About the Author

dr sarah zadek author of the book it takes two and a uterus

Dr. Sarah Zadek ND

Dr. Sarah Zadek is a writer and licensed naturopathic doctor with a clinical focus on reproductive health, endocrinology and infertility. She graduated from Nipissing University with an honours degree in biology after completing her thesis on genetics and immune system function, and then went on to graduate from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in 2014. 


With her own health issues unsolved by medical doctors and specialists, Sarah turned to naturopathic medicine to help manage and treat many of the ailments she had carried for years, including endometriosis and other autoimmune conditions. 

Dr. Zadek is an evidence-based practitioner, using orthomolecular medicine, botanicals, antioxidant therapies, as well as diet and lifestyle support, to help patients improve their reproductive outcomes, gynaecological and hormonal health. This includes support and treatment for endometriosis, fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, and challenges with fertility (both female and male).

Her work background includes 14 years in pharmacy and experience as birth doula in the Greater Toronto Area. Sarah is an author and has written for multiple publications and websites across North America including the NaturalPath, Naturopathic Doctor News and Review (NDNR), Naturopathic Currents, Eco Parent Magazine online, Advanced Orthomolecular Medicine (AOR), Bird&Be, and BioSyent. 

In addition to her love of books and writing, Sarah is an avid runner and lives in Pickering Ontario with her husband, toddler and two very crafty golden doodles.   

She currently practices at Conceive Health in Toronto, an integrative model of fertility healthcare, and offers virtual consultations across Ontario.

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Q&A

Most frequent questions and answers

I’m passionate about learning and teaching others, and as a lifelong writer, this is my jam. My family always joked that I would be a permanent student (they had good reason considering I did ten years of post-secondary education!), and I feel that still holds true. I always want to be learning something, and the wonderful thing about science is that our knowledge is always changing and improving. My purpose in life is to use my research skills and knowledge to help others. I wrote a book because writing is who I am. I love taking complex scientific principles and making them easy to digest and understand for the average person.

There’s a huge demand for information on how to improve reproductive health. I often hear people ask, “Is there anything I can do to improve my egg/sperm quality or improve my/our chances of getting pregnant?” or wanting to know, “Do I need to completely cut out alcohol if I’m trying to conceive?” As a writer and knowledge seeker I wanted to reach a greater audience to provide up-to-date information and help empower individuals to make the changes that lead to better health outcomes reproductively, during pregnancy, and beyond!
There are many factors that contribute to our health and the function of our reproductive organs, and we do have the power to affect change. We can’t control every molecular interaction or outcome, but we can control how we treat our body and provide it with support. It’s like tending a vegetable garden. When you first plant the seeds, you can’t predict what your season-end vegetable yield will be. You might have a poor batch of seeds, or maybe you have bunnies or squirrels that get into your crops. However, you can add natural fertilizers to increase the soil’s nutrient content, ensure your garden gets enough water, remove problematic weeds, and/or put up a structure around your garden to protect it from critters. We can’t control for every factor, but we can improve our odds of reproductive success, while decreasing overall health risks.
Testicular-factor infertility accounts for about half of all infertility cases. There are also reports of declining sperm counts and quality in North America and some parts of Europe over the last 20-40 years. This makes it critically important to address the health of both partners (or known donors and surrogates) when trying to conceive, instead of putting the emphasis solely on the partner who will be carrying the pregnancy.