The Proceive Blog
Amino acids explained
L’arginine and L’citrulline are amino acids, Nutritionist Gaye Godkin looks at the role they play in fertility and reproduction and where we can get them in our diet.
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Can being too fit affect fertility?
Can being too fit reduce your chances of conception? Nutritionist Gay Godkin examines the link between exercise intensity and fertility.
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Common misconceptions about fertility
Deciding to have a baby is one of the most important life decisions you will ever make and so it’s only natural to have lots of questions, but you need to make sure you are armed with all the correct information.
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Sleep and Fertility
Sleep plays an important role in emotional wellbeing, hormone production, and reproductive health. Discover how prioritising sleep may support your fertility journey when trying for a baby.
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DNA Fragmentation Explained
What can be done to support men who present with higher than average DNA fragmentation in their sperm?
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Conception - the facts
Deciding you are going to try and conceive is a wonderful decision for you and your partner. however, it I important to have all the facts before starting your pregnancy journey.
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Fertility tips for dads
Findings show that men who want to start a family should have a healthy, balanced diet from at least three months before conception.
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Fertility treatment and the workplace
Natalie is the founder of The Fertility Podcast, a collection of interviews with fertility experts and real life case studies to empower, educate and support. She shares her fertility story.
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Fertility tips from Dr Phil Boyle
Dr. Phil Boyle from Neo Fertility gives his top Fertility Tips.
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PCOS and Fertility
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects how a woman's ovaries work. Polycystic ovaries are bigger than healthy ovaries. They contain a large number of harmless follicles. The follicles are under-developed sacs that release eggs when you ovulate. Polycystic ovaries have twice the number of follicles than healthy ovaries do. In PCOS, these sacs are often unable to release an egg. This means that ovulation doesn't take place each month. This can cause you to stop having periods, or to have irregular periods. It can affect many aspects of your health. It's a common condition affecting almost 1 in 5 women of childbearing age in Ireland. It can affect your: Hormones Periods Fertility SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS If you have signs and symptoms of PCOS, they'll usually appear during your late teens or early 20s, including: Irregular or light period or no periods at all Difficulty getting pregnant Excessive hair growth (hirsutism) Weight gain Thinning hair and hair loss from the head Oily skin or acne TREATING PCOS PCOS is one of the most common, but treatable, causes of infertility in women. The hormonal imbalance interferes with the growth and release of eggs from the ovaries - ovulation. If you don't ovulate, you can't get pregnant. This means you may have difficulty becoming pregnant.There is no cure for PCOS. But you can manage the symptoms. You can improve symptoms and long-term health problems by losing excess weight. Medications are also available to treat symptoms such as: Excessive hair growth Irregular periods Fertility problems To Reduce your Risk of Complications: Try and keep your weight healthy - lose weight if you are overweight Quit smoking - if you smoke Eat a wide variety of healthy foods Exercise regularly PCOS AND GETTING PREGNANT For women with PCOS, the concept of starting a family can feel like it comes with extra challenges. Many women with PCOS struggle to conceive naturally, or experience significant delays, due to the absence of a reliable and trackable menstrual period.Although not knowing when, or if, you are ovulating can slow the fertility process down, however infertility for those with PCOS can usually be overcome. Often the first step is a simple ovulation check which in some cases may include a blood test done at a clinic, indicating whether ovulation is occurring. If ovulation is erratic or non-existent an ovulation-inducing drug may be prescribed, or the doctor may choose to use a closely monitored injectable or, in more difficult cases, IVF. STAY POSITIVE The chances of getting pregnant naturally, and quickly, may be lower for those with PCOS, but lifetime fertility is not impaired. Women who suffer symptoms of PCOS throughout their younger years may experience an improvement, or even remission, of the condition as they get older. For more information on female fertility, see our Female Fertility page
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Low AMH - Don't panic
Gaye Godkin, MPH Nutrition (Hons) DipNT cNLP, explains why you shouldn’t panic if you get a low AMH result
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Pre - pregnancy nutrition
Kat Boyd ND, shares the vitamins and minerals that are important when planning a pregnancy and, more importantly, where to find them.
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