Female reproductive health and fertility is an area of health that many women struggle with, from their teenage years onwards. In a national online survey in Australia, 92% of the 4202 adolescent and young women (13 to 25 yo) respondents reported dysmenorrhoea.1 It is estimated that one in six couples in Australia,2 and indeed worldwide,3 suffer from infertility. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis are among those who are most proactive when it comes to seeking advice and using hormonal or in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment,4 but are these women aware of all available options? Evidence-based herbal and nutritional interventions offer a natural approach to supporting hormonal balance and improving fertility.5,6
A healthy menstrual cycle, including monthly ovulation and normal luteal phase function are the cornerstones of fertility. Supporting both can also help to improve a range of menstrual disorders including amenorrhoea, PCOS, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), dysmenorrhoea, mastalgia, and infertility.
Key therapeutic goals that qualified naturopaths aim to address include reducing excessive prolactin secretion, supporting ovarian function and ovulation, supporting corpus luteum function and progesterone production, and reducing oxidative stress. Key nutrients that support these processes also overlap with supporting healthy thyroid function.
In my book, I discuss oxidative stress as being the main cause of DNA damage. Oxidative stress is cell damage caused by free radicals which can originate from metabolic by-products, external toxins or lack of nutrients. Early on in my book I relate oxidative damage to sperm quality, but it also reduces follicle quality and progesterone production. Without progesterone maintaining the endometrial lining, menstruation occurs. Hypersecretion of prostaglandins (inflammatory markers) and increased uterine contractility cause the pain associated with dysmenorrhoea. Other menstrual irregularities (i.e. amenorrhoea, mastalgia, PMS, and PMDD) occur as a result of multiple factors, including thyroid dysfunction and hyperprolactinaemia.
Ensuring your cycle is healthy and regular is the foundation of future fertility. As girls enter their teenage years, many experience painful or difficult periods only to be told this is “part of being a woman”. This is incorrect. A healthy menstrual cycle should be regular, pain-free, and free from emotional or physical discomfort. Menstrual cycles should not be problematic or feared – they are part of being a woman, and should be celebrated. Unfortunately, a common method of “treating” teenage girls experiencing period pain is to prescribe the Pill to help “regulate” their cycle. This sets up further hormonal imbalances, oxidative stress and toxicity.
So if you, or your daughter, experience any menstrual-related discomfort, please consult a qualified naturopath for assistance and guidance.
Abbreviations: FSH, follicle-stimulating hormone; GnRH, gonadotropin-releasing hormone; LH, luteinising hormone; PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome; PGF2α, prostaglandin F2α; PMDD, premenstrual dysphoric disorder; PMS, premenstrual syndrome; PRL, prolactin; ROS, reactive oxygen species.
1. Armour M, Ferfolja T, Curry C, Hyman MS, Parry K, Chalmers KJ, et al. The prevalence and educational impact of pelvic and menstrual pain in Australia: a national online survey of 4202 young women aged 13-25 years. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2020 Oct;33(5):511-518. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpag.2020.06.007
2. Bagade T, Thapaliya K, Breuer E, Kamath R, Li Z, Sullivan E, et al. Investigating the association between infertility and psychological distress using Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH). Sci Rep. 2022 Jun;12(1):10808. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15064-2
3. World Health Organization. Infertility prevalence estimates, 1990–2021 [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023 [cited 2024 Mar 28]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/978920068315
4. Herbert DL, Lucke JC, Dobson AJ. Infertility, medical advice and treatment with fertility hormones and/or in vitro fertilisation: a population perspective from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2009 Aug;33(4):358-364. DOI: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2009.00408.x
5. Skoracka K, Ratajczak AE, Rychter AM, Dobrowolska A, Krela-Kaźmierczak I. Female fertility and the nutritional approach: the most essential aspects. Adv Nutr. 2021 Dec;12(6):2372-2386. DOI: 10.1093/advances/nmab068
6. Akbaribazm M, Goodarzi N, Rahimi M. Female infertility and herbal medicine: an overview of the new findings. Food Sci Nutr. 2021 Oct;9(10):5869-5882. DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.2523
