This autumn the Ontario Government announced public funding for one cycle of IVF for any women aged 43 and below. This is wonderful news for families facing the challenges and costs of fertility treatments. I see many patients in my practice who take on the cost of IVF and I hope that the Saskatchewan government will follow suit and extend the same public funding to Saskatchewanians.
For patients who are in the process of conception whether naturally, IUI or IVF, preconception care is very important for the health of both mum and babe, and naturopathic doctors who have a special focus on perinatal health and do acupuncture are wonderful care providers for preconception care. Several studies have shown that pregnancy success rates are significantly higher in women who use both acupuncture/naturopathic therapies and IVF compared to women using only IVF.
Take a few months before your IVF cycle to work on your preconception health. The types of foods we eat, the sorts of vitamins we take, the way we exercise, how we manage our stress – all of these factors play a role in our health prior to conception, and can impact the outcomes of fertility treatments. Make the changes you need to make to your diet, your sleep habits, your lifestyle. Go for regular acupuncture treatments with your ND leading up to your IVF treatment.
