Supporting reproductive health before conception.

Care that fits your circumstances

I consider nutrition, menstrual cycles and signs of fertility, sperm health where relevant, sleep, movement, medicines and your health history. Recommendations reflect your particular needs, priorities and circumstances.

During assisted conception, your wider health and wellbeing remain important. I provide care alongside your fertility team, with careful attention to the safety of medicines and supplements.

What care may include

• Reviewing pathology, cycle information, diagnoses and fertility treatment plans
• Nutrition and lifestyle priorities before conception
• Folate and other nutritional supplements, including dose and duplication
• Safety of herbal medicines and supplements around ovulation, procedures and pregnancy
• PMOS, irregular cycles or other reproductive health concerns
• Clear communication with the fertility clinic, GP, pharmacist or specialist

Research informing my practice

My two-year Bachelor of Health Science honours study followed 67 couples receiving individualised preconception care. Pregnancy rates were 100% among couples who had not yet begun trying at enrolment and 33% among those with diagnosed infertility. These findings were encouraging, but the observational design could not establish that treatment caused the outcomes.

AMH and ovarian reserve

Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) can contribute information about ovarian reserve and expected response to ovarian stimulation, but it does not measure egg quality or determine whether natural conception can occur. Results need to be interpreted in context rather than used alone.

Claims that a supplement can reliably raise ovarian reserve should be treated cautiously. The more useful question is often what can support health, informed decision-making and treatment safety within the time available.