Why Choose Us
Are you looking for the root cause of your reproductive health problems?
Confused as to how hormonal contraception, which suppresses ovulation, is treating your women’s health diagnosis…or wondering whether it’s just masking symptoms?
Would an ideal approach to your reproductive health...
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Investigate your symptoms thoroughly
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Make a clear diagnoses
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Treat the issues you wanted to address effectively and in a way that cooperates with the way your body is meant to work
These are the kinds of questions women are asking when they find that a Restorative Reproductive Medicine approach suits their needs and preferences.
Some women are already diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome or endometriosis or other issues when they come to see us.
Others are experiencing problematic symptoms like pain or irregular cycles and would like diagnosis and solutions that suit their needs.
We aim to restore and optimize reproductive health and function with thorough investigation and diagnosis and comprehensive management of structural and hormonal abnormalities.
We provide an inter-professional approach to treating reproductive health issues, drawing on the wisdom of medicine, nursing, education, and nutrition science.
We are a compassionate and knowledgeable team of health care providers who will work with you and your body to identify and correct underlying medical conditions. Our team of dedicated professionals work together for every woman who wants to work with their body, not against it.
We strongly encourage our patients to use cycle charting to help understand their body and to apply our knowledge from the field of Restorative Reproductive Medicine (RRM) to optimize their reproductive health.
Foundational to our care is that we empower women to understand the uniqueness of their reproductive system
and hormonal health.
We Treat
Any women with questions about her hormonal health may benefit from a restorative approach to diagnosis and management of her women’s health concerns.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Periods more than 37 days apart?
Hair growth where you wouldn’t expect it?
Difficulty losing weight?
Told you had polycystic ovaries on ultrasound?
You’re not alone. PCOS is the most common hormone problem to effect women of reproductive age. Between 12-18% of women have PCOS and up to 70% may be undiagnosed.
It’s a women’s health problem that extends well beyond reproduction – heart disease, stroke, diabetes, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and some cancers are strongly
associated with PCOS. Hormone disturbances include insulin, thyroid, and stress hormones, as well as reproductive hormones.
We aim to address the specific symptoms and hormonal problems that each woman with PCOS presents. Sometimes, women have some of the symptoms and are not yet diagnosed; we can confirm one way or the other whether a patient meets diagnostic criteria.
Our team approach is key to supporting women with such a complex diagnosis as PCOS. From adolescence through to menopause, women with PCOS require multifaceted support for lifestyle and medical management of their condition in order to avoid serious health consequences.
We are committed to helping women meet their short-term goals of symptom management and to reducing the long-term risks inherent in the disease.
Most of the women who seek an RRM approach at our clinic have experiences of one or some of the following conditions.
Menstrual cycle abnormalities
Very heavy periods?
Bleeding between periods?
Days of brown bleeding?
Limited cervical secretions?
Short or variable intervals between ovulation and menses?
These symptoms are hallmarks of reproductive hormone abnormalities.
Hormone problems aren’t just about having blood test values outside the normal range, but represent changes in the body’s chemistry that affect many tissues.
Reproductive hormones influence the brain, blood vessels, skin, bones, body weight, as well as the pelvic organs.
Women who want to address troublesome symptoms like heavy periods or frequent bleeding often experience relief with approaches that restore their hormonal health.
Many women are also seeking to optimize their hormonal health, even without having evidence of more serious pathology.
An RRM approach facilitates a comprehensive hormonal evaluation and management of any issues arising that women would like addressed.
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)
Is your experience of life and health different from one part of your cycle to the next?
For instance: sleep disturbance, mood changes, fatigue, irritability, breast tenderness or appetite changes worsening leading up to the period and going away within a few days of menses could all be part of PMS/PMDD.
PMS and PMDD can be disruptive to women’s daily lives – wellbeing, social relationships and work productivity often suffer.
PMS is often undiagnosed or treated ineffectively.
The physical and emotional symptoms of PMS/PMDD represent underlying hormonal abnormalities that can be detected and treated using cycle charting and a restorative medical approach.
Endometriosis and conditions involving pelvic pain
Painful periods, pain with intercourse, and pelvic pain between periods are not experiences that women should just put up with.
These symptoms can be hallmarks for pelvic pathology, including endometriosis. Endometriosis can only be diagnosed with surgery, but certain symptoms suggest it may be a problem.
Pain, bowel and bladder symptoms as well as bleeding between periods can be associated with endometriosis.
Issues with pelvic pain are not only treated surgically; often underlying hormonal and autoimmune irregularities need to be corrected for optimal restoration of reproductive health and satisfactory symptom management.
We maintain a close relationship with surgeons specializing in endometriosis and our team supports women who want a multidimensional approach to managing the hormonal and other dimensions of their condition.
