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Galway Advertiser 2005/2005_05_12/GA_1205_E1_018.pdf
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Galway Advertiser
May 12 2005
NEWS
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FASHION
BEAUTY
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H E A LT H
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LIFE
MARY
For some people it happens easily. A couple try for a baby and get pregnant almost immediately. Others may find it more difficult. Preparing in advance will not only increase your chance of achieving a pregnancy but may also decrease the risk of complications to both mother and child. You can increase your chances of conceiving naturally in a number of ways, explains Dr Nick Kats, a homeopathic physician based in Clifden who also works in the city. Start by focusing on your general health, he advises. "Are there any chronic weaknesses or problems, eg, poor digestion, constipation, headache, lung problems, Type 2 diabetes? Are you overweight or underweight? Is there a history of bulimia or anorexia nervosa - are you OK with yourself as a woman? Have you had a recent full blood count, a thyroid check? Natural medicine helps with most of the above problems. With improved health you will be better off as a whole, with more energy. This strengthens the reproductive tract and helps fertility." He suggests taking lots of minerals and vitamins. "Good sources are Floradix multivitamins and Salus nettle juice. You can pick fresh nettles (before flowering) to make a delicious cream of nettle soup. Carrageen is a great source of organic minerals and may have the additional benefit of normalising the mucosa of the uterus and fallopians." It is important to follow a healthy diet if you are planning to have a baby. "Often people think they eat well when they do not. Reduce processed foods and avoid commercially fried food, hydrogenated or partly hydrogenated fats or junk foods. Check if you have a food intolerance. Do you get symptoms with certain foods? How does your diet tie in with your health patterns." He urges women to eat lots of fruit, vegetables and wholegrains. Reduce refined carbohydrates and avoid industrially raised animal meats, such as chicken or pork. "They may be given hormones to speed growth. By eating these meats you ingest hormones that can disrupt your hormonal balance. Naturally raised meats are fine."
O'CONNOR
secretary? Sitting all day decreases pelvic blood flow weakening the reproductive tract. Take breaks to walk vigorously. In the same way frequent sex is better than 'saving it' for ovulation." If your periods are regular and you are healthy and energetic, consider detoxing for two months before attempting conception. Diet, herbs and exercise are a good way to do this. Yarrow and Lady's Mantle are excellent herbal tonics for the reproductive tract. It is important to be able to recognise the signs of ovulation this indicates the best time for conception. "At midcycle there may be a sharp pain off centre in the lower abdomen, lasting minutes to a day or two. This pain can alternate sides with each cycle or it may be on the same side every other cycle. It is due to the follicle rupturing to release the egg. "Another sign is stringiness of vaginal fluid. Stringiness begins at ovulation and decreases after 24 hours. Secreted from the cervix, it guides sperm through the cervix into the uterus. At ovulation, your temperature increases two to three degrees C. This lasts till menstruation. Chart oral temperature first thing in the morning for a few days on either side of ovulation. Look for the point when temperature rises. Remember there is a daily variation. By being aware of these signs you'll be more in tune with yourself." Fertility can be affected by a number of issues, explains Dr Kats, and these generally require professional assistance. "Are your periods very irregular? Is there much PMS, cramping, clotting? Heavy bleeding, anaemia? Endometriosis? Have you recently seen your gynaecologist for a physical and labwork? Have you been using birth control pills? Are you centrally overweight with excess body and facial hair? Herbs and dietary change are invaluable for menstrual and hormonal problems." suffering from persistent fatigue? "Both involve hormones that are very closely related to the sex hormones and can affect their balance. For example, severe stress due to inability to conceive with menopause approaching can reduce fertility. Address the stress or fatigue." Chronic lower back problems can also affect the reproductive tract. Chiropractic treatment may help in this regard. Looking into your mother's medical history may help you unearth some stumbling blocks to pregnancy, he says. "Did your mother have miscarriages before conceiving you? If so, was she given diethylstilbestrol? This was widely prescribed to reduce miscarriage but was withdrawn in the 1970s due to the severe effects it had on the reproductive tracts of daughters and sons. Your partner should also check this." Some women who have problems conceiving may have been sexually abused as a child, he says. Such abuse can powerfully affect the reproductive tract and fertility, he believes. Talking, counselling and homeopathy may help. People can use natural medicine to complement medical treatments for infertility, such as fertility drugs or in-vitro fertilisation. This helps by supporting general health and the reproductive tract. "Modern medicine focuses on the problem [infertility],, not the whole. There is little understanding of the whole. The successful use of natural medicine is based on understanding and working with the whole person." pregnancy and increase complications such as Foetal Alcohol Syndrome. * Attend your doctor for a general health screening. He/she will want to know about any preexisting conditions such as diabetes, asthma, lupus, cancer, thyroid problems, migraines, high blood pressure, etc. Tell him/her if you were using birth control and if you had menstruation problems or miscarriages. He will check your blood pressure and may do a blood test to check your blood group and discover if you are anaemic or have any other conditions. * Check if you had the recommended vaccinations. A blood test will reveal if you were inoculated against rubella (German measles). It puts babies at risk of blindness and deafness. * Take a folic acid supplement. It will decrease the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Folic acid is present in green beans, spinach, fortified cereals and oranges. * Look after your teeth. Brush them at least twice daily, floss and arrange regular dental check-ups.
Boosting your chances of pregnancy
It is important to follow a healthy diet if you are planning to have a baby.
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Preparing for pregnancy
Here are some general guidelines to help you get ready for parenthood * Eat a balanced healthy diet of at least three meals a day to provide the vitamins and minerals essential to good health. * Getting in shape before you conceive makes it easier to maintain an active lifestyle during pregnancy and helps during labour * Give up smoking. Experts say women who smoke may reduce their chances of successful pregnancy by about 40 per cent compared with non-smokers. Women who smoke during pregnancy also increase the risk of cot death, low birth weight babies and miscarriages. * Reduce or cut out alcohol. Women who drink may reduce their chances of successful
Partner's health
Check out your partner's health, also. His sperm should be examined for quantity (count) and quality (motility, deformities). Other factors which may impact on fertility include a history of sexually transmitted disease. "This often leads to pelvic inflammatory disease which may be subclinical and persistent and which can cause infertility. STDs can also persist in men." Look at your lifestyle. Are you under a lot of pressure or stress at home or work? Are you
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Exercise regularly
Exercising regularly is recommended, too. Go for a vigorous 30 minute walk three times a week. "This improves blood circulation in the pelvic basin organs. Are you a
LINGERIE
Some people get pregnant almost immediately.