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A Holistic Approach to IVF: The Doctor and the Naturopath

Access

12 months

Format

Online Webinar

Duration

1.5 hours

Presenters

Dr. Peta Wright & Elysia Humphries

What is the impact of oxidative stress on sperm quality? What are the diet, lifestyle and environmental factors that influence fertility outcomes? What supplements are useful to improve egg and sperm quality?

One in six couples will experience infertility, defined as the inability to fall pregnant after 12 months of trying to conceive. (1) As a result, many individuals and couples are seeking assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF). (2) IVF can be an emotionally, financially and physically taxing time. Holistic IVF aims to address the biopsychosocial and spiritual factors while working within an interdisciplinary team to provide optimal patient centred care. This integrative approach recognises that although it is often difficult, it can be a positive and supported experience regardless of the outcome.

Join Dr. Peta Wright, an integrative gynaecologist and fertility specialist and Elysia Humphries, a naturopath with 20 years clinical experience in a holistic approach to IVF.

Topics covered include:
  • What is holistic IVF and why is it important for patients?
  • Pathology and investigations
  • Diet, lifestyle and environmental factors to improve sperm and egg quality
  • The importance of psycho-social-spiritual care
  • Fertility as a marker of underlying health and the importance of early preconception care


This webinar is part of ACNEM's Women’s Health learning module, available on demand!

MEET YOUR PRESENTERs

Dr. Peta Wright

MBBS, MRMed, FRANZCOG 
Dr. Wright completed her undergraduate medical degree with Honours at Monash University in Melbourne in 2004 and obtained her RANZCOG Fellowship in 2013. She has completed a Masters of Reproductive Medicine and a certificate in Women’s Integrative Medicine with Dr. Aviva Romm.

Dr. Wright is deeply committed to all aspects of women’s health care and founded Vera Women’s Wellness in 2020. She strives to take a wholistic approach to managing the health concerns of women of all ages. Peta has a particular interest and expertise in the areas of paediatric and adolescent gynaecology, having completed a fellowship in adolescent gynaecology in 2013. Peta has worked in tertiary hospitals caring for women with high-risk pregnancies throughout her training and early years of becoming a consultant. She has also worked in Indigenous and remote Women’s health in Darwin and the Northern territory for a year during her training.

Elysia Humphries

Naturopath & Nutritionist
Elysia has been a women’s health naturopath and nutritionist for 22 years. She has a special interest in endocrine and gynaecological conditions with an integrative approach that combines conventional medical research and natural medicine to offer solutions for people that cover nutrition, herbal medicine and lifestyle change. She works alongside fertility specialists, offering preconception care education and works in the fertility, pregnancy and recurrent miscarriage space, helping people bring healthy babies into the world.

Elysia has a passion for integrative, multdisciplinary team health care, as chronic health conditions often need a village. Elysia was also co-author of the AIMA inter-professional communications course, which offers education for CAM practitioners to speak the same language to foster communication around team patient care.

She works closely with GP’s, gynaecologists and the team of women’s health physios, osteopaths, chiropractors, nutritionists, psychologists and acupuncturists in her Brisbane-based integrative clinic Vibe Natural Heatlh. She is also working alongside Dr. Peta Wright at Vera Women’s Wellness, sharing patients and education with their “doctor and the naturopath” women’s health events and upcoming podcast.

Elysia has a passion for education and women’s health and empowerment and is a proud mum of Tilly & Jude.
References
  1. Bagade, T., Thapaliya, K., Breuer, E. et al.Investigating the association between infertility and psychological distress using Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH). Sci Rep 12, 10808 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15064-2
  2. Newman JE, Paul RC, Chambers GM 2022. Assisted reproductive technology in Australia and New Zealand 2020. Sydney: National Perinatal Epidemiology and Statistics Unit, the University of New South Wales, Sydney.