, successful conception and pregnancy.
Medical treatments are available for diagnosed fertility issues, but this is not the only path. Natural fertility assistance can both increase the chances of medical treatment working and help in cases when there is no sure diagnosis.
For example, for ovulation failure (common with PCOS), herbal medicines and diet can help naturally balance hormones and assist in regulating the menstrual cycle, providing natural help for conceiving.
Issues with sperm can be resolved with antioxidants and lifestyle changes. It is regenerated every 72 days, so there is a huge opportunity to help men with poor semen quality.
Even severe fertility problems can be overcome with a combination of medical treatment and a preconception programme to improve both sperm and egg health.
Should you need to use assisted methods of conception such as IVF, you can increase the chances of success with natural fertility methods. The Foresight method, which I have been trained in and use with my patients, has been found to improve IVF chances by 47%!
There is no right way or wrong way to fall pregnant. There is simply the way that works for you. I’m here to help, in any way I can, so you can achieve your dream of being a parent.