Natural Fertility Treatment & IVF Support
It takes approximately 100 days for both an egg and a sperm to fully mature. These 100 days allow us the perfect opportunity to improve both quality and quantity. Navigating fertility can be difficult and overwhelming, I help patients feel back in control of their fertility journey
If you are ready to start family planning, my Naturopathic Preconception Program is a great place to start. The plan focuses on optimizing the quality of your eggs and sperm, expert nutrition & supplementation advice, comprehensive blood work and hormone health. I recommend beginning at least three months prior to trying to conceive for optimal fertility potential. Check out my article on the Top Five Facts Medical Doctors often don’t tell their patients, but I know are key to making healthy babies.
Fertility Optimization
If you are currently having difficulty becoming pregnant, there is strong evidence for using Naturopathic Medicine to improve pregnancy rates and reduce your risk of miscarriage. During my internship, my training on the Fertility and Reproductive Health Focus Shift gave me the experience and clinical expertise to help patients grow their families. Over the past 7 years in clinical practice, I have helped hundreds of patients who were struggling with infertility achieve positive results. I incorporate fertility acupuncture, nutrition, supportive supplementation, blood work and fertility coaching to:
- Optimize both egg /sperm quality and quantity
- Increase follicle recruitment during IVF
- Improve uterine lining thickness
- Promote implantation of the embryo
- Prevent miscarriage and recurrent pregnancy loss
Female Fertility
Coping with infertility is extremely difficult. Women who have been diagnosed with infertility have anxiety and depression scores equivalent to women diagnosed with cancer, chronic pain and HIV.1 Receiving the diagnosis of infertility is isolating and scary, but this does not mean you need to suffer alone. It is important that both the physical and psychological effects of infertility are acknowledged and cared for. When going through fertility treatments (IVF/IUI), I work with patients to provide medical and emotional support during this stressful period. I get it. I’ve been there, I’m an IVF mama myself and I know how stressful infertility can be. My mission is to guide you along your fertility journey and watch your family grow.
Male Fertility
According to Health Canada, men are responsible for 30% of all infertility cases and contribute to 50% of all cases. Men’s health is often overlooked, but several factors can influence sperm quality including:
- Environmental toxins- exposure to pesticides and chemicals
- Poor nutrition
- Alcohol intake
- Smoking
- Stress
- Certain prescription medications
Emerging evidence has shown a link between parabens, a common ingredient in cosmetics and body products, and lower sperm counts and testosterone in men.2 Naturopathic treatment focuses on reducing exposure to harmful chemicals in your everyday environment, and lifestyle changes with supplements to improve sperm quality.
The DNA in sperm is easily damaged by oxidative stress such as high body temperature and smoking. An antioxidant-rich diet and certain supplements can reduce oxidative stress and DNA fragility-both of which are key for healthy embryo development. Men also benefit from acupuncture as it may improve both motility and concentration of sperm.3
Reproductive health is confusing, intricate, and exciting all at the same time. I recognize these challenges and work hard to ensure a safe space for mental, emotional and physical healing.
Intravenous Vitamin Therapy
At Higher Health, we use intravenous (IV) therapy to deliver vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and amino acids directly into the bloodstream to optimize egg quality and support embryo implantation. IV therapy is also a wonderful support for sperm health, as antioxidants are essential for improving sperm quality and reducing DNA fragmentation.
Our ConceIVe Fertility menu is evidence-based and offers a variety of options for natural and assisted reproductive fertility concerns.
Additional Fertility Support
Below are some excellent fertility counsellors located in Toronto. I am a proud board member of Conceivable Dreams- The OHIP for IVF Coalition, which rallies the Ontario government to protect and secure funding for fertility treatment across our province.
1. Domar AD, Zuttermeister PC, Friedman R. The psychological impact of infertility: a comparison with patients with other medical conditions. Journal of psychosomatic obstetrics and gynaecology. 1993 Jan 1;14:45-.
2. Tavares RS, Martins FC, Oliveira PJ, Ramalho-Santos J, Peixoto FP. Parabens in male infertility—Is there a mitochondrial connection?. Reproductive Toxicology. 2009 Jan 31;27(1):1-7
3. Siterman S, Eltes F, Schechter L, Maimon Y, Lederman H, Bartoov B. Success of acupuncture treatment in patients with initially low sperm output is associated with a decrease in scrotal skin temperature. Asian journal of andrology. 2009 Mar;11(2):200.
