Lipiodol flush: May help you increase your chances to conceive

The tip I am sending out today is very exciting for me to share because it has recently appeared to have helped couples who have dealt with unexplained fertility as well as endometriosis issues for several years. So if you or someone you know is dealing with this issue hopefully it will help you and or them create that life you long for

About 6 or 7 years ago I read about a study on a treatment that appeared to improve pregnancy rates in couples either naturally or with IVF. I read the study because a couple from New Zealand were my patients for a approximately six months when they had this procedure done and subsequently became pregnant naturally after trying for 5 or 6 years.

I was intrigued by the information in the study showing high pregnancy rates for those undergoing the procedure. But for the life of me, I could not find any physician in Australia doing the procedure consistently at that time and it seemed to fall out of favour despite the great results reported in several studies from 2002 -2007.

Recently however, a few physicians whose patients we regularly see have started using this procedure again and I am seeing great results. Pregnancies from couples who were "unexplained" and two women with a history of endometriosis have now become pregnant after years of trying.

What is the procedure? It is called the Lipiodol Flush. An iodised extract of poppyseed oil is put into the uterus and the tubes are flushed prior to a procedure or to enhance the endometrial receptivity for a natural pregnancy as well.

This procedure can be done through a hysteroscopy which would not require a patient to necessarily have a laparoscopy or go under anesthetic though each physicians protocols may vary. What is also interesting is that couples with endometriosis and unexplained fertility noted increased pregnancy rates even after the procedure. For example, within six months of receiving the treatment in comparison to couples who did not have the treatment at all there was a much higher pregnancy rate, 48% (pregnancies in couples that had the lipiodol flush) than those who did not have the treatment, 10% pregnancies. That is a very significant outcome.

Why would poppyseed extract work? No one knows really but it may make the uterus more receptive. Also I think the iodine present in the solution may help as well. Patients often have a aluggish thyroid that is overlooked because basic blood tests like TSH turn up normal even when many other symptoms show and objective finding show the thyroid may be sluggish. Iodine is an extremely important part of thyroid function so it is possible that the combination of iodine and the poppyseed oil holds the key to the great results for many after the procedure.

Whatever the reason this is definitely worth discussing with your fertility specialist. And if he or she is not doing it, you may want to ask why or find a doctor that will try it, especially if you have been diagnosed as unexplained or have had a previous history of endometriosis and the tubes are clear.

Please let me know your experience with this procedure should you have it done.

3mg of melatonin might just make the difference to improve egg quality

I found this article about the possibility of a treatment to improve egg quality and I wanted to research this to get more information for you.

This may just be what you need to get the results you are looking for with your treatment.

Scientists in Japan have noted that oxidative stress appears to effect egg quality in females. I have written about this before and have discussed this same concept published in the medical journal Fertility and Sterility, from research at the Cleveland Clinic in the USA. Increased antioxidant capacity (decreased oxidative stress) in the follicular fluid is associated with improved pregnancy rates with IVF.

The scientists in Japan have supported this notion with a study using 3mg of melatonin and or 600mg (or approximately 800IU) of Vit E starting on day five of the preceding menstrual cycle before egg collection.

The women who received melatonin and a specific form of Vitamin E or melatonin alone showed improved fertilization rates, decreased oxidative stress and in the follicular fluid and doubled pregnancy rates from 10% to 20%. There unfortunately was no data available on live baby rates in the information I found.

Oxidative stress has been correlated with poor sp**erm health and continues to be correlated with egg health as well so this again supports why we are trying to decrease oxidative stress by using antioxidants for both the female and the male when they come to see us. Melatonin is one of your sleep hormones but is also a strong antioxidant.

In different countries you can find Melatonin either over the counter or by doctors prescription. In Australia you can only get 3mg from a physician. And in other countries I would recommend you ask your doctor about these studies and if they could provide a script if appropriate for you rather than relying on the over the counter brands simply because it is difficult to determine quality from one brand of over the counter supplement from another.

The Vitamin E that was used was alpha tocopherol. 600mg is equal to approximately 800IU which is more than what is in most multivitamins. This amount of this specific Vitamin E should be considered, but should also be reviewed by your health care professional to make sure you are not taking anything that would interfere with other medications being used in your cycle. For example if you take some sort of blood thinner with your cycle then you should review with your health care practitioner whether 800IU of Vitamin E is appropriate for you.

Also be aware that there are different forms of Vitamin E so read the label to make sure alpha (look for the alpha symbol) tocopherol is the Vitamin E you would take if appropriate.

This is a perfect example of how natural and conventional can work together to help you optimize your chances of creating a viable pregnancy.

Contact us at www.sharkeyshealingcentre.com to help us show you what else you can do to improve your situation

new discussion group re fertility

Hi, just wanted to let you know I am starting a discussion group on google called yourbabymaker, have a look and subscribe for more fertility info and discussions.

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Study Links Fertility Treatments to Autism

Stacey Roberts: We have to keep in mind that women who used these medications i.e. Clomid or IVF drugs likely had less than optimal hormone balance, undiagnosed subclinical thyroid issues or even possibly nutrient depletion among other possible scenarios that contributed to the fertility issues they experienced in the first place. So taking Clomid or IVF is not likely the cause of autism, but the less than optimal balance which contributed to fertility issues in the first place that is often ignored by the medical system as they move women thru fertility treatments without bothering to FULLY investigate the possible variables like lifestyle/diet issues, coeliac disease, thyroid issues etc, and treat the cause of the fertility issues. I believe if more couples took time to get as healthy as possible before conceiving and more doctors encouraged this before putting women on meds that in many cases can put them and their children at greater risk, then maybe these associations would be less evident.
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1990567,00.html?xid=rss-topstories#ixzz0oZ5u58Yr

antibacterial soaps, toothpastes and mouthwashes contain endocrine disruptor

from the la times:

The Food and Drug Administration announced April 8 that it will be taking a look at the safety of a widely used antibacterial chemical, triclosan.

Triclosan — as well as its cousin triclocarban — is found in liquid hand soaps, deodorant bar soaps, face washes, deodorants, toothpastes and mouthwashes, and as well as in germ-fighting cutting boards and socks.

A national health survey found triclosan in the urine of 75% of the 2,517 people who gave samples. The chemical can enter the body via absorption through the skin or the lining of the mouth.

What triclosan does once it enters the body is not clear. Research in animals has found hormonal effects of triclosan, including upsetting the normal balance of thyroid hormones, thereby impairing growth and brain development, and of the reproductive hormones estrogen and testosterone, leading to infertility. These effects are similar to other so-called endocrine disruptors, such as bisphenol A, dioxins and pesticides such as DDT. The FDA says it intends to evaluate this new research

Stacey's comment:

Even though the link to issues with fertility have not been established in humans yet, since you are trying to become pregnant, to play it safe, I would strongly recommend staying away from products like mouthwashes (if you have bad breath there are better ways to deal with this, try apple cider vinegar in water if no history of ulcers, stop coffee, and eliminate added sugar in your diet) , Colgate total Advanced Clean toothpaste (seems to be the only toothpaste that contains this chemical), antibacterials soaps (in the majority of studies antibacterial soaps haven't been shown to work any better than regular soap to addressing bacteria), and germ killing cutting boards.

This is one case that even if we don't know the exact effects on humans, we know this chemical effects thyroid hormone in animals and therefore their fertility, there is a chance that it could impact your fertility.

