Yes you heard me right – all hope is not lost. You may have been told that your only hope of having a baby if you have low ovarian reserve is to use donor eggs.
Now I have nothing against donor eggs. Both of my children where conceived using donor eggs, however I know that I could have had my children naturally if I had considered the root cause of my premature ovarian failure.
I interviewed Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner and Acupuncturist Ellice Yang and we discussed what steps to take for low ovarian reserve. Here’s part of our interview
Low ovarian reserve protocol – we work with the patient for at least 3 months and we work to increase the quality of the eggs, we include acupuncture one to two times per week, as well as diet and lifestyle factors, we may refer to naturopath (for specific supplements that can boost egg quality). We also prescribe Chinese herbal medicine which helps to improve uterine blood flow and tonify the woman’s essence and qi during the course of treatment. With this protocol we recommend that our patients hold off from trying to conceive for at least a few months, while we allow the treatments to begin to heal the body. We at Fab Fertile also add in functional lab testing. Such as food sensitivity, hormone testing using urine and stool testing. Learn more in our Couples Coaching Program.
Many women with low AMH levels have been told that their only option is a donor egg. Upon hearing this news many patients take a break to try naturally or they may seek a second opinion. Unfortunately, although your FSH levels can fluctuate from cycle to cycle, your AMH levels will either remain or continue to decline. We can’t change egg quantity but we can certainly impact egg health . There are many factors that impact egg quality such as, environmental toxins, age, food and diet, stress, inflammation, genetics etc. Having said that, these ovarian reserve tests such day 3 FSH levels and AMH levels are tools to help decide which fertility treatments or natural therapies would be best for the patient. It doesn’t necessarily mean you cannot get pregnant and carry to full term. I have seen patients who have been told they need egg donors to conceive become pregnant naturally!….it’s not a cure by all means but it can be helpful enough to improve your egg health for conception.
Best place to start is with an elimination diet. This can be a little scary or empowering. You will eliminate the top food allergens for 10 days and then gradually reintroduce them back into your diet.
The top allergens are:
Gluten, Dairy, Corn, Soy, Eggs, Peanuts, and Food Colouring (yellow #6, red #40 etc, food additives, and preservatives
Also it is important to remove any GMO’s from your diet and switch all your meat, fish, produce to organic.
Remove these for 10 days and then reintroduce back into your system. Be sure to note any symptoms such as gas, bloating, acne etc. The re-introduction phase is very important. Many people miss potential food allergens when they do not add in the foods properly.
To get clear on the exact steps to take if you have high FSH or low AMH levels Download your Free Chapter of Fabulously Fertile.
What is one step you can take today? Elimination diet sound too scary. You know what? You can do ANYTHING for 10 days!
This may not be right for you, but what if this one thing makes all the difference in the world and allows you to finally hold your baby in your arms.
Book your FREE Supercharge Your Fertility Discovery call here! Learn simple steps to help prepare your body for a baby in the absolute best way!
Sarah Clark empowers couples to discover how lifestyle and diet can dramatically impact their chances of conceiving. She was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure at 28 and had both her kids with donor eggs. Not until years later did she discover that the root cause of her infertility was a food intolerance. Ready to gaze into your baby’s eyes….but struggling. Download 10 step Checklist here
