Live chat with Zita West, Monday 12 November, 1pm

[OliviaMumsnet]

We're delighted to announce that Zita West will be here for an online chat with Mumsnetters next Monday 12 November.

Zita is a practicing midwife, acupuncturist and nutritional advisor. She worked in the NHS for over 20 years and then in 2002, she set up the Zita West clinic, a multi-disciplinary practice that uses evidence-based complementary therapies for fertility and pregnancy.

Zita will be joining us for an hour on Monday at 1 o'clock, so grab a sarnie, get your questions ready and join us then.

If for some strange reason, you can't be here (and we hope you've got a very good excuse) then please post any advance questions here.

Thanks, MNHQ

Hi Coggy
What a sad history. In my experience everyone deals with grief differently. I know it's five years since this happened but one of first questions I would ask a client with your history is 'do you think the loss is effecting your ability to conceive this time'. Cycles change and vary for a number of reasons - stress, anxiety, lifestyle and weight all have their impact as well. It might be worth looking at the whole picture of what's happening in your life and tackle the areas that are appropriate to you (regarding grief/stress/lifestyle factors/emotions). It is only then you will be able to move on and do IVF. It is really tragic what happened to your baby but remember it is extremely unlikely that such a terrible event could happen again.

Zita, just to say a big thanks to you. I had IVF after 4 years of ttc, which fortunately worked first time and resulted in our beautiful dd (nearly 2). When dd was about a year old, I found myself really wanting another baby, but reluctant to put myself through IVF again, so I got your book, 'Zita West's Guide to Getting Pregnant'. I found it so reassuring and so inspiring and so full of common sense, that it gave me confidence in my body. So I started eating healthily, put myself and DH on vitamin supplements, and most importantly enjoyed sex and stopped worrying about it all. I'm now nearly 38 weeks pregnant with no. 2. So Thank You!!!

Hi Zita,

Any advice on boosting my chance at conception would be appreciated:

I have one daughter aged 3. We have been trying to conceive for 2+ years with 2 miscarriages last year and not a whisper of positive test this year.

An HSG shows one blocked tube (with scans showing large cysts forming on at least two cycles), I have sub-clinical hypothyroidism (now on throxine), pretty high FSH (wavering between 9 and 11+) and factor v leiden. So, a catalogue of unhelpfuls!

Any hope? (I'm nearly 37)

Hi myboyjack

Miscarriages are really tough to go through. Many of the women that I see in my miscarriage clinic have lost confidence and feel their lives are on hold. We see them from when they are five and a half minutes pregnant and they are very anxious and need a lot of support. You need to be properly investigated - the science in this area has improved greatly but sadly the options available vary from hospital trust to hospital trust so this can be out of your control which is frustrating. What is in control is your diet, your lifestyle and to keep trying and staying positive.

is it esential to go organic to concieve?

what is your experience of people trying o concieve on ads?

Hi Luelle
What wonderful feedback - thank you. There are so many elements to getting pregnant but often it is an unconscious thing - the more conscious you make it the harder it becomes. Have a great birth!

Hi Zita
I am 10 weeks pg tomorrow and have 24/7 morning sickness, more nausea than vomiting. I have been off work for a month. Last pg it went at about 13 weeks am I likely to find the same this time round or could it stay. if it does stay is there anything that can be done - all the traditional remedies fail me.
Thanks

Hi Zita
I'm 29, DH 28. Been ttc #1 for nearly 2 yrs. Had blood tests (only one cycle) and sperm tests (only once too) which showed I didn't ov and DH's sperm weren't great (low morphology -3%, but good sized sample, therefore enough 'good' ones to do the job)
I don't have PCO/PCOS or endo (or even irregular cycles) and there's no 'reason' behind why I didn't ov. DH and I both eat healthily and exercise regularly. (We're also having sex regularly, of course). I have never got a +ive pg test at all in 23 months of ttc. I'm on my 5th cycle of Clomid at the moment, out of 6, before we go back to specialist in Feb.
I'm not too confident in my care (NHS) either (no monitoring on Clomid/no diagnosis of why I'm not ov'ing/no repeat of tests to see if it was an anovulatory cycle etc) but I can't afford to go private.
What can we do to help our chances? What do you recommend we do next?
Thanks x

