Herbal Medicine and Reproductive Health

Marie Reilly is an experienced medical herbalist and teacher, lecturing internationally on reproductive health. She qualified from the College of Phytotherapy in 2004 and was awarded a Masters degree from the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine based on her research into the treatment of female functional infertility with herbal medicine. Marie also studied endobiogenic medicine with Dr Jean Claude Lapraz, and Ayurveda with Dr Vasant Lad. Today she runs a successful multidisciplinary clinic in Lismore, Ireland.

• - ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS- ABOUT THE AUTHOR - INTRODUCTIONPART I: FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCHAPTER ONE - Organic infertility: conditions leading to anovulation- Amenorrhoea - Hypothalamic amenorrhoea - Hypopituitarism - Hyperprolactinaemia - Ovarian insufficiency and early menopause - Thyroid hormone imbalance - Systemic lupus erythematosusCHAPTER TWO - PCOS, hyperandrogenism, and insulin resistance - Polycystic ovary syndrome - Polycystic ovaries - Hyperandrogenism - Acyclic oestrogens - Insulin resistance - Being overweight/underweightCHAPTER THREE - Organic infertility: structural issues - Fallopian tube damage or blockage - Uterine or cervical or vaginal abnormalitiesCHAPTER FOUR - Functional problems - Functional hormonal imbalance - Prostaglandin imbalanceCHAPTER FIVE - Lifestyle factors and reproductive health - Nutrition- Caffeine - Alcohol - Smoking- Exercise - Drug induced infertilityCHAPTER SIX - Energetic patterns of disharmony - Traditional medicine systems - Traditional Chinese medicine - TCM patterns of disharmony - Ayurvedic dosha imbalancePART II: REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROBLEMS IN MENCHAPTER SEVEN - Pre-testicular problems- Endocrine causes- Sperm abnormalities - Undescended testes - Genetic defectsCHAPTER EIGHT - Testicular problems - Infection - Trauma/injury - Varicocele - Genetic disorders - DNA damage - Exposure to heatCHAPTER NINE - Post-testicular problems - Erectile dysfunction - Premature ejaculation - Retrograde ejaculation - Genetic diseases - Structural abnormalitiesCHAPTER TEN - Lifestyle factors affecting reproductive health - Stress- Smoking, alcohol consumption, and recreational drug use - Drug induced infertility - Diet and nutritionCHAPTER ELEVEN - Energetic patterns of disharmony - TCM patterns of disharmony - Ayurvedic Dosha imbalancePART III: TREATING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROBLEMS AND IMPROVING FERTILITY IN PRACTICECHAPTER 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 windowCHAPTER THIRTEEN - Supporting patients receiving orthodox fertility treatments - Assisted reproduction techniques (ART) - Supporting patients receiving orthodox assisted reproductionCHAPTER 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 - ThrombophiliaCHAPTER FIFTEEN - Herbal medicines and reproductive health - Herbal medicines for improving reproductive health- INDEX