Dr. Marissa Gaucher provides virtual fertility Naturopathic support and full diagnostic assessment for BC couples trying to conceive.
Starting or growing your family is such a beautiful and exciting journey, but I also know it can come with challenges. I’m Dr. Marissa Gaucher, a Naturopathic Doctor with a focus on fertility, supporting women and couples in Kelowna, Kamloops, and virtually across British Columbia.
Many of the individuals and families I work with are eager to begin this next chapter, but are experiencing delays or difficulty with conception. My approach is rooted in compassion, science, and a deep understanding of how the body works. Through comprehensive hormone testing, we explore your unique fertility picture together, looking at hormonal balance, nutritional status, and lifestyle patterns that can all play a role.
We work side-by-side to get your cycle in a good rhythm and create the most supportive environment possible for conception. Lab testing like blood work, functional hormone analysis, and a look at gut and overall health may be part of our work together, as we uncover what may be standing in the way.
I also understand that fertility isn’t just about the physical body—it’s emotional, too. I’m here to support you with empathy, to listen without judgment, and to walk alongside you every step of the way. As a mom myself, I’m truly passionate about helping others bring their dreams of parenthood to life.
Lab Testing for Fertility
Lab testing is a powerful tool for gaining insight into your body and uncovering any potential barriers to conception. By analysing blood, urine, and other markers, I can identify things like hormonal dysfunction, nutritional gaps, other underlying factors that may be impacting your fertility.
If you’re navigating challenges with getting pregnant, there are a variety of lab tests I may suggest. Each one can help me to better understand your unique health picture and how to best support your journey.
Hormone Tests
A thorough assessment of your menstrual cycle is where we start. Hormonal balance plays a key role in your reproductive health, and even subtle shifts can make a difference when you’re trying to conceive. After a menstrual cycle assessment, testing can help us understand how your body is functioning and whether imbalances in estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, or other hormones are impacting your cycle and overall reproductive wellness.
Some of my most commonly recommended hormone tests include:
Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH):
FSH is produced by the pituitary gland and signals the ovaries to mature eggs. If FSH levels are higher than expected, it may be a sign that the ovaries aren’t responding as well as they could. Testing FSH, usually early in your cycle, gives us important clues about your ovarian reserve and function.
Luteinizing Hormone (LH):
Also from the pituitary gland, LH triggers ovulation—the release of an egg. Higher-than-normal LH can suggest ovulation isn’t occurring as smoothly as it could. This is common in conditions like PCOS, where the interplay of hormones often creates a higher LH-to-FSH ratio.
Progesterone:
Made by the ovaries after ovulation, progesterone prepares the uterus for pregnancy. When levels are low, it may suggest that ovulation or the luteal phase (the post-ovulation phase) isn’t fully supporting implantation.
Estradiol (E2):
Estradiol is a type of estrogen mainly produced by your ovaries that plays multiple roles: maturing follicles, triggering ovulation, and preparing the uterine lining.
Sometimes, estradiol levels can be higher than expected early in your cycle. When that happens, it can make your FSH levels look normal even if your ovarian reserve might be lower. Basically, rising estradiol sends a message to quiet down FSH, which can mask what’s really happening with your ovaries.
On the flip side, low estradiol levels might mean your brain isn’t fully supporting follicle growth. And later in the cycle, especially during fertility treatments like IVF, higher estradiol usually shows your follicles are responding well—though very high levels can sometimes affect uterine lining.
Testosterone:
Testosterone is often thought of as a male hormone, but it’s also important for women. In women, testosterone is produced in the ovaries, adrenal glands, and fat cells, and it supports egg development, hormonal balance, and ovarian function. When testosterone is in a healthy range, it helps create the conditions needed for regular ovulation and conception.
Higher-than-normal levels may indicate a condition like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which can disrupt ovulation. If too low, it can affect estrogen production and reduce the quality or quantity of developing eggs.
Nutritional Tests
Your nutrient levels can have a large impact on your fertility journey. Even small deficiencies in vitamins and minerals can quietly influence hormone balance, egg quality, and the natural rhythm of your cycle. Through thoughtful testing, we look beneath the surface to better understand where your body may need support—often revealing simple, empowering ways to move forward.
Vitamin D:
Vitamin D plays a quiet yet powerful role in reproductive health and fertility. Low levels have been linked to reduced ovarian function and lower rates of ovulation, especially for those with PCOS. Testing helps us determine whether your levels are in a range that truly supports your fertility goals, and if not, how we can course-correct.
Vitamin B12:
Vitamin B12 is a powerhouse nutrient that is essential for reproductive health. It plays a key role in egg development, implantation, and early embryo growth. If your levels are low, we’ll talk about ways to restore them, supporting both your energy and your reproductive health from the inside out.
Iron (Ferritin):
Ferritin reflects how much iron your body has stored, and iron is crucial for oxygenating your reproductive organs. Low iron—often reflected in ferritin levels below ~30 µg/L—has been linked to more difficulty conceiving and reduced ovulatory function. The good news is that this is one of the more straightforward imbalances to address, often with noticeable improvements once corrected.
Zinc:
Zinc supports egg maturation, hormone regulation, and early embryo development. It’s one of those minerals that often goes unnoticed until we test. If your levels aren’t quite where we want them, we’ll work together on a supportive plan to bring them back into balance—often helping to restore more regular cycles and support healthier egg quality along the way.
Thyroid Tests
Your thyroid is a small gland with a big impact on reproductive health. It influences your cycle, supports egg development, and helps prepare the uterine lining for implantation. Even subtle imbalances can interfere with ovulation, shorten your luteal phase, or affect hormone communication in ways that make conception more difficult.
