Track your health and
nutrition the easy way.

There are several different ways women can increase their fertility. Women can use vitamins and herbal supplements, change their diet, and use prescription medications. Lets take a look at some examples and the pros and cons of each.

Remember, always talk to your doctor before using any vitamins or herbs.

Vitamins

Folic Acid (Folate) - General improvements in fertility, and this miracle vitamin also staves off some birth defects like spina bifida when taken during pregnancy. Take 400mcg daily.

Vitamin A - Vitamin A is needed in the conversion of cholesterol to sex hormones. Without vitamin A, the outer covering of ovaries in women, and the prostate gland in men stops producing mucus and sex hormones. The covering hardens (no mucus) and cannot function properly (no sex hormones). A domino effect comes into action and your whole reproductive system is in danger. Because of this, men's sperm count can decrease, and women's fertility can go down if they are not eating enough A. Women can experience a reduction in sexual desire, lower fertility, and more problems with the delivery of their children. Please note: you should only supplement your Vitamin A intake during the first half of each cycle, and stop taking the supplement when you get pregnant.

Vitamin B6 - General improvements in fertility. Take 50mg daily.

Vitamin C - Vitamin C helps women on the fertility drug clomiphene (Clomid) increase their chances of conceiving. Take 500mg daily.

Zinc - Helps the body use estrogen and progesterone more efficiently. Found in meat, seafood, and whole grain breads. Take 50mg daily.

Vitamin E - Experts aren't sure why this vitamin aids in fertility, but couples undergoing IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) experience a 10% increase in the chances of success when both partners are on Vitamin E. Do not take this vitamin if you are taking anti-coagulants. Take 400 IU daily.

Herbal Supplements

Red Raspberry - Whether taken by tincture, pill or capsule, or in the form of tea, red raspberry helps to tone uterine muscles, making contractions during labor more effective and decreasing the chances of complications during labor. It also helps constipation. Red raspberry should not be taken during pregnancy, except near term and only under a doctor's supervision, as it can cause labor.

Evening Primrose Oil - This wildflower helps improve the quality of cervical mucus, making it easier for sperm to survive and travel through the cervical mucus to the egg. This is especially helpful for women who are dry by nature or who have very acidic or thick cervical mucus. It increases the quantity of "egg white" cervical mucus that is a sign of ovulation and is essential to conception. Take 1500-3000mg daily from menstruation to ovulation, and do not take it after ovulation until you menstruate again. Evening primrose oil should not be taken during pregnancy, except near term and only under a doctor's supervision, as it can cause labor.

Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) - Red clover helps especially if there is scaring of the fallopian tubes, irregular menses, abnormal cells in the reproductive tract, or "unexplained" infertility. It make take several months of use to take full effect. This flower is common along roads and in fields, has a bright pink flower, and shows up in mid-summer and lasts until mid-fall. Harvest the blossoms and dry them. Place 1 ounce (by weight) of the dried blossoms in a quart size canning jar. Fill the jar to the top with boiling water, close the lid tightly, and let steep overnight. Drink 1-4 cups daily.

Partridge Berry (Mitchella repens) - Fill a small jar with the leaves of this plant. Fill to the top with apple cider vinegar, and use wax paper and a rubber band as a lid. Make sure to label and date the jar. Let steep at least 6 weeks, then use the vinegar in salad dressings or vegetables.

Liferoot (Senecio aureus) - Senecia jacobea and Senecio vulgaris can be used as substitutes. These herbs will regulate hormone production, increase libido, normalize the menses, relieve menstrual pain, and improve fertility. Use only the flowers and leaves from this potent herb! Place the desired amount of herbs into a jar and fill the jar with 80-100 proof vodka or rum. Seal tightly with a lid and place in a paper bag or other dark place. Steep at least 2 weeks, shaking the jar to mix every day. Drain into another jar after at least 2 weeks through a cheesecloth, squeezing the herbs to extract as much liquid as possible. Keep jar tightly closed and labeled. Take 3-8 drops daily in tea or other liquid at least 14 days of each cycle.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) - Licorice helps women with high testosterone and low estrogen levels. This is common in women with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). - Chastetree berry (Vitex agnus-castus) - Stimulates the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the pituitary gland, which promotes ovulation. Also helps women with amenorrhea, the absence of menstrual periods. - Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) - Stimulates the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the pituitary gland, which promotes ovulation. Also helps women with amenorrhea, the absence of menstrual periods. This herb also contains isoflavones, which help bind estrogen receptors in the body.