Essential fatty acids and Male fertility

URBANA, Ill.—A new study from the University of Illinois suggests a link between low levels of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and male infertility.
“In our experiment, we used ‘knockout’ mice that lacked the gene responsible for an enzyme important in making docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In the absence of DHA, male mice are basically infertile, producing few if any misshaped sperm that can’t get where they need to go,” said Manabu Nakamura, a U of I associate professor of food science and human nutrition.
According to the findings published in the February issue of the Journal of Lipid Research, in the DHA-deficient knockout mice, sperm counts were extremely low. The sperm that were produced were round instead of elongated and unable to move well. When DHA was introduced into the diet, fertility was completely restored.

Stacey's Comment
this is important research which again supports a good healthy diet rich in good fats, not trans fats can help with fertility.
Remember eating lots of fish unfortunately can expose you to too much mercury so keeping the fish to small fish like whiting, once a week is a good idea. Unfortunately tuna and most farmed salmon will have elevated levels of mercury and should be eaten only once a week or once every two weeks.
Other ways to get the DHA is thru eating nuts, seeds, and avocado. If you can eat organic to minimise your risk to pesticides and other chemicals. And take a purified fish oil supplement. If the bottle says mercury tested, it doesn't necessarily mean they have removed as much mercury as possible. Contact us for a list of fish oils whose company has bothered to go thru the purification process. Info@naturalfertility.com And chances are if this is good for male fertility, the same would hold true for female fertility as well.

Anti Mullerian Hormone: (AMH)Fertility "Egg Timer" Test Not Valid for All

Recently a few reports have shown that a test measuring the number of eggs a woman has left has been discovered. Some are calling it the Egg Timer Test. They are touted this as a new test but we have seen it around for the last 3-4 years.

The test measures Antimullerian hormone (AMH) which supposedly diminishes as women "run out of eggs" However there are several reasons why this test is not valid or accurate for all women trying to conceive.

1) At Sharkeys Healing Centre and naturalfertility.com we have had patients who were told based on their AMH, there was no chance they could conceive. They came to us and now have children either naturally or with IVF. One woman in particular who was told she definitely did not have any eggs left because of her AMH, went on to have children, one naturally and one with IVF. Other couples at our clinic have had the same experience.

2) The new studies out of Harvard University show that women may actually regenerate their eggs each month and not have millions hanging around over the years. Ask your doctor this, "When they open an ovary do the see any eggs? The answer will be no, they only see follicles growing on the ovaries and according to the journal Reproduction, The Journal of the Society for Reproduction and Fertility in the Netherlands states: Direct measurement of the primordial follicle pool is impossible.

The scientists are basically making assumptions based on the number of growing follicles that they can see on the ovaries or a based on a substance released by these follicles, AMH.

3) Other tests such as FSH when it is high have been touted as evidence that a women is not producing eggs any more. They have also used a combination of FSH and AMH many times. But high FSH does not always indicate menopause if estrogen levels are normal. We have had women with FSH as high as 150, bring these levels down to under 10 and become pregnant when they follow our program.

4) There are no long term studies to see if AMH levels are an indicator of fertility. This test is only based on theory, not fact. WHat I mean is, I have researched thru many journals and have not found any study that has looked at women and AMH levels in their 20's or 30's and then followed these women until menopause to determine who had children and who didn't. Until then, it can not be used as an indicator. However there was on study on cows that indicates that when a female cow has low AMH levels it will not respond well to "superovulation" treatments.

According to this study low AMH is not associated with reproductive function. In overweight and obese women with PCOS and reproductive dysfunction, a 20-week weight loss intervention resulted in improvements in reproductive function but no change in AMH levels. If reproductive function improved and AMH was associated with it, wouldn't you think those levels would improve as well???

I think AMH would be a good indicator of who will not respond to IVF or other artificial procedures but does NOT indicate whether a couple can conceive or not. Spread the word, that this test is NOT an accurate indicator for women to become pregnant. Some in Conventional medicine to say that using alternative methods such as herbs or supplements is not based in fact, however, when its suits them, conventional medicine uses only theory (not fact) to support their position.

Acupuncture and PCOS

Acupuncture Improves Ovulation in PCOS Women

A study at Goteborg University in Sweden showed that acupuncture may help some PCOS women to ovulate. In this study, electro-acupuncture was used instead of traditional acupuncture. Electro-acupuncture, the application of a pulsating electrical current to acupuncture needles as a means of stimulating the acupuncture points, was developed in China as an extension of hand manipulation of acupuncture needles.

Twenty-four women with PCOS and infrequent or absent periods were included in this study. After 10-14 treatments for 2-3 months, nine women (38%) experienced regular ovulation. However, the electro-acupuncture was not effective in the more severe cases (obese, highest waist-to-hip ratio, and highest testosterone and insulin individuals).

For women with mild PCOS, acupuncture appears to help induce ovulation.

Source: Stener-Victorin E et al, Effects of electro-acupuncture on anovulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2000 Mar;79(3):180-8

Stacey's comment.

I think it is great that researchers are looking at how acupuncture and other therapies can be useful to optimize fertility. It is important to remember that PCOS is accompanied by insulin resistance whether you are overwt or lean with PCO. Therefore diet must be addressed to get the very best outcome. Insulin resistance can be reversed in many so this is the first area that needs to be addressed, short term for fertility but also long term for overall health. Our PCO ebook outlines what you need to do to accomplish this and some have gotten pregnant just by reading the book and applying the concepts. www.pcoebook.com

another good resource is: The Glucose Revolution: managing PCO

New Test to Determine Endometriosis Less Invasive

Endometriosis can be a very painful condition effecting overall health and fertility. Some women but not all may experience very painful menstrual cycles, vomiting or severe nausea with their cycles and at ovulation, bowel disturbances or increased frequency of urination with their period, or unexplainable discharge at different times of the cycle.
Some women will have endometriosis but not experience any symptoms at all.

Endometriosis can impact fertility in two ways;
1) structurally: If endometriosis is in the tubes then this could cause a blockage and make it impossible for the sperm and egg to meet. If the endometriosis is in the tubes but not completely blocking the tube it may still impact the health of the egg by causing damage to the egg as it passes thru the tube. If endometriosis is on the ovary it can impact the function of the ovary and cause problems with egg health or release of the egg at ovulation.

2) Hormonally: If endometriosis is not present in the tubes or on the ovary but is present in other places, the actual endometrial lesions or cysts may not cause a structural issue but the probable causes of the endometriosis may be impacting fertility.

The difficulty with deteching endometriosis in the female has been that if there is no sign of endometriosis from an Ultrasound or pelvic exam then the only way to diagnose endometriosis was through a surgery called a laparoscopy. And sometimes these surgeries have been done and there has been no endometriosis present. The surgery can be a costly option if no treatment is needed and also cause scarring and bleeding that may impact fertility.

But now a new much less invasive and less expensive option has been discovered for deteching endometriosis nearly 100% of the time.
By removing endometrial lining from the uterus, researchers in Australia and Jordan have found that if there are an increased prescence of nerve fibers in this endometrial tissue the patient is highly likely to have endometriosis.

If endometriosis is present and removed through laparoscopy, keep in mind that if the probable causes are not addressed then it is likely to come back like many conventional doctors will say.

