When trying to conceive, many couples consider herbal remedies for infertility in order to increase their chances of conception. Whether the couple comes to this decision as a first step prior to embarking on fertility treatments such as IVF and IUI, or after failed medical interventions, herbal remedies for infertility have helped many couples conceive.

What is an Herbal Remedy?
Herbal medicine is not new and is considered to be traditional medicine in many parts of the world. Herbal medicine addresses medical issues with natural substances such as flowers, bark, leaves, grasses and berries. The extracts from certain plants have been widely recognized as beneficial in the treatment of various conditions, including infertility.

Herbal Remedies and Infertility
Once a couple has experienced trouble conceiving for some time, their physician will seek to discover the cause of the infertility. Sometimes it is a anatomic problem such as blocked fallopian tubes which is corrected with surgery. Other times the problem may be addressed with either prescriptions or herbal remedies for infertility.

Best Herbal Remedies for Infertility

1.    Chaste Tree Berry-  This herb helps regulate the pituitary gland, and helps to correct hormonal imbalances within the body. Chaste tree berry is helpful in women experiencing irregular ovulation.
2.    Dong Quai- Beneficial in helping regulate menstrual cycles, this herb can also thin the blood. While many have found it to be helpful, it should be taken under the care of a physician.
3.    Siberian Ginsing- This herb not only improves overall health, it is a sexual stimulant and helps regulate the menstrual cycle.
4.    Cebtella Asiatica- Also known as Gotu Cola, this herb helps in male infertility by helping maintain and improve healthy blood vessels and increasing sexual desire.
5.    Black Cohosh- Black Cohosh helps stimulate the ovulation process.
6.    Horny Goat Weed- This herbal remedy for infertility is widely used as a sexual stimulant in men. It also improves sperm quality and quantity.
7.    False Unicorn Root- This herb has many uses and is used to help treat endometriosis, ovarian cysts and hormonal imbalances.
8.    Red Clover Blossoms- Red clover blossoms is not only extremely beneficial for over all good health, it helps promote fertility and is valuable to a healthy uterus.
9.    Nettle Leaves- Nettle leaves helps balance the hormonal system.
10.    Raspberry Leaf- Raspberry leaf is one of the most popular herbal remedies for infertility. Commonly used with Red Clover, it helps promote a healthy uterus.

While known to help many couples conceive, using herbal remedies do not guarantee pregnancy. Herbal products are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and may conflict with other prescribed medications. They should be taken while under the care of a physician and with their knowledge.

In infertility, becoming pregnant is not the only hurdle that must be over come. Fertility treatments can be very costly, running anywhere from $4,000 to $20,000 per treatment, putting it out of reach for many people. Finding fertility treatment financing options is another area of concern for most people seeing fertility treatments.

Most people are not aware of any fertility problems until they are seeking to start a family. Because of this, the significant amount of money it takes to pay for treatment has not been set aside. However, there are fertility treatment financing options that can help you come up with the funds necessary to pay for treatments.

Insurance
If you have not checked your insurance policy, that is a good place to start. Not every insurance policy covers all or part of fertility treatments but it is worth looking closely at your policy to see if can offer any relief. Talk with the finance person at the fertility treatment center or get the diagnosis and treatment codes and call the insurance provider directly. Before beginning treatment, it can help to talk to your employer to see if the company pays for ay part of fertility treatments.

Savings
Not everyone has savings, but if you do, it may be your best fertility treatment financing option. Be sure to exhaust other resources, such as insurance, first.

Borrow from Your 401k
While tapping in to your 401k is not your best option, it can be the lesser evil among some very difficult decisions. Some 401k plans will allow you to dip in early for a number of reasons, and fertility treatments may be one of those allowances of your plan.

Use Your Employee Flexible Spending Account
If you have a flexible spending account, fertility treatments may be one of the allowable expenses. Find out what procedures your insurance will and will not cover and which to procedures your flexible spending account may be applied.

Get a Loan
There are a number of resources you can tap into for loans such as home equity loans. There are also several companies that specialize in IVF loans.

Shared Risk Programs
Some clinics offer shared risk programs. Clients pay for a certain number of treatments up front and get a portion of the money back if the treatment is not successful. Most clinics define successful as conception, not the result of a live birth, however.

