With rates of fertility struggles on the rise, it’s an important topic that I’m passionate about giving love & attention to.

Conventional providers typically begin fertility work-up once a patient is outside of the “normal” widow of trying - 1 year if under 35 and 6 months if older. Alternative medicine providers may not jump to extensive work-up until this point, however prefer to start working on general health and fertility optimization as soon as possible.

Optimizing the health of future mom & dad can help to optimize the outcomes of the pregnancy and future baby’s health. This can look like -

• Labs to assess for blood sugar dysregulation, thyroid disorder, nutrient deficiencies, hormone imbalance

• Identifying & treating health complaints of any kind, but particularly those relating to reproduction - irregular cycles, heavy/painful periods, PMS, thyroid disorder

• Optimizing foundations of health - stress management, sleep, nutrition, physical activity

For those with conditions that increase likelihood for fertility issues (i.e. PCOS), or for those who have been trying for several months, additional care often includes -

• Comprehensive hormone evaluation

• Imaging to assess for structural abnormalities

• Semen analysis to rule out male factor infertility

I prefer to see both the male & female when it comes to fertility because as we know, it takes two to tango!