Preconception 101

Lesson 4: Identifying and Curing Minor Infertility

Part 2 Natural Cures - Over-the-Counter Remedies

These are over-the-counter remedies for curing minor infertility. As always, seek the advice of your healthcare provider before trying any of these remedies.

Baby aspirin or “low-dose” aspirin (81 mg) helps to lower the chances of certain types of miscarriages. Take the aspirin all cycle just one tablet a day. Some miscarriages are caused by a poorly lined uterus. Some are caused from the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. These are proteins which appear to be related to coagulation problems - which can cause recurrent fetal loss. This happens when there is a disruption in the placental blood flow due to clotting. The aspirin reduces the risk of clotting. As for helping with the uterine lining, it is believed that aspirin helps with the blood flow to the ovaries and uterus. It doesn’t matter what brand of aspirin as long as it has no more than 81 mg per tablet. Note, certain health issues such as ulcers and hemorrhages can be aggravated with aspirin. This treatment is not for everyone.

Guaifenesin is an over-the-counter cough syrup also called an expectorant better known under the name of Robitussin. It helps to loosen mucus in the body by helping to loosen up the fertile quality cervical fluid. Take guaifenesin from menstruation to ovulation for maximum benefit. To get the best results, take one to two teaspoons of guaifenesin a day until ovulation. It’s probably best to start taking it right after the menstrual bleeding has stopped. Be sure that the guaifenesin has only guaifenesin in it. It is sold in combination with decongestants and/or antihistamines. These decongestants and antihistamines can dry up the cervical mucus, thus defeating the purpose.

Progesterone Cream is intended for menopausal women, however it also aids in lengthening the luteal phase, preventing miscarriage and preterm labor as well as alleviating PMS. Use the cream from ovulation to menstruation twice a day. Use ¼ to ½ teaspoon on the inner arms, thighs, chest, neck, face, tummy and hands – alternating the locations each time. Look for a cream with natural progesterone in it. Make sure it has 100% all-natural ingredients and contains no harmful herbs such as black cohosh, dong quai, ginseng or evening primrose oil because these are harmful to take after ovulation if you are trying to conceive.

Water. Drinking plenty of water will help to increase the amount and quality of the fertile-type cervical fluid. The fertile-type cervical fluid is extremely important in conception. It’s the cervical fluid that carries the sperm to the egg. The more you have of it, the better the chances. Drinking plenty of water acts much the same way that taking guaifenesin does. Guaifenesin is an over-the-counter medicine that helps to loosen mucus. Guaifenesin is sometimes taken by women who are trying to conceive in order to help their cervical fluid to be thinner and more abundant.

Besides being a good “fertility” booster water is also imperative to pregnancy.

The benefits of drinking water while pregnant are:

• It helps to prevent bladder and urinary tract infections – which are more common to occur during pregnancy.
• It helps to prevent hemorrhoids – which almost always occur at some point in the pregnancy and especially during the delivery.
• It prevents dehydration. Dehydration is one of the leading causes of preterm labor. This is because dehydration causes contractions which leads to true labor.

Please refer to Dr. John Lee's book "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause" for more information about progesterone cream.

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