Make an online booking here:
Book Now
B vitamins have always been very important in pregnancy, such as B6 for morning sickness, and folic acid to prevent spina bifida in babies.
Now scientists at the Victor Chang Institute in Sydney have found that a deficiency of a molecule known as NAD is a major cause of women having multiple miscarriages, or babies being born with heart, kidney and spinal defects. This vital molecule is important for normal development of organs, and you can get it by taking B3.
The scientists gave pregnant mice with the NAD gene knocked out a regular dose of B3, and they found it prevented miscarriages and birth defects, over-riding the genetic block. The head of the Victor Chang Institute, Professor Bob Graham, said the discovery could potentially help millions of women around the world.
Studies from the United States have shown up to a third of women have low levels of NAD in their blood and aren’t getting enough B3 vitamin in their pregnancy supplements.
For more information, visit this ABC News Article on the research.
However, please note that
If you are considering starting a family, we recommend seeing one of our Brisbane naturopaths to check you are getting the right levels of B3 and other essential pregnancy nutrients (such as folic acid, iodine, zinc, etc.) in your diet or in your supplements.
New Australian research has found that common chemicals used in cleaning products, foods, cosmetics, and plastic containers could be impacting on women’s and men’s fertility.
Dr Mark Green, a Melbourne University expert in reproductive biology, examined how endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) could negatively affect reproductive health. In a radio interview he said that chemical exposure to these chemicals could occur from a variety of sources, including the lining of tin cans and receipts.
“Overall there’s probably about 800 chemicals throughout different products that are used through our industry and all our household items. But the main ones you may have heard of, things like BPA,” he said.
“Then we’ve got things called parabens, which are sort of preservatives, those are the ones that are in our shampoos and conditioners, but also in some of our food products.
“The other class [is] probably the phthalates … they’re the things that are making plastics soft and flexible … the ones that are in soft squeezy plastic water bottles or take-away containers,” he said.
He said the chemicals were particularly prone to be ingested if the food contained in the containers was fatty.
“These chemicals love to jump into that food, so over time if we’re consuming low levels of that, then it can be built up in our bodies,” he said.
“We know that people who have high concentrations of these chemicals take longer to conceive, also those people that go into fertility clinics, they’re having even higher levels in their blood and reproductive tissues,” he said.
“Unfortunately … we know that’s going to have downstream effects on their health and their children’s.”
“… It’s really just about education in terms of, don’t leave that plastic water bottle in the sun and then go back and drink it. Or don’t heat your food in those takeaway containers; put it into a bowl and then heat it.”
Basic Ways to Reduce Your Exposure to Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals
(This article is based on an ABC News item http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-14/reduced-fertility-rates-common-chemicals-food-cleaning-products/9050212 .)
Related articles
Hormone Disruptors https://www.cntc.com.au/fertility/endocrine-disruptors/
Boosting Fertility Naturally https://www.cntc.com.au/fertility/boosting-natural-fertility/
An increasing proportion of men are becoming infertile, with sperm counts declining by more than half between 1973 and 2011. This is according to a review and analysis of 185 different research studies conducted on men in Australia, New Zealand, North America, and Europe. The analysis also showed that sperm counts are continuing their downward tend in these countries.
However, there was no decline in fertility for men from South America, Asia, and Africa over the same period!
The reviewers suggested that the results may be like a “canary in the coal mine” for our society. (Canaries were used in old coal mines to warn when dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide reached a certain level in the mine. These gases would kill the canary before the miners, telling them to leave the tunnels immediately.) They warn that the lifestyle and environmental factors which are gradually destroying our fertility may be damaging our overall health as well. Some of these factors include chemicals such as hormone disruptors and pesticides.
Natural therapists have long believed that many of the chemicals we are now exposed to in our daily lives can have a detrimental effect on our health and fertility. Often low fertility is considered to be due to the female partner, however male fertility problems are becoming more and more common. (For more information on fertility, please read our ‘Boosting Fertility Naturally’ article, or search for ‘fertility’ on our website.)
