Infertility
Overcoming infertility would seem to be a very complicated matter. From a medical standpoint, it is complicated because exogenous (not made by the body) synthetic and bioidentical hormones are given to the patient. In these cases, fertility clinics are not really looking for the flaw in the woman's reproduction. Rather, they institute a system where the added hormones are taking over. As a result, weight gain, as well as some pretty strong mood swings and other adverse drug reactions can result.
From a natural standpoint, the focus turns to a handful of possibilities that typically make it difficult to get pregnant. It may seem unlikely, but some patients are able to conceive after going through a course of chiropractic manipulation. The explanation is as follows: nerves from the spine go to the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus. A dysfunction in one of the vertebra could theoretically affect the nervous impulse coming in and going out to that organ or gland, resulting in less than optimal function. Another significantly more common issue that needs to be evaluated is the amount of estrogen and progesterone a woman is producing. Elevated estrogen or lowered progesterone will generally cause menstrual problems, which will also make getting and maintaining a pregnancy more difficult.
Miscarriages
The two most likely causes of miscarriages from a natural perspective are hypothyroidism and an insufficient level of progesterone. For this reason, if progesterone levels are remedied or patients are given thyroid help, most often it is recommended that they maintain that supplement protocol through the first and maybe even second trimester.
Other causes
Certainly we know of other reasons couples have a hard time conceiving. A woman having a body fat percentage that is too low will make her periods sporadic or even absent. We see this most often in hard core athletes, but also in women with eating disorders. The opposite is also true. Some women who are obese (>20% of normal body weight) can having difficulty getting pregnant. Most often this is due to an enzyme in the fat called aromatase, which converts estrogen to testosterone in women (and testosterone to estrogens in men). Hyperestrogenism and hypothyroidism can also cause a woman to be overweight, and in addition, may be contributing to the infertility. Stress (excess cortisol) can also be a significant obstacle to getting pregnant (and having normal periods).
Testosterone and sperm counts
Testosterone is the dominant hormone in men. A deficiency will cause a lower desire for sex, the inability to get an erection, or even the inability to keep an erection. Besides this, a deficiency of testosterone will cause low sperm counts and low sperm motility. Both of these are necessary to increase the likelihood of conception.
Pregnancy
Dr. Berglund believes that addressing the following issues during pregnancy is important for his expectant patients:
Chiropractic: In order for the birth canal to have the flexibility it needs to fully open, the pelvic and lumbosacral region needs to be moving well. Studies comparing women who have been adjusted during their pregnancy to those not getting adjusted have shown deliveries to be on average 2-4 hours shorter for those having had their low back/pelvis adjusted throughout their pregnancy.
Thyroid: If the mother was hypothyroid and needed nutritional help with her thyroid before getting pregnant, Dr. Berglund usually recommends that she should continue taking her hypothyroid supplement throughout her pregnancy.
Blood pressure: You'll want to make sure you resting blood pressure is normal, so it may be helpful to have a blood pressure unit at home. Doctor's office readings have a tendency to be higher.
Prenatal vitamins: The growing baby in you has a huge appetite for nutrients. He/she will take what they need and leave you with the rest. Because of this, Dr. Berglund recommends Clinical Nutrients Prenatal vitamins. Unfortunately, the prenatal that is prescribed by most OB-GYNs is not typically in a very bioavailable form. Extra iron will be required because your blood volume will need to dramatically increase. You'll need a good source of calcium to build bone. You'll need zinc for skin and for a healthy immune system. Folic acid deficiencies can cause birth defects. His prenatal vitamin contains a wide spectrum of other vitamins, minerals and herbs that will make for a healthy pregnancy and delivery.
Gestational diabetes: This type of diagnosis does not mean that you are diabetic permanently, but it may be a warning sign. The baby is voraciously consuming your nutrients, and because of that, you do not have the basic nutrients you need, and your body's sugar handling mechanism goes awry. You'll need to watch how much sugar and starches they are consuming. Breads, pasta, and sweets are to be avoided, and sweet fruits (e.g. bananas, grapes, peaches, apricots, plums, dehydrated fruit, etc.) should be limited to one a day. In addition to that, patients with gestational diabetes should be supplemented with biotin, thiamin as well as chromium and vanadium. There may be other nutrients that will help, but those are typically the nutrients that need to be present in good supply.
