Have Herbs, Make Baby?

For one in six American couples, getting pregnant isn’t as easy as those birds-and-bees lessons made it sound. But there’s a natural remedy that might just help—without the hassle and expense of high-tech treatments.

Nutritionist Aileen Trant, director of research and development for a supplement company called Daily Wellness, knew that certain herbs have fertility-boosting powers. Chasteberry, for instance, is said to aid hormonal balance, while the amino acid L-arginine can strengthen the uterine lining. So she and her colleagues came up with a new supplement combining these and other ingredients beneficial to the reproductive system.

In a small, preliminary study, done in conjunction with Stanford University Medical Center, the researchers gave this mix, called FertilityBlend, to 15 women between the ages of 24 and 46 who had been trying to conceive for at least six months—some for as long as three years. After five months of taking the supplement three times a day, five of the 15 were happily expecting. None of the women in a control group conceived during the same time period.

Paul Dompé, a naturopathic physician at the Bastyr Center for Natural Health in Seattle, says he’d like to see the findings confirmed in a larger study, but “the results definitely warrant further research,” he adds.

In the meantime, it can’t hurt to give FertilityBlend a try. It’s available at many health food stores and online at www.fertilityblend.com.