Get a Second Job
A second job is another valuable and realistic fertility treatment financing option. While adding hours to your work schedule may increase your stress for a time, it will save on future stress trying to pay off credit cards and the interest incurred.

Downsize
Cutting back to the necessities can free up a considerable amount of money that can be directed toward fertility treatments.

Not every fertility treatment financing option is right for ever situation. In many cases, a combination of several options proves most successful.

Getting pregnant does not always come easily. In fact, fertility problems are on the rise due to many factors, such as delaying pregnancy, causing many people to have to seek out medical intervention. While difficulty in conception is one problem, the cost of fertility treatment is another.

The Financial Pressures of Fertility Treatment
Most people do not expect to encounter fertility problems and, therefore, do not plan their finances to cover the cost of fertility treatments. While fertility treatment costs vary between clinics and location, the cost is a significant one, leaving many to wonder how it might be managed.

Developing a Plan
In most cases, paying out of pocket is cost prohibitive and it will take a combination of a number of resources to manage the cost of fertility treatments. Additionally, those resources will need to be carefully and strategically managed. It is important to fully investigate all of the resources that are available and make plans based on those resources. For example, if your funds are very limited, you might choose the most aggressive treatment plan first, rather than hope that a less expensive or less effective one might work and eliminate other  options. Or, perhaps your insurance will cover conservative methods that you will want to exhaust before moving on to another treatment plan.

Covering the Cost of Fertility Treatments
There are a number of ways that the costs of fertility treatments might be managed. Not everyone will have the same resources available so it may take some investigation to find out exactly what options are available to you. Some of the most common methods of funding fertility treatments include:

1.    Borrowing from family. Family members can be a great resource in helping you achieve a family.
2.    Insurance. Your insurance policy may cover some of the more conservative treatments and is a great place to start.
3.    Fertility treatment loans. Some companies specialize in loans specifically for fertility treatments.
4.    Savings. Not everyone has a large savings account, but if you do, it may be worth it to fund your dream.
5.    Borrow from your 401K. Not every 401k plan allows you to borrow money for fertility treatments, but it may be worth checking. While not a first option, it ca be a lesser of the evils.
6.    Get a second job. Adding a second job may add short term stress, but it is worth saving yourself the added pressures of trying to pay off high interest credit cards or dipping in to other funds.
7.    Down Size your life. There is room to save money in most lifestyles. Cutting back the fat and living as frugally as possible worth the log term gratification.

Tackling the mounting costs of fertility treatment may not be easy, but it well worth every effort.

By the time that a couple seeks begins fertility treatments, they very likely have already been emotionally exhausted, with hopes rising and falling so many times. Often, it is such a relief to be in the care of a fertility specialist that it is easy to just follow a regimen without understanding any of the infertility treatment options.

After you Have Made the Decision to Seek Infertility Help
Deciding when and if the seek infertility help is a very personal decision and is approached very differently by each person. However, once the decision is made to seek the help of medical professionals, it is important to stay involved and understand what infertility treatment options are available to you.

Why Knowing your Infertility Treatment Options is Beneficial
Knowing your options before you start fertility treatment can help to keep your best options open. Some treatments are limited to a certain total number of cycles that it can be used. Others, may be more affordable, but less effective than another in your set of circumstances. Understanding your infertility treatment options and why your fertility specialist suggests one option over another can help you make important choices. Here are just a few ways that knowing your options can make a huge difference in your treatment plan:

•    Beginning some treatments with a primary care physician may limit the ability to utilize that treatment in conjunction with another later, which may have been more effective
•    If money is limited, choosing the more expensive but most effective treatment may be a more cost effective plan than trying the lesser expensive treatment numerous times
•    Understanding treatment options helps when dealing with insurance issues. Knowing what your best options are, coupled with the most affordable strategy can keep doors open for future treatment possibilities

Knowing your Options Can Help Increase your Chances
Since there is no one answer to fertility issues, it is important to be your own best advocate. Even while under the care of a fertility specialist, understanding all of your options can help you to make choices. Success may come through a combination of fertility options, such as medical intervention as well as compatible natural fertility options.