So addressing what likely contributed to the endometriosis in the first place is very important to keeping it at bay and optimising your fertility.

Can Probiotics Help You Increase Your Fertility and Get Pregnant?

I have some interesting news to share with you today that are based on some recent findings in Melbourne Australia.

These findings emphasize a particular part of our program that I have been suggesting for some time now and hope that this email serves as a reminder to those of you who are already our patients and using these products and I hope this serves as information for those who aren’t addressing this very important part of your fertility. Also at the end of the tip I will share with our a creation story.

In a study performed in Melbourne Australia on the follicular fluid (the fluid that the egg grows up in, where nutrients, hormones, toxins etc are present) found that bacteria was present in the follicular fluid of women and it seems to be correlated with less than optimal results.

Some of this bacteria that was present appeared to be a result of the procedure itself, the bacteria normally found in the lower genital tract was transferred to the follicular fluid thru the process of egg pick up. However some of the bacteria was unique and not what is commonly known to be in the lower genital tract. This could be because not all bacteria in the genital tract has been identified yet, or it could be that it is a sign of bacterial overgrowth in the body.
Only 25% of women with the unique bacteria present in the follicular fluid created a pregnancy (no statistics were sited on how many of them actually gave birth because in IVF a successful pregnancy doesn’t always equal a live birth).

So hospitals need to find a better way of making sure they are not part of the cause of the problem by transferring “bad bacteria” to the follicular fluid during the procedure, but for the other unique bacteria, if this is the result of an overgrowth versus the procedure itself, then you may be able to have a huge influence on addressing this bacteria and hopefully stop it from influencing your fertility

How do you do this? It’s a four step process.
STEP 1 REMOVE ANY ADDED SUGAR (did I say that loud enough?) Glucose can effect the activity of neutrophils, one of your white blood cells that goes around the body attacking bacteria. Therefore the body’s defenses are weakened as a result of adding glucose/ sugar to the diet.
Eliminate high glycemic carbohydrates from your diet (ref: http://www.glycemicindex.com/) i.e white flour, hi gi white rice, white potatoe, etc, which cause significant increases in blood glucose levels that are difficult for the body to handle, eventually causing inflammation and suppressing immune system function.

STEP 2 Look at the rest of your diet
Does your diet consist of highly processed foods which do not support healthy good bacteria growth in the gut to address and outnumber the more damaging bacteria? Does most of your diet come from a wrapper, a box, a can or from a drive thru?
If so move more toward whole food diets where you are eating 70% fresh foods in your diet.
For example, have fruit instead of fruit juice.
Eat salads and vegetables with protein instead of sandwiches and packaged foods.
Give up sodas whether regular or diet. Drink mostly water.
Decrease alcohol consumption no more than 4 per week (another source of excess sugar)

Step 3:
Make sure in your diet you are getting enough foods that help you create healthy good bacteria. You can accomplish this by eating foods that contain prebiotics. Prebiotics help the body make good bacteria.
Examples of prebiotics include:
artichokes
chicory root
raw oats (if you are not gluten free)
unrefined wheat (if you are not gluten free)
unrefined barley (if you are not gluten free)
bananas
berries
asparagus
garlic
flaxseed
tomatoes
greens
legumes

Step 4
Top it off with a high quality multi strain probiotic (good bacteria) each day.
I recommend in Australia either Nourishing Flora or Polybac 8. (Synbac is another I recommend in certain circumstances). In the US, I recommend Primal Defense.
How do you take these? Ideally if you can remember to take a minimum of 30 min before food, this gives the probiotic time to settle into and support the flora of the gut.
If this is too hard for you to remember I do recommend to take it right before bed.
If you are just starting on a probiotic then take one before bed. But if you have been taking a good multi strain probiotic for a while now and have an IVF procedure coming up, I would double the dose you normally take for 6-8 weeks leading up to the procedure.
If you take a probiotic for the first time or for a short time and you have lower abdominal cramping, try another brand and if you still get the cramping, its not likely the probiotic but the fact that your digestive system needs some work. So see a naturopath or physician who understands and works with the gut and how to optimize its health.
If you are in Australia, you can order polybac 8 from our website at http://www.sharkeyshealingcentre.com/ in the Vitamins section once you log into the site with your email and password (contact us at info@sharkeyshealingcentre.com if you prefer powder instead of capsules).
Nourishing Flora is located in some health food shops but my patients have been reporting some difficulty finding this at times.
In the US, Primal Defense can be found at Whole Foods and some smaller health food chains.
In other countries as for a multi strain probiotic with a minimum of 8 strains if possible.
Now for our CREATION STORY:
Hi There,
Just wanted to give you a update on events here in Melbourne with us and thank you for all you have done for me in helping me achieve my dream.
This has been a long journey for us of eight years full of up's and downs! After 4yrs of seeing a fertility specialist for PCOS we tried clomid, sugery ect...our last resort was IVF. I saw your story on ACA and decided to try one last thing before going to IVF.
3mths later ON YOUR HERBS l was pregnant with our beautiful daughter Paige (she is nearlly 4yrs old) We decided to try again in 2007 and after 2 miscarriages we eventually concieved early 2008 again. On the 29th of December with gave birth to our second daughter whom we called Regan.
I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you have done for us and for our 2 little miracles. They are both healthy and beautiful little girls that bring us much joy and happiness.
RC

Weight Loss and Male or Female Fertility

Will I increases my chances to conceive if I gain or lose weight?

Well, let's look at some studies. In a DAnish Study published in Fertility and Sterility in Oct 2004, after looking at the reproductive hormones and semen quality of 1558 Danish men, they found that high or low BMI (Body Mass Index) was associated with reduced semen quality.

In several studies including one from a place in Germany that I can't pronounce :) reports that high or low BMI in women can have a negative impact on IVF outcome leading to decreased chance of pregnancy.

Keeping these studies in mind then, we want to find our health weight range which according to the BMI is 18.5-24.9. You can calculate your own BMI by going to http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/calc-bmi.htmTherefore at our clinic I stress slow steady healthy weight loss or weight gain in some cases.

Think about it, rapid weight loss like that which is purported in some of the over the counter weight loss products or even some of the physician's assisted programs, won't accomplish what you are looking for. Losing weight quickly is also associated with diseases such as cancer.

Remember, you want to keep the body OUT of stress mode because when our body is in stress mode, reproduction goes on the back burner.Starting with a low glycemic index (www.glycemicindex.com) along with exercise is a good approach. Eliminating excess sugar from your diet and all the processed carbs is important. There are good carbs out there that burn slowly in your system (check out the GI database on www.glycemicindex.com) versus the convenience foods that have high amounts of sugar or burn quickly in our system shooting up glucose and insulin levels. These low gi carbs should always be accompanied by good protein and good fats.

Protein is important. And I recommend to stay away from soy products unless they are fermented such as tempeh, miso, natto, and some soy sauces. Soy has been shown to negatively effect fertility in some studies. Vegetable protein such as chickpeas, beans and lentils are great sources of protein. Other sources of course are animal proteins. Choose grass fed whenever possible to decrease saturated fat intake.

Protein powders can also be valuable. You can make them into shakes or sprinkle them on your low gi cereals in the morning. The popular whey protein powders are popular and effective for some people. Pay attention however to the back of the canister and if it says, "not suitable for pregnant or lactating (breastfeeding) women" then you know there are many artificial ingredients that could be hazardous to your health even if you aren't pregnant or breastfeeding.