Thyroid tests give us a clearer sense of how your thyroid is functioning and whether it may be affecting your fertility. If something’s out of balance, we’ll create a personalized treatment plan—one that supports ovulation, optimizes hormone levels, and helps bring your body back into alignment.
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH):
This hormone signals the thyroid to do its job. When TSH is too high, it can be a sign that your thyroid is underactive, which is something that can interfere with your cycle and ovulation.
Free T3 and Free T4:
These are your active thyroid hormones, and they play a vital role in energy production and reproductive function. Low levels of these hormones may point to hypothyroidism, which can impact fertility.
Inflammatory Tests
Inflammation can be a hidden barrier to fertility, subtly affecting reproductive health and making conception more challenging. Chronic low-grade inflammation can disrupt hormonal balance, impair egg quality, and hinder implantation. It’s not always something you feel, but it can show up in the body in measurable ways.
By checking key inflammatory markers, we can uncover whether inflammation is playing a role in your reproductive health. From there, we’ll build a care plan that targets the root causes—through measures like nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle strategies—to support your body’s natural ability to conceive.
C-reactive protein (CRP):
CRP is a protein produced by the liver in response to inflammation. Elevated CRP levels can indicate chronic inflammation, which has been associated with reduced fertility outcomes.
Homocysteine:
Homocysteine is an amino acid produced during protein digestion, and elevated levels—known as hyperhomocysteinemia—can be a barrier to fertility. High homocysteine levels have been linked to oxidative stress, which can adversely affect egg and sperm quality, and may contribute to pregnancy complications.
PCOS Support
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common hormonal conditions I see, and something many women come to me feeling overwhelmed by. It can affect your cycles, hormone levels, and ovarian function, often creating unexpected hurdles when trying to conceive. You’re not alone in this—and there is so much we can do.
With lab testing and a detailed health history, we’ll explore how PCOS is showing up in your body. From there, we’ll work together to create a plan that’s both evidence-based and compassionate, focused on restoring ovulation, supporting hormone balance, and improving your body’s natural rhythm. I’m here not just as your doctor, but as a partner in this journey, supporting you emotionally and medically as we navigate the ups and downs of PCOS together.
FAQs
What factors affect women’s ability to conceive?
Many factors such as age, hormone balance, thyroid and nutritional levels, egg quality, weight, stress, inflammation, and underlying conditions like PCOS or endometriosis can impact a woman’s fertility. Lab testing gives up insight into some of these areas so we can work together to address what’s affecting your unique body.
What factors affect men’s ability to conceive?
A man’s fertility depends largely on sperm quality: count, movement and shape. Factors like hormone levels, lifestyle, stress and environmental toxins all play a role.
What can men do to increase fertility?
Supporting male fertility starts with maintaining a healthy weight, managing stress, limiting alcohol, and avoiding smoking or excessive heat exposure (like tight fitting clothing, hot tubs or laptops on laps). Nutrient support through diet and supplements can also make a difference.
How common are fertility challenges?
Fertility challenges affect about 15% of couples, with roughly half involving male factors and half female. It’s more common than many people realize, and you are not alone.
Does age impact women’s fertility?
Yes, age is one important factor—but it’s not the only one. Egg quantity and quality naturally decline with time, with a more noticeable shift after age 35 and a steeper drop closer to 45. That said, your overall health, hormone balance, and lifestyle also play key roles. Age may shape the timeline, but it doesn’t define the whole picture.
Does age impact men’s fertility?
Just like for female fertility, a male’s fertility does decline as he ages although the changes tend to happen more gradually. Men’s sperm count, movement, and overall quality gradually decline after age 35–40. While fertility doesn’t stop abruptly for men, advancing age can lead to reduced sperm health and a slightly increased risk of genetic changes in offspring.
How long should you try to conceive before you see a doctor?
The timing to seek support is a personal choice, and I’m here to meet you wherever you are in your journey. While the traditional advice often suggests waiting 12 months, I believe there’s no need to wait if you don’t want to. Whether you’ve been trying for a few months, are planning to conceive soon, or just want to prepare your body ahead of time, I can help.
I also work with women who want to build strong fertility foundations before they start trying, and those seeking to reconnect with their bodies. This can include anything from easing period pain, PMS, or acne to gaining a deeper understanding of your cycle. My approach is both proactive and compassionate, supporting women pursuing natural conception and those navigating fertility treatments like IVF.
Your journey is unique, and you don’t have to wait to get the care and guidance you deserve.
What fertility testing should I get?
Fertility support is a personalized journey that begins with understanding your unique health through thorough testing. Common assessments might include lab tests that check thyroid function, key sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, as well as LH, FSH, fasting insulin, and vitamin D levels. From there, we build a tailored plan that may include lifestyle changes, targeted supplements, botanical medicine, or medical treatments—all designed to support your body and your goals with care and compassion.
What are the main treatment options for fertility?
Fertility care with a Naturopathic Doctor is deeply personalized because every person’s story and body is unique. The focus is on uncovering and addressing the root cause behind your challenges. Naturopathic treatments often begin with gentle lifestyle shifts, targeted supplements, and botanical medicine. Treatments by medical doctors can include methods such as Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and InVitro Fertilization (IVF).
Fertility Naturopathic Doctor | Vancouver BC | Dr. Marissa Gaucher, ND
As a Naturopathic Doctor, I empower you through education, listening closely to your story, offering comprehensive testing and crafting evidence-informed treatment plans. I combine botanical medicine, targeted supplements, pharmaceuticals (when needed), and lifestyle coaching to support hormone balance, cycle regulation, egg and sperm quality and overall reproductive wellness. And I’m here for the emotional journey, too—because you deserve care that’s rooted in compassion as much as clinical insight. Let’s chat.
