Natural Treatments for PCOS and Infertility
by Angie Boss
Traditional medical treatments for infertility can be expensive. Besides the cost, which is beyond astronomical for most couples, they are often painful, invasive and create emotional mood swings which are difficult to control. Consequently, a number of women are looking toward natural, or alternative, treatments for infertility. Ranging from diet and exercise to acupuncture or herbal remedies, there are a number of options for women wishing to explore this area.
Advantages of Using Alternative Treatments
Natural treatments can be effective at treating some aspects of infertility. There are vitamins and herbs, for example, which are thought to restore women's ovulatory cycles and improve men's sperm counts. They are usually less expensive than prescription medications and easier to obtain. Eating healthier and exercising is better for your body than month after month than pumping it full of hormones derived from a whole host of unsavory sources. Natural treatments can be easier on your moods as well.
A Word of Caution
However, it is important to note a few things. First, natural treatments often only treat particular symptoms and not the root cause of a problem. For a woman with PCOS, for example, natural remedies may restore a menstrual cycle, but not address the underlying problem of insulin resistance. Second, just because a treatment is "natural," does not mean it is safe. All natural alternatives need to be taken with the consultation of a medical professional who understands both your unique concerns and the benefits and risks of each treatment.
How Do I Get Started?
First, choose your treatment goals. What matters most to you? If getting pregnant right this instant is most important, then you will want to help create a treatment plan that is different than for someone who wants to simply improve her chances to conceive by making healthy changes in her overall well-being. Once you can clearly define your goals, then choose the most appropriate medical professional. Your gynecologist may be perfectly willing and able to guide you in this area. However, a certified nurse midwife, nurse practitioner, or naturopathic doctor (an N.D.) who has undergone several years of naturopathy training may be better choices. To locate a qualified professional in your area, do some research. If you belong to on-line or local infertility support groups, see if anyone has had experience with a local practitioner.
Creating a Healthy Lifestyle
Often one of the most difficult areas for women to change, lifestyle choices can make a big difference when trying to conceive. Caffeine needs to be restricted, while drinking alcohol and smoking are considered off-limits. One of the first areas to address for women is often eating habits. Good nutrition matters when you are trying to conceive. While most doctors do not recommend "dieting" when trying to conceive, some studies have shown that losing as little as 5 percent of body mass has dramatically improved rates on conception. It may be that you choose to take the summer off of infertility treatment so that you can focus on exercising and eating right to lose a few pounds, if that's what your body needs.
Vitamins and Minerals
A good multi-vitamin, and preferably a pre-natal one with folic acid, should be taken when trying to conceive. Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects in babies. There are several vitamins considered essential when treating infertility. Selenium deficiency is linked to a decreased sperm count in men and infertility in women. Suggested daily dose is 200 mcg a day. Vitamin C (2,000) and E (200 IU/day)are also thought to be needed for sperm production and balanced hormone levels, respectively. Zinc (80 mg/day) is also recommended for reproductive health. There are other recommended vitamins and minerals, but these are the most commonly suggested.
Herbs
Herbal remedies are very popular for women struggling with infertility. Some of the more popular ones are Vitex, also known as Chasteberry tree, and Unicorn root, often found in a women's formula compound. Both are thought to regulate women's cycles, although they help promote menstruation, but not ovulation. Evening Primrose Oil is thought to aid in improving cervical mucus, but it has estrogenic properties and should not be taken if estrogen levels are already high. There are literally dozens of herbs for both men and women that may help promote fertility. In this area, particularly, couples should not aimlessly wander around a health food store and randomly choose a dozen herbs. It is worth the cost of seeing a naturopath to get a plan that is right for your specific needs. An excellent resource to begin doing research is "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," by James and Phyllis Balch.
Acupuncture
Does the ancient Chinese art of placing thin needles under one's skin help promote fertility? Well, it depends on whom you ask. The World Health Organization has identified 40 medical conditions for which acupuncture is supposed to work. Infertility is not one of them. Leesa, pregnant now after her third IUI, says, "I have a good friend who responded really well to acupunture and whose ovulation was restored. It didn't work for me. I tried it for three months and it got too expensive to continue when we were trying to save for the IUI." However, a Swedish study, published in the journal Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, reported just last month that tiny needles placed at acupuncture points on the skin and attached to a device that delivers a low-frequency electrical current may improve ovulation in some women with PCOS. Of the 24 women studied, 38 percent experienced a "good effect," which was defined as repeated ovulations or pregnancy during the treatment period or within three months after treatment. With about one-third of the women having a good response, the researchers say the results are impressive and that the technique could be an alternative or a complement to the use of fertility drugs to improve ovulation in some women with PCOS.
Relaxation
"If you would just relax, you could get pregnant." As irritating as that advice is, high levels of tension aren't helpful when you are trying to conceive. A study conducted at the University of Washington in Seattle found that stress may indeed contribute to infertility. The researchers also found that stress resulting from a lack of emotional support may affect the hormones involved in infertility. Consider this seriously, then do what you need to do for yourself. Consider prayer, meditation, yoga, tai chi, joining a local or online support group -- whatever you need to feel healthy, supported and encouraged.
A Final Note
There are other treatments to consider. Touch therapies such as reflexology and chiropractic touch have their fans, as do traditional Chinese medicines, to name a few. Be a good consumer. Do the research and check references carefully before choosing a practitioner. There aren't any easy answers here -- no magic pill or therapy that works all the time for all couples. But, these treatments do work for some couples and are worth exploring carefully and cautiously.