And remember FAT does NOT make you FAT. Healthy fats from avocados and nuts are just a few examples of good fats you can increase in your diet. So the proper balance of proteins, slow burning carbs and essentials fats are so important for your overall and reproductive health.

Exercise is also very important and should be incorporated into your life 3-4 times per week to address weight loss. Cardiovascular exercise as well as resistance training is important to help you lose weight and optimise your fertility.

Speak to your practitioner about what type of eating plan is right for you as he/she may need to evaluate if you are having difficulty with your weight and your fertility because of a thyroid and or adrenal issue. Do not rely soley on blood tests to rule this out. Your symptoms are important to note as well.

Fibroids: What Can You Do About Them?

Women who are dealing with fertility issues and issues of period pain or PMS could also be dealing with fibroids as well. Fibroids do also lead to heavy bleeding and possibly low iron stores as well as feeling very tired and, if fibroids become large, abdominal pain can be experienced.

Fibroids or growths in and/or outside the uterus, have been noted in literature to be due to high levels of oestrogen, but what is often missed is most fibroids can also be due to less than optimal progesterone production. When a woman has normal oestrogen levels but low progesterone levels, this is something called oestrogen dominance because low progesterone levels make the oestrogen appear to be excessive and this is associated with the growth of fibroids.

Your oestrogen is the hormone that can cause crankiness, irritability, discomfort, and mood swings, whereas progesterone is the more calming of the hormones and, when balanced nicely with oestrogen, helps to minimise and eliminate the symptoms surrounding a period and throughout the cycle. So it is very important that these hormones are in good balance, not just within normal limits. We tend to see issues with oestrogen at the higher end of the range and progesterone at the lower end of the range and patients can be told that the hormone levels are fine when in actuality this would be considered oestrogen dominance and potentially create problems with fertility issues, fibroids, and other issues such as PMS.

Another area of oestrogen dominance that can contribute to fibroid growth is excessive oestrogen in comparison to normal progesterone. This is usually less of an issue than the low progesterone, but can contribute to fibroid formation.

In regards to fertility, the problem with fibroids if they are within the uterus is that they can create a barrier for the sperm to be able to get to the egg. Fibroids can also create a barrier to implantation depending on where they are within the uterus. Fibroids outside of the uterus many times are not a structural issue unless they are pushing on the fallopian tubes, but they do indicate that oestrogen dominance is likely and therefore the probable cause of the fibroids could be effecting fertility even if structurally the fibroids are not.

With women who experience fibroids but go into menopause which result in the oestrogen and progesterone levels lowering, it’s important to note that the fibroids will shrink. But unfortunately for some women the fibroids grow to be significant either while they’re trying to become pregnant, with pregnancy or prior to menopause and for the women who is pregnant, can cause significantly heavy periods, blood loss, and other issues.

So, to address fibroids, it is important to address the optimisation of oestrogen and progesterone balance, and to do this it is very important to look at thyroid health and adrenal health. One of the thyroid hormones, particularly T3, helps to create progesterone, so, if the thyroid is sluggish and T3 production is not optimal, then this can create a problem with fibroid formation.

In addition, iodine is very important for thyroid health, and it is found that some women who experience iodine deficiency can be susceptible to fibroid growth. So these areas should be assessed by having a blood test to look at free T4 and free T3 and thyroid antibodies as well as urinary iodine status.

Simply being in the normal range does not necessarily completely rule out thyroid issues, as some thyroid issues can be subclinical. In addition, many physicians will test only TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), which really gives only an indication of what the brain needs for thyroid hormone but not what the rest of the body needs. If a TSH level is within normal limits, then physicians will say that the thyroid is functioning optimally when in fact it may not be, and therefore the presence of fibroids should indicate that further testing is needed.

The adrenals, as was mentioned, are also another area where the balance between oestrogen and progesterone can be affected. The adrenals sit on top of the kidneys and help to regulate stress response. If the body has been under stress for a period of time, progesterone can be converted into cortisol, with possibly less being available for reproductive purposes. If that’s the case and there’s less progesterone available to oppose oestrogen, then you have the perfect breeding ground for fibroid formation to occur.

So, if a person is dealing with fibroids, they should be having their thyroid and adrenals assessed to look at the situation fully.

A morning cortisol blood test can be done to assess adrenal function and cortisol output. Cortisol levels are normal in the morning for some women but decrease substantially before noon-time or throughout the rest of the day. Cortisol should be at its highest in the morning but then gradually decrease over time throughout the day and be at its lowest right before a person goes to sleep so they can sleep well through the night. If cortisol levels are good in the morning but drop off in the afternoon, a person may experience significant fatigue throughout the day and possibly mood swings and very low energy. Many will say this may be due to less than optimal iron, but in fact it is due to less than optimal adrenal function.

The blood test result in the morning is sometimes not as accurate because simply inserting a needle into the body to draw the blood can create a stress response, and therefore the morning cortisol test may not be as optimal as it should be. But in the case where there is a question, saliva tests can be done to assess cortisol levels throughout the day to see if they are in fact maintaining and only slowly decreasing throughout the day versus dropping significantly and leaving a person with an “empty tank”, i.e. feeling very tired throughout the day.

Adrenal function and thyroid function can be supported through natural means with herbs such as withania, rehmannia, rhodiola, licorice, bacopa, among others. However each person should have their situation assessed individually because not all herbs would be needed for each situation. Bladderwrack is an excellent herb that contains iodine and there are certainly natural iodine supplements such as kelp available if it is found that a person has mild or moderate or severe iodine deficiency.

Through the use of herbs to optimise oestrogen and progesterone balance it can be possible to shrink fibroids, but surgical removal is necessary in some cases.

Some doctors recommend a hysterectomy for those who are past child-bearing years, but oftentimes this can be avoided if the thyroid and adrenals are addressed, and the heavy blood flow will cease and the patients will be feeling much better.

If the fibroids are too big, they can be excised surgically by an experienced surgeon. If the thyroid and adrenals as well as the oestrogen and progesterone balance are addressed, then this can help the patient avoid a hysterectomy which has been correlated with the ovaries failing two years after the uterus is removed and improve fertility for those trying to become pregnant.

For fertility purposes, it’s controversial whether the excision of the fibroids will help. Really, it depends on the size of the fibroid and its placement, and an experienced surgeon should be able to give you good feedback on this.

Just know that if you are trying to become pregnant, fibroids do not mean you won’t be able to create a viable pregnancy. But fibroids do need to be investigated to see how they may be impacting your fertility. If you are not trying to become pregnant and have heavy flows, painful periods and anemic due to heavy blood loss, fibroids should be ruled out and addressed if present.

If you are simply looking at shrinking fibroids to optimise your overall health and decrease heavy flow of a period, there are some natural means to do this and some nice complementary natural methods that can be utilised with medical intervention if necessary.

