Archive for Advanced Reproductive Age

My Infertility Story: 42 and Denied IVF

Chloe’s Story

I met my husband at a sailing club in downtown Manhattan in July of 2000. I was 39 years old. We got engaged when I was 42 and since we both wanted to have a child, we didn’t waste any time.

I had taken an HSG dye test at an earlier age and the test had indicated that both of my fallopian tubes were totally blocked. At that time, the doctor thought that it might be due to just mucus so I was eager to find out if the HSG would be successful this time around.

Despite the technician’s attempt to force the dye through my tubes, they both remained completely occluded. My fertility specialist felt that surgery to unblock the tubes would be fruitless.

I did not get too discouraged, thinking that I could always do IVF.  But I was wrong. My hormone levels were too high to be accepted into the program.

Eventually I stumbled across Clear Passage Physical Therapy.  At the time, they had no published data about their success with hormonal dysfunction, but they had shown success with opening blocked fallopian tubes. I showed their literature to my fertility specialist, who shook her head and said, “I don’t think this will work, but if you are going to try it, do it soon so we can move onto other options.”

The following month, I spent a week at Clear Passage. Everything about the place seemed comforting. The therapists were highly trained in several physical therapy modalities. They were medically competent and emotionally intelligent. I felt as if they had a personal vested interest in helping me get pregnant.

I left Clear Passage and flew immediately to San Francisco to meet with a doctor who specialized in Chinese medicine. I worked with her for a week in different modalities and began taking her prescribed herbs and supplements to help with my hormone levels.

When I returned to my doctor the next month, I learned that my hormone levels had skyrocketed. I discussed the supplements and herbs I was taking and my doctor was shocked at the amounts of Chinese supplements and herbs I was prescribed. He advised me to immediately stop taking them and sure enough, the next month my hormonal levels dropped to a normal level. I knew that my hormone levels had peaked and then dropped because of the Chinese supplements, but I wondered if Clear Passage helped bring my levels to a normal level.I know they helped improve my hormones… because after just a few days of their therapy, my period has returned!

It didn’t matter what did it – if my hormonal levels were in range, all I needed was an open tube to become pregnant! I asked my doctor to take a look with a sonogram. I saw him shake his head. “You see that black spot on the screen? That is your left ovary stuck against your uterus. Your tubes are probably so damaged that the only hope for you is a donor egg.” After my appointment I walked through Central Park to home — and cried all the way.

That week I missed my period. Five days after my visit with the fertility specialist I took a pregnancy test. I was pregnant! That black spot on the screen was my baby.

It was then I knew that Clear Passage must have opened at least one of my tubes. Nine months later, I gave birth to my beautiful daughter, Natalie.

I was so happy with my time at Clear Passage that I recently returned for a bit more treatment. I hoped they could help me relieve pain I experienced after the C-section with my daughter. Due to stress in my life, I had also stopped menstruating eight (or so) months earlier.

While I suspected that Clear Passage helped my hormones before I conceived Natalie, I did not have hard evidence to say they helped that aspect. That changed with this visit. I know they helped improve my hormones this time because after just a few days of their therapy, my period has returned! In fact, my overall function is noticeably better.

Blocked Tubes eBook

5 Helpful Tips: Choosing Infertility Treatment

  1. Research. Gathering information about infertility treatment can prove to be an overwhelming task. However, knowing all the options before choosing a treatment that is right for you is often worth a few hours of research on the internet.
  2. Discuss. Couples should take the time to discuss what infertility treatment is right for them. It is also important to discuss how it will effect your relationship, budget, and physical health.
  3. Plan. Planning ahead can often remove the stress of beginning infertility treatment. Find out how much time you will need to set aside to receive treatment. If you plan on altering your diet to increase fertility naturally, plan healthy meals ahead of time. This will allow you to still enjoy one another during your time together instead of being stressed by all these changes.
  4. Budget. Infertility Treatment often involves significant cost. Check to see if your insurance covers fertility treatments. If you choose a natural fertility treatment, such as physical therapy, check to see if this is covered as well.
  5. Communicate. There are many feelings that often arise during this process. Listen to one another’s fears, hopes, concerns and feelings. Be sensitive and caring toward one another. If problems arise, you will have each other to depend on.

Do you have any other helpful tips for those going through the journey of fertility treatment? We’d love to hear your comments.

Blocked Tubes eBook

Preserving Fertility


Throughout the infertility community, there are many who wish they could turn back the hands of their fertility clock. In the years of the baby boomers, women started families at the ripe age of 17 and 18. Today’s generation of fertility age women have shown a growing trend in restructuring the life timeline of their parents and grandparents to pursue careers and life goals before beginning a family.