Infertility is a very complex and emotional issue with a wide range of variables. For those seeking infertility help, understanding all of your infertility treatment options can help increase your chances of pregnancy and allow you to play a key role in success.

If you are having trouble conceiving, you are not alone. While it may feel as if you are surrounded by people that can get pregnant as quickly as they want, the fact is that an increasing number of people are experiencing fertility problems and seeking the help of infertility doctors and in vitro fertilization clinics.

When is the right Time to Seek the Help of In Vitro Fertilization Clinics?
The decision to seek the help of in vitro fertilization clinics is a very personal one. While there is no “right” time to seek help, in fertility, timing is a very crucial part of getting pregnant. Anyone who has been actively trying to get pregnant for some time without results knows the anxiousness that is associated with whether or not to seek help. There are many factors that may help in the decision of whether the time is right to seek medical intervention and investigate IVF resources.

Recommendations from the American Association of Reproductive Medicine
According to the American Association of Reproductive Medicine, if pregnancy has not achieved after one year of actively trying to conceive, they should seek professional help getting pregnant. However, if the woman is above the age of 35, the recommended wait time is much shorter. In this case, it’s recommended that she seek help getting pregnant after just six months of unprotected sex.

Making the Decision to Seek help
In addition to age, any numbers may play a role in when a person or couple seeks the help of an in vitro fertilization clinic. One factor may be the recommendation of the clinic, which varies according to the clinic’s treatment philosophy. Another factor may be having family members that have experienced fertility problems which might encourage a person to seek help sooner rather than later. Different levels of comfort with medical intervention may also play a role.

Preliminary Evaluations
Even if you are not ready to seek the help of in vitro fertilization clinics, it may be worthwhile to get some preliminary evaluations done to help guide future decisions. Doing this may allow you to plan your finances accordingly, knowing that there is a fertility issue that must be overcome. Preliminary evaluations can also help rule out conditions, or alert you to a problem that is best corrected early. Fertility problems may also be a symptom of an underlying medical issue that should be resolved.

Although the decision to seek help is very personal, gaining wisdom from others who have experienced infertility can be very helpful in deciding when to seek the help of fertility doctors.

It is estimated that one in six couples in the United States is infertile and many of them will seek fertility information and IVF resources. Since most people do not expect to experience fertility problems, most will have very limited prior knowledge about IVF fertility treatment or where to get reputable fertility information.

Beginning the Journey
While it may feel like a diagnosis of infertility has thrown you into an alternate universe with a completely different language, you will find that you will quickly become educated. Understanding your diagnosis, treatments, and insurance issues are vital to assuring that you receive the best treatment and keep as many options open as possible.

Local Support Groups
Support groups are a valuable resource for fertility information. Your local fertility treatment centers are likely to run their own or have a list of ones available throughout the community. Participating in local support a group is not only a resource to find out first hand fertility information, it can also provide the opportunity to learn where to find the best providers, or problems others have encountered.

Online Support Groups
Not everyone likes the intensity of face-to-face support groups, or has the time to attend them. Online support groups can provide important information by joining forums and chats anytime that is convenient to you while letting you retain some privacy. There is even support groups catered to particular diagnosis or for men or women only. Online support groups allow you to create an anonymous profile and still become part of a very close-knit and informative group.

Online Websites
Websites can be one of the most valuable places to find fertility information. It is important to stick with well-known and respected sites, however, and use great discernment in the recommendations. While there are many websites touting incredible cures and ready to take advantage of those who deeply desire to have children, reputable information is also available. Here are a few additional online resources:

•    Society for Assisted Reproductive technology  is an organization dedicated to the practice of assisted reproductive technologies. The website provides information on where to find fertility treatment clinics and their success rates.
•    American Fertility Association provides reproductive information, advocacy and support.
•    The Endometriosis Association is dedicated to providing information and resources concerning endometriosis.
•    Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility is primarily dedicated to medical professionals but contains very valuable information for the layperson.

While it may seem like sorting through infertility information is an insurmountable task, with the right resources, you can become informed quite quickly.  Across the country, there are resources and clinics including Houston Fertility Doctors and Colorado IVF Doctors as well as other cities in the US.