Postpartum Depression (PPD)
Many women with PPD suffer intensely and in silence. Their families are often suffering with them and can feel helpless or frustrated during a time that they think should be filled
with joy and excitement.
The transition from pregnancy to parenting a new baby is not just an external one, but also a dramatic hormonal change. This shift is central to PPD and a hormonal approach to treatment can help. We offer that hormone support to women with PPD.
Treating PPD is not as simple as correcting hormones but also requires frequent support from a team around managing feelings, activities, and other interventions like counselling or group therapy.
Our team maintains close contact with patients experiencing PPD and serves as a link between women who may feel isolated or be in need of more support with the services they need that are available in the wider community.
Please Note the Following:
Cycle Charting
We recognize that most patients who choose to use fertility charting for family planning or health monitoring are not well supported by the medical community.
RRM supports their patients' choices and aims to provide care that is knowledgeable and collaborative in nature. We understand that patients who choose fertility charting do so with a great deal of thought and care - and their choices should be respected and supported.
We provide RRM care for patients no matter which fertility charting methods they choose to use.
Restrictions on Care
At this time, the BC College of Physicians and Surgeons restricts RRM to women not seeking care during pregnancy or for infertility treatment.
Our Info
We Serve Patients across Canada from Toronto to Vancouver
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Send us a message to set up an initial consult today!
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Our Team
Doctors
Review, oversee and lead the investigation and management of each case. Provide diagnosis and clear direction for treatment unique to you.
Nurses
Support the clinic team as necessary with education and coordination
Medical Office
Assistants (MOA)
Organize appointments,
patient records, and clinic logistics
Environmental Scientist
Reviews your individual exposure and potential areas of vulnerability in the increasing area concerns around environmental toxins and its affect on reproducitve health
Nutrition and Lifestyle Coaches
Help guide
patients to lead a healthier lifestyle, share their
nutrition knowledge, create a balanced and active lifestyle as well as strategize to help patients address their dietary needs.
Team Liaison and Care Coordination (TLC) Coaches
Coordinate interventions and support patients as intensely as necessary to achieve their
goals of care
Intake process
Prospective patients can contact the clinic with any questions about services and to book an appointment.
When an appointment is booked, each patient receives a request for information form by email. This completed form will enable our clinic to request records related to your care from other providers to prevent repetition.
The first part of any intake is to meet with our clinician who does a compreshensive initial assessment to see if our clinic can address your needs. Following your initial consultation a comprehensive assessment with our ASLN coach (for nutrition , lifestyle and sleep factors) as well as our TLC Coach for assessment of past medical history and screening for various women’s health concerns will follow. Women who are already charting their cycles will share this information with the Coach at this time as well. These appointments are done over a secure video-conference set up at your convenience.
Together, these meetings can take up to 3 hours long. They can be completed on the same or separate days, according to patient preference. The process is comprehensive and we are committed to reducing duplication of history and screening questions. We use an electronic record and this information is available to all (and only) the team members involved in your care. If you would like to receive a copy of any part of your record, please just make that request of us and we will make available whatever you need.
Treatment program
The treatment program begins with an intensive year of identifying issues and opportunities and finding the right combination of treatment options and support services for each person.
Our model includes at least monthly contact (phone, email, text, according to patient preference) with the TLC Coach and up to weekly support from the ASLN Coaches during times of intense change.
Contact with Nutrition and Lifestyle Coaches is less frequent during maintenance phases when contact may not be required or desired.
Appointments with the Clinicians (Doctor or Nurse Practitioner) are at least every three months, and more often as required.
After the initial consultation, appointments with all providers are through a secure videoconference program which can be done from your own home or work and compliant with all the health security requirements for confidentiality. We have an in person clinic for a physical assessment that is part of your year of treatment which you will meet with and be assessed by one of our clinicians.
Do to the increasing concerns raised from professional organizations and individuals about the exposure to environmental toxins and impacts in reproductive health we have an environmental scientist on board who does individual exposure assessments and identifies potential areas of vulnerabilities. These are based on recommendations from CDC and other experts which can help you reduce your risk that is tailored to you.
We draw on a wide range of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapies, including non-prescription and compounded medication options and nutritional supplements, according to patients’ diagnoses and preferences.
We refer as necessary to other providers including surgeons, physicians, naturopaths, as well as
cycle charting educators.
What to Expect
What does it cost?
Our government health system does not cover much of the care provided in RRM. For covered services we will bill the Medical Services Plan of BC (MSP – your provincial health coverage), but we need to charge for care that is in addition to services that areMSP-billable. The actual costs will vary, but will be reasonable and reflect the quality care and treatment provided.