If you are thinking about or planning to fall pregnant, this program offers a unique and transformative approach to preconception care, drawing on the expertise of our integrated team to help you optimise your fertility and lay the strongest foundation for your fertility and your child’s lifelong health and wellbeing.
What Is Preconception Care?
The physical, nutritional and emotional health and wellbeing of both partners play a vital role in falling pregnant and producing a healthy embryo. Poor egg and sperm health is a primary factor in a couples difficulty to conceive, and can contribute to long term fertility issues, miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, and genetic defects.
The journey to ovulation and the production of a mature egg ready for fertilisation is around 100 days. Spermatogenesis occurs over a 90 day cycle, and just as in females, the health of the sperm are a reflection and product of the previous 90 days.
The best time to start preparing for a baby is 4-6 months before you want to start trying.
Egg and sperm quality are a primary focus in the preconception period. The quality of the genetic material from both the sperm and the egg determine the health of the pregnancy and future genetic predisposition for the child.
Through a range of assessments, consultations and functional testing, our preconception care practitioners educate, empower and address factors influencing the health and fertility of the couple.
Selph Preconception Program
Our 12 week program carefully guides and supports you and your partner through the conception process. We address and work on the issues surrounding both the male and female partners’ fertility, increasing the likelihood of a healthy pregnancy and birth, and minimising post-natal depression.
Selph Naturopath Kath McFarlane will be your guide throughout the program, designing an individualised 12 week plan of consultations and assessments to help you be the healthiest, most fertile version of you.
Utilising our team of Emotional Health experts, Acupuncturists, and Pilates and Yoga teachers, your Naturopath will address the 6 primary components of reproductive health and fertility. The program works collaboratively with your primary healthcare provider and other Selph practitioners to ensure holistic, integrated care.
Education is a core component of the program. The female partner will learn about her menstrual cycle, the fertility window, and how her body changes throughout each stage. The male partner will learn about the role his health plays in conception and the lifestyle, nutritional and environmental factors that affect sperm quality and count and how.
The program will provide you with the support and structure to make productive changes to your nutritional, emotional and physical health.
Structure Of The Program
As each couple will require different levels of treatment around each key areas, the pre-conception plan program will be adjusted and coordinated by your Naturopath.
As a guideline, over the course of 12 weeks, there will be:
- 6 x Conception Care Naturopathy consultations + ongoing email and phone support
- ± 3 x NET Consultations focusing on stress and emotional health
- ± 3 x Acupuncture consultations focusing on detoxification
- Private Mindfulness Meditation and breath work class + access to online meditations.
- MoveOnline Yoga & Pilates membership
- Nutritional supplements for both partners
- Personal dietary care plans and recipes
- A specialised ovulation thermometer + app for menstrual cycle tracking ovulation
- Pathology test referrals for individual requirements
Take control of your fertility health
Focus Areas of The Program
There are six key areas that affect fertility that our team work through with you.
(i) Nutrition & Gut Health
Focusing on nutrition before conception is vital. This is a time of optimising your nutrient stores, ensuring your body is equipped for the demands of pregnancy and postpartum. Nutritional deficiencies can affect egg and sperm quality, as well as foetal development. Your Naturopath will review your diet, eating habits and pathology results to provide personalised dietary advice and supplementation when necessary. Even small adjustments can have a profound impact on fertility and early pregnancy health.
Your Naturopath will comprehensively review your dietary intake and review your eating habits to generate personalised nutritional advice and supplementation as required on the back of pathology and functional testing when necessary. Establishing sound nutrition and making even the most minor of adjustments can have profound influence on sperm quality and foetal development.
A healthy gut is central to fertility and pregnancy. It supports nutrient absorption, hormonal balance and is an important part of immunity for both mother and baby. Gut health also influences mood, stress levels and metabolic function and supporting mother and baby’s microbiome can help reduce the risk of allergies, eczema and longer term sensitivities in offspring.
(ii) Stress and Emotional Wellbeing
Stress can have a huge impact in the reproductive systems of both men and women. In men, stress may result in low testosterone and decreased sperm production. In women, stress can inhibit the production of important hormones including LH, oestrogen and progesterone. The stress that you carry, is transferred through the DNA in your sperm or eggs, to your child.
Your naturopath will pinpoint ways to both manage and reduce stress in your life. Our NET practitioners will look at clearing your stress response pathways, and alleviating emotional and trauma blockages. This can help to ensure your emotional wellbeing and positivity that will be transferred to the unborn baby, and reduce any relationship friction or strains.
Practicing Mindfullness and allowing yourself time to fully relax and be calm will also be offered through a private meditation class. You’ll learn the techniques to control your mind and build a meditation practice.
(iii) Environmental Exposure
Modern environments contain many hidden toxins that can affect DNA, hormone function and fertility. This is relevant for both partners with male fertility rates decreasing as the environmental toxic load increases.
Your Naturopath will assess your exposure risks and support your body’s detoxification pathways through personalised strategies and functional testing when needed. Acupuncture can also assist by restoring balance to detoxification channels and supporting reproductive function, including in conjunction with IVF treatments.
(iv) Lifestyle
A fertile body is well nourished, rested and balanced. Your Naturopath will review your lifestyle, including work, home routines and sleep patterns and provide guidance on what to avoid and what to prioritise. Establishing consistent quality sleep, healthy habits,and a supportive environment helps optimise hormone function, reproductive health, and overall wellbeing.
A fertile body is a body that is calm, fed regularly and adequately and well rested. Your naturopath will hep you restore balance and help you advocate for what you need for the best possible outcome.
(v) Fitness
Physical fitness supports reproductive health and prepares your body for the physical and emotional changes of pregnancy.
We recommend gentle, consistent movement, including yoga or Pilates classes twice a week. Your Naturopath can also provide guidance on personal training or group exercise programs tailored to fertility and preconception health.
(vi) Specific Hormonal & Male Fertility Support
Fertility relies on balanced hormones and healthy egg and sperm. Your Naturopath can monitor cycles, assess hormone levels, and provide safe, targeted herbal and nutritional support.
Male fertility is equally important. We review sperm quality, motility and DNA integrity, offering lifestyle, nutritional, and herbal medicine to optimise reproductive potential of both partners.
Who Should Undertake Preconception Care
Preconception care helps optimise fertility for both partners, and is recommended for anyone planning to fall pregnant, no matter your starting point.
This is the time to put your do everything you can to give your body and your baby the strongest possible start. While it is particularly important for couples facing fertility challenges, older couples, those undergoing IVF, or anyone with health, weight, or prior reproductive concerns, every couple can benefit from preconception care to support a healthy conception and pregnancy.
Booking Your Spot
Single Preconception Program (12 weeks)
One Off Payment
$1,885 (10% discount)
Fortnightly Payment
$346.70 / fortnight (total cost $2,074)
Both Partners Preconception Program (12 weeks)
One Off Payment
$2,414 (10% discount)
Fortnightly Payment
$442.50 / fortnight (total cost $2,655)