Evening primrose oil supplements contain vitamin E, linoleic acid and gamma linolenic acid. The National Center for Alternative and Complementary Medicine notes that evening primrose oil may help improve fertility in women with specific problems concerning the quality of their cervical mucus. This herbal nutrient is also used for other conditions affecting women's health such as breast pain during menstruation, premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, and menopausal symptoms.Taking evening primrose for infertility problems must be done by either following an ovulation calendar or ovulation calculations. This should be done under the guidance of a health care professional.
Consult a health care professional about the best types of evening primrose supplements to use. Purchase evening primrose oil capsules from a specialist health food store or drug store.
Use a calendar and thermometer to calculate when day 1 of your menstruation cycle begins and when ovulation occurs on approximately day 14 of your cycle. Take evening primrose oil capsules only from day 1 to the day that ovulation occurs.
Take between 1500mg to 3000mg of evening primrose oil every day until ovulation occurs. Swallow the capsule whole with a glass of water. Do not take this supplement after ovulation during the luteal phase as evening primrose oil can cause uterine contractions making it difficult for the fertilized egg to implant inside the womb. During this time, evening primrose oil can be replaced with omega-3 fish oil supplements for overall health.
Tip
Infertility in women has many causes; consult a doctor or fertility specialist regarding primrose oil for improving your chance of conceiving a baby.
Warning
Mild side effects of evening primrose in some women include headaches and gastrointestinal upset. Evening primrose oil can cause increased bleeding in people who have blood disorders or who are taking blood thinning medications. It can also interact with drugs such as anti-psychotic and anti-seizure medications. Do not take this supplement without consulting your doctor first.
References
Writer Bio
Noreen Kassem is a hospital doctor and a medical writer. Her articles have been featured in "Women's Health," "Nutrition News," "Check Up" and "Alive Magazine." Kassem also covers travel, books, fitness, nutrition, cooking and green living.