When we think of pregnancy, we usually refer to sexuality, more specifically, vaginal intercourse which, in the end, is the natural way to achieve it. However, we tend to forget other important aspects that can also contribute to fertilization, such as emotions, rest or food. In short, our lifestyle.

In Spain, one in four couples suffers from infertility problems, a figure that, year after year, continues to increase. Most women and couples who do not get pregnant by the traditional route, jump from public health to private in-vitro fertility (IVF) clinics, whose demand is continuously growing. However, treatments of this type, which are usually long and expensive, do not always get the desired results. When this happens, why is it? There are many different factors and sometimes it is a mystery; It doesn't work, period.

Stress is often the 'wild card' response to calm uncertainty. In this scenario, Integrative Medicine offers more and more answers to those who want to expand the family without success and have no answer to their failed attempts or fail to close their grief, manage their fears, diminishing, all this, to their physical and mental health.

Beyond the quality of eggs or sperm, affected by natural and genetic issues, the harmful effects generated in our health by epigenetic issues, bridges between genes and the environment, such as stress, bad habits, the increase in the age to decide to have children or other factors in our environment, are also known. And, if we know all this, why don't we look for solutions to these aspects before deciding to increase the family? Why do we go directly to more invasive interventions without exploring or treating this other route beforehand?

It is common to hear how the anxiety that, sometimes, generates the same desire to be parents affects our reproductive capacity. It is also understandable that the poor state of the relationship can affect us; The blissful stress that complicates everything. Issues such as having a baby in the hope of 'saving' the relationship, are still heard in consultation. However, you have to know that, if you are previously wrong, the arrival of a new member to the family, not only will not fix the bond between their parents, but it is very likely to make it even more difficult.

There are health professionals, such as perinatal psychologists, who offer accompaniment, information and therapy, both before and during pregnancy, if it occurs, after childbirth, as well as in perinatal bereavements. Their work continues during the upbringing, and even in relation to the mismatch of the couple, disappearance of desire or other processes of change on sexuality, which may appear after the arrival of children. But also for not having arrived those children they hoped or imagined they would have. This is an important support for mothers, fathers, couples and families who are in unsuccessful fertility processes.

In any case, it should be remembered that there are other ways of exploration, with methodologies different from psychology and conventional medicine, which could serve as a complement to clinical or health ones. Without disdaining the science of assisted reproduction, Cristina Mora, from the Center for Integrative Medicine and Acupuncture, Fertility & Me (Barcelona), specialized in Natural Fertility, claims that, before immersing ourselves in an IVF treatment, we should consider taking an intermediate step that involves thoroughly analyzing the habits of couples. their diet and their overall and hormonal health. Integrating this vision into traditional fertility processes, in a complementary way, increases the probability of achieving the goal, according to their professional experience.

From his orientation based on various natural therapies, Mora affirms that, "many of the in vitro processes could be avoided if the practice of Natural Fertility had been more present". Trained in Chinese Medicine, Naturopathy and PNI (Psychoneuroimmunology), this specialist hassuccessfully accompanied hundreds of couples towards their maternity and paternity, without the need to reach a test tube, thanks to her vision of health and fertility,

What is Natural Fertility?

Perhaps the main thing would be to know that fertility is the expression of a healthy body. For this reason, when there is a fertility problem, you should analyze what is causing that physical blockage and try to restore balance to the person.

The goal of Integrative Medicine, therefore, would be that the whole body is in harmony and at its best, so that pregnancy happens. To begin this process, an analysis of the needs of each person is carried out to individually plan the treatment and the appropriate methodologies.

I know that sometimes it is difficult to understand that certain practices, somewhat unknown to us, are necessary, but I believe that, if they work and alleviate physical, emotional or economic suffering, they should be welcomed.

These are alternatives, which are applied to both women and men individually and jointly, such as acupuncture, combined with bioresonances, emotional release techniques, dietary guidelines and personalized supplements of local phytotherapy or from traditional Chinese medicine.

Thanks to them, you can detect the factors that are harming the fertility of the couple and facilitate balance, helping to bring to light deficiencies or painful emotions for the person, who has to accept and learn to manage.

As in any therapeutic process, to achieve the desired results, both members of the couple must be fully involved in the process.

Ana Sierra is a psycho-sexologist.

  • Fertility
  • Infertility

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