Infertility
There are several factors that conventional approaches often do not address.
There is more effective and affordable help available than you may realize.
Infertility is a difficult, and increasing problem. With so much of the focus of "reproductive health" over the past 60 years having been on how to disrupt or end fertility, much about how to preserve and restore fertility has been largely ignored. And, when a couple has been trying to conceive without success, the label "unexplained infertility" is commonly applied, and a fast track to IVF or other artificial reproductive technologies, which are financially and ethically out of consideration for many couples, is unfortunately often recommended.
Infertility is usually a sign that there is imbalance throughout several systems in the body.
As a functional medicine provider for many years, I know that often a "one size (or drug) fits all" approach is often applied to complex health problems to minimal positive effect, and unresolved root causes.
As a NaPro provider, I understand that there are many biomarkers in a woman's Creighton chart that reveal potential causes of infertility, such as: limited cervical mucus, signs of poor corpus luteum function, signs of chronic endometrial infection, signs of low progesterone, etc) and how to address them. NaPro Technology works with the woman's cycle, uses only real hormones properly timed to the cycle, and many other tools to improve health and restore the reproductive potential. Male factor infertility (LEARN MORE) must also be considered.
~ BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth July 2021
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8265110
Natural procreative technology for infertility and recurrent miscarriage
~ Canadian Family Physician, May 2012
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3352813
Functional medicine approaches are root-cause based, lifestyle focused, and address common nutrient deficiencies and system imbalances that lead to better health and therefore improved reproductive health and fertility.
Functional Fertility, Pregnancy, and Fetal Health
~ An Interview with Dr. Leslie Stone, MD, IFMCP, family practice and surgical OB.
https://www.ifm.org/news-insights/functional-fertility-pregnancy-and-fetal-health
Addressing the Underlying Causes of Infertility with Dr. Elizabeth Boham
https://drhyman.com/blog/2020/06/11/podcast-hc14/
"Vitamin A plays an important role in your reproductive system. Vitamin A deficiency can lead to trouble conceiving and infertility."
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23107-vitamin-a-deficiency
A hidden cause of infertility in hypothyroid patients
~ Clinical Case Reports, Feb 2020
"Methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene mutations could be the cause of infertility in hypothyroid patients. Hence, it is worthy to screen for MTHFR gene mutations in infertile hypothyroid females and their partners if infertility persists after optimizing thyroid function."
Iron status in women with infertility and controls: a case-control study
"Ferritin levels <30µg/L were associated with unexplained infertility and might be screened in the future. Further studies with a focus on iron deficiency and iron treatment on women with unexplained infertility are warranted."
These are just a few examples (there are too many to list here!) of the many nutritional and other factors to consider that IVF does not address, or even look for, and that affect a woman's health beyond fertility.
Keep learning!
In my experience, functional medicine and NaPro Technology used together for infertility and other reproductive health problems are a match made in heaven!
Both modalities have root-cause thinking, seek to actually heal and restore systemic imbalance (not just manage symptoms and health decline), and both seek to work with natural physiology and needs. Yet, although there is some overlap with these two approaches, there are unique aspects to each that are not fully addressed by the other. So I use both whenever possible (2-3 cycles of Creighton charting are needed prior to initiating NaPro care for infertility).
If a couple has not conceived after using functional medicine and medical NaPro approaches, I will work with them to refer them to a NaPro surgeon, if desired, where tools such as near-contact diagnostic laparoscopy, pelvioplasty, wedge resection, selective hysterosalpingogram (assessing the fallopian tubes one at a time, measuring pressures, to determine if tubes are completely obstructed or just partially blocked with debris which can be cleared with transcervical catheterization of the fallopian tubes), and other unique NaPro surgical approaches may be used as appropriate. These procedures evaluate and treat underlying causes of infertility such as endometriosis, blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, enlarged ovaries, distorting and damaging adhesions, chronic endometritis, etc.
Pelvic surgery can cause adhesions which can further threaten fertility, but NaPro surgeons always employ extremely effective anti-adhesive techniques including surgical Goretex protocols, and have a meticulous focus on restoring fertility, even in unusual cases. The nearest NaPro surgeons to the Palouse are in Colorado, Texas, and Nebraska. However, some are licensed for virtual consultation in Idaho and Washington, so often only one trip would need to be made. Additionally, even with travel costs, the cost of medical and/or surgical NaPro care is generally a fraction of the cost of IVF and other ART, no second mortgage needed, with better outcomes: comparable or higher live birth rates than IVF, better health for the mother, and lower rate of prematurity, low birth weight, and other obstetric complications for babies, and no ethical concerns about managing embryos in frozen storage or in "reductions" (abortions) of multiple implanted embryos. Throughout the infertility evaluation and treatment process, NaPro providers maintain focus on respecting the dignity of the mother, the father, and any children who may result from this care.
Even with the very best treatment, not all couples will be able to conceive.
However, with functional medicine and NaPro (medical, and sometimes surgical NaPro), it is very rare for the underlying cause to not be found. Therefore, "unexplained infertility" is not a term that is used by NaPro providers.
Most importantly, even if the underlying cause cannot ultimately be resolved to the degree that fertility and conception result, the health of the woman should be in a better place after functional medicine and after NaPro approaches are used. Even if conception does not occur, the woman's hormonal, metabolic, mental, immune, and gastrointestinal health is always anticipated to be in a better place after these interventions. This is because underlying imbalances are investigated and addressed, not "skipped over."
OUTCOMES:
So far, since beginning to utilize my NaPro training in spring of 2022, and using functional medicine tools focused on reproductive health issues, I have had infertility patients who conceived (and delivered healthy term babies or are currently pregnant) after the following types of medical (not surgical) interventions:
Proper hormone evaluation and properly timed luteal phase support
Correcting hypothyroidism and addressing autoimmunity
Antibiotic treatment for bleeding pattern on Creighton chart suspicious for chronic endometritis
Mucus enhancement after Creighton chart revealed limited mucus
Correcting abnormal cycles
Diet changes
Correcting abnormally low ferritin, Vit D insufficiency, elevated prolactin (possibly caused by anti-depressants which were able to be stopped after proper luteal phase support and correcting other imbalances; prolactin normalized after stopping the anti-depressants)
As you may realize by now, this work takes time, dedication, and patience on the part of the patient and the provider, and is not done in 20 minute appointments. But, the results have been truly wonderful, as you can see here.
Holding this beautiful baby girl was one recent celebration:
How do I get started?
Email office@functionalfertilitynw.com to schedule.
Functional medicine tools can be used from the very first visit, but in order to use medical NaPro for infertility, we first need 2-3 cycles of Creighton charting, which you can learn more about here. You can get started with Creighton charting prior to scheduling a medical visit; any NaPro medical or surgical provider will require you to have 2-3 cycles of Creighton charting, as it is the basis of all NaPro Technology care.
Creighton visits are educational, not medical, and are offered in the FFNW office through the nationally accredited FertilityCare Center: FertilityCare of the Palouse. There are also other experienced Creighton instructors who work virtually if your distance from Moscow makes virtual visits more feasible. You can also look to www.creightonmodel.org for more information and other FertilityCare centers.
Most of my infertility patients end up using both modalities, functional medicine and NaPro Technology.
What if there is more ~ much more ~ to be considered and addressed on the difficult journey of infertility?
I didn't think these approaches would actually lead to us holding our baby boy. ~MR
We are still on our journey, but my health is already improved - no painful periods, no feeling horrible and depressed for a week or more before my period starts, and no more stomach pain. ~JH