Fertility is a crossroads of mysticism, science, religion, psychology and medicine. I come to this practice with more than dollars in my eyes. With two infertile stepmothers and an adopted brother 25 years my junior, (in)fertility been in my life for many years. Plus, lets be honest – I’m a 37 year old nulliparous woman. Why do you think I am so passionate about knowing the ins and outs of how to get pregnant! (My time will come when I will be sitting in the patient chair.)
My approach to fertility is twofold. First and Foremost, the monthly cycle must be optimized. Good quality blood, clear fertile fluid, effective ovulation, and strong luteal phases all provide a premium conception opportunity. Chinese medicine is brilliant at working with each of these phases. Eastern medicine has a way of understanding the body’s intersections of physical/mental/emotional/hormonal health in harmonized, century old patterns. Phrases like Liver Qi Stagnation and Heart Fire sound so much easier to embrace than a luteal phase defect. So, using nutrition, acupuncture and chinese herbs we set out to smooth and tonify the monthly cycle to set the stage for conception.
The second half of the work is the mysterious part. It is helping women access that intangible quality of uterine receptivity. It is finding the balance between living the daily life of a healthy adult and becoming a vessel for an unborn possibility. The mystery of fertility comes in symbols and half thoughts and an inherent feeling. It lies tangled in childhood preconceptions of womanhood, success, career, family, and production. It is in the crux between your sexuality and personality. Alot of my work is helping you find yourself. To find your own balance and your own mystery, is to unlock your own secret (fertile) chamber.
There are many tools that can be used to dissolve obstacles encountered along the way. For example, herbs for PCOS, supplements for endometriosis, homeopathy for anxiety, counseling for stress reduction, massage therapy for relaxation. This is where the individualized nature of Naturopathic Medicine comes into play. Few women will receive the same treatment, as few women will have exactly the same picture. As a ND, I also promote the scientific basis of fertility – doing bloodwork and ultrasounds to rule in and out hormonal imbalances, uterine dysfunction and sperm motility issues are integral to understanding difficult conception. If we know what the mechanisms are, it unravels the mystery that much more.
I have a special passion for fertility medicine. It speaks to the alchemist and doctor and midwife in me. It gives me hope for my own potential to conceive, and inspires me. I am grateful for the women who have taught me their secrets and trusted me with their mysteries. We are all fertile in our hearts and minds, every one of us.
