A Look Into Prenatal Care With an ND

With covid restrictions and increasing ultrasound wait times, there are fewer opportunities to meet with doctors. It can be nice to have another provider who is able to answer questions and concerns for optimizing health in pregnancy. When you have questions, ND’s are trained to guide you through do’s and don’ts of pregnancy and work in adjunct with your MD to provide collaborative care. ND's address modifiable risk factors for infertility such as BMI, smoking cessation, environmental toxin exposure, and nutrient deficiencies. Again, especially with increasing ultrasound wait times, it can be nice to have another provider who is able to answer questions and concerns for optimizing health in pregnancy. 

Things we discuss in our visits with patients: 

L I F E S T Y L E 

Chatting about normal weight gain and how to cope with body image in pregnancy is a very important conversation - understanding changes in your body is something we find isn’t talked about often but very important. 

Providing resources of trusted experts in the community who can provide doula services, breastfeeding services and pre and post natal exercise (as we are not the experts in this.)

T O X I N  E X P O S U R E 

Reducing toxin exposure during pregnancy. This is also very important pre-conception as well. We have a chart out together for patients that outlines toxins and ways to reduce your exposure. Some toxins in common household/cosmetic products are: 

1. Parabens. can be found in almost all types of products as they are used a preservative, extending shelf life. They can lead to hormone imbalances leading to fertility issues, they are also linked to breast cancer. 

2. Fragrance. there are still so many so-called clean products that use “fragrance” as an ingredient. Fragrance is one of the leading causes of skin irritation right up there with poison ivy and nickel.

3. BHT. synthetic antioxidants are very often carcinogens and hormone disruptors.

4. Formaldehyde. yes, believe it or not, formaldehyde is often found in shampoo, body wash and bubble bath.

5. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and/or Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES). SLS and SLES can cause skin irritation and trigger different allergies.  

S U P P L E M E N T A T I O N

When it comes to herbal safety and supplementation, we love chatting why quality matters and what research supports for improving health outcomes in babes. Discussing safety of herbs in pregnancy and where natural alternatives to common pharmaceuticals can be used is one major thing we talk about; for example - we can use acupuncture over diclectin in cases of mild/moderate morning sickness. Our ND's take the time to source high quality supplements to support the health of both mom and babe.

1. Prenatal. Prenatals are an essential part of a healthy pregnancy and ensuring a healthy newborn. Lack of proper nutrients and/or vitamin deficiencies is a major factor in pregnancy complications, but these complications can be mitigated by proper supplementation and correcting deficiencies. In addition, a review of literature demonstrated that children of moms taking poor quality prenatal vitamins ended up with significantly more illnesses early in life due to heavy metal toxicity in-utero. So quality is super critical with prenatal vitamins but we also consider absence of heavy metals, and additives and fillers. Important features of a great prenatal are: absence of vitamin A, methylated folic acid andB vitamins that are all substantially higher than other prenatals, and iron in an absorbable form that is gentle on the stomach. 
2. Probiotics. Probiotics are supportive of good intestinal health balance and can reduce the risk ofatopic conditions, allergy development early on in the child's life, and can improve immune health in both mother and babe! A healthy gut microbiota balance will support optimal nutritional absorption and transfer in-utero.
3. Omega 3s. Best known as fish oils, quality omegas create healthy cholesterol levels which are important for hormone production, are anti-inflammatory, and are essential for fetal and newborn brain development. While trying to conceive we recommend a higher EPA than DHA ratio, but once you have conceived we switch to high DHA. Pregnancy is one of the only times that we turn to a fish oil higher in DHA than EPA and this balance is carefully monitored during pregnancy, pre-, and post-partum as EPA can improve mood so we often revisit this ratio at the first signs of postpartum depression. Sourcing is important with omega fish oils - obtaining oil from fish such as sardines & anchovies that are lower in heavy metals and mercury. This makes a safer option for pregnancy and health in general. Omegas reduce pre-term labour, fetal growth restriction, promotes fetal neurological and visual development.
4. Inositol: Inositol helps to mitigate the risk of gestational diabetes, and is even more effective when complemented by nutritional consultation to manage blood sugar levels. Studies also show that it helps prevent PCOS, and supports mood to prevent depression and anxiety! From a Chinese Medicine perspective, inositol also supports convalescence, meaning that it helps shorten the duration of recovery and promotes vitality.
5. Vitamin D: Vitamin D is easy to test for and absolutely something worth checking when you’re trying to conceive or newly pregnant. With 80% of North Americans deficient in this vitamin, achieving optimized levels will not only normalize hormone responsiveness in the uterus, it will prevent postpartum depression, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, preterm birth, and low birth weight. For best absorption Vitamin D should be taken in a liquid form and dropped underneath the tongue; this allows it quick and direct entry into the bloodstream.
6. Botanicals: our ND's love to explore how botanicals + herbs can help support reproductive health and fertility, as well as manage stress since we know that stress is a big piece to consider for those expecting or trying to conceive! One botanical that our ND's love for prenatal care and beyond is ashwagandha - this adaptogenic herb helps those expecting or trying to conceive better manage stress levels which in turn supports better reproductive health! Additionally, it's safe for breastfeeding which makes it beneficial for postpartum stress management as well!

A C U P U N C T U R E

Acupuncture is an EASTND staple. Our ND's love incorporating research-based acupuncture protocols into prenatal and pregnancy care to support patients. It's helpful in:

• balancing hormones to ensure effective fertilization and implantation
• improving ovulation rates
• reducing and managing stress levels
• maintaining pregnancy

I U I  +  I V F

We also recommend acupuncture to help manage stress and promote fertility! It has also recently been shown to help improve ovarian reserve, or the amount of follicles in ovaries and egg quality which is important in healthy viable pregnancies. Research shows that women who undergo regular acupuncture during IVF and IUI treatments have a lowered risk of miscarriage, multiples and ectopic pregnancies. It has also been shown to improve live birth outcomes and healthy pregnancies by as much a 11% compared to those who did not get acupuncture.

Furthermore, acupuncture is also used to balance hormones important in regulating healthy menstrual cycles. It has also been shown to be helpful in reducing stress and decreasing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Learn more about how our ND's use acupuncture to support IUI + IVF treatments here! 

If you have any questions about trying to conceive and navigating this journey, check in with [email protected] // [email protected] or click through to head to our Moncton or Charlottetown pages to get started and chat with one of our ND's!