Homeopathy is said to be one of the safest medical treatments with no known side effects, and it may be a good option to treat infertility.

Several clinical trials have looked at the effects homeopathy can have on fertility. Preliminary research has indicated that homeopathic treatment may not only help infertile women achieve pregnancy but also help balance hormones and prevent miscarriage. Another study shows that homeopathy has potential for boosting fertility in men.

 

Homeopathic remedies for infertility will look to treat symptoms rather than conditions, as each case of infertility can manifest differently in different couples. Before any treatments are prescribed to an individual, his or her medical history, family history, moods, likes, dislikes, sexual history and emotional state are discussed thoroughly. 

 

Homeopaths believe that a person showing infertility signs may not be having direct problems related to the reproductive organs but something less obvious, like an emotional condition, depression, fear of conceiving or dietary problems that may be leading to infertility. Homeopathy is at the forefront of mind body therapies as it is able to treat on the physical level, but also just as importantly on the mental and emotional level too. Thus it can help to treat the anxieties, fears, disappointments and frustrations of the trials some couples go through in order to get pregnant. Through homeopathy, these problems are eased by using plant, minerals, or even metal sources.

In the preconception period, homeopathic remedies can help to correct some of the hormonal imbalances that underlie fertility problems. Pulsatilla is often given for women with no periods or irregular periods and general remedies for infertility include lycopodium, argentums nitricum and selenenium metallicum. However, the remedies work best if – like any complementary treatment – they are prescribed specifically and individually for the person concerned.

If a couple is undergoing IVF a sulphur/nux vomica detox programme can be useful but I strongly advise against using remedies that have the capability to exert a hormonal effect whilst a woman is undergoing IVF drug treatment, as this can have a negative impact on the treatment.

Acupuncture could boost a woman’s chances of conceiving through IVF by two thirds.

A large scale review of seven studies looked at 1,366 childless women having fertility treatment. Some had acupuncture just before or after an embryo was implanted while others had a sham version or no treatment at all. Women of various ages with different causes of infertility were included in the joint US and Dutch reviews whose findings are published this month in the British Medical Journal. There was a 65 per cent rise in an individual’s chance to becoming pregnant with the proper acupuncture. Acupuncture may relax the womb, making the lining more receptive to an IVF embryo.

People who drink several large mugs of tea a day may more than halve their risk of developing Parkinson’s disease according to new studies from the National University in Singapore and Jiwaji University in India which looked at he tea drinking habits of thousands of people and compared drinking levels of those who went on to develop Parkinson’s and those who did not. Researchers say extracts in black tea may slow down the disease progression as well as delaying the start of the degenerative process.