Infertility / 1994
Date: Sat, 30 Apr 1994 00:18:25 BST
Sender: "Medicinal and Aromatic Plants discussion list" <HERB.TREARN.BITNET>
From: Christopher Hedley <christopher.GN.APC.ORG>
Subject: Fertility
Choice of herb would depend on the reasons for infertility. I can give a few, general guidelines and more help if I had more detail.
If the person is cold, or cold in the pelvic area then use simple circulatory remedies, such as Cayenne (Capsicum), a little red pepper sprinkled on a herb tea is easiest.
For blocked fallopian tubes, or ovarian adhesions, Marigold (Calendula) works really well. You might need to drink it for several months.
High prolactin levels can be reduced by large amounts of garden Sage (Salvia) tea. Sage tea is best avoided in pregnancy and you should stop as soon as you get a positive test result.
Other hormonal irregularities usually respond to Vitex agnus castus.
The best general herb is Ladies Mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris). This often works all by itself, but you could add one or two of the above herbs, according to indications.
One last tip I was told by a native american that he always recomended Plantain (Plantago spp) I have no idea why this should work, but a little magic always helps.
Good luck, Christopher.
From: Melissa
>Hello ! this is my first posting. I am looking for some information on fertillity. For about 1 yr my man &I have been trying to get preg. to no avail. He has been told by his MD that he has "good jiz". (yep that's what he said) I am 32 yrs old, have no prior pregs., have irregular cycles frequently accompanied with severe pain, no obvious structural damage to my reproductive bits. I weigh 155#, 28% body fat, 5'3", I am/was (depending on your point of view) anorexic/bulimic for 18 yrs. I have taken my basal temp for 9 yrs. I am an herbalist and have tried a few things but I am interested in any suggestions offered since physician heal thyself isn't working.
sylett,
You stated that you had experienced irregular cycles and severe pain this sends up a red flag in my clinical experience. have you ever been diagnosed with endometriosis? this is a common cause of infertility. i'd rule that out before doing anything else. how's your nutritional status. the vitamin/mineral and electrolyte imbalances caused by eating disorders can certainly inhibit normal ovulation.
in the meantime daily infusions of red clover tea promote fertility, also high in Vit C, magnesium and calcium. good luck.
m.cox rn
From: Kevin
Melissa, i dont have endometriosis.I suspect that my hormonal system is wacked from years of anorexic/bulimic abuse.Tho i had painfull bloods right from menarche.I have been drinking a qt of red clover 3-4X/week for ages,
it is a nutritional powerhouse as you said.do you, or anyone know about using plants to stimulate FSH production? LH production also? I just got SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) lights and that will probably effect my cycles. I feel like a big chicken,sleeping with light on to induce ovulation(not the sad light, a regular light).
Thanks for the reply.
Sylett
From: moon2peg.
Hi Sylett,
>> If you will be getting married then I have 3 files on pregnancy and herbs and things to avoid.
>My marital status is of no concequence to you. please send info. Thanks
First off, your marital status is not at issue with me, that's for sure. I know many married folks who are really bad parents and many unmarried folks who are great parents! But I guess this is not the place to discuss cultural fascism. Secondly, I agree that you might check out the possibilities of endometriosis. If this is not the case, I suggest you might do some research on Vitex agnus-castus, or Chaste berry. Vitex is a core treatment when you want to work with hormonal cycles in women, and is considered a "hormonal normalizer." There have been quite a number of human clinical studies with this herb (mostly in Europe), and while I am not saying that we should generalize on its fertility enhancing effects, women who were considered sterile did conceive while taking Vitex regularly. If you would like to check out one of the studies that I am referring to, I'll send a copy by mail because the one I am referring to is quite difficult to find -- Brown, Donald J., N.D. "Vitex agnus-castus Clinical Monograph." Quarterly Review of Natural Medicine, Summer, 1994, pp.111-121. The following is taken directly from pp. 114-115: "According to Dr. Rudolf Fritz Weiss, Vitex acts on the diencephalohypophyseal system - in other words, the hypothalamus and pituitary. Vitex increases lutenizing hormone production and mildly inhibits the release of follicle stimulating hormone. The result is a shift in the ratio of estrogen to progesterone, in favor of progesterone. This is, in fact, a corpus luteum-like hormone effect. The ability of Vitex to raise or modulate progesterone levels in the body is therefore an indirect effect and not a direct hormonal action. This is in contrast to other phytomedicines, like Black cohosh, frequently used in gynecology because of their direct binding of estrogen receptors (phyto-estrogens)." I clarify - taking Vitex is not the same as taking hormones and is considered an alternative to "hormone replacement therapy" in women experiencing the menopause.
As entire section of this paper is dedicated to the clinical successes of the use of Vitex for "abnormal menstrual cycles" (not my words, so don't anybody ask me to define normal, ok?)
Let me know.
Cheers,
Peggy