(Reference: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/883370?nlid=116919_4562&src=wnl_dne_170726_mscpedit&uac=153616SR&impID=1397224&faf=1)
(The first section below is from a newspaper article[1].)
‘It was 2005, and after nine months of IVF treatment and a positive pregnancy test, 36-year-old Jill King was having a routine ultrasound to check that all was well. But when she turned to the screen, expecting to see a heartbeat, there was just an empty embryonic sac. In a cruel biological hoax, the sac minus its embryo – called a blighted ovum – was causing positive signs of pregnancy. There were more disappointments to come. By the time she discontinued IVF two years later, King had produced 50 embryos, but no babies, at a cost of about $50,000.
“People talk about the grief of miscarriage, and I’ve experienced that, but to me each embryo was also a potential baby lost,” she recalls. “Whenever I had an embryo transfer [where the embryo is passed through the cervix into the uterus], I’d be calculating when its birthday might be.” …
“My message to other couples is be open-minded about alternative treatments,” says King. …
Some cases of unexplained fertility may have a cause that is overlooked if IVF is used as a first, rather than a last, resort, says Dr Anne Clark, medical director of Fertility First, a clinic in Sydney’s Hurstville.
Being overweight, smoking or drinking too much – even a lack of vitamin D or iodine – can sabotage conception or increase the risk of miscarriage, points out Clark. While the clinic offers IVF treatment, 25 to 30 per cent of couples conceive without it after correcting certain lifestyle factors.
“Women are hammered for being overweight or for smoking, but we know that with men, nine kilograms of extra weight can lower fertility by altering hormone levels,” she says. “We also know that fragmentation of DNA in male sperm is a common cause of miscarriage, and that factors such as smoking, alcohol and possibly caffeine may be contributing.”
Her study in 2008 of 800 men who were attending Fertility First found 58 per cent had sperm damage, but that lifestyle changes and vitamin supplements could help prevent this. “Unlike eggs, which are as old as the woman herself, sperm is freshly made every three months,” says Clark. “Because of this, you can often reverse the problem quickly.”
This was the case for Matthew Lake, a 34-year-old landscaper whose partner, Amanda, had had three miscarriages by the time she was 29. Test results showed she had no obvious problem, but Matthew had fragmented DNA in 33 per cent of his sperm.
At Clark’s suggestion, he reduced his weekly beer consumption from 24 to seven, stopped drinking Coke and took a daily multivitamin. He also took supplements of coenzyme Q10 and vitamins E and C, antioxidants that, according to some research, help reduce sperm damage.
“After six months, the number of fragmented sperm had dropped to nine per cent – a month later I was pregnant,” says Amanda. “I don’t think people realise the problem can often be with the male partner, and that the solution can be simple.”
In Clark’s experience, men are often only asked to provide a sperm sample, and if that is problematic, the couple are directed to IVF rather than addressing a man’s underlying health problems. The pressure of ageing impels couples towards IVF, too, she says.
Francesca Naish, from the Jocelyn Centre for Natural Fertility Management in Sydney, agrees. “People are in a hurry to conceive, but they need to take about three months to clean up first.”
The “cleaning up” regimen recommended by the centre, which employs medical practitioners, naturopaths and an acupuncturist, entails both partners eating whole food – preferably organic – taking herbs and vitamin and mineral supplements, and reducing exposure to environmental toxins.
“Take the example of a hairdresser or a motor mechanic,” says Naish. “She’s exposed to bleaches and solvents, and he’s working with solvents, heavy metals and paints. This doesn’t mean hairdressers and mechanics can’t make babies together, but if their fertility is already compromised, these exposures can make conception – especially of a healthy baby – harder.” Other workers who come into contact with pesticides, such as farmers, may experience problems, too, explains Naish, as can people who spend a lot of time flying (sperm and eggs can be affected by radiation at high altitude). Some studies have linked heavy mobile phone use to reduced sperm count and sperm health. In isolation, these factors may mean nothing, but an accumulation of them, plus increasing age, can make a difference.
