According to Statistics Canada, roughly 16% (or 1 in 6) couples in Canada experience infertility. This number has doubled since the 1980s.

At the Somerset Health and Wellness Centre, we are available to help you no matter where you are on your journey to parenthood. All doctors have a special interest in working with parents-to-be and take a holistic approach to helping you achieve a healthy and successful pregnancy.

Whether you are planning a natural conception in the coming year or pursuing IUI or IVF treatments we have many natural treatment options to offer you in order to improve your chances of having a healthy baby.

• Causes of Infertility that can be treated with naturopathic medicine

• What to expect at your naturopathic fertility assessment
  

• Lab testing offered
  

• Treatments offered

Infertility can be traced to either the man or woman, or a combination of both:

3 times out of 10, the cause is in men.
4 times out of 10, the cause is in women.
2 times out of 10, the cause is a mix of factors from both male and female.
1 time out of 10, at first, no specific cause can be found.

Our patients often come to us after being diagnosed with infertility and want to know if we can help. Here are some of the conditions associated with infertility that we treat in our practice:

• Irregular or absent menses
• Sexually transmitted infection (STI)
• Fibroids or polyps in the uterus
• Endometriosis
• Hormonal imbalances
• Sperm antibodies
• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
• Poor sperm quality
• Low sperm count

• Being overweight or underweight
• Chronic illness like diabetes
• Post chemotherapy/radiation
• Chronic Stress
• Recurrent miscarriage
• Candida
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Elevated FSH
• Thin endometrial lining

We collaborate with your family doctor or fertility specialist to review any recent blood tests. We take the time to go through all pertinent blood lab values so you have a solid understanding of your fertility health and any obstacles that need to be addressed. We may recommend additional testing if information is missing.

We will ask you to complete a 7 day diet diary in order to evaluate your diet to make sure it is optimal for conception. We ask that you eliminate all alcohol when trying to conceive. Also, we will be looking at your diet to make sure you have adequate protein, calories and fat. Also, we want to make sure you are not consuming toxins or exposing yourself to allergenic foods

Once all the above information has been gathered we will work out a treatment plan that suits your budget and your lifestyle. No two patients walk away with the same treatment plan – this is specifically designed to meet your fertility needs! Your ND may recommend one or more of the following treatments: Acupuncture, herbal medicine, homeopathy, stress management, diet changes, hydrotherapy, supplementation.

The primary goal of naturopathic treatment is to address the underlying cause of an illness rather than suppressing symptoms. While naturopathic care helps to alleviate symptoms, Naturopathic Doctors are primarily concerned with the “why” rather than the “what.” This unique approach allows you to work with your naturopathic doctor to implement a treatment plan that will help your body achieve and maintain an optimal state of health. No two patients walk away with the same treatment plan – this is specifically designed to meet your fertility needs! Your ND may recommend one or more of the following treatments: Acupuncture, herbal medicine, homeopathy, stress management, diet changes, hydrotherapy, nutritional supplementation.

We collaborate with your family doctor or fertility specialist to review any recent blood tests. If testing has not already been done your ND can request these blood tests as well. We take the time to go through all pertinent blood lab values so you have a solid understanding of your fertility health and any obstacles that need to be addressed. We may recommend additional testing if information is missing.

We will ask you to complete a 7 day diet diary in order to evaluate your diet to make sure it is optimal for conception. We ask that you eliminate all alcohol when trying to conceive. Also, we will be looking at your diet to make sure you have adequate protein, calories and fat. Also, we want to make sure you are not consuming toxins or exposing yourself to allergenic foods

Estradiol is an important form of estrogen. An estradiol test is used to measure a woman’s ovarian function and to evaluate the quality of the eggs. Like FSH, it is done on the third day of a woman’s menstrual cycle.

In women, luteinizing hormone (LH) is linked to ovarian hormone production and egg maturation. In men, it stimulates the hormone testosterone which affects sperm production. An LH test is used to measure a woman’s ovarian reserve (egg supply) and a man’s sperm count. It is done during a woman’s menstrual cycle to see if she is ovulating

Progesterone is a female hormone produced by the ovaries during ovulation. It causes the endometrial lining of the uterus to get thicker, making it receptive for a fertilized egg. A serum progesterone test is used to determine if ovulation is occurring. Since progesterone levels increase towards the end of a woman’s cycle, the test is done during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (just before her period starts).

The hormone prolactin is made by the pituitary gland and causes milk production. In women, a prolactin test is done to find out why they are not menstruating, or why they are having infertility problems or abnormal nipple discharge. The test is done in men when there is a lack of sexual desire, difficulty getting an erection, or if there might be a problem with the pituitary gland.

Testosterone is probably the most well-known androgen and it affects the sexual functioning of both men and women. In men, an androgen test is used to find the cause of a low sex drive, the inability to get an erection, or infertility. In women, it is used to determine the cause of irregular periods or a low sex drive.

In women, this test is used to assess ovarian reserve. This hormone declines as a women approaches menopause

Thyroid hormone levels need to be optimally balanced in order for ovulation to occur and for a healthy pregnancy to be maintained

These B vitamins are essential for proper fetal development. Your ND will often recommend testing prior to conception.

We work with many different labs to get this testing done in the most cost-effective way possible. Here are a few of our lab partners:

• Doctor’s Data
  
• Rocky Mountain Analytical
• Gamma-Dynacare
• Lifelabs