Different Kinds Of Herbal Supplements For Fertility

Some women often turn to herbal and natural ways to enhance fertility or to increase their chances of conception. Whether it be because they are not quite at the 1 year mark and are trying to help things along so they don't have to resort to fertility drugs, or if they just don't want to do fertility drugs period, or they are taking a break from the fertility drugs, or, like me, trying something to fill in the time until we can afford an IUI, it has become a very common and often times successful route.

I don't have statistics on success rates so you guys will just have to use good old google for that one, but I can give you a list of some of the most commonly used herbs/supplements women have been using while TTC.

Vitex/Chasteberry- Very popular fertility herb. Often used to regulate hormonal imbalances and is especially helpful for those with PCOS.

Maca-(For men and women)- Great for increasing sex drive, regulating hormones, and increasing energy levels. Supports thyroid function, sexual function, can improve sperm count and motility, and is very safe. MUST be the root as that is the beneficial part for fertility.

Royal Jelly- a substance secreted by nurse worker bee glands helps to balance hormones and support the endocrine system. Royal Jelly has been shown to mimic human estrogen which may help if you suffer from low estrogen. Also may strengthen uterine lining.

Dong Quai- Used as a health tonic for many generations in Asia, this is used for overall health of the uterus and regulating menstrual cycles. Also helps with stress relief. Women with endometriosis can also use this for pain relief associated with endo especially when mixed with Chasteberry, Black Cohosh, or Ginseng.

Red Clover Blossom- Very good for women with endometriosis. High vitamins and protein help with the uterus. Also high in calcium and magnesium which relaxes the nervous system. Also can help with fibroids and balancing hormones. 

Red Raspberry Leaf- Tones the uterus and pelvic muscles. Try mixing with Red Clover to enhance results. 

Evening Primrose Oil (EPO)- Has anti-inflammatory properties which helps with PMS, menopause, breast pain, cramps and it's best known for improving cervical mucus. Taken only from menstruation to ovulation.

Black Cohosh- Used to help stimulate ovulation. Taken only from end of menstruation to ovulation. 

Ginger Root- Aids in moving blood to organs. Reduces cramping and can help with ovarian cysts and endometriosis. 

Flaxseed Oil-(For men and women) Perfect for not only fertility, but overall health. Helps keep sperm healthy and helps improve the uterine lining and helps stabilize estrogen and progesterone. 

On top of these herbs, you can buy pills that contain combinations of these herbs for specific reasons. For example, I'll be using FertileCM while hubby tries Maca. There are a ton of different kinds that you can find either here  or  here for just about anything.

Clomid (Clomiphene citrate)

What is Clomid?

Clomid, Serophene, or Clomiphene citrate (it's all the same drug) is an ovulation inducing medication and is one the first treatments given to women who are having trouble conceiving due to ovulatory issues. It's a well known, relatively cheap and effective fertility drug and stimulates ovulation about 80% of the time.

How do I take it?

It's taken as a pill starting anywhere from CD2-CD9 for 5 days (the days you start it depend on your doctor and your response to Clomid). Take it at the same time everyday you take it and I recommend taking it at night before bed to cut down on some of the side effects. Typically, you will take Clomid for 6 cycles and if unsuccessful, move on to other treatment options.

How does it work?

Clomid blocks the estrogen receptors in your brain. It tricks your body into thinking you don't have enough estrogen. Your body then goes into overload and tries to produce more estrogen by producing more gonadotropin releasing hormone or GnRH (GnRH is what stimulates FSH and LH) therefore stimulating the production of FSH. FSH or follicle stimulating hormone is what is needed to ripen the eggs. In a nutshell, Clomid tricks your body into producing more FSH to encourage more follicle growth and more LH to push the eggs out.

Who benefits from Clomid use?

Typically women who are having ovulation problems. Either not ovulating all together or ovulating too late in a cycle.

How do I know I'm ovulating?