Although there’s evidence that the miscarriage rate is higher with IVF, says Naish, “this isn’t necessarily to do with IVF technology, which is fantastic. Miscarriages can occur because other problems aren’t being sorted out first,” she says. “IVF helps sperm and egg to meet and then gets the fertilised egg to the uterus, but it doesn’t solve underlying problems that can impede a pregnancy.”
Anne Clark acknowledges that with IVF offering a monthly pregnancy rate that is two to three times higher than nature, it will always appeal to couples in the stressed-out 21st century. When she recommends waiting until the lifestyle changes kick in, some couples feel pretty thrown to begin with. “But achieving a pregnancy can be a bit like painting a wall.” she says. “It’s all in the preparation.”
The Role of Folate
Dawn Piebenga knew getting pregnant in her late 30s wouldn’t be easy. “I’d had a history of fertility problems in my 20s and early 30s with my first marriage. I was told that it may be because of scar tissue around my Fallopian tubes.”
When a pregnancy in her second marriage ended in miscarriage, she consulted fertility expert Francesca Naish. “Because I was older, I knew my egg quality wouldn’t be as good, so I felt my best shot was to make my body as healthy as possible,” she says.
Tests revealed that Piebenga had a problem shared with about one in eight women: difficulty metabolising folate, a B vitamin that helps prevent some birth defects. At 39 and after four months on a preconception-care program and a high-dose folate supplement, Piebenga got the go-ahead to try to conceive. She became pregnant within a month, and now has a 15-month-old son.
(End of article.)
Natural therapists consider that a woman’s periods can reflect how well her hormones and reproductive system are working. So one of the aims of any course of treatments is to help improve her periods as much as possible, which may include the timing and length of the period, making sure the flow is not too heavy or too light, and treating any period symptoms (in conjunction with normal medical treatment).
Acupuncture
It is becoming more common for our acupuncturists to work in conjunction with medical fertility specialists whilst a woman is undergoing ART (Assisted Reproductive Technologies such as IVF, IUI and ICSI). There is continuing research about how acupuncture can assist with the effectiveness of IVF treatment, and there is also broad agreement by acupuncturists and other health practitioners about using acupuncture in these cases. Please contact our Principal Practitioner if you would like to find out if acupuncture may be able to assist in regard to your specific situation.
The outcome of acupuncture for fertility Brisbane treatments depends on the skill and expertise of the therapist, and on the methods that they use. We only use Japanese acupuncture techniques at our clinic, since when performed by a highly-trained therapist, we have found this style to be more effective that the standard Chinese acupuncture. (All of our acupuncturists were originally taught Chinese acupuncture, but since being trained in the Japanese style they now only use that method.)
Naturopathy
Naturopathy is the use of natural medicines (such as high potency supplements, herbal treatments, diet therapy, etc.) and may be able to assist with many fertility and women’s health issues. Naturopathic medicine involves looking after the chemistry of the body, including improving essential nutrition levels and reducing toxin levels. It aims to improve hormone health, as well as helping to regulate periods, cycle length and ovulation times.
Naturopaths are qualified health professionals with a 4 year degree. We have two dedicated, full-time naturopaths at our clinic, Margaret McNamara and Sunni Patel.
If you are trying to conceive, looking to start trying in the next 12 months, or are going through IVF, we recommend having a Comprehensive Fertility Assessment by our Principal Practitioner. During your Assessment we will identify and explain to you
It is recommended that you and your partner each have an Assessment, and if possible sit in on each other’s appointment. An Assessment is normally $120, but is currently available free of charge. There is no obligation with an Assessment; we simply provide you with information and an understanding of what is happening with your body. Places for a Fertility Assessment are limited, so if you would like to reserve an appointment for you and your partner, please ring or email soon. Please also feel free to contact the Clinic if you would like more information about any aspect of fertility improvement, and we look forward to helping you soon.
[1] http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life/natural-selection-20091221-l9l1.html#ixzz2i8UBRhgM
Stress can be a healthy thing; our stress response is there to help us deal with challenging or dangerous situations. If a tiger jumps out at you from behind a tree, your heart suddenly beats faster, your breathing gets faster, various muscles will tighten, your blood sugar levels rise, and non-emergency systems in your body are suppressed (such as your digestive system). Your body is now in ‘Fight or Flight’ mode, which is great for emergencies.
