New Year, Time For New Options Pt. I

With 2004 here, it may be time for you and your partner to explore your treatment options. There are several different types of treatments that you and your partner can explore, but before trying any of them you should consult with your doctor to make sure that there are no medical reasons that you shouldn't try the methods. Also keep in mind that I am not a medical professional, and I am only presenting my opinion in this article.

Non-Invasive Treatment Options

There are several non-invasive treatment options that you and your partner can try. The first treatment option may seem fairly elementary, but as the saying goes "Timing is everything", literally. If you are not having intercourse when the woman is nearing ovulation or just after ovulation has occurred, you can't conceive. Now would be a great time to invest in a Basal Body Thermometer and the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler.

If you know that you are having intercourse at the correct time, but still have not conceived after 8 to 12 months of trying, you might want to consider therapy or counseling. This might seem like it is coming out of left field, but many couples that have no known reason for their inability to conceive have been successful after counseling. The mind works in mysterious ways, and if you or your partner have unresolved issues from childhood, or even previous relationships, that could be the only thing that is keeping you from conceiving.

Maybe you or your partner have been diagnosed as having either a low sperm count, poor motility, a lack of ovulation, or irregular cycles. Whatever the problem, as long as it is not a physical condition (blocked tubes, scar tissue, etc.) there are several non-invasive alternative treatment options available to you and your partner.

Herbs have always been on the top of my list as an alternative treatment for infertility, as well as treating many other things like colds, rashes, burns, cuts, and so on. Herbs are the Earth's natural medicines, and they should be treated just like any other medication –

Another option that I strongly recommend is TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). This usually includes some combination of herbal remedies, acupuncture or acupressure, dietary, and lifestyle changes. TCM is especially beneficial for those that are dealing with unexplained infertility.

TCM is a method of healing the entire body, and works towards bringing it back into balance. To help better explain this, if a woman were to see a TCM practioner, she would be fully examined and asked several questions about her diet, lifestyle, medications she is taking, stresses she is under, and other questions that may not seem relevant to her "infertility" condition. The practioner then prescribes herbs, acupuncture, dietary, lifestyle changes or a combination of these to help her bring her body back into balance. For a better explanation of TCM and how it relates to treating infertility, I strongly recommend that you read the book "The Infertility Cure" by Randine Lewis, Ph. D.

Other non-invasive options include quitting smoking, eating a balanced diet, getting more exercise, and if you are over or under weight, bringing your weight back to a recommended level. You also might want to take the Introduction to Infertility course that is available at Suite University. This course will inform you about suspecting, diagnosing, and testing for infertility, discuss different doctors, and treatment options including alternative treatment options.

The next article in this series will explore some low-tech treatment options that you may want to explore.

Author: Debbi Secaur
Published on: January 11, 2004 at Suite101.com

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