• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

Herbal Fertility for Women

December 5, 2017 by ds_26371 Leave a Comment

There’s no shortage of herbal remedies with centuries of traditional use trailing behind them. Makers of herbal fertility supplements offer you hope for a fraction of a price of conventional fertility treatments. However, Mayo Clinic expert Mary Gallenberg, a gynecologist and obstetrician, states there’s no convincing proof that herbal supplements will help you and your partner conceive.

About Infertility

Infertility is defined as not being able to get pregnant after you and your partner have been having unprotected sex for at least one year. Alternately, you may be infertile if you’re at least 35 years old and you’ve been trying to get pregnant for six months. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics, infertility is common in the United States. Ten percent of women between the ages of 15 and 44 suffer from infertility.

Cost of Conception

Conventional fertility treatments get costly. Intrauterine insemination treatments may cost $2,000, while in vitro fertilization costs up to $25,000. Prescription oral medications to treat infertility may run only $20, while fertility injections can cost $1,000 per round. By comparison, herbal fertility supplements are a steal, typically ranging in price from $10 to $40. And you don’t need to see your doctor for a prescription.

Herbs, Vitamins and Minerals

Most herbal remedies and supplements studied focus on treating infertility in men, Gallenburg notes. Limited studies show that L-carnitine, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10 and folic acid may improve sperm count and motility, while a few studies show that vitamin C supplements is beneficial to women. German doctors recommend chasteberry to female patients with fertility problems, notes Dr. Beatrix Roemheld-Hamm in a Sept. 1, 2005, article published in the “American Family Physician.” However, studies conducted on chasteberry are small and short; in one study, only a modest number of women conceived while using the herb.

Dietary Supplements 101

Herbal fertility supplements are not drugs. They’re classified as dietary supplements by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Herbal supplements do not go through the same rigorous approval process as do the fertility drugs your doctor recommends. Makers of dietary supplements cannot claim their product treats, prevents or cures a disease, not can they purport that supplements treat infertility.

Fertility Tips

With lack of scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of herbal remedies, Gallenberg recommends seeking conventional infertility treatment. The American Fertility Association, or AFA, advises you to stay away from all herbs if you’re trying to conceive. However, both you and your partner should take a multivitamin — yours should contain at least 400 micrograms folic acid, which prevents birth defects. Focus on adopting a healthier lifestyle. Get down to a healthy weight. Eat a nutritious diet, get regular exercise, cut down on caffeine and alcohol, and stop smoking.

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Pregnancy

About ds_26371

Lisa Sefcik has been writing professionally since 1987. Her subject matter includes pet care, travel, consumer reviews, classical music and entertainment. She's worked as a policy analyst, news reporter and freelance writer/columnist for Cox Publications and numerous national print publications. Sefcik holds a paralegal certification as well as degrees in journalism and piano performance from the University of Texas at Austin.

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Search

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

20 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Had Kids

After seeing and holding the newest member of our family … [Read More...] about 20 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Had Kids

Must Have

STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

April has arrived which means it’s time to pull out the food … [Read More...] about STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

Did you know?

abdominal pain on the left side in pregnancy

Abdominal Pain on the Left Side in Pregnancy

Use Frozen Bananas for Baking

How to Use Frozen Bananas for Baking

I Bought Smoked Pork Chops & Don't Know How to Cook Them

I Bought Smoked Pork Chops & Don’t Know How to Cook Them

Get Wrinkles Out of Tulle

How to Get Wrinkles Out of Tulle

How Early Can an Ultrasound Detect a Fetus?

How Early Can an Ultrasound Detect a Fetus?

cooking with young children

Cooking With Young Children

toddlers and frequent urination

Toddlers and Frequent Urination

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2023 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.