I treat patients experiencing fertility issues, and a number of those patients have chosen to undergo medically assisted fertility treatments. It’s not unusual for those treatments and the tests used to diagnose an underlying problem can seem confusing and daunting. Sometimes a test may not be explained well or in detail … [Read more...]
What is Sperm Washing?
When you think of someone struggling with infertility, chances are that you picture a woman trying to become pregnant, maybe undergoing IVF or other reproductive techniques. However, according to the international infertility organization, Resolve, about 30% of infertility cases are related to male factor issues, and … [Read more...]
Is Ovarian PRP Revolutionizing Fertility?
Deciding to become pregnant can be an exciting decision. But sometimes conceiving can be harder than anticipated, especially for women who are approaching the age of 40. In fact, fertility issues are more common than you think, with about one in six couples having difficulty becoming pregnant. There’s good news, however, … [Read more...]
Does Smoking Really Affect Your Fertility?
As a doctor of Chinese medicine, I work with 100s of patients wanting help maximizing their fertility. I’m often asked “What can I do to increase my chances of becoming pregnant, as well as having a smooth pregnancy and a healthy baby?”. If you’re a smoker, one of the number one things you can do, is to quit smoking. Now, I … [Read more...]
Enhancing Egg Quality: What You Need to Know
If you’ve decided to conceive, especially if you’re past the age of 40, you may be wondering whether your age is having an effect on the quality of your eggs. The reality is that while your lifestyle and diet can play a role on egg quality, age is one of the greatest factors in the genetic makeup of your eggs. Sadly, the … [Read more...]
3 Ways Digestion Impacts Your Fertility
If you are thinking about or trying to become pregnant, there are a number of steps you can take to improve your health that have a positive impact on your fertility. Eating a diet that consists of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, unsaturated fats, nuts, seeds, beans and lean protein are recommended. But did you know that … [Read more...]
Fertility & Acupuncture: Ask Away!
As a fertility specialist, I’m frequently asked about the role of acupuncture in conception. Many of my patients are trying to conceive naturally and others are using the assistance of western treatments such as IVF, IUI, DI, ICSI and others. Whether you're trying naturally or with the help of Western medical interventions, … [Read more...]
Fertility Facts vs Fiction: Separating the Myths from Reality
If you’re experiencing fertility issues, you may feel lost, confused or like you’re alone amongst millions of happy parents. However, the reality is that statistics show about one in eight people struggle to become pregnant. And unfortunately, they may get all kinds of advice from well-meaning friends or family members, … [Read more...]
Can Environmental Toxins Effect Your Fertility?
Environmental toxins are pretty much everywhere, and over the past several years, the impact of these on humans has grown significantly. Increasing amounts of research are indicating that toxins can have an effect on fertility. That’s the bad news. And to make things worse, there are some toxins that you have no control … [Read more...]
Is Low AMH an Infertility Sentence?
It’s becoming more and more common for patients to ask me about treating low Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH). Let me begin by saying that over the years I have worked with many patients who have had low AMH levels and who have also successfully fallen pregnant naturally. It’s important to know that if you have low AMH levels, … [Read more...]
When Should I Begin Acupuncture Treatments for Fertility?
The other day a patient emailed me to tell me there are thinking about becoming pregnant in the next year, and they want to support their fertility process with acupuncture and Chinese medicine. What she wanted to know is the best time to start acupuncture and Chinese medicine for fertility. I know a lot of you may have the … [Read more...]
What do Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) Levels have to do with Fertility?
It may sound like a mouthful, but something called the anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) plays an important role in the development of a baby’s sex organs in the womb, as well as being a biomarker of ovarian reserve. If you’re trying to become pregnant, your levels of this hormone may provide some valuable information. Here are … [Read more...]
Can the Quality of My Period Affect My Fertility?
Many women who are trying to become pregnant assume that if they’re having regular periods, they’re good to go. However, while having a regular period is a good thing, the quality of your period also has some something to say about your fertility—specifically implantation, which is when an embryo nestles deep into the … [Read more...]
Clomid Vs Letrozole: What’s the Difference?
In a perfect world, deciding to become pregnant should be easy, but in reality, getting pregnant doesn’t always go as planned. If you are contemplating or undergoing fertility treatments, you may be prescribed fertility drugs as a part of that process. Over the past 40 years, the most commonly prescribed drug prescribed for … [Read more...]
The Hidden Side Effect of Infertility Treatments: Stress
Many women undergoing fertility treatments hear about medications and their side effects, various procedures, timing and possible outcomes. However, a topic that is equally important when it comes to assisted fertility procedures is stress. While it’s possible to go through fertility treatments without experiencing a great … [Read more...]
Acupuncture, Help for the Side-Effects of Fertility Medications
Your pregnancy journey is different from that of every other woman. Ideally, it will be easy and trouble-free, but the reality is that though some women are able to conceive with little problem; others may take longer and need help in the form of medical intervention or assisted reproductive techniques. That help often … [Read more...]
What Does FABORM Mean, and What Does it Have to Do With Fertility?
I have these professional designations after my name including R. Ac for Registered Acupuncturist and Dr. TCM for my doctorate in Traditional Chinese Medicine. However, I also carry the designation FABORM, which may be unfamiliar to many people, but also might be really important, especially if you’re trying to become … [Read more...]
How Does Acupuncture Help Fertility?
Many people are discovering that acupuncture can be an effective therapy to support your fertility, whether you’re trying to get pregnant naturally or with the help of assisted reproductive technologies. For some, just knowing that acupuncture can help increase your chances of becoming pregnant is enough to give it a try, … [Read more...]
Nineteen Ways to Enhance Male Fertility
Many people think of fertility as being a woman’s problem, but in about half of couples who are experiencing infertility, a male factor can be the issue. There are number of ways in which male infertility can be a problem; most of which are related to the number and quality of sperm that are produced. For example, low sperm … [Read more...]
3 Smoothies for Fertility
Who doesn’t love a good smoothie? They’re quick, delicious, easy to make, easy to eat, and packed full of healthy goodness. Smoothies are a great way to get a number of nutrients and “superfoods” all in one meal. Plus, if you are as busy as I am, you appreciate the time saving convenience. Most mornings you’ll find me … [Read more...]
Healthy Weight Loss for Fertility
As women, weight can affect our ability to conceive. BMI (body mass index) is an indirect measure of body fat calculated by dividing your weight (in kilograms) by your height (in meters). When trying to conceive, most OBGYNs will tell you that the ideal BMI for women falls somewhere between 20-25. Why? A lot of it has to do … [Read more...]
