You might be wondering, what does a fertility naturopath do that other naturopaths don’t? Or maybe you’ve never heard of a fertility naturopath and want to know more.
Naturopathic medicine is a form of both preventative and complementary healthcare. For those looking to address a specific health concern (or many!), or just trying to live a healthier life, a naturopathic doctor provides individualized guidance for dietary, nutritional and lifestyle support.
Naturopaths are trained in human physiology and anatomy, clinical and integrative care, botanical medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, and have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to supplements.
In general, naturopathic care can address many different areas of health including: weight management, blood pressure control, cholesterol management, hormone health, pain and inflammation, digestive function, insomnia, and so much more. While some naturopaths choose to be a jack-of-all-trades, much like a family doctor, others will focus their knowledge, continuing education, and patient care to a select area of health. This is where the fertility naturopath comes in.
A fertility naturopath is a naturopathic doctor whose practice focuses on reproductive health and fertility-related care. The difference from a general naturopath is primarily the practitioner’s focus and experience—not necessarily a different professional title or licence.
What Does a Fertility Naturopath Do?
A fertility naturopath is one that devotes their clinical practice to fertility and related health concerns. This can include:
- Preconception health: preparing the body of an individual or both partners, by optimizing overall health before trying to conceive.
- Trying to conceive without interventions: Preconception health with additional support for at-home cycle tracking, cycle regulation, and identifying your fertile window.
- Undergoing medical fertility treatments (timed intercourse, egg freezing, IUI, IVF, embryo transfer): Preconception health with additional support around clinic cycle monitoring, medication use, and overall optimizing egg, sperm, and/or uterine health.
- Age-related fertility challenges: Expanded optimization for egg and sperm quality associated with aging.
- Immune- or inflammation-associated infertility: Addressing autoimmune conditions and reducing inflammation and/or lesion growth for those with conditions such as fibroids and endometriosis
Fertility-focused naturopaths still follow the principles of naturopathic medicine and but spend more time on how all areas of health can affect your reproductive health. They are more familiar with fertility-related tests, procedures, and records, and they coordinate more frequently with other fertility healthcare providers such as gynecologists, reproductive endocrinologists, and nurse practitioners.
What Reproductive Health Concerns Can a Fertility Naturopath Support?
Being focused on reproductive health also includes other areas of gynecological health, regardless if you’re trying to conceive, such as:
- Irregular menstrual cycles
- Heavy menstrual flow, or spotting between cycles
- PMOS (previously called PCOS)
- Endometriosis
- Fibroids (uterine leiomyomas) or adenomyosis
- Cervical dysplasia
- Recurrent vaginal infections like yeast and BV
- PMS and PMDD
But we’re not limited to just the female reproductive tract! A fertility-focused ND can also help with areas of male sexual and reproductive health as well, including:
- Sexual function
- Sperm quality
- Varicoceles
- Testosterone support
Is a Fertility Naturopath the Same as a Fertility Specialist?
Although Naturopathic doctors are regulated in many Canadian provinces, they cannot specialize like medical doctors. However, they can expand their knowledge through continuing education, and will have more experience working with patients trying to conceive or going through fertility treatments.
That said, a general naturopath may also have knowledge of women’s and men’s reproductive health, and can provide guidance in supportive areas such as diet, sleep, stress management, cycle regulation, and metabolic health.
Does a Fertility Naturopath Replace a Fertility Doctor?
No. Due to differences in scope of practice, seeing a naturopathic doctor is a great way to start your care and/or provide adjunctive or complementary fertility healthcare, but there are limitations. In Ontario, naturopaths cannot requisition ultrasounds, sonohysterograms, or other specialty tests such as uterine biopsies. Their prescribing regulations are also very different, so if you need certain medications, treatments, or tests, referrals and requisitions need to go through a medical doctor.
This is where a clinical model of integrative care is key. It’s the best of both worlds: having one doctor focus on medical testing and treatment options while another can focus on your diet, nutrient levels, exercise, sleep, lifestyle and supportive supplements.
What to Expect at a Fertility Naturopath Appointment
Another beautiful aspect of naturopathic care is the time that is spent listening to and taking care of you. An initial appointment with a naturopath is about 60 to 90 minutes, during which your naturopath will review your:
- health history
- cycle tracking (for females)
- previous bloodwork and/or ultrasound reports
- environmental exposures (ex. Household, outdoor, or work toxins).
- current supplements, medications, and substance use
- allergies or sensitivities
- diet and digestion
- sleep quality and quantity
- physical activity
- daytime energy and cognitive function (ie. fatigue, brain fog)
- stress, mood, and coping mechanisms
Taking all of these into account helps a naturopath provide individualized health recommendations. They can provide guidance and options in ways that medical doctors often don’t have enough time or expertise to address.
Your fertility-focused naturopath can also help you identify questions to discuss with your medical doctor or nurse, to help you feel more prepared and get the information you’re looking for.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fertility Naturopaths
Do I Need an Infertility Diagnosis or Referral to See a Fertility Naturopath?
No, neither is required. We see patients who have:
- never had a fertility assessment
- been trying to conceive naturally
- a diagnosis of primary infertility
- a diagnosis of secondary infertility (have had a live birth in the past but have not had success with a second pregnancy).
Can I See a Fertility Naturopath If I’m Not With a Fertility Clinic?
Yes! You don’t have to be a patient of any fertility clinic to see a Conceive Health Naturopathic Doctor. We’re happy to help no matter where you are in your fertility journey.
Is It Too Late to See a Fertility Naturopath Before IUI or IVF?
It’s never too late to see a naturopath. No matter where you are in your journey, we can help with your overall health, and help you to navigate whichever stage of your journey you’re in. That includes reducing side effects from medications or treatment-associated hormone levels, providing stress management support, and helping enhance your health for pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond.
Can I See a Fertility Naturopath If I Already See Another Naturopath?
Absolutely. The role of a fertility-focused naturopath is just that: we focus on how your overall health and conditions affect your reproductive function and health. We are happy to work with other NDs in the coordination of your care.
Can My Partner Attend a Fertility Naturopath Appointment?
Yes. At Conceive Health we offer both individual consultations and couple’s consultations. In an individual appointment, the initial virtual or in-person consult is 60 minutes. While your partner is welcome to be present for this, the assessment and recommendations will only be provided for the one individual. Whereas in a couple’s initial consult, we extend that to 90 minutes to accommodate an assessment and discussion of recommendations for both partners. Going through this process together is a great way to support each other, especially with dietary and lifestyle changes.
Click here for more FAQs and answers on appointments, supplements, acupuncture, and other supports.
Interested but want to know more? Read more about the Conceive Health approach, areas of clinical knowledge, and our fertility services.
Want to know if we’re a good fit for you? Book a free 15-minute discovery call to learn if one of our fertility-focused naturopaths may fit your needs.