Common Chemicals That Could be Impacting Your Fertility

Your cookware and cleaning supplies could make it harder for you to have a baby.Researchers have found chemicals called perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) might be linked to delays in getting pregnant. PFCs are everywhere -- in Teflon cookware, shampoos, floor wax, food wrapping, carpet treatments and other cleaning products. PFCs are also present in air and water in the form of industrial waste from chemical plants.The new study looked at more than 1,200 women when they were six to 12 weeks pregnant. If they reported that it took them longer than 12 months to get pregnant or if they used drugs designed to increase their chances of conceiving, they were considered to have infertility -- this is a generally accepted definition of infertility by experts in the field.One kind of PFC, called PFOS, increased the odds of infertility anywhere from 70 to 134 percent. Another PFC called PFOA was linked to a 60 to 154 percent increase in the chance of infertility.
Sources:
ABC News January 29, 2009
Human Reproduction January 28, 2009

Stacey comments:
This information highlights one of our steps in our five step process to optimizing your fertility that you will find in our new book about how to optimize your fertility coming out in the next few months. Minimizing toxins in your system to maximise your fertility is the second step in our program. I have discussed the importance of this related to plastic and cooking (see fertility tip Safe plastics guide) and avoiding parabens in skin care products, using environmentally friendly cleaning products and avoiding things such as air fresheners in your home.
Since PCF’s can be found in the following

• Teflon and other non-stick cookware
• Microwave popcorn bags
• Packaging for greasy fast foods
• Stain-proof clothing
• Carpet and fabric protectors
• Flame retardants
(reference mercola.com)

It would be good to do your best and decrease your exposure by getting most of these items out of your home or atleast avoid their use in the future.

Keep in mind that you can never get rid of all the toxins in the environment but doing what you can to minimize your exposure may maximize your fertility.

And don’t let this information scare you or cause you to beat yourself up. Now that you have the information you can act on it, whereas before this, you didn’t know so there really wasn’t anything you could do about it. But now you have the information to take action and improve your fertility so spread the word, email this article to anyone you know who is experiencing fertility issues.

Think You are Running Out of Time re your Fertility

As I read the health questionaires that are sent in and I see patients at our clinic one issue always seems to jump out at me. Because of the difficulty and emotional stress that comes hand in hand with fertility, society and the media's way of dealing with fertility issues, as well as the disempowering attitude of some medical professionals and unfortunately at times, relatives, friends and even strangers, many people that come to see me are either so worried that time is running out (even some of the 20 year olds that I deal with!) or they have decided at some level that they can't have a baby. In this issue I will discuss the "time is running out" issue. When a person takes on this belief and it comes up for them often, it can work directly against the enhancement of their fertility. Some people think I am crazy when I say this. How can thoughts effect your fertility? Well if you look at the simple example of butterflies in the stomach, it may help you understand.

What causes butterflies in the stomach? Is it something you eat? Of course not. When you experience butterflies in the stomach it is because of the thoughts you are thinking at the time which are based on what you are perceiving is happening right now or what you are imagining will happen in the future. Thoughts associated with anxiety, fear, anger, sadness or guilt create physiological reactions in the system.

These types of thoughts can throw your body into "stress mode". When the body is dealing with consistent overwhelming stress over time, reproduction may go to the back burner and does not become the body's main focus. The body's primary issue is to address the stress right now. Progesterone can be converted into cortisol to help the body cope with the increased demands of the stress hormone cortisol. Remember, that the old belief that "time is running out", i.e. "I am running out of eggs" is not necessarily true. In March of 2004 a Harvard study found that females may be able to regenerate their eggs like other mammals with similiar reproductive systems. As a matter of fact, as humans each day we regenerate over 24 billion cells. Old cells die off and are replaced by new cells. You lose and replace 600,000 skin cells per day! In a book called The Mind and The Brain, their is even evidence through new types of imaging that brain cells may be able to regenerate which was often thought not to be true. Science used to think that the brain didn't change that much after you were approximately 6 years old. Now recent imaging techniques show that the teen brain totally morphs itself, pruning different areas of the brain and going through a major renovation from 12 yo to the early 20's. (Explains a lot about adolescent behaviour, hey!!)The point is though that science is constantly showing that the world is not flat and that new discoveries are happening all the time. As a matter of fact the Harvard scientists that did the study on mice said that it was kind of naive of scientists to believe that only one kind of cell in the human body, exclusively to females (because sperm regenerates constantly as well), would be different than the other types of cells in our body that regenerate. It is already common knowledge that the egg starts out as an immature follicle and goes through a maturation process from the time that the ovary picks up a follicle and begins ripening the immature oocyte (egg cell). This oocyte is surrounded by follicular fluid and its development is related to the substances in this fluid including but not limited to nutrients such as antioxidants and minerals, etc and the hormone production of the body. Then it is the oocyte that has gone through the maturation process that is released as an egg at ovulation. Now it has not been shown definitively in the human female what happens for sure with the eggs. But what if it is true? What if egs could be regenerated just like the sp**erm? The fact remains that there is this possibility, so the belief that time is running out can be false and improving your health and balancing your hormones can actually improve your chances to conceive. This is what our natural treatment is based on.

So the next time you hear yourself saying "Time is running out" to yourself or from one of your well meaning relatives over dinner it is your responsibility to stop those thoughts going through your head and tell yourself that "I am doing everything I possibly can to become pregnant". Take a deep breath and know that you are doing everything you can to improve your fertility. You may have to say this to yourself 100 times a day, but it is worth it.Another excellent resource about how your thoughts effect your body is the movie, "What the Bleep Do We Know". You can find this at your local movie rental store.

Can Herbs Unblock Tubes?

Here is a copy of an interview that I just did with a local interviewer:
Debbie: Stacey, What can you tell us about women with blocked tubes? Can
you help them?
Stacey : I do receive many questions about blocked tubes. I know this can be a
very disheartening diagnosis. Because if this diagnosis is true then
there is only one way you can become pregnant and that is thru IVF
invitrofertilisation.

However we find that many times when there has been a diagnosis of
blocked tubes, pregnancies still occur naturally while the women are on
our herbs.

Debbie How in the world does that happen?

Stacey : Well, if the test is actually giving an inaccurate diagnosis, or a false
positive, the tubes can actually be absolutely fine.
You see, there is one test to check the tubes by putting dye thru them
and seeing if the dye comes out the other end of the tube.
This can be done in two ways.
1) a laparoscopy where you are put under general anesthesia and they
check the tubes while you are under.
2) a hysterosalpingogram alone. This is essentially the same test
but they do it while you are awake and you avoid a surgery. It is
done in a radiology department where you would have an
ultrasound done.

In this test, as I said dye is put thru the tubes to see if they are
clear or patent. If they are, the physician or radiographer will see a
“spill” into the peritoneal cavity. This means they can see the dye
exiting the tube.

If they don’t see this spill, the diagnosis can be a blocked tube.

Debbie: So how can this end up being a “false positive” i.e. a diagnosis of
blocked but they are really not blocked?

Stacey: Sometimes when the dye goes thru the tube the tube can actually
spasm and make it very difficult or impossible to get the dye through
the tube. This can happen in both the laparoscopy while you are
under anesthetic or in the HSG while you are awake.

Some people will tell you that the tubes are less likely to spasm with
a Laparoscopy because you are under general anesthetic. But this
simply isn’t true. The movement of the egg through the tubes is
done by cilia which are are created through smooth muscle
contractions. This means its not voluntary, it happens
automatically. So whether you are awake or asleep shouldn’t impact
smooth muscle contraction, unless a person is extremely stressed or
trained by biofeedback to effect this type of muscular contraction.

Debbie: So sometimes due to either procedure the tubes can spasm and
then they might think the tubes are blocked but they really aren’t.

