Fertility

At Nurture, we treat men & women facing infertility from many walks of life. We treat using Traditional Chinese Medicine, Herbal medicine, Homeopathy, Chiropractic techniques, and massage therapy.  We also combine our treatments with concurrent western medical intervention such as intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures.

Our goal is to determine the underlying cause that may have been the preventing factor from conceiving or even maintaining a pregnancy. Once these factors are identified, we then utilize holistic treatments to help clients optimize their bodies for a natural or assisted conception and pregnancy.  We strive to assist couples pursuing their unique fertility journey through:

• Natural Conception   

• Complimentary Fertility Medicine   

• Enhancing Advanced Reproductive Techniques (ART)

We begin with an in-depth evaluation and provide a multidisciplinary model approach where each of our practitioners provide appropriate care. We constantly strive to determine the cause of your diagnoses:

• What was the cause of your frequent miscarriages, or 

• Why do you have high FSH, or 

• Why were you diagnosed with Premature Ovarian Failure, or

• Why were you diagnosed with unexplained infertility, or

• Why were you told that you were “Poor Responder” for IVF procedure?

The program allows patients and couples to reclaim their fertility by healing body, mind and spirit with a therapeutic program designed to support their individual needs.

We focus on fertility acupuncture, integrating it seamlessly with concurrent interventions like IUI, IVF, and other assisted reproductive technologies. Fertility acupuncture plays an integral role in your treatment plan, offering a range of fertility-enhancing benefits:

• Promotes improved blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, enriching the environment for egg development, implantation, and embryo health.

• Helps regulate hormonal balance—supporting cycles, ovulation, uterine lining thickness, and hormone responses during medication

• Reduces stress and anxiety, calming the nervous system, balancing cortisol, and fostering emotional resilience during treatment
  

Enhances egg quality and ovarian response, which may lead to more robust follicle growth and better embryo development

As Dr. Randine Lewis says in the opening of her book, The Infertility Cure – “There is no such thing as Infertility”.  I’ve always been deeply passionate about fertility care, driven by the belief that addressing core underlying issues can truly support women’s reproductive goals.

At Nurture, we provide a comprehensive evaluation and treatment for a wide range of reproductive and fertility-related conditions, including but not limited to:

• Amenorrhea (absence of menstruation)

• Anovulation (lack of ovulation)

• Diminished Ovarian Reserve

• Poor Egg Quality

• Elevated Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Levels

• Endometriosis

• Immunologic Infertility

• Implantation Failure

• Luteal Phase Defect

• Male Factor Infertility

• Ovarian Cysts

• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

• Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

• Unexplained Infertility

• Uterine Fibroids
  

Each condition is addressed with an individualized treatment plan tailored to the unique needs of the patient or couple. Our Fertility Enhancement Programs are designed to support your body’s innate intelligence and harmonize the delicate balance of your natural cycle.

Almost one in six couples experience fertility problems. Studies show that while 40% of the time infertility is the result of the result of female factors, 40% of the time it's the result of male factors and 20% of the time the result of a combination of both women and men. If couples are experiencing difficulties getting pregnant, it is important that the male partner get a thorough fertility check up including a semen analysis.

Sperm Abnormalities and Semen Analysis

Male fertility issues often stem from abnormalities in the quantity and/or quality of sperm. A semen analysis is a straightforward diagnostic test that provides key insights into male reproductive health by evaluating sperm based on three primary parameters:

• Sperm Count: This refers to the total number of sperm present in the ejaculate. A higher sperm count generally increases the likelihood of successful fertilization.

• Sperm Motility: This assesses the percentage of sperm that are actively moving, particularly in a forward direction. Progressive motility is essential, as sperm must travel through the female reproductive tract to reach and fertilize the egg in the fallopian tube.

• Sperm Morphology: This examines the shape and structure of the sperm. While it is not uncommon for a significant proportion of sperm to exhibit abnormal morphology, a higher percentage of normally-shaped sperm is associated with better fertility outcomes.

Common Factors of Male Infertility - The following issues are the most common causes of male factor infertility:

Structural Problems

Various structural problems, such as blockages, can obstruct the passage of sperm or impair the ability to produce healthy sperm. These can result in several conditions, such as:

• Scarring

• Undescended testes

• Varicocele

• Vasectomy

Disruptions in the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis and Male Fertility

Impaired communication between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and testes—collectively known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis—can significantly compromise a male's ability to produce viable sperm

Clinical Implications:

These disruptions can result in a range of reproductive issues, including:

• Oligospermia (reduced sperm count)

• Azoospermia (absence of sperm in the ejaculate)

• Hypogonadism, with associated symptoms such as decreased libido, fatigue, and loss of secondary sexual characteristics

Timely diagnosis and appropriate intervention targeting the specific level of dysfunction are essential for restoring reproductive function and hormonal balance.

Infections and Diseases

Various health conditions or illnesses, such as diabetes and mumps, can lead to a decrease in sperm production. However, since men produce sperm continuously, the effects of these infections may be reversible—provided there is no resulting scarring or blockage. In such cases, sperm function can gradually return to normal over time.

Age

Numerous research shows that men’s sperm quality begins to decline around the age of 45

Environmental Factors

Environmental toxins are at its highest and almost impossible to avoid in many circumstances.  Additionally, working at a job where you are exposed to a lot of toxins can adversely affect your sperm count.

Lifestyle

Exposure to environmental toxins has reached unprecedented levels and, in many cases, is nearly unavoidable. Occupational settings involving frequent contact with harmful substances can further exacerbate this issue, potentially leading to a decline in sperm count and overall reproductive health.

Lifestyle Considerations

Various lifestyle choices have also been shown to negatively impact sperm production. Contributing factors include:

• A nutritionally poor or imbalanced diet

• Excessive alcohol consumption

• Use of recreational drugs such as marijuana

• Tobacco use

• Frequent exposure to high temperatures (e.g., hot tubs or saunas)

• Being overweight (Body Mass Index [BMI] over 25)

Mitigating these risk factors through healthier habits and minimizing environmental exposures may help support and improve male fertility.

How would nerve dysfunction or vertebral subluxations and spinal Cord tension influence fertility?

Think of your brain as a computer. It coordinates, via your nervous system, both organ and cell function. Nerve messages can be impaired by spinal subluxations and spinal cord tension patterns which occur when there are misalignments of one or more vertebrae. This results in altered joint motion, nerve irritation and spinal cord stretching or pulling which lessens organ function and general health. In essence the body moves further and further away from homeostatic balance which challenges clear coordination of the body’s central intelligence. The nerve messages that initiate and sustain reproduction (or any vital function) may in turn be compromised. It is both the severity of the subluxation and tension patterns and the length of time it has been left uncorrected that dictates the decline in body function.

Parental health prior to conception is one of the many factors to influence a successful reproductive outcome. Restoring and or balancing the function of the reproductive organs through the removal of vertebral subluxations and spinal cord tension patterns which may have been comprimising the nerve messages that initiate and sustain reproduction, and allowing an individual body to recreate its ‘body order’ may help to optimize a woman’s ability to conceive.