Catholic Online Forum

JMJ

The full text of this landmark study (soon to be added to our M&F Library ) can be read here:

http://www.jabfm.com/cgi/content/full/21/5/375



LifeSiteNews.com article: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/oct/08102309.html

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FabrizioParty like it's 1773!

The safest place for me to be is in the center of God's will, and if that is in the line of fire, that's where I'll be-Fr. T. Vakoc

I think a lot of OBs and REs like to go right for "the big guns." And it's shocking how little they often know about the basic functions of the woman's cycle or how parts of the cycle relate to the whole. They often want blood or other invasive tests rather than teaching a charting method. It's amazing how much information can be gleaned from well kept charts, especially computer charts. It's frustrating to me that a lot of OBs prescribe a drug like Clomid right off the bat instead of looking at the whole cycle and seeing if there are any patterns which require more attention.

When we were trying to conceive our first child, it took about 8 months. After awhile I realized that I wasn't well hydrated enough to produce enough fertile quality cervical fluid. I can imagine an OB prescribing a few rounds of clomid w/o ever considering it might be as simple as my drinking more water.

When we were trying to conceive our second child, I had problems w/ my luteal phase being too short. Again, OBs and REs often prescribe clomid to treat that. According to my research, clomid would have actually made it more difficult for me to conceive w/ the particular issues I had. Taking B vitamins all cycle long helped to normalize my hormones and make my LP a normal length too.

This time around has been much more difficult. It's not been as simple as drinking more water (as I already try to get 8-10 cups daily) or adding B-complex (I've kept that up since trying for our second child). This time around, I'm finding I may have been guilty of doing what most "western" doctors do and treating my cycle as if I could just break it down into separate parts. The water and B-vitamins may have helped those first 2 times, but I think I always had underlying hormonal balance issues. Now, I've begun to learn to respect my cycle as a whole and to not look for the quick (albeit natural) fix. Still, I'm glad NFP was part of my faith requirements. It has been such a boon to me over the years. If I hadn't been Catholic or hadn't been aware of the CHurch teaching on contraception and fertility treatments, I can only imagine what I might have subjected myself to at the hands of fertility doctors. We haven't conceived our 3rd child yet, but I am willing to keep trying to help my cycles and be patient (mostly) for the Lord's timing.

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Nora

"True freedom does not rest in being able to do whatever you want, but in being able to do whatever lifts you up towards God."

thank you for your post. My daughter and her husband have been trying for two years to conceive a baby. yes, they were given the clomid and my daughter finally gave up after tearfully saying that the doctor wasn't telling her why she couldn't conceive she just gave her clomid without even explaining all the details. I have read so much on natural treatment and I believe that is the answer. I have been searching for answers for her and will begin to help her . We will begin with more fluids and of course vitamins. God willing they will have the baby they have prayed for.

Related resources:

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David H.

I had forgotten about this topic until I reread my post. Seems so long ago. We are still hoping for another baby, but our difficulties in conceiving have actually led me to find solutions to my overall health (which has in turn begun to improve my fertility). If we hadn't had such difficulty and if the solutions I'd used before had worked, I may not have discovered the likely source of several of my health issues (or I may have only discovered it after those issues became severe). I was starting to feel extreamely frustrated when I came across some information on adrenal fatigue. As I understand it, it's not considered a legimate illness by Western medicine (wasn't chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia similarly ignored for years?). However, my symptoms fit the bill very well. The treatments were all natural and very low risk, so I decided to try them. I have begun to feel so much better! I actually have a reasonable amount of energy now instead of feel tired every single day. Autoimmune symptoms and headaches have greatly lessened and my fertility cycle is starting to look normal for the first time in years! When I looked back over years worth of charts, I saw how it had declined little by little without my noticing (until we wanted to conceive again, of course). I see how intricately the body is connected now, how amazing is God's design.

Unfortunately, our current modern medicine seeks to isolate each system. It doesn't respect the body as a whole. I am so grateful for some of our advances, medicines and techiniques, of course, but I wish our Western system could learn from the Eastern model.

I am also thankful for our difficulties in conceiving. While I would have loved to have had another baby or babies by now, I have found a way to help my whole body (and maybe others too) because of my struggle. I do wish the path had been shorter, of course, but maybe it had to be that way. I don't know if we will be blessed with more children (I so hope we will be) even if my cycle does return to full health. I know now that I can't force God's hand. I wonder how many other women have either given up or undergone invasive medical procedures or risked fertility drugs when their bodies were screaming out for healing. I think a woman's fertility is very good (and mostly misunderstood) indicator of her overall health. A variety of problems can eventually affect the fertility. Drugs and procedures may be able to force the issue and the woman may successfully conceive...but the underlying problem still exists and may get worse. Without charting, it's extreamely difficult if not impossible to get an accurate assessment of the cycle's health. Hormone tests are only as valid as their timing is accurate...if done based on simply counting days they may give the wrong picture entirely. Even with charting, interpretation is so important as is the ability to look beyond the symptom (unhealthy cycles) to the cause (in my case it seems to be my adrenal glands). I think God has given our bodies wonderful self-healing properties. Sometimes we get so ill that we need help to get back to the point where our bodies can heal themselves. Almost like catalyzing a reaction.

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Nora

"True freedom does not rest in being able to do whatever you want, but in being able to do whatever lifts you up towards God."