Stacey That’s right. And a good thing that can happen with either of
these procedures is, if the tubes are blocked the procedure may
actually unblock the tubes due to the pressure exerted on the
blockage while the dye is injected. This appears to be less likely to
occur if there is a history scarring or damage to the tubes by
Chlamydia infection Or even damage from a previous surgery. If
there is just a mucous plug for example, in the tubes then the dye
may help to unplug the tube so to speak.

Debbie: So scarring in the tubes be a problem. What is this caused from?

Stacey : Scarring can be caused by an infection in or around the uterus.
The sexually transmitted disease known as Chlamydia, if left
untreated could damage the tubes or endometriosis can also
cause damage to the tubes as well. It doesn’t mean though if you
have had an infection or endometriosis that your tubes will
definitely be blocked. As a matter of fact I know of women who
have had Chlamydia or endometriosis and they didn’t have
blocked tubes and had children naturally so it really depends
on the individuals case.

Debbie: What else could cause blocked tubes if they are truly blocked?

Stacey: Well, I have seen an increased incidence in some smokers. The tar
from the nicotine decreases the cilia’s ability (in the nose) to keep
the toxins out of the body. Since there is cilia in the fallopian
tubes that help move the egg and fluid thru the tubes, it is
possible that the toxins from cigarettes could impact this cilia as
well and keep them from functioning properly which in turn could
make the fluid more gluggly and mucous like in the tubes.

Debbie: Okay, got it. So if the tubes are blocked can herbs clear them?

Stacey: I am a herbalist and I know of no known herbs that can unblock
tubes. Ignore the marketing ploys out there to get you to buy
their herbs to unblock tubes. There are a few companies out
there claiming that their herbs can unblock tubes but when I have
contacted them for proof and told them I am a herbalist they
never got back to me. Hmmm. Makes me suspicious that they are
just preying on people who are in a desperate situation.

However there are a few ways that natural therapies
may be able to help.

1) If there was a false positive, or simply if you were diagnosed
with blocked tubes, before rushing in to a procedure, take some
time to prepare your body and mind. If the body is a bit out of
balance, the nformation that you receive from our program and
the herbs to help optimize hormone balance could help to
improve your situation and help the body create healthier eggs
and endometrial lining which is likely a good step toward
conceiving.

2) If the tubes are blocked and IVF is the only option then herbs
and supplements have been used to help couples prepare for IVF
to hopefully optimize their chances of conceiving. Best to give it
atleast 3-6 months before the procedure for it to work best.

3) There are some programs such as www.clearpassage.com that
Claim they may be able to unblock tubes with certain deep
tissue techniques, but there again is no way to know if they
treatment caused this or if the tubes weren’t blocked in the
first place.

4) Get yourself as health and fit as you can to become pregnant
which in turn can improve your cellular health. Your eggs,
ovaries, fallopian tubes, follicles and the semen and sperm
are all made up of cells so improving over all cellular health
and optimizing hormone balance is your best way forward to
becoming pregnant.

Debbie: So can you ever know for sure if the tubes are blocked?

Stacey : Well, you can’t know for sure, but if you have the procedure
done a second time, a few months apart (preferably not under
anesthesia again) and it is still comes up that your tubes
are blocked then you have to wonder. The body changes so
much though. Don’t give up hope, just do the best you can to
prepare to become pregnant either naturally or with IVF.

How to handle friends, relatives and even strangers pregnancy announcements

When dealing with fertility issues it is quite common to find yourself upset or irritated, angrey or sad when you hear about someone close to you or even not so close, becoming pregnant. It is even worse when they say "and you know we weren't even trying..." Would it be beneficial to know how to handle friends, relatives, and even strangers around you who are having babies?

A couple came in our office at Sharkeys Healing Centre for their next fertility consultations and individualised herbal formulas. Both had always been strong in regards to the difficulty they had encountered conceiving a baby. But on this day their expressions, energy, body language or whatever you would like to call it, was different. The woman was definitely suffering after years of dealing with fertility issues and her husband looked unsure and depressed as well. The pain of not conceiving was so evident that even some of my staff asked if they were okay.

As we sat down to discuss how they had been over the last few weeks, before the words left the woman’s mouth, tears began to stream down her face. “I feel horrible” she said. It was clear that she was more than just a little upset, that finally she let her guard down and allowed herself to feel the feelings and recognise that she had been keeping these emotions pent up inside. Now let me make a note here that all women who are moving forward and empowering themselves and feeling strong despite not conceiving now don’t have to be holding on to negative emotions and repressing them, Many couples I have worked with in the clinic and our workshops have been able to let go of the negative emotions and limiting decisions that were holding them back from having a child but there are some who are trying to ignore their negative feelings and some that let it all out as well. Each person is unique in the way they deal with this situation. Remember, it is okay to feel negative emotions. Emotions make us human and they are important to acknowledge. The problem comes in when we continually repress these emotions, hang onto them and can’t let them go now.

Back in the treatment room the wife was crying and the husband was looking as he felt helpless, disempowered not knowing what to do. Clearly an event occurred that initiated the expression of these feelings so I asked, “What happened?” And they both went on to tell me that a close relative had become pregnant without even trying. They were invited over to a dinner party and at the dinner table it was announced that they had a little surprise for everyone. When the couple, my patient’s relatives, announced that they were pregnant, my patient described the feeling of someone taking a hot knife and driving it through her midsection. She felt immediate pain and while trying to put on a strong supportive face, eventually she had to remove herself from the table when the couple unknowningly made a point of saying how happy they were even though they weren’t trying for a baby. It just happened.

That was it, the straw that broke the camel’s back. How could they have this come to them so easy, she thought. They weren’t even trying!!! Quietly the husband added, we just want to know when its going to be our turn. What is wrong with us? Why are we having trouble conceiving? And finally she proceeded to say, “And to top it all off, I feel so guilty because I really want to be happy for her. I really do love her and want her to have children. I feel so miserable because I am not feeling happy for her.”

These are common questions and comments that I hear over and over. Most couples going through fertility issues will ask these questions, feel these feelings, or make these comments. You are not alone if you have found yourself experiencing any of the above scenario. So let’s talk about how you can prepare yourself for events like this one so that you can actually be happy for those you love who are pregnant and have children. This is also useful for those who become emotional or have a difficult time seeing babies or small children in the mall or other public places.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out where these thoughts, feelings, and emotions are coming from. You are focused on having a child and that can become all consuming. So every person, place, or thing that you probably never even noticed before you began the journey to parenthood becomes a symbol to you that up until now you have been having some difficulty conceiving. All of this brings up negative emotion within you because this is an unresolved issue in your life. This has become a major focus and at times the sole focus in your life.

If you are experiencing some of the thoughts, feelings and emotions described above this probably means that you are allowing these events, people, or even sometimes television shows, etc (really anything that has a baby on it or a represents a baby or parenthood) to reinforce a belief that you may have which might be “I can’t have a baby.” You may be looking at these experiences as reminding you of the problems you are having, so naturally we want to avoid pain and the negative emotion is then your signal to run away, turn inward, and protect yourself from these thoughts and feelings. Negative emotion such as sadness can tell you to pay attention to how much something or someone means to you and the sadness you experience may be telling you (though each person is different) to pay attention to how much you want a baby which reminds you of the challenges you have faced in this department.