Charting! One of the easiest ways to see if you are ovulating is to chart your basal body temperature (BBT). If you're charting and not noticing a clear biphasic pattern, bring your charts to show your doctor. You may not be ovulating.

What dosage will I take?

Typically you'll start at 50mg if it's your very first time taking Clomid (if you've taken it before and know 50mg doesn't work, they will start you on whatever worked for you last time). It goes up in increments of 50 until 200mg. The lowest dose needed is recommended because the higher the dosage, the more it can make your mucus hostile to sperm and cause uterine lining issues.

What are the side effects?

Side effects on Clomid aren't THAT bad but they aren't exactly pleasant. The number 1 side effect I get and that people I know who have taken it have gotten is hot flashes. Oh the hot flashes! It seems to be the general consensus around the internet too. And this also seems to be the one that hangs around the longest (I think I had hot flashes for 3 months after 3 rounds of Clomid). Side effects include:

• Hot flashes
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Hostile cervical mucus
• Mood Swings
• Headaches
• Tender breasts
• Hyperstimulation (OHSS)
• Twins

Did you just write twins as a side effect?

Yes, but it's not really a side effect. It's more like a slight possibility. You have about a 10% chance of having multiples while on Clomid.

How successful is Clomid?

Clomid will get women to ovulate 80% of the time. About 40%-45% will get pregnant in 6 cycles of use.

Clomid Use In Men

Men can also take Clomid to raise testosterone levels and therefore sperm counts. Read more about it here.

All About Sperm

One of the easiest tests to have done when you've been trying unsuccessfully to conceive is to have your husband do a semen analysis (SA). Compared to what women have to go through to be tested for infertility, this is a breeze, but, many men aren't thrilled with it. I say to those men, suck it up, get it done, and find out if your sperm are ok because your wife will go through a lot more and worse tests than masturbating into a cup!

Here's what you need to know about SA:

How is it done?

• You will be told to avoid having sex for anywhere from 2-5 days to make sure your sperm count is at it's highest. After the timeframe they give you, you go to your doctor and are brought to either a private room or a bathroom to produce your semen sample. Sometimes, if you live close enough, they will allow you to collect at home and bring it in but it is recommended to produce at the office. If you collect at home, it must be at the clinic or lab within 1 hour and kept warm and out of sunlight in the meantime.

• Once you are in the room you will produce a sample through masturbating into a sterile cup they provide for you. Producing through masturbation is the most recommended way of testing for infertility. This way nothing can skew the results. If you're testing for sperm count after a vasectomy or after a vasectomy reversal, you are sometimes given the option to have sex but pull out before ejaculating or by using a special condom the doctor will provide for you to collect semen.

• After you've collected your sample, you hand it off to a nurse or put it in a heated storage area. They will give you full instructions on what to do after since time is of the essence.

What does it show?

• Volume: How much semen is in one ejaculation. (Normal is 2-5 mL)

• Sperm Count: How many sperm are present per 1 milliliter (mL) of semen in one ejaculation. (Normal is 20 million per mL or more. 0 if the man has had a vasectomy)

• Sperm Motility: The percentage of sperm that can move forward normally. (Normal is more than 50% showing normal forward movement after an hour)

• Sperm Morphology: The percentage of sperm that have a normal shape. (Normal is more than 30% having a normal shape)

• Liquefaction Time: The time it takes for semen to liquefy (Normal is about 20-30 minutes after ejaculation).

• pH: Measure of the low pH (acidity)or high pH (alkalinity) of the semen. (Normal is 7.1-8.0)

• White Blood Cell Count: They are normally no white blood cells in semen. (Normal is none present)

• Fructose Level: The amount of sugar in the semen that provides energy for the sperm.

What if something comes back abnormal?

• If your SA comes back abnormal they may send you for another to double check the results. They may also run other tests such as measuring the hormones testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), or prolactin. If the sperm count or motility is especially low, a biopsy of the testicles may be performed.

