Pregnant - the Natural Way

by Amy
(NY)

After two and a half years of trying to conceive, I am finally pregnant! I am praying for all you ladies reading this.

One year into infertility, I was told I have 12 cysts on one ovary and 15 on the other. While my doctor said my hormone levels didn't look particularly problematic, I had hair on my chest and stomach, and was losing hair right behind my hairline - an indication of high testosterone.

My doctor was very clear that she did not know of natural ways to improve my fertility and simply suggested we do Clomid and IUI since it has 80% success. I was not ok with that.

So I researched and researched and read the PCOS diet book and saw the clear link between my eating habits, diabetes in our family history, and my fertility.

I began a low carb diet and the pounds began to fall off.

My doctor had said it didn't look like I was overweight, but at 5'2" and 140 pounds, I was obese for my frame.

Even though I had always enjoyed exercising before, the low-carb diet made me feel like I didn't have the energy to do the high intensity workouts of before, so I just tried to stay active through yoga and some light walking.

Even though I thought I wouldn't lose weight because I wasn't exercising like before, the pounds were simply melting away.

I began not to recognize myself in the mirror! My face, my arms, my stomach!

Every part of me seemed to be shrinking. I lost thirty pounds! That was 20% of my weight!

After 9 months and still no success, I went to a new endocrinologist who said my TSH was 4.6, I was hypothyroid, and that I needed to take Synthroid. I didn't want to take synthetic hormones even though she assured me they are safe and effective.

I said I would give it a couple more months and then try the Synthroid. I started taking L-Tyrosine in the mornings in addition to the multivitamin and B6 (200mg) that I was already taking.

By this time, I had also (finally!) read Toni Weschler's Taking Charge of Your Fertility and had charted my cycles for three months.

I learned I was ovulating, but just later (on day 20). My TSH was also lower - 3.6.

So at age 29, after ten months from starting the low carb diet and two and a half years after we started trying, the pregnancy test was finally positive.

Good luck ladies!! You can help your body become fertile naturally!!

I am grateful that my insulin and testosterone levels came down before I got pregnant, because had I gotten pregnant while I was still eating that way, I would have put the baby at risk, and would have had a higher chance of miscarriage.

So, thank you to all those who helped me understand how to improve my fertility and my health!

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Ed. comments: Amy, we are absolutely thrilled with what you have accomplished!

As far as PCOS and fertility is concerned, it takes a lot of persistence and patience, a lot of research, a lot of changing one's lifestyle, and a willingness to try different things until a successful path is discovered.