Herbs for Fertility: A Complete Guide
There is nothing worse for most women than having problems conceiving when she is ready to have a baby. We are constantly hearing about young couples who are healthy, in the prime of their lives and have no medical issues, being unable to conceive. When you’re ready to settle down and have the family you’ve always dreamed of having, and then get a diagnosis of infertility it can be devastating. Statistics have shown that one in every eight couples have problems with infertility. That is a daunting number, especially if you are one of those eight couples.
There are, of course, many options out there to deal with infertility, and the diagnosis is not given lightly. Couples go through extensive testing before a diagnosis is even ventured to be made. While there are many options to help with infertility today, herbs for fertility are natural, safe, and have been proven to be effective when taken properly. In this blog, we will talk about the many reasons for infertility and some of the best herbs to help you realize your dream of having a child of your own.
But first, it’s important to know a little about the types of infertility as well. There are two types, primary and secondary infertility.
Primary infertility is a diagnosis made for a couple that has been trying through unprotected intercourse to become pregnant for over a year. Secondary infertility is defined as infertility in a couple that has already had one child but is having problems conceiving another. Your doctor will help you to determine which of the two infertility categories you fall into and help you come up with a treatment plan to help you conceive. Below you can find a few of the top reasons that couples are unable to conceive.
Reasons Some Couples Have a Hard Time Conceiving
The number of couples suffering from infertility today is heartbreaking and though there are options, such as adoption and surrogacy, (options we didn’t have years ago,) most couples want to try everything possible to conceive on their own before turning to those options. Below, we will list a few of the reasons that some couples suffer from infertility issues today.
Ovulation Disorders
There are many factors involved with the ovulation process of the female body, so it’s not something we will try to go into here. Instead, we will just put a list of things that could possibly cause an ovulation disorder.
- Problems in one or several endocrine glands
- Egg health is poor
- Stress
- Nutrition is poor
- Low body weight
- Being obese
- Xenohormones
- Lifestyle choices that were poor
- Using certain medications for long periods of time, including birth control
- It could be a genetic predisposition
Low Sperm Count
According to experts, a normal sperm count is somewhere in the 15 million range, so counts under around 10 million could be a source of infertility in a male. Some of the causes of low sperm count are listed below.
- Poor lifestyle choices, such as smoking, drinking, wearing tight jeans, stress, EMF’s, the environment, and a poor diet
- Genetic predisposition
- Anti-sperm antibodies
- The reproductive organs have been damaged
- A type of illness that results in chemicals like chemotherapy being introduced to the body
Blocked Fallopian Tubes
A blockage in the fallopian tubes can also lead to a diagnosis of infertility. Here are some of the possible causes.
- PID, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, often from some type of STD
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Endometriosis
- Uterine Fibroids
These are just a few of the possible causes for infertility, we will list a few more below for you to do your research on, before we move into a few of the herbs for infertility that may help you to conceive.
Other Possible Causes for Infertility
- Endometriosis
- PCOS
- Poor egg health
- Anti-sperm antibodies
- Your body weight
- Vas Deferens Blockage
- Age
- Combination infertility
- Unexplained infertility, as sometimes there is no reason that can be identified
Infertility or sterility, according to statistics affects over 48 million women worldwide and that number is growing as we speak. Infertility can be damaging, causing depression, being anxious, isolation, and even problems concentrating on daily tasks. Many women are, of course, able to conceive through IVF or by going the surrogacy route, but before they get to that step, most women and their partners want to try everything in their power to conceive the natural way. Also, many of these procedures are very expensive and many couples simply can’t afford them.
Luckily, there are quite a few natural herbs that can help with fertility. There are also some lifestyle changes that can be made to increase your chances of conceiving. We will talk about the lifestyle changes you can make first, then move into the herbs that may help as well.
Lifestyle Changes for Improving Fertility
No matter which fertility avenue you’re exploring, there are a few things about your lifestyle that you might need to consider changing.
Eat Healthier
This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t always eat healthily, you should. However, it’s even more important when you’re trying to conceive. This means not undereating, but not overeating, and not dieting as well. It’s important that your body has all the essential nutrients needed to help you through your pregnancy when you first conceive. This means eating salads, veggies, and plenty of fruits on a daily basis.
Take Walks to Keep Fit
Not only will taking walks keep you fit, without overdoing it, they will also help you relax and help to relieve any stress you’re feeling. Take a walk every night after dinner to help you unwind and clear your head. The more relaxed you are, the easier it will be to conceive when the time comes.
