Low
progesterone
is one of the main reasons many women find it hard
to conceive or carry a baby to full term. Progesterone
plays an essential role in the female reproductive
system. While it helps the uterus wall to thicken and
get ready for ovulation and implantation of the
fertilized egg, lack of progesterone can also cause
miscarriages, especially in the first 12 weeks after
conception. So, it is absolutely crucial that the body
produces the right amount of progesterone required. Many
women use the holistic approach to treat low progesterone
infertility which includes a total change in
lifestyle and use of herbal remedies.
Progesterone
and how it works
·
Progesterone
is a hormone produced by egg follicles found in the
ovary after ovulation occurs. It helps regulate the
menstrual cycle and also raises the body’s basal
temperature, an indication that ovulation is taking
place or is imminent. When an egg is not fertilized
successfully, progesterone levels drop causing the
uterus wall to thin out and exit the body during the
woman’s period. Progesterone levels rise rapidly after
ovulation, so one of the best ways for a woman to keep
an eye on her progesterone levels is to chart her basal
body temperature during the menstrual cycle. A blood
test can also detect a low progesterone
problem.
·
Implantation
of the egg takes place during the luteal or latter phase
of the menstrual cycle. Not enough progesterone in the
body shortens this phase. That does not leave enough
time for fertilization and implantation, since the egg
starts degenerating within 12 hours of its release. If
fertilization is successful, progesterone production
rises, helping to protect the fetus. However, if there
is a sudden drop, the woman risks miscarrying.
Treatment
and cure
·
Conventional
methods to maintain correct levels of progesterone
include the use of progesterone creams, oral medication,
injections and vaginal suppositories. Research has found
that this kind of therapy has a 70 percent success rate
but it is quite expensive and can have side effects.
Some common ones are vomiting, diarrhea, feeling dizzy
and tired, dryness in the mouth, headaches, mood swings,
swelling of the hands and feet, cramps in the stomach
and tenderness in the muscles and breasts.
·
There
are alternative treatments available which have little
or no side effects. One is the holistic approach which
helps to get to the heart of the problem and eliminate
it. There are other natural remedies like aromatherapy
and naturopathy. The latter uses natural elements like
air, water and sunshine to help the body heal itself
while aromatherapy uses different essential oils
extracted from herbs for different problems. These oils
reach the organs that need healing by being absorbed
into the blood stream after they have been massaged into
the skin.
Nowadays
more and more women choose to have babies later in life
— mostly between 35 and 40 and sometimes even later —
when they are more settled in their careers and life.
For them, the holistic approach is best as it
strengthens the body and prepares it for the rigors of
pregnancy. The holistic approach looks to heal the woman
wholly — taking the physical, mental and spiritual
aspects into consideration as well as the changes that
need to be made in diet, exercise and lifestyle.
It
offers Chinese herbal medicine which uses extracts from
fresh flowers, roots, the bark and fruit of certain
trees and plants to treat irregular periods, enhance
fertility and manage hormone imbalances. This type of
therapy is usually accompanied by acupuncture that
brings all aspects of the body into alignment and yoga
to reduce stress. The
holistic approach is a slow process and it can take
three
to four months for results to show but it works
for women suffering from low progesterone
infertility because it gets to the core of the
problem and eliminates it rather than just treating the
symptom and fixing it
temporarily.
