My integrated approach to health and fertility is always with one aim in mind and that is to optimize a patient's overall health and well-being in order to enhance their fertility and maximise their chances of getting pregnant.
Day after day I sit with couples who have experienced difficulties at every stage of the fertility process, from pre-conception to those who have battled with miscarriage or assisted conception. Each of these couples has the same goal: they want to have a baby. Some are more desperate than others and with desperation comes a kind of vulnerability. Many couples are running down endless routes, trying every available therapy without any real focus.
Many come to me just as they embark on their goal. They are still optimistic and usually with good reason and want reassurance about their approach to conception and what steps to take in adjusting their lifestyle, diet or activities. Others who come to see me have already pursued all sorts of ways to get pregnant and know they are having problems. Sometimes just the process of being listened to and being asked the appropriate questions elicits that nugget of information that may be the key to the outcome, which is why the questionnaire that I use is so detailed.
Many couples find my approach to be very different from a consultation with their GP or a fertility clinic. The physical checks they give to patients' reproductive organs, systems and processes are, of course, invaluable but there is often more to it than this. I take a holistic approach, taking into account the social, emotional and lifestyle context of the couple as well as the pure mechanics of reproduction. The consultation questionnaire provides me with an invaluable tool for assessing the wide range of issues and also helps many couples to think about their lifestyle and their true aspirations. These questions are long and detailed, to provide in conjunction with the consultation, a full profile on which decisions about the way a couple can choose to proceed can be based.
One way I help couples to understand the need for taking a close look at their lives and finding ways to make the changes necessary to achieve more balance is by asking them to sit down and write out how much time they spend on each area of their lives. In my first session with each couple I always ask a crucial question: How far are you prepared to go to have a baby? Couples starting out do not realize how important this question is. Where you are on the road now and the effort you've already spent getting there, will make a difference to the outcome and how far you are prepared to go. Just as you have to be prepared to make changes at the outset, you must also be ready to alter your course as you proceed, as there will be obstacles to encounter and overcome with every success and failure.
At then end of the first consultation, I draw up a relevant action plan for a couple. Depending on what the consultation has highlighted, this can vary but it is always specific to the couple. It is entirely up to the couple how they wish to proceed but the majority can see that taking a holistic approach is beneficial. I can't stress strongly enough that every couple is a unique combination of needs - both physical and emotional. The way I work is to address that individuality. That said, experience has shown me that when couples have the benefit of a holistic approach - which may encompass medical treatment, nutritional supplementation, relaxation, detoxifying, acupuncture, reflexology, hypnotherapy and massage - the personal outcome for the couple is always positive.
Obviously I take into account this is an incredibly personal and intimate experience couples are sharing with me, which can make people feel vulnerable. Often they can react defensively, sometimes aggressively, to mask their anxiety. Couples often want me to provide answers, when what I do is help them find answers within themselves. I believe that a positive attitude affects the mind and body hugely. The couples I see fall into many categories: those who are starting to try, couples just about to embark on IVF, couples who have had multiple failures, women who have miscarried, couples considering moving on to egg donation, sperm donation, surrogacy or adoption. Help is available to you at every stage of this journey.
I would like to promise everyone a baby but life simply doesn't work like that. I can, however promise that you will walk away from this process with better health, more self-awareness and the tools to address areas of your life that have held you back. You will greatly improve your chances of having a baby. Your ability to achieve this really is now in your hands.
Cheryl O'Reilly BSc (Hons) Acup. DipAc MAAC
Day after day I sit with couples who have experienced difficulties at every stage of the fertility process, from pre-conception to those who have battled with miscarriage or assisted conception. Each of these couples has the same goal: they want to have a baby. Some are more desperate than others and with desperation comes a kind of vulnerability. Many couples are running down endless routes, trying every available therapy without any real focus.
Many come to me just as they embark on their goal. They are still optimistic and usually with good reason and want reassurance about their approach to conception and what steps to take in adjusting their lifestyle, diet or activities. Others who come to see me have already pursued all sorts of ways to get pregnant and know they are having problems. Sometimes just the process of being listened to and being asked the appropriate questions elicits that nugget of information that may be the key to the outcome, which is why the questionnaire that I use is so detailed.
Many couples find my approach to be very different from a consultation with their GP or a fertility clinic. The physical checks they give to patients' reproductive organs, systems and processes are, of course, invaluable but there is often more to it than this. I take a holistic approach, taking into account the social, emotional and lifestyle context of the couple as well as the pure mechanics of reproduction. The consultation questionnaire provides me with an invaluable tool for assessing the wide range of issues and also helps many couples to think about their lifestyle and their true aspirations. These questions are long and detailed, to provide in conjunction with the consultation, a full profile on which decisions about the way a couple can choose to proceed can be based.
One way I help couples to understand the need for taking a close look at their lives and finding ways to make the changes necessary to achieve more balance is by asking them to sit down and write out how much time they spend on each area of their lives. In my first session with each couple I always ask a crucial question: How far are you prepared to go to have a baby? Couples starting out do not realize how important this question is. Where you are on the road now and the effort you've already spent getting there, will make a difference to the outcome and how far you are prepared to go. Just as you have to be prepared to make changes at the outset, you must also be ready to alter your course as you proceed, as there will be obstacles to encounter and overcome with every success and failure.
At then end of the first consultation, I draw up a relevant action plan for a couple. Depending on what the consultation has highlighted, this can vary but it is always specific to the couple. It is entirely up to the couple how they wish to proceed but the majority can see that taking a holistic approach is beneficial. I can't stress strongly enough that every couple is a unique combination of needs - both physical and emotional. The way I work is to address that individuality. That said, experience has shown me that when couples have the benefit of a holistic approach - which may encompass medical treatment, nutritional supplementation, relaxation, detoxifying, acupuncture, reflexology, hypnotherapy and massage - the personal outcome for the couple is always positive.
Obviously I take into account this is an incredibly personal and intimate experience couples are sharing with me, which can make people feel vulnerable. Often they can react defensively, sometimes aggressively, to mask their anxiety. Couples often want me to provide answers, when what I do is help them find answers within themselves. I believe that a positive attitude affects the mind and body hugely. The couples I see fall into many categories: those who are starting to try, couples just about to embark on IVF, couples who have had multiple failures, women who have miscarried, couples considering moving on to egg donation, sperm donation, surrogacy or adoption. Help is available to you at every stage of this journey.
I would like to promise everyone a baby but life simply doesn't work like that. I can, however promise that you will walk away from this process with better health, more self-awareness and the tools to address areas of your life that have held you back. You will greatly improve your chances of having a baby. Your ability to achieve this really is now in your hands.
Cheryl O'Reilly BSc (Hons) Acup. DipAc MAAC