We usually don’t encounter too many tigers in our lives, instead in our society we often have lots of little stressful situations throughout our day. Rushing to get ready in the morning, fighting the traffic, work pressure, family hassles, money worries, etc. Most of these pressures are based on a fear of not enough, and lack of time is one of the big ones.
In this fast paced age, we hear that every minute counts. Day after day, week after week, all this pressure to achieve, meet goals, finish daily tasks, begins to build up inside of us until one day we are locked in the throes of time pressure. A chief contributor to time pressure is emotional identity. This happens when you invest a great deal of mental and emotional energy in a situation. All that energy can create tunnel vision, leaving you unable to see or appreciate other important things in your life. When someone or something interferes with that focus, the result frequently is irritation, anxiousness and frustration, especially when deadlines must be met. You push people away, neglect other areas of your life, but still proceed until eventually you lapse into emotional chaos. In the end, time pressure can seriously damage not only your relationships and quality of life, but even the situation in which you buried yourself to the exclusion of all else. Time pressure takes a toll on our nervous, immune and hormonal systems, and left unattended will likely produce cycles of anxiety, fatigue and temporary despair. As this process continues it makes us more susceptible to health problems.
Always rushed, too much to do, not enough time; mentally scattered, not feeling in control, tunnel vision, irritation at anyone or anything that breaks your focus, internal pressure, a gnawing feeling in your solar plexus, impatience, lack of compassion for self and others, feeling a constant slow burn inside, low grade stress and strain, feeling disconnected from life, decreased enjoyment of projects, relationships or life in general.
Stress is so common and has such a broad effect on the body that it is often a factor with almost any health problem. However, here are the most common ways it can affect you.
We have already mentioned the physical changes in your body that stress causes, so let’s look at how these can affect your health.
Adrenaline and the other hormones we produce when we are stressed are stimulants. So too much stress over a long time will leave your body drained and depleted, causing you to constantly feel tired or burnt out, and can even lead to adrenal exhaustion or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Short-term stress can be a good thing- it can help stimulate your body and mind so that you can meet a deadline, perform better at sport, or cram for an exam. However, prolonged stress often causes the body to get stuck in the ‘Fight or Flight’ emergency mode all the time. When this happens, the constant mental or emotional stress accumulates in the body, causing the person to feel tense most of the time. Because of this accumulated stress in their body, any stress has a bigger effect on them than usual, and they may react more strongly to situations, so their internal stress builds up even more. Because of this, they may feel they don’t have much control of their life, which can create additional stress for them. Over time, this accumulated stress may manifest as anxiety, depression, poor sleep, irritability, cloudy thinking, relationship difficulties, panic attacks, etc.
When your body is stressed, it puts everything that isn’t directly related to survival on the back burner (like reproduction). Plus, stress and fertility involve many of the same glands and pathways – when stress hormones are being released in the brain, they wreak all kinds of havoc with your reproductive hormones.
Your pituitary gland is the link between your hypothalamus (brain) and your endocrine system (hormones). It communicates with your ovaries through your bloodstream; first, it releases hormones that tell your eggs to mature, and then it releases hormones that cause ovulation. When you’re stressed, the hypothalamus and pituitary gland are engaged in another chain reaction; the hypothalamus releases a hormone called CRH, which causes the pituitary to produce another hormone (ACTH), which in turn triggers the adrenal glands. This stress circuit temporarily shuts down your other hormonal systems, including reproduction, so your body can divert all of its energy into dealing with the perceived threat.
Or, in simpler terms: if your brain is busy with stress, it may not send the right messages to your ovaries, which means you won’t ovulate. If there’s no egg, the sperm have nothing to fertilise naturally, and you won’t fall pregnant. Even if you are still ovulating, some studies suggest that stress can reduce blood flow to the uterus and cause issues with implantation.
