Treatment of Infertility:

The Response of Modern Medicine
The modern medical approach to infertility involves either treatment to restore or bring about fertility and assisted reproductive technology (ART), involving drug therapy and/or surgery. If the woman is not ovulating, infertility drugs such as clomiphene citrate are used. If unsuccessful, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is prescribed in combination with other infertility drugs. Unfortunately, not only is drug therapy to stimulate ovulation accompanied by a barrage of side effects, it is not always successful. It also increases the chance of multiple births, which have a higher rate of premature labor, and increases the risk of health and developmental problems. Surgery is a treatment option to repair blockages or other problems in the fallopian tubes. Treatment for male infertility may include medications, such as hormones and antibiotics, as well as surgery. If a low sperm count is involved, artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization may be recommended. Treatment for infertility is often a long process filled with the stress of hopes, expectations and disappointments.

The Natural Medicine Approach to Infertility
In our experience at Caring Medical, a majority of patients who have taken fertility drugs suffer from a wide range of side effects ranging from fatigue, irritability and depression to bloating, pelvic pain, weight gain, ovarian cysts, nausea, vomiting and insomnia. In addition, drug therapies and related assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) used to help women achieve conception can be quite expensive, and are often not covered by medical insurance plans. A better approach, from both a health safety and financial perspective, is to consider natural medicine treatments for infertility. (Please note that if the cause of the infertility is blocked fallopian tubes, natural medicine treatment is not an option.)

In our experience at Caring Medical, an underactive thyroid gland, a condition referred to as hypothyroidism, is perhaps the most common hidden factor causing infertility in women. While modern medical practitioners usually test the thyroid, they miss most of the cases because they put unwarranted reliance on the TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) results. The so-called normal range of TSH is derived from an American population among whom hypothyroidism is common. As a result, the “normal” range is not accurate. In fact, many of our patients have become pregnant once thyroid medication was started. In addition, patients with a tendency to have early miscarriages can also be helped by safe and inexpensive thyroid therapy.

Stress or depression also play a key role in infertility. Pregnancy rates after treatment of depression approximate the success rate of the fertility drugs. Infertility is a very emotional issue for most women, and the pressure to conceive definitely reduces the chances of success. We all know or have heard of couples who finally conceived when they stopped trying so hard and relaxed, or when they decided to adopt! Natural medicine treatment for stress and depression offers effective alternatives to anti-depressant drugs.

Infertility may also be due to a failure to ovulate. Testing and balancing of hormones using natural hormone treatment can help. We test the levels of sex hormones at multiple intervals throughout the woman’s menstrual cycle in order to determine which component (estrogen or progesterone) in the ovulatory process is missing or deficient. Sometimes lack of central hypothalamic stimulation of the ovaries can be overcome using non-hormonal glandulars made from beef or sheep hypothalamus, and thus the side effects and cost from the gonadotrophic drugs can be avoided.

A variety of other conditions can be associated with female infertility, including:

• gluten sensitivity (celiac disease)
• endometriosis
• excessive coffee, tea, or soda intake or inadequate caloric intake
• environmental toxins
• being under or overweight
• selenium, magnesium, B12, or folic acid deficiency
• smoking and alcohol consumption
• exercise-induced anovulation

Fortunately all of these conditions are easy to treat with the help of natural medicine treatment.

Here’s a summary of what’s usually involved in a natural medicine consultation for infertility for both members of the couple:

• food allergy testing
• diet typing
• hormone testing
• getting an ovulation kit to determine if the female is ovulating: no spike at ovulation means probably no ovulation
• daily temperature checks for both the male and the female: low body temperature means low hormones
• have intercourse on days 7, 9, 11, and 13, assuming the woman ovulates on day 14 of her cycle
• loose-fitting clothing and underwear for the man
• getting down to the ideal body weight

In fact, one of the simplest things for an infertile couple to do is get down to their ideal body weight. This often self-corrects a lot of biochemical abnormalities.

In our experience many women who have difficulty conceiving have been on birth control pills for a long time, so they need to lower estrogen. Hormonal and allergic imbalances would also need to be addressed. In addition, women with menstrual irregularities often have too many omega 6 fats and/or B vitamin deficiencies. We treat this with omega 3 and vitamin B supplements. Progesterone deficiencies have been found to lead to early miscarriages. This is easily treatable with a little progesterone cream and chasteberry supplement. Finally, back pain may also interfere with conception, and Prolotherapy treatment for the back pain has been known to deal with infertility issues. Prolotherapy is a simple, natural technique that helps the body heal injured and weakened tendons and ligaments by inducing a local inflammation.

If you are interested in more information about our natural medicine program, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Hauser, please contact Caring Medical at 708-848-7789 or online using our contact form.

To read about a couple who successfully conceived after three frustrating years of conventional modern medical treatment, click here. Or read about a couple for whom a diet overhaul led to a successful pregnancy.