Herbs for Trying to Conceive

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There are several herbs that can help a woman to regulate her cycle, ovulate, and promote a heathy body and uterus. These combined with proper timing using OvaTel and MyCycleDiary can help you to get pregnant faster and stay healthy at the same time.

Here are some of the herbs and what they can do.

Vitex - Vitex agnus-castus (chaste tree berry) is a well-known herb that has been used for centuries in Europe for hormonal imbalances in women.

It may be helpful for women with PCOS who do not have a normal menstrual cycle and thus don't ovulate or menstruate. A large percentage of these menstrual problems are related to insufficient progesterone during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, which is called a luteal phase defect or corpus luteum insufficiency. A corpus luteum insufficiency is defined as an abnormally low progesterone level 3 weeks after the onset of menstruation. Insufficient levels of progesterone may result in the formation of ovarian cysts.

In addition, some PCOS women have too much prolactin, which can inhibit fertility. Vitex may help with both of these problems.

Chaste tree berry acts on the hypothalamus and pituitary glands by increasing luteinizing hormone (LH) production and mildly inhibiting the release of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). The result is a shift in the ratio of estrogen to progesterone, in favor of progesterone. The ability of chaste tree berry to raise progesterone levels in the body is an indirect effect, so the herb itself is not a hormone.

Lack of menstruation (amenorrhea) that is caused by a lack of ovulation, and therefore a lack of progesterone production, should result in menses when progesterone is taken. Progesterone-induced menses indicates an intact reproductive system that just isn't going through its cycle.

It suggests that the body is producing enough FSH to stimulate the ovaries, and that the ovaries can develop follicles. It also indicates that follicular production of estrogen is sufficient to cause the lining of the uterus (endometrium) to grow and that the sloughed endometrium is able to pass through the cervical opening and the vagina. Therefore it's possible that the problem is a dysfunction in the hypothalamus or pituitary glands. The ability of chaste tree to modulate the hypothalamus or pituitary then makes this herb a good candidate for treating amenorrhea (infertility). For a further discussion of this topic, we refer you to Dr. Tori Hudson's Women's Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine

High levels of the hormone prolactin are commonly found with corpus luteum insufficiency. Vitex is useful for reducing high prolactin levels. It inhibits prolactin release by the pituitary gland, especially when you are under stress.

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Dong Quai - Dong quai ( Angelica sinensis ), also known as Chinese Angelica, has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese, Korean, and Japanese medicine. It remains one of the most popular plants in Chinese medicine, and is used primarily for health conditions in women. Dong quai has been called "female ginseng," based on its use for gynecological disorders (such as painful menstruation or pelvic pain), recovery from childbirth or illness, and fatigue/low vitality. It is also given for strengthening xue (loosely translated as "the blood"), for cardiovascular conditions/high blood pressure, inflammation, headache, infections, and nerve pain.

In the late 1800s, an extract of Dong quai called Eumenol became popular in Europe as a treatment for gynecological complaints. Recently, interest in Dong quai has resurged due to its proposed weak estrogen-like properties. However, it remains unclear if Dong quai has the same effects on the body as estrogens, blocks the activity of estrogens, or has no significant hormonal effects. Additional research is necessary in this area before a firm conclusion can be drawn.

In Chinese medicine, Dong quai is most often used in combination with other herbs, and is used as a component of formulas for liver qi stasis and spleen deficiency. It is believed to work best in patients with a yin profile, and is considered to be a mildly warming herb. Dong quai is thought to return the body to proper order by nourishing the blood and harmonizing vital energy. The name Dong quai translates as "return to order" based on its alleged restorative properties.

Although Dong quai has many historical and theoretical uses based on animal studies, there is little human evidence supporting the effects of Dong quai for any condition. Most of the available clinical studies have either been poorly designed or reported insignificant results. Also, most have examined combination formulas containing multiple ingredients in addition to Dong quai, making it difficult to determine which ingredient may cause certain effects.

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Royal Jelly or bee pollen - Regular consumption of high-quality Royal Jelly has been shown to help balance hormones. This makes it beneficial to those individuals that suffer from a hormonal imbalance, as it helps to provide support to the endocrine system. It can also help with problems that are related to hormonal imbalance, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome or irregular menstrual cycles. Some studies have shown that Royal Jelly has the propensity to mimic human estrogen, which can help those that suffer from low estrogen levels.

Royal Jelly is primarily sold as a dietary supplement that can be used for a variety of issues. Some of the things that Royal Jelly has been used for include:

• To increase libido
• Support egg health
• Diminish and reduce the signs of aging
• To reduce inflammation caused by illness or injury
• To naturally boost the bodies immune system
• To help treat auto-immune problems like non-rheumatoid arthritis

You can usually find Royal Jelly in capsule or liquid form. The liquid form is placed into a honey base, that can be taken orally or mixed into beverages, meal-replacement shakes or smoothies. When purchasing Royal Jelly, you want to make sure that you only choose pure, high-quality jelly from a reputable source. Make sure there are no preservatives, additives or chemicals to the jelly, so that it does not counteract what you are trying to do to boost your fertility.

It is extremely important to note that Royal Jelly should not be taken by everyone. As with anything, even those things that are natural, it is possible for an individual to have an allergic reaction from consuming the jelly. If you know that you have an allergy to bee stings or even an allergy to honey, you should not take Royal Jelly, as side affects and reactions can include minor to severe skin irritations, difficulty breathing or even anaphylactic shock.

[KimmieC]

Maca Root - Maca is a nourishing food for the endocrine system, aiding both the pituitary, adrenal, and thyroid glands (all involved in hormonal balance.) Maca has the ability to affect key hormones in both women and men without containing hormones itself.


Maca helps to stimulate and nourish the pituitary gland, acting as a tonic for the hormone system. When the pituitary gland functions optimally, the entire endocrine system becomes balanced, because the pituitary gland controls the hormone output of the other three glands.


In women, maca works by controlling estrogen in the body. Estrogen levels that are high or low at the wrong time can keep a woman from becoming pregnant or keep her from carrying to term. Excess estrogen levels also cause progesterone levels to become too low. Taking maca may help to increase the progesterone levels which are essential to carrying a healthy pregnancy.


Estrogen in men produces erectile dysfunction or lack of libido, low sperm count, and lowered production of seminal fluid. Men who use maca have been seen to have an increased libido and healthy sperm.



Maca may help to

Balance hormonal levels in women.
Increase libido in both men and women.
Increase egg health.
Increase seminal volume, sperm count per ejaculation, and sperm motility.