There are many herbs that can assist with increasing fertility. However, before starting any alternative medical therapy, it is best to consult with your doctor, or health care professional to make sure that there are no interactions or concerns with any medications that you may currently be taking. None of the information provided here should be considered Medical Advice. For more information about herbs, vitamins, and minerals see your local herbalist, or do your own research.

Herbs

DON QUAI - DANG QUAI This is considered a hormone regulator. It will assist in regulating the menstrual cycle. It is usually best to take it in conjunction with other hormone regulators and uterine stimulants. This should not be taken if you are pregnant, as it may cause a miscarriage and possible birth defects. If your menstrual cycle is not regular, you can take Don Quai from the first day of your cycle until ovulation. Once you have ovulated it is best to stop taking this if there is a chance that you could be pregnant. Another thing to note is that in a few individuals Don Quai can cause photosensitivity. Usually this reaction will occur in 24 hours of the first dose. It contains vitamins A, E, and B12.

Evening Primrose Oil This will assist in creating a more sperm friendly cervical fluid. Many women that are taking Clomid to assist with achievement of pregnancy will have a decline in their cervical fluid. This will make the sperm's ability to live long enough to fertilize the egg very difficult. To alleviate this problem a daily dose of EPO of at least 1500 IU or higher, is suggested. EPO can be found at most health food stores, and can also be purchased at the Herb Store on this site. Another remedy for a lack of EWCM (egg white cervical mucus) is to take 2 teaspoons of Robitussin tm three or four times a day from cycle day 5 to 15 or until you ovulate. This must be the plain Robitussin tm, with just the expectorant (guaifenesin) as the active ingredient.

Green Tea Green tea is a great antioxidant. It will assist the body to rid itself of free radicals which can damage cells. By drinking at least one cup of green tea a day you will assist your body in the production of healthier eggs.

Red Raspberry Leaf Tea If you get cramps every month and would like to stop taking pain medication, then start drinking this tea. You can drink this tea all the time and it is especially good for those suffering from nausea and vomiting by adding a little cream to the tea. This will not effect pregnancy and there is no need to discontinue the use of it. (It may also aid in the avoidance of a miscarriage.)

Vitex - Chaste Tree Berries This is one of the herbs that will help to balance a woman's hormones. Vitex is used in endometriosis treating herbal remedies to help balance the estrogen and progesterone. Vitex is also one of the herbs listed under the miscarriage preventatives. If your cycles are anovulatory I would highly recommend taking this herb.

Herbs to avoid during pregnancy!! The herbs listed below should be avoided during pregnancy because they can cause miscarriage, or possibly birth defects. This is not a complete list, please consult your Doctor or Herbalist for more information.

Black Cohosh and Blue Cohosh These are to be avoided until the last two weeks of pregnancy, and then taken only in very small doses. They are uterine stimulants and will cause contractions. DO NOT TAKE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF PREGNANCY!!!!!!!!
Pennyroyal, Ginger, Don Quai, Licorice, Fenugreek and many more can cause adverse reactions in the uterus during pregnancy, especially in the early stages. Many cause contractions or bleeding.

Herbs to help avoid a miscarriage. For those of you that have suffered a miscarriage in the past and are wanting to help keep this from happening again in the future, herbs are a great resource. Some of the herbs that can help are listed below. Please remember that herbs will not always stop a miscarriage, but it is better to try then to sit back and do nothing.
Vitex, False Unicorn Root, Cramp Bark, Red Raspberry Leaves, and Wild Yam Root.

Vitamins

Vitamin E Oil Not enough can be said for Vitamin E Oil. A study conducted at Johns Hopkins showed that when women were given 800 IU of Vitamin E daily for two and a half months they showed an increase in their libido, a normalized menstrual cycle, and brought the progesterone and estrogen ratios into balance. Other studies have shown that Vitamin E Oil helps the body to use other Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs. Vitamin E Oil seems to be like Vitamin C, good for your body in more ways then one! I recommend this for both the woman and man.

Vitamin C Are you drinking your Orange Juice every day? OJ is a great source of Vitamin C. Each person should get at least 500 mg of Vitamin C daily. Vitamin C will strengthen blood vessel walls, helps to bind cells together, speeds healing of wounds, and of course it also helps to fight off infections.

Folic Acid If you are not taking a prenatal vitamin, you may not be getting enough Folic Acid. Folic Acid is needed in the manufacture of genetic material. Folic Acid is needed to help prevent spinal birth defects. You should make sure that your prenatal or multi-vitamin has at least 400mcg of Folic Acid. Even if you are not pregnant yet, you should be taking the Folic Acid daily for at least three months before you conceive. This is a very important vitamin for you and for your unborn baby.

Vitamin B12 This is another vitamin that helps in the manufacture of genetic material, and helps in the formation of red blood cells. Vitamin B12 is found in all animal products, and unless you are a strict vegetarian, you are probably getting enough of this vitamin. This vitamin is usually found in prenatal and multi vitamins and no extra of it needs to be taken unless directed by your doctor.

Minerals

Calcium Yes, you should be drinking your milk, eating your yogurt, and indulging in ice cream! Getting the calcium you need is easy to do. Another great source of calcium is TUMS! Calcium is needed for bone development and is needed in slightly greater amounts in pregnant women.

Zinc Men that have lowered sperm counts (and in general) should be taking extra Zinc. Men should be getting at least 25mg daily of Zinc. It helps in balancing a man's testosterone level and the hormones that signal sperm production.

Iron Iron is needed for healthy blood. An iron supplement is sometimes needed during pregnancy, but the best sources of iron include meat, liver, legumes, and green leafy veggies. Do not take additional amounts of iron unless you have been directed to do so by your doctor. Just eating correctly should give you the needed amount of iron.

Thank you for visiting this page and taking the time to learn a little more about some of the more important herbs, vitamins and minerals that are needed to stay healthy and fertile. If you have additional information that you would like to see listed here, please contact the webmaster. If you have questions about any herb, vitamin, or mineral that is not listed here, please ask your local herbalist or contact the webmaster for additional information. Remember that the information listed here is for educational purposes only. Nothing listed here should be considered medical advice. The webmaster is not a medical professional.

All information contained in this web site is for informational purposes only.
Do not consider the information herein to be of a diagnostic nature.
Always consult your health care professional if you have any health concerns.