NATURAL SOLUTIONS TO INFERTILITY: FEMALE MEDICAL PROBLEMS
Coeliac Disease
This digestive disorder, which is not just a female disorder, is an intolerance to gluten which is found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley and oats. Before diagnosis the intolerance causes malabsorption and can therefore leave you deficient in vital nutrients. Many deficiencies have been noted in sufferers of coeliac disease, including folic acid, vitamins A, D, E, Ê and the  vitamins, zinc (essential for fertility) and selenium. It is known that women with coeliac disease can be sub-fertile and this is yet another indication that having the correct levels of vitamins and minerals can play an important role in increasing fertility.
Natural Treatment
If you have been diagnosed with coeliac disease you first need to remove gluten from your diet. You will probably have been given dietary advice with the diagnosis which means that you will have to eliminate wheat, rye, barley and oats and substitute other foods like rice cakes, gluten-free bread and also pasta made without gluten such as corn and millet pastas. Then you need a nutritional assessment (see Useful Addresses) to ascertain which supplements are required to correct any deficiencies. Remember that any food supplements (e.g. multivitamin and mineral for pregnancy) must be gluten-free.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
There is a difference between having polycystic ovaries and having polycystic ovary syndrome. When ovaries are seen on an ultrasound scan, they can look polycystic, which means that a number of partially developed follicles can be seen. Of course, follicles have to be present for eggs to develop adequately, and so that ovulation can occur. However, with polycystic ovaries, the ovaries are larger than normal and the undeveloped follicles resemble a bunch of grapes. This is very common and does not necessarily present a problem. It is only when the polycystic ovaries lead to a hormonal imbalance that a woman is said to have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) where she will probably not be ovulating and can be overweight and have excess body hair, skin problems and mood swings. The hormone imbalance is produced by having high levels of LH (luteinising hormone) and a higher than normal level of free testosterone, particularly in overweight sufferers.
Just before ovulation in a normal menstrual cycle, LH levels rise dramatically. This is called the LH surge and causes an egg to be released from a follicle. If LH is high during the whole of the follicular phase (the phase before ovulation), then the LH surge does not take place and an egg is not released. High levels of LH have been implicated in both infertility and miscarriage.161 Doctors have not yet found out why high levels of LH may cause infertility or miscarriage, but research is continuing.
In summary, a woman with PCOS can have:
• high levels of LH
• high estrogen
• higher than normal male hormones (androgens)
• Low progesterone
Diagnosis
This is usually made by ultrasound or a laparoscopy, where a narrow tube with a telescopic lens is inserted into the abdomen via a small incision below the navel. These investigations are conducted together with hormone blood tests.
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