Get a New Hobby
While diet and exercise are important to fertility and increase your chances of conceiving, it’s also important to reduce your stress levels and concentrate on something other than your infertility issues. One way to do that is by getting a new hobby. Whether it’s gardening, joining the local book club or taking up swimming lessons, make a concentrated effort to take your mind off of fertility and put it to good use somewhere else, at least once or twice a week.
Other Possible Lifestyle Changes to Make
- Make sure that you connect with friends during your fertility treatments
- Always take time for and be kind to yourself and your partner
- Practice gentle exercise, not anything too strenuous or tiring
- Never give up hope and know that when the time comes it will happen
These are a few of the lifestyle changes that you should make when you’re going through any type of fertility treatments, whether they are natural herbs or IVF rounds. Now, that we know a bit about infertility and the lifestyle changes you need to make, it’s time to move into the purpose for our blog, natural herbs for fertility.
Natural Herbs for Fertility You Should Know About
After you have made your lifestyle changes, upped your nutrition game, and started charting your best times to conceive, you should consider the following natural herbs to help you along your path.
Stinging Nettle
This is an herb that helps to nourish and tone your uterus, as well as strengthening your body at the same time. It has a high mineral content, so it good for your overall health. Drink it as a tea when you are trying to conceive, so that your body will be strong enough and able to sustain the baby throughout the pregnancy.
Cinnamon
While not an herb, cinnamon is a spice that helps your ovaries to function properly and is said to be effective at increasing fertility. It is best to add one teaspoon of the spice to a cup of hot water, drinking it daily for a few months. It’s also a good idea to sprinkle cinnamon powder on your oatmeal, cereal, and yogurt as well, for added flavor and help.
Red Clover
Both calcium and magnesium are important to a woman’s fertility, and red clover contains both of them. It is said that an overnight infusion of this herb can take a woman from the edge infertility to fertility. It is said to be the single most effective herb for promoting fertility and helping a woman to conceive.
Chaste Tree Berry
Chaste Tree Berry stimulates ovulation but is better taken in a capsule or in a tincture, since as a tea it would probably be too bitter to drink. It has also been used for years as a way to balance hormones.
Maca Root
Maca root is known to contain nutrients and minerals that increase fertility in both males and females. This herb can be taken in pill form or used as a powder that is sprinkled over foods or added to smoothies. Make sure that you stop taking this herb as soon as you find out you’re pregnant, as it’s not known what effect it has on an unborn child.
Pomegranate
Believe it or not, though it’s not an herb, pomegranate is said to increase fertility in women as well. It does this by increasing the blood flowing to the uterus and then hardening the uterine wall, which lessens the chance of a miscarriage occurring. It is important to note that the dose you take should be adjusted carefully so as not to cause adverse effects to occur. Drinking pomegranate juice and eating the seeds is also a good way to increase fertility.
These are a few of the herbs that are said to be effective at increasing fertility and their descriptions. Below we will put a list of other herbs and natural ways to increase your fertility so that you can research them and see which the best choice for your needs is.
Other Herbs and Natural Ways to Increase Fertility
- Black Cohosh
- Mother Wort
- White Peony
- False Unicorn Root
- Red Raspberry
- Ladies Mantle
- Dong Quai
- Yarrow
- Shepherds Purse
- Evening Primrose Oil
- Turmeric
- Ashwagandha
- Dates
- Vitamin D
- Banyan Tree Roots
- Yoga
- Eating right and exercising
These are of course only a few of the herbs and natural remedies that you can try to increase your and your partner’s fertility. It’s important to note that none of these should be taken without first contacting your doctor. Even though most of these are natural, it is possible to have allergic reactions. If you notice any reactions to any of these items, stop use right away, and make an appointment with your doctor for help. If these herbs and natural remedies don’t work for you, there are other options to conceive out there. It’s important that you get the help you need, both physically and emotionally during this stressful time.
There are other tips out there to increase fertility as well. Such as, laying off the fast food and making sure to have intercourse every other day during your fertile cycle, and charting your fertility. All of these are good things to do, as well as taking the herbs and making lifestyle changes. However, what is also important to note is that if you’re super-stressed it is going to be less likely that you conceive until you get your stress levels under control.
If you are overly stressed or find yourself becoming depressed, you need to make an appointment with your primary health care provider for help and to see what can be done to get you back on track. Everyone deserves to have a child of their own, and it is possible, sometimes it just takes a little bit of help to accomplish.
This concludes our blog on herbs for fertility, a complete guide to help you along. Until next time, stay healthy and good luck!
Sources:
- VKOOL: List of 15 Best Herbs for Fertility
- Top 10 Home Remedies: Home Remedies for Female Infertility
- National Fertility Info: Top 10 Causes of Infertility