The Herbal Fertility Handbook Natural Strategies to Increase Your Chances of Getting Pregnant

A comprehensive guide for how to use herbs, natural supplements, and other holistic methods to optimize fertility and improve your chances of getting pregnant.

The Herbal Fertility Handbook provides clear, evidence-based strategies to support egg quality, sperm quality, and overall fertility, to help you improve your chances of getting pregnant. Writing in a gender-inclusive style and inspired by her own struggle with fertility issues, author Liane Moccia offers strategies based on proper nutrition, fertility-boosting herbs and supplements, analyzing environmental exposures, and improving lifestyle factors such as sleep, stress, and movement. Whether someone is in the planning stage or has been trying for a few months or for several years, this book presents a clear roadmap, guiding you to take an active role in optimizing your fertility.

Liane Moccia (RH)AHG is a Registered Clinical Herbalist who specializes in fertility and preconception planning. Moccia is a professional member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), volunteers as an infertility peer support leader for RESOLVE New England, is an Education Advisor for Wintergreen Botanicals’ herbal training programs, and is a contributing author and educator for The Herbal Academy.

Introduction
● Preconception Time Matters: The Importance Of A Holistic Fertility Plan
● My Background And Personal Struggle With Infertility
● How To Navigate This Book And Incorporate Suggestions

Chapter 1: Why The Egg Factor Matters
● Egg Development and Ovulation
● Menstrual Cycle 101: How Ovulation, Fertilization, And Implantation Really Works
● Factors That Influence Egg Quality
● Decoding Fertility Tests: Egg Factor Blood Work
● Client Stories: Meet Emily

Chapter 2: Why The Sperm Factor Matters: Time To Take The Burden Solely Off The Egg
● Sperm-Related Infertility Is More Common Than You Think
● Sperm Production And Anatomy
● Conception 101: Survival Of The Fittest
● What Makes Your Swimmers Swim
● Global Trends In Sperm Parameters
● Sperm Health Around The World: Are We Facing A Global Decline?
● Decoding The Semen Analysis: How Many Swimmers Are There, How Well Do They
Swim, And What Do They Look Like?
● Is ‘Normal’ Good Enough? Normal Versus Optimal Sperm Parameters
● When To Request Semen Testing
● Client Stories: Meet Jack

Chapter 3: Fueling Fertility With Nutrition And Supplements
● Fueling Fertility: How A Balanced Diet Sets The Stage For Egg and Sperm Health
● Beyond Basic Nutrition: The Power Of Supplements For Optimal Egg and Sperm Health
○ Multivitamins
○ Antioxidants
○ Omega 3 Fatty Acids
○ CoQ10
○ Vitamin D
● Fertility Foes: Foods And Drinks To Avoid (Or Use In Moderation)
○ Trans Fats
○ Artificial Sweeteners
○ Coffee And Alcohol
● Client Story: How Jack Fueled His Fertility
● Client Story: How Emily Streamlined Her Supplements

Chapter 4: Herbal Allies: Herbs That Support Fertility
● History Of Herbal Medicine Meets Modern-Day Science
● Meet The Herbs: Traditional Use, Scientific Evidence, Dosage Guidelines And Recipes
○ Green Tea
○ Turmeric
○ Ashwagandha
○ Astragalus
○ Maca
○ Ginger
○ Nettle
○ Oat Straw
○ Spice It Up With The Power Of Herbs
● Client Story: Jack’s Herbal Allies
● Client Story: Emily’s Herbal Allies

Chapter 5: The Impact Of Sleep, Stress, Movement, And Heat
● The Sleep-Fertility Connection: How Quality Sleep Can Boost Your Chances Of
Conception
○ Herbs to Support Sleep
● Finding Calm In Chaos: The Surprising Connection Between Stress And Fertility
○ Herbs to Support Stress
● Exercise: Strong Body, Strong Swimmers
● Hot Topic: How Heat Exposure Affects Sperm Health
● Client Story: How Jack Slept And Sweat His Way To Less Stress
● Client Story: How Emilly Nurtured Her Fertility Through Movement

Chapter 6: Common Conditions Affecting Fertility: How To Support and When To Seek Medical
Advice
● Irregular Menstrual Cycles
○ Hypothalamic amenorrhea
○ PCOS
● Short Menstrual Cycles
○ Luteal Phase Deficiency
● Thyroid imbalance
○ Hashimoto's Disease or hypothyroidism
○ Graves Disease or hyperthyroidism
● Painful or Heavy Periods
○ Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding
○ Endometriosis
● Abnormalities of the Testis
○ Low or No Sperm Count
○ Varicoceles

Chapter 7: From Pesticides To Plastics: How Environmental Exposures Can Sabotage Fertility
● Smoking And Recreational Drugs: What You May Not Know
● Pesticides And Poor Sperm Health: The Link And How To Reduce Your Exposure
● Breaking Down Bisphenol A: The Science Behind How This Chemical Can Harm Fertility
and Pregnancy How To Avoid
● Plastics: Understanding The Risks And How To Avoid
● Clearing The Waters: The Surprising Contaminants In Drinking Water That Can Fertility
● Cell Phones, Wi-Fi, And Electromagnetic Radiation's Impact On Egg and Sperm Health
● Herbs to Help Support Gentle Detoxification and Elimination of Environmental Exposures
● Client Story: How Jack Incorporated Simple Changes To Decrease Environmental
Exposures
● Client Story: How Emily Reduced Her Exposure and Gently Supported Elimination of
Environmental Chemicals

Chapter 8: Herbal Support During Assisted Reproductive Technologies
● Herbal Support During Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
● Herbal Support During In-vitro Fertilization (IVF)
● Holistic Strategies to Support the Two-Week Wait
● How to Support Your Body After An Unsuccessful IVF Cycle

Chapter 9: Herbal Safety and Pregnancy
● When To Stop Herbs from the Preconception Period
● Herbs That Are Safe in Pregnancy

Chapter 10: Conclusion: It Takes Two To Tango - The Egg and Sperm Factors Matter

Resources
Glossary
References

WRITING SAMPLES
Please find below a summary of my past writing, with links provided where publicly available or accessible for download in pdf via this Dropbox link when not publicly accessible:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/oihfaulexqx0wmli73213/h?dl=0&rlkey=l7cf5ucqhtql7aouqb5frkqli
● The Herbal Academy (herbal certification course textbook): ● The Herbal Academy (membership site “The Herbarium”): ■ Part 1: A Holistic Approach to Fertility: An Introduction to Nutrition, Supplements, Herbs, and Lifestyle Considerations (Dropbox)
■ Part 2: Egg Quality, Hormone Balance & Common Conditions Affecting Fertility (Dropbox)
■ Part 3: How to Naturally Support Sperm Health (Dropbox)
■ Part 4: Stress and Fertility (Dropbox) ● Guest Post on Wintergreen Botanicals Blog: The Surprising Contaminants In Tap Water And What You Can Do: https://wintergreenbotanicals.com/2021/02/08/water/
● Guest Posts on RESOLVE New England blog: ● Guest Post on Circle and Bloom: The 5 Most Common Mistakes When Choosing A Prenatal Multivitamin (Coming in May 2023)
● Guest Post on Mind Body Green ● Selection of articles published on my blog: www.lianesherbalwellness.com/blog