Couples who have difficulties conceiving often find themselves in physical and emotional turmoil.

Deciding whether or not to take the plunge and have IVF treatment often brings up all sorts of issues that only the partners themselves can really understand. Sometimes women will undergo several cycles of fertility treatment and still not become pregnant or carry a baby to term.

Common causes of fertility difficulties include health problems such as fibroids, endometriosis, blocked fallopian tubes, difficulties with ovulation, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, poor egg or sperm quality, low testosterone, problems with sperm production or motility.

Other blocks to a successful conception are the absence of menstruation following long term use of birth control pills, repeated or incomplete miscarriage, drug and alcohol use, environmental toxicity and emotional issues such as stress, grief, anger, and untreated trauma.

Fortunately, homeopathy offers an effective, safe, and painless alternative to more invasive fertility treatments. Homeopathy looks at the whole person and considers the cause of conception difficulties and treats that cause often removing the blocks to conception and leading the way to a healthy, natural pregnancy.

Twenty-four year old Rachel was unable to conceive a baby because her menstruation disappeared after coming off eight years on the Pill. She came to me six months later, her periods still absent, and following treatment with the homeopathic remedy her periods reestablished and she became pregnant, giving birth to a healthy baby boy.

Melanie and her husband, Charlie, tried for three years to have a second baby after their son was born. Doctors told them it was because Charlie had a low motility and a condition known as a varicocele, which were preventing conception. Within two weeks of Melanie and Charlie each taking a homeopathic remedy, Melanie was pregnant, and their daughter is now six years old.

Amanda came to see me because she was unable to conceive a second baby. She had suffered a miscarriage the previous year and was still silently grieving this loss. Every month she became depressed as her friends became pregnant with second babies and she did not. After coming for homeopathic treatment for three months she took a remedy specifically for the grief of the miscarriage and was pregnant the following month.

While it is recommended that both partners have homeopathic treatment when looking at fertility, it is possible for the person who appears to be having the difficulty, if that is known, to come and achieve success as you have seen above. As homeopathy is so individualized, it is necessary to seek the services of a qualified practitioner rather than self-prescribe in fertility cases.

A visit to a homeopath can be therapeutic for both partners. A first appointment generally lasts around one-and-a-half hours. The homeopath will be interested in hearing all the history that has led them to seek treatment.

The appointment is based around talking and no examinations are taken. By taking a thorough case, the role of the homeopath is similar to a detective, searching for possible causes to the infertility. Once she determines either the cause or the barrier in the way of a healthy pregnancy, she looks for a remedy that will allow conception to happen.

Sue Anello trained to be a classical homeopath in the United Kingdom at Purton House School of Homeopathy. She then completed the Orion Postgraduate course in London before returning to the United States. She is certified by the Council for Homeopathic Certification in the United States. She is now practising at The Bell Trees Clinic in Oxford.