We often hear people say that they realise how stress is affecting them, but they can’t do anything about it. They can’t change the way their kids are behaving, they can’t quit their job, the bills keep coming in, etc. They also don’t have time to meditate, exercise or take time out every day. The answer is to clear out the accumulated stress from their body, which allows them to feel calm, relaxed, in control, and not get stressed easily. Usually this involves calming and relaxing the nervous system, and switching it from ‘Fight or Flight’ to the healthier ‘Rest, Repair and Reproduce’ mode. Often we will need to settle the person’s adrenaline levels down as well, particularly if they are feeling tired all the time. Acupuncture and naturopathy are both excellent for correcting the nervous system and the adrenaline levels. (A combination of the two is often ideal.)
If you suspect that stress may be an issue for you, please book in for a free Comprehensive Health Assessment so that we can check and let you know the extent of accumulated stress in your body, as well as the best way to treat it.
When friends or family have just had a baby, it can be hard to know how to help – especially as going around to visit or drop something off might wake them or the baby, or interrupt them when they’re too stressed or tired to deal with visitors. Here are some simple ideas that may make the perfect offering for your loved one.
Food deliveries that can sit on the doorstep are ideal – make a laminated sign that they can stick on their door saying “baby and parents sleeping” so people know that it’s not a good time to knock or ring the doorbell. Ask that people put the food in an esky or send something that won’t go off if it’s sitting outside for a few hours (like dry pancake mix, dry pasta and a jar of good vegetable sauce, etc) while parents and baby are unavailable.
Cleaning services can be wonderful for new parents who just don’t have the time or energy to clean their house – they may not be comfortable with family or friends scrubbing their toilet, so getting a few people to chip in for a professional cleaner might be the best option. Have them come at a regular time every week or fortnight, so that the new parents are prepared for their arrival.
Similarly, a laundry service can be a wonderful thing – organising for them to just put their clothes somewhere that they can be picked up, and then dropped back off clean, dry and folded. A professional service may, again, be preferable here as they may not be comfortable with family or friends doing their laundry.
Many new mothers suffer various aches, pains and issues after the trauma of giving birth – from issues with bladder control to aching muscles. A voucher to come and see a natural therapies provider who can help them alleviate those symptoms can be a wonderful thing – they can book when they have time and feel up to it, and a little pampering and care for them during this transitional period can make a huge difference.
Acupuncture reduces stress, which increases fertility
When people are under stress, the hormone cortisol is released in the brain. This disrupts hormone levels, and that in turn impacts fertility – in fact, stress can stop ovulation entirely or cause spasms in the uterus and fallopian tubes (preventing implantation). Acupuncture releases endorphins, which counters the effects of cortisol and reduces stress.
If you’d like to learn more about the use of acupuncture for fertility, we’d love to hear from you – you can get in touch with us here.
Vitex is another name for chaste tree berry (“vitex agnus castus”), a very popular and effective herbal medicine that helps promote ovulation. Essentially, it does this by preventing your pituitary gland from producing too much prolactin; prolactin inhibits ovulation. It also has opiate-like constituents, which can help calm your nervous system.
While it can do people a world of good, it should always be used under the supervision of your primary care physician, as it’s an incredibly potent herb and can cause more problems than it solves when used incorrectly, or for too long a period of time.
Some things to consider before starting Vitex include:
How long you’ve been off the pill
If you’ve just come off the pill, it’s important to give your pituitary gland and ovaries some time to learn to “talk” to each other again before introducing a strong herb – if you give it some time, you may find you don’t need Vitex at all.
If you’re already taking fertility drugs (including IVF)
Combining Vitex with ovulation-stimulating drugs can result in a serious condition called ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome.
Where you are in your menstrual cycle
Because Vitex is intended to promote ovulation, you should be taking it during your follicular phase (prior to ovulation). If you have irregular periods, it may be difficult for you to determine when that is. A good rule of thumb is to start taking it as soon as your period has ended, and take a break when your next period arrives (taking a break helps it to remain effective).
If you suffer from PCOS
If you suffer from PCOS, it is possible that Vitex may make things worse. It can raise levels of luteinizing hormone in the body, and for some types of PCOS, levels of this hormone in the body are already way too high.
