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Natural Fertility and Preconception Care |
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Pregnancy Resources
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Natural Fertility & Preconception Health Care |
| Why Preconception Health Care?The
combined evidence of many eminent researchers shows that conditions
such as subfertility, miscarriage, low birth weight, premature birth,
malformation, breast-feeding difficulties, handicap, hyperactivity,
learning problems, asthma, eczema, and poor resistance to infection,
are often preventable. | |  | How?By attending to the health and lifestyle of both prospective parents before they conceive a child! Put
simply, preconception health care aims to ensure that there is an
adequate supply of all those nutritional factors which are essential
for the health of sperm, ova and foetus and an absence of those factors
which are known to compromise general health or which are harmful to
germ cells and to foetal development. Since ova (eggs) are susceptible
to damage for 100 days before ovulation and since sperm formation takes
approximately 116 days, the pregnancy preparation for both prospective
parents should be for a minimum period of four months before an
intended conception. Some issues a couple can address for themselves,
others will require help from a trained practitioner. They include: | | Confused or scared about
taking Vitamin A during pregnancy ? Click here to get a definitive answer from noted experts | - screening for essential trace elements (eg zinc and iron) and toxic metals (eg lead, mercury and cadmium)
- discouraging use of common social poisons (eg cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs including caffeine)
- using natural family planning (avoiding oral contraceptives, IUDs)
- treating infection, especially that of the genito-urinary type (by referral to GP)
- avoiding everyday environmental hazards
- treating food and chemical allergies
- improving nutrition
- improving sperm count and quality
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How Effective is 'Preconception Health Care' ?Foresight,
the Association for the Promotion of Pre-conceptual Care, was
established in the United Kingdom in 1978. A Foresight study, conducted
in conjunction with Surrey University (published in the Journal of
Nutritional & Environmental Medicine 1995), clearly shows the
effectiveness of preconception health care. The
study involved 367 couples, lasted for 2 years and resulted in 81% live
births to those previously infertile - without miscarriages, perinatal
deaths or malformations. | | 
| * * * So
- if you're just starting out, or if "unexplained infertility" or a
previous miscarriage is your problem, it may be worth trying some of
the advice in improving your chances as well as looking at some natural
therapies first. * * * Assisted reproduction clearly has a place - but complementary medicine has helped many women conceive at a lower cost to both their finances and quality of life.
But, if an assisted method like IVF is your only option, natural
therapies may help ensure its success, and relieve some of the
associated stress.
| |  | You may want to consider purchasing one of the the books which we offer for sale in our online store, such as "The Natural Way To Better Babies" or "Natural Fertility", both written by Francesca Naish & Janette Roberts. Alternatively you may want to make an appointment for a free 20 minute one-on-one consultation - please contact us . When you have made an appointment, please download our Fertility Information Questionnaire.
The completed questionnaire is a very useful and time saving document,
which is designed to provide me with fundamental information about both
prospective parents before they attend the clinic. Download the questionnaire here (PDF format). Read some Testimonials from satisfied and happy clients. | |  |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 09 December 2008 )
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