Whether you're trying now or planning ahead, the work done before conception shapes the pregnancy and the child. Most of it is measurable. Most of it is changeable.
“The egg released this cycle started maturing 100 days ago. Whatever we do today reaches the pregnancy in about three months.”
Preconception care is the most leveraged window in medicine and the most overlooked. Nutrient status, blood sugar, inflammation, thyroid, and gut health all shape egg quality, sperm quality, and the early environment your baby develops in.
Whether you're at the start of a try, navigating a year of unsuccessful attempts, or preparing for IVF, the same fundamentals apply. And most couples see a real shift when we put them in place.
Sperm contributes half the picture. Male preconception care shifts outcomes meaningfully and is almost always overlooked. I see both partners when I can.
Eggs mature over 90–100 days. Sperm regenerate over about 74. That's the window where preconception work actually lands, you're not influencing the egg that releases next week.
Thyroid, insulin resistance, nutrient deficiencies, MTHFR variants, structural issues, the majority of fertility challenges have a clear path forward once they're properly identified.
For her: full thyroid panel, AMH (ovarian reserve), cycle-timed hormones, fasting insulin, key nutrients (iron, B12, folate, vitamin D), inflammation markers, MTHFR. For him: full semen analysis (count, motility, morphology), testosterone, thyroid, oxidative stress, lifestyle factors. The conversation around contraception, cycle history, and timing matters too.
We fix what's measurably deficient, quiet what's inflammatory, and support what's asking for it. Egg and sperm quality respond to specific nutrients, antioxidants, and lifestyle changes. If you're heading toward IVF, the same prep makes the cycle more likely to take.
A targeted nutrient protocol for both partners, often including methylated folate, CoQ10, NAC, and zinc, chosen for your case. Thyroid optimization. Blood sugar stabilization. Stress and sleep work. Herbal medicine where helpful. Where structural issues are involved, I refer and stay in the loop.
Three to six months of preconception care is the standard ask. If you're trying actively, we work in parallel. If you have a year before you'd like to start, that's a gift, and we use it.
Therapies I'd likely use
If they're willing, yes. Male factor accounts for roughly half of fertility challenges and is the easier side to support. Even basic preconception care changes outcomes.
Generally yes. Egg quality, endometrial receptivity, and stress load all influence whether the transfer takes. I work alongside the IVF team, not against it.
After one early loss, often we wait and watch. After two, I'd do a proper work-up: thyroid antibodies, clotting markers, autoimmunity, MTHFR, anatomy. Most patterns are actionable.
I treat the totality of the person: body, mind, and spirit as one interconnected system. Naturopathic medicine gives me a wide toolbox: clinical nutrition, herbal medicine, acupuncture, IV therapy, somatic approaches, and more. I don't apply protocols; I look for the pattern underneath your symptoms and build care that fits your specific life.