What if however, you could feel joy each time you see a baby or small child? What if I told you that when you change your focus you can feel joy and happiness around babies and children, and it can actually enhance your fertility? Wouldn’t it be worth doing now?

How can this happen? Well, as you know from other tips, stress and depression has been shown to affect fertility, I can’t say that it causes fertility although women who are stressed and/or depressed show more fertility issues than those who are not stressed or depressed. So by letting go of the negative emotions that you may experience and letting it remind you to change your focus then you can improve your physiological state and therefore improve your fertility.

How can you change your focus? And to what can you change your focus too?

Well what would happen to your thoughts and feelings when I tell you that the more you see babies, the more you hear of friends and relatives becoming pregnant and the more advertisements and television shows you see talking about babies this means that new life is coming closer to you. The problem was, if you push these babies and these people away, its as if you are pushing away life. The more often you can change your focus to the fact that the more babies and pregnant women you see, especially if they are close to you such as a friend or relative, the more likely you are going to be able to welcome a beautiful new life in to yours. By changing your focus to this way of thinking, you will no longer be split in two, sad for yourself and feeling guilty that you are not happy for your friends or relatives, and even the stranger at the mall. With this new focus you are now able to let go of the negative emotion and remove some of the emotional barriers to receive life now. This will improve your overall health and improve your fertility by decreasing and in some cases eliminating stress or depressive thoughts. You will also be able to feel true happiness and joy for those who are pregnant and/or have had babies. You can now open a new channel to you for life to connect with you.

So the next time you see a baby or hear of someone close to you being pregnant, just let this be a reminder that your turn just very well may be closer than you had thought. And remember you don't have to feel sadness to remind you of how much you want a child. Letting go of the sadness doesn't mean you want a child any less. Letting go of the sadness can mean you are making more room in your heart for a child.

Fertility tips are (C) copyright of Stacey Roberts and Positive Image publishing. This material is not to be distributed or reproduced in any fashion without expressed written consent of Stacey Roberts

TEsts for Unexplained and or Male Fertility issues

These simple and easy tests can rule out one issue that may be impacting your fertility.

In the last few weeks I have seen a few men that presented with low count, and issues with motility and morphology. I am always amazed at how many times when these issues come up, there are NO tests done to try to determine what may be causing the issue. I am equally surprised when I hear over and over again that there is an issue with the quantity or quality of the Se**men and sp**erm but medical professionals every thing is fine or perfect when areas are even outside the range that is suggested as Normal on the analysis.

Also in past tips I have talked about how inaccurate some analysis' are when done at a general lab versus a lab at a fertility clinic.
But today I want to discuss an area that the scientific literature supports as an issue for male fertility but again, I hardly see it tested.

The issue is hemachromatosis. This means that ferritin levels (which are the iron stores in our system) are too high. The result of this can be iron deposits in various organ systems in the body, including the reproductive organs. It is also an issue for cardiovascular health as well.

Most menstruating women will not have this issue because of the blood loss each month (however I have seen cases where menstruating women have excessive ferritin levels too so always have iron studies done).

There can be a familial tendency to excessive iron stores in the system so if there is anyone in the family that has had this it is worth getting it tested. The "normal" ranges may vary from lab to lab, but the latest research is showing that levels above 150-200 can be dangerous.

As discussed, this issue, i.e. excessive ferritin may be correlated with male fertility issues, so it is worth having it tested. There are some symptoms associated with this issues besides issues with the sp**erm. They are constantly flushed and reddish face, and aching in the joints of the fingers. If male or female and experiencing these symptoms then hemachromatosis could be an issue for you.

However I have see elevated levels of ferritin when these symptoms are not present. Sometimes this is the case for individuals who have an underlying thyroid issue that has been overlooked.

IN a few other tips, I discussed a test called lipoprotein (a) that can be associated with cardiovascular health as well as less than optimal levels of thyroid hormone, and in a few cases of patients with the hemachromatosis the Lp (a) (lipoprotein a) has been elevated as well. In my opinion these are two important tests to check out if you are dealing with male fertility issues because if elevated they can not only be an explanation for male fertility problems, but they can be addressed and potentially prevent cardiovascular issues such as heart attack or stroke by possibly decreasing these levels and therefore decreasing the risk.

There are a few ways the hemachromatosis can be addressed. One is thru diet:
!) eliminate refined sugars as well as other high glycemic carbohydrates
2) increase healthy fibre in your diet
3) support bowel function with a multistrain probiotic or other bowel support that you can discuss with you naturopath or herbalist.
4) eliminate red meat

Supplementation
1) Avoid any iron supplementation (check supplements, especially any that are supposed to help with energy to make sure there is no iron)
2) take an optimal amount of zinc to help release excess iron in the system. (consult your herbalist or naturopath as to how much zinc is the optimal amount for you)

Giving blood

Giving blood at regular intervals can be ordered by your physician can help decrease the excess levels of ferritin in your system.

Excess iron in the system can create more free radical damage in the body and decrease cellular health, therefore it is important to have an antioxidant rich diet and supplementation program to assist with this issue and optimise your gut health when trying to address this issue.

And remember get your lipoprotein (a) (Lp (a) ) levels checked as well. If you could improve the issue with the **sp**erm and possibly improve your long term health by possibly decreasing heart attack and stroke risk, don't you think it's worth a look?

I hope you have a great week.

All the best
Stacey

Are Clomid and IUI effective with Unexplained Infertility

The following is an excerpt from an associated press report:

A third of the 580 couples in the study were simply counseled on the need to have regular sex and received no treatment. Another group got clomifene citrate, which stimulates the ovaries to release eggs. It is sold as Clomid, Serophene, and Milophene, among other names.


For the third group, doctors performed artificial insemination, injecting sperm into the womb using a syringe.


Women who were pregnant after six months were then monitored until they gave birth.


In the no treatment group, 32 couples had babies. That compares to 26 babies for the women who took fertility pills and 43 for those who had artificial insemination. Experts said the slight differences were not statistically significant.


"It's not in the realm that you would expect it to be if these interventions were really performing," said Allan Pacey, of the University of Sheffield and secretary of the British Fertility Society. He was not linked to the study.


Still, Pacey said that artificial insemination was still useful in certain situations, such as when donor sperm is used.


Fertility drugs like clomifene have long been shown to work in women who have difficulties ovulating. Side effects include nausea, headaches, and hot flashes. It also increases the chance of having twins.

Stacey's comment
There have been other studies supporting this outcome over the years, especially about Clomid but I keep hearing from patients who are ovulating that the reason the doctor has put them on Clomid is because if the produce 2 eggs they have double the chance of becoming pregnant. Unfortunately this comment by some doctors doesn't seem to be true if there is no ovulation disorder.

WE look at Unexplained Fertility Issues this way, if it's unexplained and there is no baby yet, then the cause has not been found. We oftentimes see couples with male factor infertility be diagnosed as unexplained. This is especially true if the count is above 20million but the sperm quality is low. We also see men and women experiencing insulin resistance being diagnosed as unexplained. Other issues we have seen not addressed in couples diagnosed with unexplained infertility are underlying thyroid issues which can be related to progesterone deficiency,coeliac disease or gluten intolerance, stress i.e. emotional and/or physiological. I realise this last one is difficult to diagnose but more and more is being written about stress and infertility. Prolonged stress can effect progesterone production so it should not be overlooked.