• Further testing includes sperm penetration (test to see if sperm can penetrate a hamster egg), testing for the presence of sperm anti-bodies, or a post coital test.

What causes sperm issues?

• Severe injury to the testicles,  orchitis, varicocele, Klinefelter syndrome, radiation treatment to the testicles, or diseases that can cause shrinking (atrophy) of the testicles (such as mumps).

Checking Your Cervix

One of the easiest ways to tell if you're in your fertile phase is by checking your cervix. Don't worry, it's not as difficult as you think and once you start doing it, it'll become second nature.

• Check your cervix at the same time every day. (It can be naturally lower at night which is why it is important to check at the same time every day).
• Wash your hands first! You certainly don't want to get an infection.
• Find the position that works for you. It can be sitting on the toilet, putting a leg up on the toilet or tub or even squatting.
• You'll find your cervix at the very "top" of your vagina. It's best to first start checking your cervix after your period because it will be at it's lowest and easiest to find. It may not be exactly straight up (mine is more to the left) but with a little searching and practice you'll find it right away. It will feel different from the rest of your vagina being a bit harder and smoother.
• During non fertile times, your cervix will be low, firm, and closed. As you get closer to ovulation, your cervix starts to rise and get softer. It is considered most fertile when it is high, soft, and open(HSO).  The best explanation I've heard is when it is firm, it feels like the tip of your nose. When it is soft, it feels more like pressing on your lip.
• You'll also notice more fertile cervical mucus when it is HSO. Checking  your cervical fluid while checking your cervix is like killing two birds with one stone. I always check my cervical fluid before I pee and then empty my bladder and then check my cervix. I've found that my cervix is much higher when my bladder is full and can give misleading results.
• Don't expect to start checking your cervix and have it all figured out the first month you try it. It may take a few months to get the hang of it and it's best when you check your cervix while temping or using OPKs. You can even use a ferning test (More on that later!)
• Don't be alarmed if you find your cervix always feels a bit open. Especially if you already have a child. You will still be able to tell the difference between non fertile and fertile times.
• Avoid checking your cervix during or after sex because your cervix can move around based on your level of arousal.

Well, You Already Have One...

Ah, people can be so charming can't they? If you are TTC your second child (whether you had an easy or difficult time with the first) and are having a difficult time conceiving, this little gem comes up often. People think that just because we have one child, our goal is complete or that we should not even want another because we already got what we wanted. But it goes so much deeper than that. How can you explain to someone that your family isn't complete? Especially if that person has had no problem conceiving their 245366564 kids. 

Simply put? Tell them to stick it. They are never going to understand what your complete family will feel like to you and they will never understand the tears, the money, the hormones (gawd the hormones!), the disappointment, the procedures, the tests, and the frustration we endure to make our families "complete" (And let's not forget the downright soul crushing sight of those people having 2455467357 kids).

It's hard to explain to anyone who doesn't truly understand what you are going through how it makes you feel and sometimes, people say things that are meant with good intentions, but come out terribly wrong (most notably family and close friends). And then there are the people who don't even care to try to see how it makes you feel and say things out of genuine stupidity not giving a care of how it could affect you. 

Try explaining to the people with good intentions that your family just isn't complete with one baby. Make them understand that it's just a feeling you have that you "aren't done" and try to see if they can relate to the feeling of being done or not done. That will be the easiest way to make the people who care about you understand.

For the other people...

There's really no hope. We haven't found a cure for stupidity yet and it's not looking like we will ;)

I'm Sure We All Have Felt This Way

Let's Get This Started!

WELCOME!

This is the place to soak up all the information you want/need about trying to conceive (TTC).

My facebook page on TTC wouldn't allow me any permanent documents to help with the flow of easily accessible information (guess I should have done a group maybe) so here is where you will find it!

Good luck to everyone and *~BABY DUST~*