Once the decision has been made to start a family, most people anticipate that it will happen rather quickly. However, for many people, the journey to get pregnant is a long and frustrating one that includes sorting through an enormous amount of information about ways to increase your fertility.

If you are embarking on a journey of trying to get pregnant, you’ll want to know the simplest tricks to increase your fertility and enhance your chances of becoming pregnant without losing your mind in the process.

Control your Stress
Maybe easier said than done, but stress reducing techniques can help increase your fertility, and help you maintain your sanity in the process. Although it is not exactly known why or how stress can hinder conception, it is worth putting in effort in reducing your stress levels. Yoga is one stress relieving technique that many people find beneficial. Meditation, prayer and breathing exercises are also helpful ways to reduce stress.

Stay Happy
Statistics show that women that suffer from depression are twice as likely to have problems with fertility as those who do not. If you suffer from depression, seek the help of a professional and find simple ways to increase your joy every day. The simple act of smiling, even purposefully, increases the endorphins in the brain that give you the happy satisfied feeling.

Enjoy Fitness
Exercise, in the proper amount, not only increases the endorphins in the brain that increase feelings of joy and reduces stress, maintaining a proper weight can increase your chances of getting pregnant. Those with a body mass index higher than 30 tend to have a more difficult time getting pregnant. It is important to keep it a healthy and reasonable amount, however. Too much exercise can slow menstrual cycles and hinder the chances of getting pregnant.

Eat Healthy Foods
When you eat a healthy diet, your chances of getting pregnant and having a healthy baby are increased. A diet that is protein, iron or zinc deficient can cause lengthened menstrual cycles and decrease the changes of getting pregnant, so assuring you get enough can increase your fertility. Healthy foods also help maintain proper sugar levels which contributes to mood stabilization.

Increase the Odds
It goes without saying, but increasing the number of times you engage in intercourse will increase the likelihood of getting pregnant. It is also a way to stay close to your partner, and gain support through a very stressful time.

Fertility issues can be an emotional roller coaster. Taking steps to reduce your stress where you can not only makes the process more manageable, it also may increase your fertility.

Conception does not always come as easily or as quickly as we had planned. After some time of trying, many couples will seek natural ways to increase fertility before seeking other more expensive interventions. Fertility can be affected by many factors, many of which can be addressed with simple and natural solutions.

Maintain a Healthy Weight
Weight can play a huge role in the ability or inability to get pregnant. Being overweight can cause the body to overproduce hormones which disrupt ovulation, cause irregular cycles and hinder conception. Weighing too little can also hinder conception as the body needs a certain amount of body fat to produce enough hormones to cause ovulation. Most health care professionals recommend maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI) of between 18.5-24.9. While trying to conceive, maintain a health weight as recommended by your physician.

Eat a Well Balanced Diet
It seems like a simple solution, but many of us think we eat a much more balanced diet than we actually do. One of the simple and natural ways to increase fertility is to make sure your diet contains enough protein, zinc, iron and vitamin C. Deficiencies in these can lengthen menstrual cycles, making it more difficult to get pregnant.

Abstain from Alcohol and Cigarettes
Both alcohol and nicotine can disrupt sperm and egg production. Limiting or abstaining from their usage is an easy way to increase fertility.

Try Natural Remedies
Before opting for more expensive fertility treatments, some couples try  herbal remedies as one of the natural ways to increase their fertility. Some of the most common herbs used to boost fertility include:

•    Evening Primrose Oil, or EPO, is one of the most popular and common fertility herbs. Evening Primrose oil increases the quality of cervical fluid, which enables the sperm to live longer. This is very helpful when ovulation dates are unsure.
•    Chasteberry is used to balance hormones, stimulate the pituitary glands and increase sexual desire.
•    Red Clover helps with irregular menstrual cycles, though takes several months of regular use before being effective.
•    Flaxseed oil is helpful in both male and female fertility issues. In males, it helps treat impotence. In women, it helps stabilize the estrogen-progesterone ratio.

Before beginning any natural remedy program, it is best to consult a physician. Some natural ways to increase fertility may cause adverse reactions in people with other medical conditions, such as heart disease, epilepsy, thyroid disease and many others.

