Cannabis use and male fertility
Working in fertility means working with male and female partners to identify potential causes of infertility, and finding opportunities to optimize fertility in all partners. Cannabis use by male...
View ArticleAnother reason to treat Vitamin D in pregnancy – decreasing diabetes risk in...
Vitamin D is a super nutrient that serves a remarkably broad range of biological functions. The diversity of its benefits make it an important part of a woman’s health, during pregnancy and otherwise....
View ArticleUsing selenium in pregnancy and post-partum for thyroid auto-immunity
Identifying and treating thyroid disease in my fertility and pregnant patients has been a passion since I was a naturopathic student in Vancouver, where I saw one of my patients complete a healthy...
View ArticlePreventing hyperemesis gravidum with pre-pregnancy exercise
Hyperemesis gravidum (HG) is severe and continual nausea and vomiting in pregnancy – resulting in dehydration, electrolyte imbalances and malnutrition. It is both debilitating and incredibly...
View ArticleThe Role of Food Choices in Reducing Chemical Exposure during Pregnancy
Chemical exposure during pregnancy is a hot topic, as parents and care-providers become increasingly aware of how chemicals in the environment and food supply can affect fetal development. In a...
View ArticleThe link between maternal and infant anemia
Iron is a crucial micronutrient for everyone’s health, and never more than during pregnancy – as iron-deficiency anemia during pregnancy affects both mom and baby in very visible and invisible ways. As...
View ArticleWeight Stigma in Pregnant and Post-partum Women
The pressure to “drop the baby weight” immediately post-partum is an unrealistic and stressful expectation for the majority of new moms – resulting in negative physical and mental health impacts at a...
View ArticlePeppermint essential oil in pregnancy – why and how to use it
With the rise of companies like Young Living and DoTerra, essential oils are making their way into an increasing number of medicine cabinets across the country. My pregnant patients often ask for my...
View ArticleThe role of vaginal flora (microbiome) in the success of IVF
The health of the vaginal and gut microbiome of pregnant women is increasingly recognized for its importance to the developing immune systems of the growing fetus, as well as for prevention of preterm...
View ArticleExercise during pregnancy – not just good for mom!
We all know the benefits of regular exercise in pregnancy, from mental health to healthy weight management. Now, a fascinating new study from Denmark has shed light on an additional and somewhat...
View ArticleThe link between carbohydrates and insomnia in pregnancy
Restful sleep is a precious commodity during pregnancy and in the post-partum period – and so I encourage all my patients to practice good sleep hygiene, such as some of the tips in this past blog...
View ArticlePregnancy, breast-feeding and COVID-19
Pregnant and breast-feeding women are understandably looking for information about COVID-19 and how it might affect their growing fetuses and infants. I wanted to direct you to Dr Aviva Romm’s COVID-19...
View ArticleExercise and thyroid function in pregnancy
Promoting healthy exercise and monitoring thyroid function in pregnancy are two keys to pregnancy that I talk about with my patients at least once a day in my clinic – spurring numerous past blog...
View ArticleEmotional eating in pregnant women during the COVID-19 Pandemic
It’s been a few months since regular posting on pregnancy research, but with the “new normal” of pandemic-living settling in here in the Yukon, including school re-opening, I am eager to get back into...
View ArticleMental health of pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic
Much of the planet is concerned and affected by the uncertainty involved with the pandemic, but a new Canadian study has found that pregnant women faced specific mental-health challenges related to...
View ArticleChallenging the seven-percent weight-loss rule for newborn breast-feeding...
Among the many nerve-racking moments besetting new mothers as they navigate parenthood is the short period of weight loss that baby experiences in the 1-2 weeks after birth. The American Academy of...
View ArticleVitamin D and urinary incontinence in pregnancy
Okay, so here I go again about the impacts of Vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy. This critical substance affects expectant mothers is countless ways – today, we are going to focus on urinary...
View ArticleOptimal fluoride levels for pregnant women
Adding fluoride to the public supply of drinking water has long been a subject of debate: while fluoridation has been clearly shown to decrease dental decay, concerns have persisted about what levels...
View ArticleThe epidemic of infertility
Whether from stigma, embarrassment or shame, couples’ challenges with fertility and infertility are far too rarely discussed in the open. Because they hear so little about their peers’ challenges, my...
View ArticleTemperature matters – the impact of scrotal temperature increases on sperm...
Just as the male comprises half of the team when it comes to conception, male causes for infertility are found in 50 per cent of infertile couples – it may be one or a combination of low sperm...
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