Wild yam (Dioscorea villosa) - Wild Yam may help prevent habitual miscarriage due to hormonal imbalance.

Prescription Medications

Clomiphene citrate (Clomid, Seraphine) - Clomid acts on the hypothalamus and is used to induce ovulation in women who do not ovulate because of hypothalamic or pituitary problems. Clomid is used early in the cycle to decrease the amount of estrogen and trick the body into producing more follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), which in turn causes ovulation. Out of women who are properly screened for the use of Clomid, about 70% will ovulate and 40% will become pregnant. You must be screened by your doctor to see if Clomid is right for you.

Follicle stimulating hormone (Follistim) - FSH is a naturally occurring hormone aids in the development and maturation of follicles (eggs) produced by the ovaries. Follistim is used when a woman's ovaries can produce a follicle but do not produce enough FSH to cause the follicle to mature to ovulation. Follistim is also used to stimulate the development of multiple eggs for in vitro fertilization.

Metformin - Metaformin is often used to treat infertility after other fertility drugs like Clomid have failed. Metaformin is also used as treatment for polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Recently, it has been discovered that Metformin can facilitate ovulation in some women with PCOS. Metformin may be prescribed alone or in conjunction with clomiphene citrate (clomid).

Resources

General Fertility

Fertility LifeLines (http://www.fertilitylifelines.com/)
Fertility News (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/fertility/)
Tracking You Fertility (http://www.fertilityfriend.com/)
Fertility UK (http://www.fertilityuk.org/)
Fertility Plus (http://www.fertilityplus.org/)
Fertility.com (http://www.fertility.com/international/index.jsp)
Male Infertility (http://www.ivf.com/shaban.html)
Male Infertility Specialists (http://www.maleinfertilityspecialists.com/indexNS.htm)
Female Infertility (http://www.pregnancy-info.net/female_infertility_intro.html)
Female Infertility at IntegraMed (http://www.integramed.com/inmdweb/content/cons/main.jsp)

Causes

Blocked Fallopian Tubes (http://www.advancedfertility.com/tubal.htm)
Uterine Fibroids (http://www.4woman.gov/faq/fibroids.htm)
Dilation and Curettage (http://health.yahoo.com/ency/healthwise/tw1469)
Cervical Biopsy (http://www.wdxcyber.com/mcervix.htm)
Polycycstic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) (http://www.4woman.gov/faq/pcos.htm)
Hormone Imbalance (http://www.fertilityjourney.com/aboutFertility/femaleInfertility/hormonalImbalance/index.asp)
Ovarian Cysts (http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/ovariancysts/a/ovariancysts.htm)

Medications

Clomid (Clomiphene Citrate, Serophene) (http://infertility.about.com/cs/clomi1/a/Clomid.htm)
Follistim (http://www.follistim.com/consumer/index.asp)
Crinone (Progesterone Vaginal Gel) (http://www.medicinenet.com/progesterone_gel-vaginal/article.htm)
Gonal-F (Fallitropin alfa injections) (http://www.fertilitylifelines.com/serono/products/gonalf/pen/)
Heparin (http://www.sharedjourney.com/articles/hep.html)
Pergonal, Humegon, and Menopur (http://www.druginfonet.com/humegon.htm)
Metrodin (FSH) (http://www.infertilityphysician.com/ovulation/metrodin.html)
Mucus Problems (http://infertility.about.com/od/femalefactors/a/cervicalmucous.htm)

Conception Methods

In Vitro Fertilization at Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_vitro_fertilization)
IVF Connections (http://www.ivfconnections.com/)
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) (http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/iui.html)
Surrogacy (http://www.everythingsurrogacy.com/)