Main description:

A comprehensive text-book for herbalists, nutritionists and other healthcare practitioners, providing detailed information on reproductive health in both men and women.

This in-depth and much needed book, will enable practitioners to gain an in-depth understanding of a wide range of reproductive health problems from both an orthodox medical and an energetic/holistic perspective.

It provides detailed advice on case history taking, clinical examination and orthodox investigations, together with comprehensive sections on diagnosing Ayurvedic and TCM patterns of disharmony, which may contribute to reproductive health problems.

Herbal Medicine and Reproductive Health also explores in detail how to overcome reproductive health problems and improve fertility with herbal medicine, nutrition and lifestyle changes.

Contents:

- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

- ABOUT THE AUTHOR

- INTRODUCTION

PART I: FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

CHAPTER ONE - Organic infertility: conditions leading to anovulation

- Amenorrhoea

- Hypothalamic amenorrhoea

- Hypopituitarism

- Hyperprolactinaemia

- Ovarian insufficiency and early menopause

- Thyroid hormone imbalance

- Systemic lupus erythematosus

CHAPTER TWO - PCOS, hyperandrogenism, and insulin resistance

- Polycystic ovary syndrome

- Polycystic ovaries

- Hyperandrogenism

- Acyclic oestrogens

- Insulin resistance

- Being overweight/underweight

CHAPTER THREE - Organic infertility: structural issues

- Fallopian tube damage or blockage

- Uterine or cervical or vaginal abnormalities

CHAPTER FOUR - Functional problems

- Functional hormonal imbalance

- Prostaglandin imbalance

CHAPTER FIVE - Lifestyle factors and reproductive health

- Nutrition

- Caffeine

- Alcohol

- Smoking

- Exercise

- Drug induced infertility

CHAPTER SIX - Energetic patterns of disharmony

- Traditional medicine systems

- Traditional Chinese medicine

- TCM patterns of disharmony

- Ayurvedic dosha imbalance

PART II: REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROBLEMS IN MEN

CHAPTER SEVEN - Pre-testicular problems

- Endocrine causes

- Sperm abnormalities

- Undescended testes

- Genetic defects

CHAPTER EIGHT - Testicular problems

- Infection

- Trauma/injury

- Varicocele

- Genetic disorders

- DNA damage

- Exposure to heat

CHAPTER NINE - Post-testicular problems

- Erectile dysfunction

- Premature ejaculation

- Retrograde ejaculation

- Genetic diseases

- Structural abnormalities

CHAPTER TEN - Lifestyle factors affecting reproductive health

- Stress

- Smoking, alcohol consumption, and recreational drug use

- Drug induced infertility

- Diet and nutrition

CHAPTER ELEVEN - Energetic patterns of disharmony

- TCM patterns of disharmony

- Ayurvedic Dosha imbalance

PART III: TREATING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROBLEMS AND IMPROVING FERTILITY IN PRACTICE

CHAPTER TWELVE - Case taking, clinical examination, and investigations

- The case history in assessing reproductive health

- Clinical examination in assessment of reproductive health

- Medical laboratory tests

- Further investigations

- Predicting ovulation and the fertile window

CHAPTER THIRTEEN - Supporting patients receiving orthodox fertility treatments

- Assisted reproduction techniques (ART)

- Supporting patients receiving orthodox assisted reproduction

CHAPTER FOURTEEN - Preventing recurrent pregnancy loss

- DNA damage to sperm

- Oocyte quality

- Tobacco, alcohol, caffeine consumption

- Luteal insufficiency

- Uterine or cervical problems

- Polycystic ovary syndrome

- Thyroid disease

- Immune system problems and inflammatory diseases

- Infection

- Thrombophilia

CHAPTER FIFTEEN - Herbal medicines and reproductive health

- Herbal medicines for improving reproductive health

- INDEX