If your situation is "unexplained" you may want to consider our Natural Fertility Solutions ebook, Go from Unexplained to pregnant! this is available at www.naturalfertility.com in the books section.

Remember I am not against the use of medications, just the overuse of them. Herbs can work very well together with Clomid and/or to prepare for IUI, or IVF. Meds and herbs, in my opinion, should not be started at the same time because it's important to be able to monitor the changes of one before introducing something new. We do offer a free ebook about
HERBS and IVF (the only comprehensive ebook on the topic)
so if you are interested in how they can be used together, send us an email at info@sharkeyshealingcentre.com.au or info@naturalfertility.com

Is Aspirin Helpful when Trying To Conceive?

Newswise — Although it is inexpensive, easy to obtain and poses little health risk, women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) cannot rely upon aspirin to help them become pregnant, according to a systematic review of nine studies.

Over-the-counter aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), is typically used as a pain reliever. When taken daily, aspirin might lower the risk of heart attack, clot-related strokes, and other blood flow problems. Although it has its benefits, aspirin might also cause serious side effects, such as kidney failure, bleeding problems and some kinds of strokes.

But how could it help couples conceive?

“It is thought by some that taking low-dose aspirin may improve blood flow to the uterus and therefore improve ovarian response to IVF treatment, so it may be of benefit to women who have previously responded poorly to IVF treatment,” said the review’s lead author Vanessa Poustie, Ph.D., at the Institute for Child Health at the University of Liverpool in England.

Previous research on the use of aspirin with assisted conception techniques such as IVF has been inconsistent. Some studies have shown that aspirin therapy improves pregnancy rates; others have indicated that it increases the risk of miscarriage.

In the current review, Poustie and colleagues examined data from 1,449 women undergoing in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to treat infertility.

The studies compared the pregnancy and birth rates of women taking low-dose aspirin (150 milligrams or less taken once per day) to women taking a placebo or no treatment. Two of the studies took place in the United States; other studies were conducted in Hong Kong, Iran and Finland.

The review appears in the latest issue of The Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical research. Systematic reviews draw evidence-based conclusions about medical practice after considering both the content and quality of existing medical trials on a topic.

According to the review results, women taking aspirin while undergoing IVF or ICSI were not significantly more likely to become pregnant than women taking a placebo or no treatment.

In addition, no significant difference in live birth rates existed between the treatment and control groups, according to the two studies that examined this outcome.

“Despite a number of high-profile studies, there still remains insufficient evidence to be able to say whether low-dose aspirin can increase the chance of women undergoing IVF having a successful pregnancy,” Poustie said.

Poustie VJ, Dodd S, Drakeley AJ. Low-dose aspirin for in vitro fertilisation. (Review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007, Issue 4.

The Cochrane Collaboration is an international nonprofit, independent organization that produces and disseminates systematic reviews of health care interventions and promotes the search for evidence in the form of clinical trials and other studies of interventions. Visit http://www.cochrane.org for more information

Stacey's comment:

I have some questions with the use of aspirin and IVF especially when there is no evidence of clotting issues with the patients. The problems that can occur with long term aspirin use (and long term is realistic with how long some women go through IVF treatments) is it can lead to deadly gastrointestinal bleeding. Also one study where women took aspirin for 5 years or more were associated with a greater risk of breast cancer.

There are many natural supplements that can be used to assist with what aspirin is trying to do that are not assoicated with the possibly fatal side effects that aspirin can have.

In addition, the "success rate" in IVF does not appear to be improved at all with aspirin use. And when I say "success rate" (a phrase I think is detrimental to patients emotional well being, because if they are not "successful, then they think they are a "failure") I am referring to live birth rates. Pregnancy rates are often looked at with little mention of live birth rates. So if the very end result is not a healthy baby, should you take the chance of creating the potentially harmful side effects?

DHEA supplementation...helpful or detrimental to you fertility?

To understand whether DHEA supplementation is right for you its important to have an understanding of what is happening with this hormone and how it relates to other hormones and reproductive health.

DHEA is converted into a hormone called androstenedione which is a precursor to testosterone. In other words androstenedione then gets converted into testosterone and testosterone gets converted into estradiol mainly in the ovaries of a premenopausal female. Estradiol is the estrogen closely associated with fertility.

Okay enough science out of the way. Here is what to consider when considering DHEA supplementation. Since DHEA is close to the top of the hormone chain as you can see in the chain below, it can effect many hormones down the line.
Cholesterol

Pregnenolone (this is only one of the pathways for the conversion of this hormone)
l
DHEA
l
Androstenedione - > Estrone (estrogen in fat tissue)
l
Testosterone
l
Estradiol (ovaries)
l
Estrone

So supplementation of DHEA could increase testosterone in some people which would be a good thing IF testosterone were low. 7 Keto DHEA is supposed to NOT increase testosterone but I have seen with saliva tests that testosterone did increase significantly in one patient who was taking the 7 Keto DHEA. Blood results did not reveal the high testosterone that was evident in the saliva tests. Normal for saliva results for testosterone would be 15-90 and this woman's was 1500.

If testosterone were already high supplementing with DHEA could be disastrous and account for some of the negative side effects of DHEA Supplementation. Therefore someone who has high levels of testosterone like in PCOS in my opinion is NOT likely to benefit from DHEA supplementation. You don't have to have PCO to have elevated testosterone in the tissues so its always good to get a baseline.

Also supplementing with DHEA may make no difference what so ever if DHEA is low because free cortisol is high. Cortisol is one of your stress hormones and it has an inverse relationship to DHEA. This means that if free cortisol is high, then DHEA is likely to be low. So getting cortisol down is the answer, not adding more DHEA. DHEA is not a nutrient, like a vitamin, its a hormone and therefore can be linked with the activity of other hormornes. When a vitamin or mineral is truly deficient in the body adding more in your diet or supplementation program could help. If you are deficient in Vit C taking more of it can help you, but if your body isn't utilising Vit C well enough because there is too much sugar in your diet, then you can take all the vitamin C you want, if your glucose levels aren't addressed, the supplement is not likely to help you.

Vitamins and minerals also effect the conversion of hormones from one to another and so does stress. These can range from the B vitamins, iron, folate, vitamin E, Vitamin A (in the form of betacarotene), zn, Vit C, Magnesium and others.

So until you know the levels of hormones present in the tissues (through saliva testing) I suggest to NOT take DHEA supplementation to try to improve your fertility. Saliva tests by the way, are accurate and used by governmental bodies and NASA in the United States to assess the health of the military and astronauts. Saliva tests look at not just what is floating around in the blood but what actually has gotten absorbed into the tissue. Conventional medicine does not use them often but these can be ordered by your naturopath or physician.

In my opinion before a person should start taking DHEA they should check the levels of DHEA, testosterone, estradiol, estrone, androstenedione and progesterone through saliva tests spread out over 2-4 weeks (1 day each of those weeks) to see if DHEA supplementation is going to hinder or help their situation. But keep in mind that supplementation with DHEA alone is unlikely the only factor that can improve your situation. A proper diet, a healthy gut along with supplementation program is essential as well. Addressing stress is also very important because stress can increase cortisol over time and actually accelerate the aging process of all your cells. Always remember that your eggs, ovaries, follicles, endometrial lining and semen and sperm are made up of cells.

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