Does Red Clover Help With Ovulation & Progesterone?

If you're trying to conceive and are having difficulty, you may be wondering whether red clover -- traditionally used to help balance female hormones -- might help. However, there's no scientific evidence to suggest that red clover is either safe or effective for use in treating fertility problems. Talk to your doctor before using red clover.

Conception

Your ability to ovulate regularly and to maintain appropriate levels of key hormones -- including progesterone -- during early pregnancy are key to your ability to conceive. Irregular ovulation can make conception less likely, while low progesterone levels can lead to early miscarriages, even if you are able to conceive, explains Dr. Miriam Stoppard in her book "Conception, Pregnancy and Birth." Physicians don't always know what causes irregular ovulation or low progesterone levels.

Red Clover

According to the herbal website SisterZeus.com, red clover has traditional applications as an herbal tonic for women with hormone problems. The site claims that it's beneficial to both the uterus and the vagina, and that it can promote fertility. However, there are no scientific studies to support these assertions. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that there have been few studies on red clover, and that they've largely shown no effect.

Safety

One of the concerns with regard to use of red clover, explains the University of Maryland Medical Center, is that it contains chemicals called isoflavones. Some of these are similar in shape to the female hormone estrogen, and could potentially mimic the effects of estrogen in the body. Researchers don't know to what extent this might affect your reproductive cycle, so it's not safe to take red clover if you're pregnant, and you should therefore avoid it if you're trying to conceive.

Guidelines

If you're having trouble conceiving, you should talk to your obstetrician about your fertility and ways you might be able to enhance it safely. Remember that while some women conceive the first time they try, most require many months of consistent trying to conceive a baby. Dr. Stoppard notes that if you're healthy and under 30 -- and if your partner is also healthy and young -- you have about an 85 percent chance of conceiving within your first year of consistent attempts.