—-
While Vitex is available over the counter, again, we strongly recommend talking to your primary care physician before you start taking it as it is incredibly potent, and may not be right for your specific condition.
If you have a health issue, we recommend booking in for a free Comprehensive Assessment at our clinic. We can then look at what is going on in your body, what is causing the problem, and the best way to sort it out. (Terms and Conditions- the Assessment is a completely free service, with no obligations whatsoever.)
If you’ve been trying to get pregnant for a while, you’ve probably had dozens of well-meaning friends tell you to just relax, to stop actively trying and it’ll happen. While this gets more frustrating than reassuring very, very quickly, there is a kernel of truth to this: studies show that stress can affect your fertility, and make it much harder for you to fall pregnant.
The pituitary gland is the link between your hypothalamus (brain) and your endocrine system (hormones). It communicates with your ovaries through your bloodstream; first, it releases hormones that tell your eggs to mature, and then it releases hormones that cause ovulation. When you’re stressed, the hypothalamus and pituitary gland are engaged in another chain reaction; the hypothalamus releases a hormone called CRH, which causes the pituitary to produce another hormone (ACTH), which in turn triggers the adrenal glands. This stress circuit temporarily shuts down your other hormonal systems, including reproduction, so your body can divert all of its energy into dealing with the perceived threat.
Or, in simpler terms: if your brain is busy with stress, it may not send the right messages to your ovaries, which means you won’t ovulate. If there’s no egg, the sperm have nothing to fertilise, and you won’t fall pregnant. Even if you are still ovulating, some studies suggest that stress can reduce blood flow to the uterus and cause issues with implantation.
If you’ve got a stressful job or are really invested in getting pregnant (as most prospective parents are), it’s not as easy or simple as just deciding to be less anxious. There are natural treatments like herbal medicine and acupuncture which can help get your stress levels down, and your system back on track, before you decide to try more invasive methods like IVF or artificial insemination. If you’d like to know more, contact the clinic and we’ll be able to provide some natural fertility advice based on your specific situation.
It’s easy to think of your period as a curse (especially when you’re trying to get pregnant), but it can be a valuable insight into your overall reproductive health.
Period cramps are common, and are caused by prostaglandin – a hormone involved in pain and inflammation. Severe period pain or a feeling of pressure in your lower abdomen as you bleed are an indication that something isn’t quite right – endometriosis (uterine tissue growing outside the uterus) could be at the root of your agony, or you may have fibroids. The only way to confirm is to see your doctor for tests.
The colour of your period can tell you a lot about your health. There’s three typical colours for fresh blood: strawberry red, blueberry purple/red, and cranberry juice red. If it’s the red-blue colour of blueberry jam and slightly thick, you’re likely to have high estrogen levels; excess estrogen causes your uterine lining to thicken. If your period is a light pink or strawberry jam colour, your estrogen levels are probably too low; your period may also be patchy and off-schedule. Cranberry red is the ideal colour.
The amount you’re bleeding is also a good indicator of where your health is at. If you’re soaking through super tampons within a few hours, you’re at risk for anemia and a wide range of disorders and diseases (such as polyps and tumors). If your bleeding is very light, that’s usually caused by stress, poor nutrition or hormone changes (such as perimenopause or taking hormonal birth control).
Spotting between periods is common when you’re on hormonal birth control; if you’re bleeding between periods and you’re not taking anything, it’s important that you see your doctor to rule out more serious problems.
If your period has disappeared altogether and you’re not pregnant, taking hormonal birth control or going through menopause, it may be due to your weight (extremely low and extremely high body fat can cause amenorrhea) or issues with your thyroid and/or pituitary gland.
If you notice any sudden changes to your cycle, regardless of timing, texture or flow, it’s worth seeing someone to get checked out – at the very least, for your own peace of mind.
Valued at $120, your Assessment will help to uncover:
All this will be fully explained to you, and you can ask as many questions as you like. That way we can be sure to give you all of the right information, understanding and advice you need. Terms and conditions: This is a free, no obligation offer.