What Is Preconception Care?
The physical, nutritional and emotional health and wellbeing of both partners play a vital role in falling pregnant and producing a healthy embryo. Poor egg and sperm health is a primary factor in a couples difficulty to conceive, and can contribute to long term fertility issues, miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, and genetic defects.
The journey to ovulation and the production of a mature egg ready for fertilisation is around 100 days. Spermatogenesis occurs over a 90 day cycle, and just as in females, the health of the sperm are a reflection and product of the previous 90 days.
The best time to start preparing for a baby is 4-6 months before you want to start trying.
Egg and sperm quality are a primary focus in the preconception period. The quality of the genetic material from both the sperm and the egg determine the health of the pregnancy and future genetic predisposition for the child.
Through a range of assessments, consultations and functional testing, our preconception care practitioners educate, empower and address factors influencing the health and fertility of the couple.
Selph Preconception Program
Our 12 week program carefully guides and supports you and your partner through the conception process. We address and work on the issues surrounding both the male and female partners’ fertility, increasing the likelihood of a healthy pregnancy and birth, and minimising post-natal depression.
Selph Naturopath Danielle Delaney will be your guide throughout the program, designing an individualised 12 week plan of consultations and assessments to help you be the healthiest, most fertile version of you.
Utilising our team of Emotional Health experts, Acupuncturists, and Pilates and Yoga teachers, your Naturopath will address the 6 primary components of reproductive health and fertility. Through comprehensive consultations, functional testing and pathology, our program aims to work with your primary healthcare provider and other Selph practitioners to collaboratively look after you and give you the best possible care.
The program also focuses on the education of the couple around their bodies, healthy nutrition and wellbeing. The female partner will be taught about her menstrual cycle, helping her to understand the different stages, and her fertility window. The male partner will be taught about the fundamental role they play in conception success and the factors affecting sperm quality.
The program will provide you with the support and structure to make productive changes to your nutritional, emotional and physical health.
Structure Of The Program
As each couple will require different levels of treatment around each key areas, the pre-conception plan program will be adjusted and coordinated by your Naturopath.
As a guideline, over the course of 12 weeks, there will be:
- 6 x Conception Care Naturopathy consultations + ongoing email and phone support
- ± 3 x NET Consultations focusing on stress and emotional health
- ± 3 x Acupuncture consultations focusing on detoxification
- Private Mindfulness Meditation and breath work class + access to online meditations.
- MoveOnline Yoga & Pilates membership
- Nutritional supplements for both partners
- Personal dietary care plans and recipes
- A specialised ovulation thermometer + app for menstrual cycle tracking ovulation
- Pathology test referrals for individual requirements
Take control of your fertility health
Focus Areas of The Program
There are six key areas that affect fertility that our team work through with you.
(i) Nutrition
Improving nutritional intake should happen prior to conception. This is a time of nutrient repletion, where the future mother must be in optimal nutritional status to be equipped for the demands of pregnancy and the post pregnancy period. Nutritional deficiencies also affect the quality of the egg and sperm and are vitally important for best possible outcomes.
Your Naturopath will comprehensively review your dietary intake and review your eating habits to generate personalised nutritional advice and supplementation as required on the back of pathology and functional testing when necessary. Establishing sound nutrition and making even the most minor of adjustments can have profound influence on sperm quality and foetal development.
(ii) Stress and Emotional Wellbeing
Stress can have a huge impact in the reproductive systems of both men and women. In men, stress may result in low testosterone and decreased sperm production. In women, stress can inhibit the production of important hormones including LH, oestrogen and progesterone. The stress that you carry, is transferred through the DNA in your sperm or eggs, to your child.
Your naturopath will pinpoint ways to both manage and reduce stress in your life. Our NET practitioners will look at clearing your stress response pathways, and alleviating emotional and trauma blockages. This can help to ensure your emotional wellbeing and positivity that will be transferred to the unborn baby, and reduce any relationship friction or strains.
Practicing Mindfullness and allowing yourself time to fully relax and be calm will also be offered through a private meditation class. You’ll learn the techniques to control your mind and build a meditation practice.
(iii) Environmental Exposure
Our modern environments can often be a source of unsuspected exposure to toxicities that damage our DNA and affect our ability to manufacture hormones optimally in both men and women. Exposure to various environmental pollutants add to the load on our detoxification pathways that are already working hard for us everyday.
Your naturopath can help you identify your exposure and risk through the consultation process and functional testing where required and assist you in supporting you channels of detoxification prior to trying to conceive. Your Acupuncturist will also seek to assist in the restoration of the normal functioning of your detoxification pathways through targeting your meridian points and re-establishing flow. Acupuncture has also been shown to be of positive benefit with IVF treatments.
(iv) Lifestyle
Your Naturopath will discuss with you in detail your lifestyle, from work and home life to the amount of sleep you’re getting and activities you do. They will outline what you should avoid and what you should do more of to help foster the fertility process.
A fertile body is a body that is calm, fed regularly and adequately and well rested. Your naturopath will hep you restore balance and help you advocate for what you need for the best possible outcome.
(v) Fitness
Being fit and active in preconception will help optimise your body’s ability to conceive, and manage the physical and emotional changes that pregnancy will bring.
Our teachers will recommend two yoga or pilates classes a week to attend to promote movement and fitness. Your Naturopath can also recommend personal training and group training sessions.
Who Should Undertake Preconception Care
Preconception care helps to optimise the conditions for a healthy fertility of both partners, and is recommended for anyone looking to strengthen the conception and birth process.
It is however particularly important for couples who have fertility issues or face additional challenges to their fertility health. Preconception care can help older couples, those undergoing IVF, those with health or weight issues, couples who have faced physical, mental or genetic issues with previously conceived children, or who have had exposure to toxicities or long term medication usage (such as the Pill).
Booking Your Spot
Single Preconception Program (12 weeks)
One Off Payment
$1,885 (10% discount)
Fortnightly Payment
$346.70 / fortnight (total cost $2,074)
Both Partners Preconception Program (12 weeks)
One Off Payment
$2,414 (10% discount)
Fortnightly Payment
$442.50 / fortnight (total cost $2,655)