Jaclyn Chasse-Smeaton

Attendees of this course/presentation will:

1. Understand how to perform a comprehensive initial naturopathic evaluation of fertility for a couple
2. Feel confident ordering and interpreting conventional and functional lab tests for fertility patients
3. Easily work through a clinical algorithm to reach both the conventional/western diagnosis of infertility and to identify the functional/naturopathic root cause
4. Build a cache of template treatment plans for easy application with patients

Goals & Objectives

• Understand the most commonly diagnosed autoimmune conditions and their impact on fertility, including Lupus, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Diabetes, and others.  
• Describe and identify the well-recognized autoimmune forms of infertility including antiphospholipid syndrome
• Understand the current literature and draw relevant clinical conclusions for patients who demonstrate signs of autoimmune related infertility
• Correct the underlying drivers of autoimmunity to assist with resolution of optimal fertility, including removal of environmental triggers, improvement of nutrition and microbiota
• Confidently design treatment plans which address the most likely drivers of autoimmune infertility for the patient including nutrition, herbal medicine, functional nutritional supplementation, and medication options.

Course Outline

• Intro to Autoimmunity- prevalence, pathophysiology, & stats
• The Immune system in fertility & pregnancy
• Diagnosable Autoimmune disorders & their known impact on fertility
• Diagnostic criteria & key treatment strategies for each, briefly.

Break: 10:45am-11:15am

• Independent autoimmune etiologies of Infertility
• Autoimmunity and Miscarriage/RPL (20 minutes)
• Autoimmunity: The integrative/functional paradigm (Genetic predisposition, antigen/trigger exposure, intestinal permeability)
• Integrative approaches to evaluation & treatment of autoimmunity