Hi Hulababy

This must be hard for you. I have treated many women with Ashermans Syndrome and do Acupuncture treatment to increase blood flow to the area. Plus we recommend nutritional therapy aimed at building up the Uterine lining plus we would use pro-biotics for you because of the anti-biotic use. However everyone is different and has different nutritional requirements. I hope this helps.

Hello deenymqueeny

You don't have to eat all organic to conceive. It's so expensive and not everyone can afford it. I often wonder with some of the organic produce you buy is actually organic! The best thing is to eat fresh food without additives, buy it locally and frequently. So many of the women I see worry that if they've eaten a non-organic pea that's the reason they're not conceiving! It's all about moderation and I believe a little of what you fancy does you good so don't deny yourself everything.

Thank you. Interesting to see that there are things I could do. Where can I fnd out more of what is involved?

Hello Ms West,
I have posted earlier but thought i would try again....I have a 2.5 ds and had emergency c section.I am been diagosed with endometriosis and am due to have a laproscopy next month to drain a large cyst and remove adhesions.Just wanted to ask if this will effect my fertility in a positive or negative way.It took me a year to conceive the first time.many many thanks.

Hi twixfits

When you are pregnant all alcohol should stop (whatever the research says). But the odd glass of good wine when you are trying is not going to affect your chances. However I would stay off it around ovulation. Without a doubt sex does become mechanical when you are trying for a a baby. I hate to say this ladies, but 'Don't tell your partner every minute detail of what's going in your body. He doesn't need to know what your secretions are like! It can be a complete turn off which can cause a lot of pressure.

Hi everyone,
I know that Zita has appointments for the rest of the day, so will have to go soon. We're sorry that time hasn't allowed for all of these questions to be answered, although with such specific questions, it's very hard for her to answer them all.
I'd like to take this opportunity to say a huge thanks to Zita again for her time today.

So sorry I couldn't answer all of your questions but thanks so much for your posts.

I wish you all well.

Love
Zita x

you mean showing dh my stretchy mucus is a turn off?

Surely everyman finds that a real turn on!!??

thankyou kindly Zita.
no organic peas shall pass my lips

come on baby my cervix is high and soft!

my dh must be odd then as he wants to know every bloody detail of whats going on with my body.Then again he has seen me in labour and if he can still fancy me after that there is no putting him off.Bless him.

I have been on Yasmin for about two years and recently started evra, i got terrible side effects and stopped mid cycle after two weeks, i got my period three days after that and multiple breakthrough bleeds during this time. I have been off for about 10 weeks. My first normal period i got after 34 days and lasted only 3 days. My breasts have swollen and gotten really big and is sensitive. I have been getting low back pain. Today is the 34th day again and no period yet. Could i still get my period or could i be pregnant. I have done a blood preg test on the 12th of August. Could I have tested too early?

Hi ricci2 - you may find a better response on our conception boards here
Hope this helps and best of luck with it all
MN towers

I'm 31 have 3 DC and had great big babies and natural births (I am a big advocate of home births) . I'm unsure as to whether at some stage to have a 4th. I feel very lucky already.

So my question is does pregnancy and birth get harder as you get older even if you have had previous children? In your expert opinion what would be the biological 'cut off age' to get pregnant and give birth in an ideal situation?

Is it true that the later/earlier you start your periods can effect how long you will be fertile for e.g. if you start at 16 you will be fertile for longer (in age terms) than a girl who starts at 11?

Also I was touched by a previous message that you actually took the time to call someone who sent an email to your clinic even though they weren't a client. It gives me a warm glow that you seem to genuinely care. Keep up the good work

sweethoney - this thread and chat were actually in 2007!