Naturopathic and Integrative Care for Fertility and Pregnancy Planning: What Is Known

Trying to conceive can be hopeful and stressful at once, and many people look at naturopathic or integrative options alongside medical care. This page is information only. It does not replace a fertility evaluation, and nothing here is a treatment plan.

Do not delay the medical evaluation

The NHS (UK) advises seeing a doctor if you have not conceived after a year of trying. Women aged 36 and over, and anyone who already knows they may have a fertility problem, should go sooner. [1] The same page notes that fertility declines with age, and that in a quarter of cases the cause cannot be identified. [1] Time spent on an unproven approach is time not spent finding a treatable cause.

If you might be pregnant and have pain low down on one side or vaginal bleeding, get advice right away, because an ectopic pregnancy can be serious. [2] In the US, call 911 for severe pain, heavy bleeding or fainting. Do not stop a prescribed medicine to prepare for pregnancy until you have talked with your doctor. [3]

What is well established

Much of what helps is ordinary health care. The NHS lists steps such as taking vitamins and supplements including folic acid, a healthy diet, and support to stop smoking. [3] MedlinePlus says getting enough folic acid before and during pregnancy can prevent major birth defects of the baby's brain or spine. [4] The NHS also lists smoking and being overweight or obese among factors that reduce fertility. [1] Ask your clinician what amount suits you.

What research shows for specific approaches

1. Whole-system naturopathic care added to usual care, women with diminished ovarian reserve

   Insufficient evidence

   A small feasibility trial randomly assigned women to naturopathy plus usual care or usual care alone for 16 weeks. [5] It saw no between-group differences in pregnancy or live birth rates, and only mild, temporary side effects. [5] It was designed to test feasibility and plan a larger trial. [5]

2. Oral antioxidant supplements, women with subfertility

   Insufficient evidence

   A Cochrane review included 63 trials of 7,760 women. The authors were uncertain whether antioxidants improve live birth because the evidence was of very low quality. [6] Cochrane later noted retractions of seven included studies; the editors said removing them did not change the conclusions. [6]

3. Oral antioxidant supplements, men with subfertility

   Insufficient evidence

   A Cochrane review included 90 studies with 10,303 men, with low to very low certainty. [7] When studies at high risk of bias were removed, there was no evidence of increased live birth. [7] Antioxidants may cause more mild stomach discomfort. [7]

4. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine

   See those pages

   Covered on their own pages: see acupuncture for fertility and IVF and TCM for fertility and IVF support.

Two cautions apply to these studies. A feasibility trial of one care package says little about any single part of it, such as a diet or an herb. And the supplement reviews pool many different products, so they cannot tell you which one, if any, might help. We did not find large trials showing that naturopathic or integrative care raises live birth rates: Proper evidence not found (PubMed search of "naturopathic" with "fertility" or "infertility" returned five records, one a randomized feasibility trial).

Supplements and herbs: take extra care

Cochrane's male-fertility authors describe antioxidants as widely available and mostly outside regulation, with uncertain evidence of benefit. [7] Some products can matter in pregnancy or interact with medicines. The NHS asks you to tell your doctor about any herbal remedies and supplements, and lists herbal remedies among things to discuss before trying to conceive. [8] [3] See supplement and herb interactions and pregnancy and breastfeeding safety. We do not give amounts or protocols.

Choosing who to see

Fertility is managed by doctors, midwives, nurses and other clinicians; some people also see naturopathic doctors, nutritionists or acupuncturists. Their training, licensing and scope of practice differ by country and state, as explained in credentials and scope of practice. In the UK, the NHS advises choosing a fertility clinic licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. [1] We do not list or rank practitioners; choosing a qualified practitioner covers questions to ask, including cost and whether they sell supplements. For male factors, see male fertility.