The most commonly used fertility herbs include chasteberry, black cohosh, red clover, and maca. When combined with healthy diet and lifestyle choices, such as regular exercise and stress reduction techniques, herbs can be a powerful tool for promoting overall reproductive health.
Vitex (Chaste Tree Berry)
A popular herb for balancing the menstrual cycle and resolving PMS, it likely acts on the pituitary gland in the brain, increasing the strength of the Luteinizing Hormone (LH) surge, which triggers ovulation.
Dairy. It pays to bone up on dairy (milk, yogurt, and cheese) when you're trying to conceive. Adding dairy to your preconception diet is good not only for bone health but also — potentially — for your reproductive health. So drink that milk, spoon up that yogurt, sip that smoothie, nibble on that cheese.
What Causes Infertility? Problems with ovulation are the most common reasons for infertility in women. A woman's age, hormonal imbalances, weight, exposure to chemicals or radiation and cigarette smoking all have an impact on fertility.
Red clover (TRIFOLIUM PRATENSE)
Red clover is popular for its nutritional properties and fertility-enhancing properties. Rich in calcium and magnesium, two minerals that greatly contribute to increase the chances of conception, red clover can be consumed daily during the pre-conception phase.
Herbs that have been called out as being detrimental to fertility include bitter melon, St. John's wort, echinacea, and ginkgo biloba. Echinacea and ginkgo biloba, in particular, have been shown to hurt sperm production and fertilizing capability.
Consumption of Ashwagandha is considered very useful in increasing fertility and getting rid of the problem of infertility. The properties present in Ashwagandha are very beneficial in balancing hormones in the body and keeping the reproductive organs healthy.
Blueberries and raspberries are loaded with natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, which may help boost both female and male fertility. Like citrus, they're high in folate and vitamin C, which can help with fetal development down the road.
Aim for a nutrient-rich diet with a higher balance of protein, leafy greens, and fruits and vegetables, especially those that provide vitamins and antioxidants. Anti-inflammatory diets, such as the Mediterranean diet, are proven to be helpful for improving fertility.
B6 supplementation has been associated with improvement in hormonal balance in women leading to improved PMS symptoms and better ovulatory cycles, which in turn, improved the odds of becoming pregnant.
Turmeric has many health benefits including being a natural anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, and immune boosting herb. We are highlighting this root because it can also encourage fertility. Turmeric assists in hormone balancing and regulation.
Herbs that may increase fertility include vitex (Vitex agnus-castus), Pycnogenol® (Horphag Research; Geneva, Switzerland; from Pinus maritima), damiana (Turnera diffusa), and maca (Lepidium meyenii). Vitex can increase progesterone in the second half of the cycle, which helps promote ovulation.
The formulation of a vaginal steam bath consists of aromatic, cleansing herbs such as basil, calendula, lavender, oregano, yarrow or lemon balm that will penetrate into the uterine wall. The therapeutic effects of thermotherapy and aromatherapy contribute to the effectiveness of this treatment.
A number of herbal supplements are available that are helpful in supporting fertility for both women and men. For women, vitex (chasteberry), red clover and other herbs traditionally used to help restore hormonal balance are combined with the same vitamins and minerals found in a prenatal vitamin.
Herbs originate from plants and plant extracts from a wide variety of natural resources, including plant leaves, bark, flowers, roots, and fruits and berries. Evidence‐based herbal medicine may present an effective treatment for female infertility.
The flower that symbolises fertility is the orchid.
A fertility cleanse is a natural option to increase fertility. It includes using special herbs to gently get rid of toxins and inflammation in your body that could be contributing to infertility. It has been proven that eating a healthy diet is one of the most powerful factors in increasing fertility naturally.
Raspberry Leaf Tea
Like nettle and red clover, red raspberry leaves serve as a soothing uterine tonic and hence a very effective fertility herb. If you are currently undergoing fertility treatment, you may wish to check with your healthcare professional regarding caffeine intake.
The main symptom of infertility is the inability to get pregnant. A menstrual cycle that's too long (35 days or more), too short (less than 21 days), irregular or absent can mean that you're not ovulating. There might be no other signs or symptoms.
A woman's peak reproductive years are between the late teens and late 20s. By age 30, fertility (the ability to get pregnant) starts to decline. This decline happens faster once you reach your mid-30s. By 45, fertility has declined so much that getting pregnant naturally is unlikely.
If your menstrual cycle lasts 28 days and your period arrives like clockwork, it's likely that you'll ovulate on day 14. That's halfway through your cycle. Your fertile window begins on day 10. You're more likely to get pregnant if you have sex at least every other day between days 10 and 14 of a 28-day cycle.