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Difficult conversations are that: they are difficult. A conversation about infertility, in its reality, can be very difficult. The road of suffering with infertility is a difficult one, and advice can feel like a double edge sword: hope for the future while simultaneously sear with pain at a reality not yet realized.
And that my dear sisters (and brothers for the men reading this) is the understanding that this blog is written from: with compassion, not just another article to give you advice, I write this as someone who has helped walk what can feel like or in reality is the long road of infertility.
In comes the question: will Creighton really help with your infertility? While I cannot give an answer for each individual person, though I wish that I could give a resounding "yes," Creighton does have the potential to help with your infertility. Between 20-40% of couples with known infertility are able to achieve a pregnancy with charting with the Creighton Model System alone, and up to 80% of couples are able to conceive with the Creighton Model System and medical treatment (information taken from the Introduction to the Creighton Model FertilityCare System introductory session). Thankfully, every client who I have seen with infertility has been able to achieve a pregnancy. While I understand that that track record may not last, I'd like to speak into how CRMS might be able to assist with infertility:
Fertility focused intercourse - sometimes it takes cycles to be able to conceive. By selecting the days of greatest fertility for intercourse, it gives a better potential for pregnancy to take place
Low progesterone - often a culprit of recurrent miscarriage and other conditions. The signs of low progesterone can often be seen on a chart, which your Creighton Practitioner is able to identify, and can be rectified with supplementation as directed by your doctor
Mucus quality - how are you supposed to know what good quality mucus is like? Your Creighton Practitioner can help you identify the quality of your mucus, which will give your Napro doctor greater insight as to what to look for with any medical conditions. Infertility can be rooted in a host of issues, and identifying mucus quality gives greater insight as to where the problem might lie. It is immensely helpful and definitely quicker for your diagnosis to keep your charting habits.
Medical conditions - medical issues such as endometriosis, PCOS, signs of inflammation, thyroid conditions, can also often be identified in your chart.
Napro tracking - believe it or not, Napro doctors often give specific lab orders or medication/supplements to begin on certain days of your cycle based on mucus and charting observations. Having an accurate chart helps Napro doctors assess more accurately what you are experiencing to diagnose. My clients tend to have more hope when they master their charting, and don't feel all of the pressure on the one cycle to get a lab test done while simultaneously trying to figure out how to chart.
Other aspects that are helpful are prayer, exercise, and diet. We are entire persons, comprised of body and soul. Tending to body and soul in many components, in both their beautiful and yet very difficult aspects, helps with your entire being. To be written about in another blog (because, after all this is a blog and not a 'read for an entire month' ordeal), is praying that God speaks the truth to you about you, your entire situation, your body, and your soul. Ask the Lord to see from how He sees you.
If you have any questions about how Creighton may or may not help with your infertility, don't hesitate to reach out to any of our practitioners/interns. We would be happy to talk through your concerns and address how Creighton may help you. And we're prepared to walk the road of infertility alongside you.