A recent article by NPR takes a look at Extend Fertility, the first company to sell egg freezing as a lifestyle choice.

Christy Jones, founder and CEO of Extend Fertility, suggests that younger women should begin to consider preserving their fertility by freezing their eggs in their early 20s and 30s.  This concept speaks to the growing trend of women having children later in life. However, the thought of preserving fertility for use later in life seems to overlook the issues seen by the infertility community.

The media seems to depict only two extremes in the current world of fertility. There are the extremely young, being “16 and Pregnant”, and the extremely old, made up of celebrities who are having children well into their 40s. However, what the media neglects to state, is that many of these celebrities have used donated eggs.

Neither of these publicized groups accurately represent the fertility struggles faced by one in eight US couples. Many of these couples face problems such as blocked fallopian tubesendometriosis, PCOShormonal infertility, secondary infertility, and unexplained infertility. For these couples, the egg is not the problem. Often times these fertility issues are caused by adhesions that restrict the reproductive organs and hormonal glands from working together as nature intended.

About ten years ago ASRM (the American Society for Reproductive Medicine) ran a campaign focused on making women mindful of the ever present fertility hourglass. The campaign received significant criticism from both career women and the infertility community. It seems the freezing of ones eggs oversimplifies the problems related to infertility. However, for those who have encountered problems with their eggs later in life, it may seem a worthy investment.

What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below.

Unable to Ovulate

By Jackie

In the upcoming book Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain, co-authors Belinda and Larry Wurn explain how manual physical therapy can improve hormonal function, help women with advanced reproductive age, boost ovulation, treat poly-cystic ovarian syndrome, and lower FSH levels. In the chapter specifically devoted to hormonal issues, over ten women share their personal stories and experiences with Clear Passage Therapies (CPT).

Adhesions within the pelvis

Adhesions within the pelvis

One of these women is Sophia, who was unable to naturally ovulate prior to attending treatment at CPT. In fact, she had no menstrual cycle at all. Prior to trying to conceive, Sophia was on birth control. But when she went off, her menstrual cycle did not return.

She sought the help of her doctor, who prescribed Clomid ®, an oral medication designed to boost ovulation. But after three months, Sophia was still not ovulating. Her doctor suggested experimental medication, but Sophia was unhappy with this option.

Sophia researched different treatment options and found CPT. She decided to attend treatment on a weekly basis. When our therapists examined Sophia, they noted adhesion formation and restriction throughout her pelvis. They suspected adhesions were restricting the mobility of her ovaries and preventing ovulation and thus focused their efforts in this area.

Within the first month of treatment, Sophia became unexpectedly pregnant, but lost the pregnancy in a very early miscarriage. Although this was a difficult event for Sophia, our therapists were still optimistic. They knew it was likely that adhesions also constricted and pulled on her uterus, possibly causing Sophia’s early miscarriage.

After her second month of treatment, Sophia became pregnant naturally. She carried her baby to full-term and delivered a healthy baby boy. Sophia later told us, “I definitely attribute the treatment at CPT to the return of my ovulation and putting me in a positive frame of mind which ultimately enabled conception.”

If you would like to read more stories like Sophia’s or receive excerpts of Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain, sign-up for our newsletter. To learn about our treatment for hormonal infertility or female hormonal dysfunction, please see our website.

Spirituality Can Help Women with Premature Ovarian Failure

By Jackie

Premature Ovarian Failure (POF), when a woman’s ovaries stop working before the age of 40, can be a life-changing diagnosis for any woman. Former plans of children can suddenly be cut short, in addition to a woman dealing with symptoms of menopause. Many women find themselves re-examining their lives or battling depression.

A study published by Fertility & Sterility (March 2007) examined the functional and spiritual well-being of women with POF (average age of 28). The study found a positive correlation between spiritual well-being and functional well-being. More specifically, they found that women who had higher levels of “meaning” or “inner peace” were more likely to function better in their lives. The study suggests that improving spiritual well-being may be an affective therapeutic approach to reducing “the emotional suffering that accompanies the life-altering diagnosis of POF.”

If you have been diagnosed with POF, you may find it beneficial to take some time to examine your personal life. Even if you do not prescribe to any religion or spiritual belief, you can still benefit from examining what gives you “meaning” in life and what brings you peace. Have patience with yourself, as answers to spiritually deep questions are not always easily unearthed. You may find assistance by becoming more active in your church, reading a book designed to help you discover your inner self, speaking with a psychologist, or taking time to meditate each day.

If you would like to learn more coping techniques for female infertility or treatment for premature ovarian failure, please visit our website.