One third of all cases of infertility are caused by male infertility factors and many of those men are seeking ways to increase fertility. Before employing the help of the many recent advances in reproductive medicine, many couples first opt to try some of the known ways to increase fertility.

Male fertility problems are more common that many people realize, and on the rise.  Just like in female infertility, there are many factors that can affect male fertility negatively, such as sperm disorders, testicular injury, varicocele, blockages in sperm-carrying tubes, problems with erection or ejaculation, hormonal problems, some medications, and genetic disorders can all play a role. Additionally, lifestyle issues can also play an important role in the health of  sperm. It makes sense then, that some of the most important ways to increase fertility will include lifestyle changes.

Give Up Cigarettes

Giving up many habits will not only improve your overall health it will also improve the health and motility of your sperm.

Reduce Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol is known to impact the health of sperm and reducing consumption can improve your fertility.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Add lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes and whole grains, which are known to increase fertility, to your diet.

Exercise Regularly

Exercising regularly can help you maintain a healthy weight, which is important in male fertility. It can also help reduce stress, another important factor.

Avoid Excessive Heat

Exposing the body to high temperatures, such as in a hot tub, sauna or hot bath, can diminish sperm production.

Add Vitamins and Herbs to your Diet

There are many vitamins and herbs known to help increase fertility. It is wise however, to consult your doctor before beginning an herb and supplement routine.

• Vitamin C can help increase sperm count by reducing agglutination, the clumping of sperm.
• Vitamin E deficiencies are known to cause a reduction of the enzymes necessary for sperm production.
• Selenium helps prevent oxidation of the sperm cell and maintaining sperm quality.
• Zinc deficiencies can cause a lowering of testosterone and low sperm counts.
• Ginseng increases sexual desire and testosterone levels as well as increasing sperm count and sperm motility.
• Pycnogenol is a natural plant extract made from the bark of the Maritime pine which increases the number of normally functioning sperm.

Improving your overall health can have a positive impact on your reproductive health.

Probably one of the most confusing and difficult things within infertility is understanding infertility success rates. For many people considering infertility treatments, a clinic’s fertility success rates may play a large role in why they choose one clinic over another. This makes understanding the statistics and how the information is gathered and calculated very important.

How Many IVF Cycles Does the Clinic Perform Per Year?
It is important to choose a clinic that is proficient at performing IVF. Two per week, or 120 a year is a good average and reflects that they have developed a trusted reputation within the IV community.

What is the Clinic’s Clinical Pregnancy Rate per Cycle Initiated?
This number is calculated by the number of clinical pregnancies divided by the total number of those who initiated treatment.

What is the Clinical Pregnancy Rate Per Retrieval?
This statistic is calculated by taking the number of clinical pregnancies and divide them by the number of egg retrievals.

What is the Clinical Pregnancy Rate Per Transfer?
This number is arrived at by taking the total number of clinical pregnancies divided by the number of women who had an embryo transfer.

What is the Success Rate per Age Group
The success rate per age group can tell you some significant things about a clinic. The numbers will be highest in the under age 35 population. Higher numbers in groups older than 35 may indicate a more aggressive treatment philosophy.

What is the Average Number of Embryos Transferred?
One technique in assisted reproductive technology is to transfer more than one embryo to increase the likelihood of success. However, it also increases the number of multiple births, which clinically speaking, is not considered successful.

Considerations About Success Rates
When weight the information provided by success rates, it is important to consider the real relevance. All statistics are based on data gained from a collective population. However a patient is not a population and has a unique medical profile.

Another concern is that statistics can be manipulated and there is no way to know what the data truly reflects. For example, one clinic may transfer a high number of embryos at one time, resulting in a higher number of live births. One clinic may treat more women over age 35 while another concentrates on the groups with the highest chances of achieving pregnancy.

The Center for Disease Control  and Society of Assisted reproductive Technology which publish clinic success rates does so with the disclaimer that success rates “may not contain all of the information that a woman or couple needs to decide which ART clinic or procedure is best for their treatment.”

While it is important to know the stats, it is equally important not to base a decision solely on the individual success rates.