Polycystic ovarian syndrome is one of the most common endocrine disorders and can be a risk factor for infertility and pregnancy loss. The diagnosis is based on the Rotterdam Criteria, requiring the patient to have 2/3 of the following:
You've made the decision to move forward with freezing your eggs but are now wondering what you can do to help improve the chances of getting the best eggs possible. Your fertility clinic has likely already discussed the cost, drugs, and timeline that they suggest for the procedure but what can you do to get the best outcome possible?
Contrary to popular belief, male factor infertility contributes up to 50% of total cases of a couple’s infertility. That is why it is just as important to not only test male fertility after 1 year of actively trying to conceive (or 6 months if he is 35 and older), but to also consistently treat both partners when it comes to preconception care and fertility.
Let’s begin by taking a look at what polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is to understand how we can resolve this condition with a natural and integrative approach. PCOS is a complex hormonal disorder that affects 6 to 10% of women of childbearing age and can present differently in each person.
If you’ve ever seen me in the clinic, you’ll know that my intention and my goal for each of my patients is to help guide them through a programme to be as healthy as possible. My philosophy is that a healthy body is a fertile body, and my hope for each new patient is to optimize whole-body health to support fertility, pregnancy and, of course, a healthy baby.
The cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and for many people, this means allergy season is here. Runny nose, red itchy eyes, sneezing, brain fog, fatigue, allergies are no fun.
There is a common misconception that getting an egg fertilized is the true challenge when trying to conceive, however, the ability of a fertilized egg (embryo) to continue developing and implant is a much bigger issue. Embryo development is a hefty process that requires a high amount of energy. Only about a third of embryos survive to become a baby. The reason why most fertilized eggs struggle to become a successful pregnancy lies in the DNA.
If you are reading this blog, then you are looking to conceive and likely have been TTC for months and years too.
I remember at one of the Integrative Fertility Symposiums I chaired there was a panel discussion on integrative fertility care and the benefits of preconception care. The panel was composed of reproductive endocrinologists (IVF docs), reproductive urologist, acupuncturists and naturopathic physicians.
In honour of endometriosis awareness month, I thought I would share how acupuncture and Traditional Chinese medicine can be so helpful in endo symptoms and period pain and give a few recent case studies. In Traditional Chinese medicine, we look at the whole picture of health to see what we can bring into balance to achieve your health goals. Often with hormone health and fertility, we look very closely at the menstrual cycle.
The male factor of fertility is often overlooked yet 50% of the cases of infertility are due to male pathology. As a matter of fact, semen quality has seen a steep decline in the last three decades and assisted reproductive technology is limited for men. The go-to medical solution only offers Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) where the sperm is injected into the egg after an IVF egg retrieval.