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Fertility and Pregnancy ~ getting to the point

The time has come you and your partner have decided to start a family and the procreation ritual is stepped up into high gear.  Each months goal is to turn that little paper strip the right color and share the good news to those well meaning relatives that have been saying "so are you pregnant yet?"  If the fertility gods have your current address, a couple of months go by and those first queasy sensations replace your morning coffee.  For couples not on the storks mailing list, the ritual of love making becomes much like an aerobics class; you don't always want to participate but you do anyway hoping for results.  Trying to get pregnant is a lot like watching the kettle boil; it doesn't happen any faster because you are watching it.

There can many reasons why couples fail to conceive.  The first course of action couples should explore is to be tested for the appropriate contributors to pregnancy.  Men should have their sperm counts and motility evaluated.  The sperm count in males has declined steadily over the years due to a number of environmental factors and a low sperm count can decrease the success rate of pregnancy dramatically. Smoking, pesticides, heavy metal exposure are all contributing factors to decreased sperm count and a number of studies have indicated that up to 30% of men may be considered "subfertile". Females can have a number of issues that affect the likelihood of conception.  The introduction of extra estrogen administered to livestock to improve production results in excess hormones for a women's body to eliminate.  The hormones within the body are a delicate balanced and some women respond more negatively to external factors than others. The peaks and valleys of disrupted hormonal can result in early or late release of eggs to be fertilized and interfere with successful attachment of the egg to the uterus.

Everyone is anatomically different; eyes are not the same distance apart in every individual, some of us are taller, shorter, wider or thinner.  These anatomical differences can apply to our reproductive organs also.  A woman who has a vagina or uterus in an inverted or otherwise different position may be faced with a novel set of difficulties.  Sperm prefer a rather straight forward approach; enter race to the finish and impregnate the egg.  The sperm has a very limited problem solving capabilities and is not equipped with On Star technology.  Sperm which face detours are much like a guy who won't ask for directions; your husband may reach his point of destination, however the sperm may not.

Stress affects the fertility of both men and women.  When we are anxious, worried or afraid, chemical changes within the brain stimulate the release of many additional hormones which may interfere with hormones specific to reproduction; a protective mechanism to prevent pregnancy in dangerous situations.  The brain does not differentiate between real danger (you just a found a poisonous snake in your toilet) or imagined.  The stress most modern couples think about are situations that are not life threatening, however may interfere with conception.

In-vitro fertilization has become the modern day holy grail for couples struggling to conceive.  The procedure to achieve labor is also very labor intensive.  The success rate for women under 40 ranges from 0 to 50% over 40 years of age it drops to half the chance of a successful pregnancy.  The price of in-vitro can be as high as $10,000.00 not including emotional cost.  Clinics vary in procedures and success rates so couples should be very diligent when seeking out treatment.

Acupuncture, herbs and nutritional education may be the real answer for couples who have their hormones intact. According to Dr. Lorne Brown of Vancouver, who specializes in acupuncture for conception support, the procedure has been widely recognized in British Columbia and is now being promoted on the east coast by the Moncton fertility clinic.  At the Center for Reproductive Healing in MariettaPennsylvania they estimate a pregnancy success rate of 35% with acupuncture and herbs and for those opting for in-vitro fertilization using acupuncture before procedure; a 90% success rate compared to 50% without acupuncture.  At present McMasterUniversity is currently undergoing studies to evaluate acupunctures role in supporting in-vitro fertilization techniques.

The cost for alternative fertility consulting is about one third of in-vitro fertilization. Herbs and supplements are recommended as opposed to drugs; nervous and reproductive systems are supported through the use of acupuncture, increasing blood flow through the tissue and releasing the "anti-stress" hormones.

Nancy Winlove-Smith has an extensive background in herbs, nutrition and complementary medicine and has graduated from the Mohawk/McMaster Health Sciences Phytotherapy Diploma program.  Educated and evaluated by medical doctors at McMaster Health Sciences teaching hospital, Nancy has completed her certificate in Contemporary Medical Acupuncture which places emphasis on the neuro-anatomy approach to needle insertion.

The following links are specific to IVF and acupuncture and may be useful:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23057790/

http://www.markgoulding.com/gpage5.html

http://www.hamiltonmagazine.com/sitepages/?aid=850

For information in the Hamilton contact Ms. Winlove-Smith at nwinlovesmith@gmail.com