Fall pregnant faster with a healthy baby
Fertility naturopath
As women we spend many years avoiding falling pregnant, and there is often the expectation that once we come off contraception that falling pregnant will happen quickly and easily.
As a women’s health naturopath I often see the couples and women for whom this is not the case. After several months a little bit of anxiety can start to kick in as we realise conceiving a baby might require a little more time and effort.
But what effort? What’s in your control?
Is there an ideal diet? Are there supplements to increase your chances of falling pregnant?
There is so much information out there and so many products promising the world. In this article I’m going to cover the key areas scientifically proven to increase your chances of conception but also helping to ensure you maintain the pregnancy.
Before we jump in sperm and egg cells are some of the most sensitive to environment and nutritional factors and so while some of this information might seem like overkill I have seen it make a difference time and again, for women hoping to conceive.
Increasing Fertility = Decreasing Toxic Exposure
Before you skip past this one! I need you to know that exposure to certain common chemicals in the environment have been found to decrease egg health, and increase the incidence of miscarriage.
Note here that many miscarriages happen before you even know you’re pregnant.
What you need to look out for?
Phthalates & Fertility
Lab studies have shown that phthalates compromise egg development, and have been found to decrease the production of oestrogen the hormone that helps to drive egg development. If your eggs aren’t maturing properly, how will you be able to conceive a viable embryo?
Research done at Harvard medical school looking at over 250 women going through IVF found that the women with the highest phthalates in their body had a significantly higher incidence of miscarriage.
Significantly these miscarriages appeared to happen very early known as “biochemical” pregnancies before the foetus is visible on ultrasound.
It’s impossible to eliminate pthalates completely, however you can decrease the amount significantly by making some simple changes in your daily life helping you maintain a pregnancy.
Phthalates are found in
Plastics, cosmetics, laundry products and foods.
There have been studies that have found fast food is a huge contributor to phthalates, with people who consume one fast food meal a week having significantly higher levels than those who don’t.
This could be due to all of the heated plastics often involved in the preparation of fast foods. So try and prep most of your own meals at home and if you are eating out, treat yourself to a more wholesome option.
Studies have also supported eating unprocessed foods, like fresh fruit and vegetables and so much of the processed foods again come in plastic containers. So keep it fresh!
Avoid plastic water bottles.
Avoid using plastic containers in the kitchen at all if possible but especially for hot foods and liquids.
Avoid hairspray, nail polish and perfume, stick to more natural options.
Air fresheners and fabric softeners are also high in phthalates.
I know it all sounds a little full on but there has also been a lot of research showing that mothers with high phthalates are having male babies who are more likely to have reproductive issues themselves. There is a lot of published data on this now and I’ll create a future post on this topic stay tuned.
Start slowly reducing your exposure, swapping out the nasties for safer options. It will make a difference.
Bisphenol A (BPA) & Fertility
Multiple studies have shown time and again that this chemical has the potential to damage your natural fertility.
BPA is known to significantly impact egg quality and lead to potential chromosomal errors in human eggs. In your body BPA also interferes with your hormones that help regulate your cycle. In studies it’s been found to interfere with oestrogen, testosterone and thyroid hormones all important for fertility.
And like phthalates it too has been found to impact the reproductive systems of babies exposed during pregnancy. As well as brain development, so beyond wanting to fall pregnant remember you want to give you baby the best possible chance at a healthy life.
The most common place that you get exposed??
It enters your body via consumption of food and drink that is packaged or stored in material that leaches BPA.
Please don’t be fooled by BPA FREE labels!!
Research is still being done but they’ve simply replaced BPA with other toxic versions and the early studies have found that they too are having health implications.
Remember to minimise canned foods! and look around your kitchen so things you might want to swap out:
Plastic kettle
Plastic containers especially avoiding microwaving them and dishwashing them.
Plastic water bottles
Interesting fact…. Folate rich foods have the potential to cancel the effects of BPA so you want to look at increasing things like, berries, oranges, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, asparagus, and avocado.
Does Stress Impact Fertility?
This is a question I get asked often…
It’s the once key area I would say as a naturopath I spend a fair amount of time educating my clients on in terms of the short and long term impacts on fertility. I’ve written an entire article on how stress impacts fertility and you can check that out here.
Just know that your body when under extensive stress will decrease your reproductive capacity and it’s possibly an evolutionary mechanism because hundreds of years ago during times of famine or tribal wars it wasn’t safe to be having babies and the amount of stress and anxiety we may find ourselves in may seem normal but in many cases it’s normal because we’ve done it for so long we’ve forgotten what it’s like to be truely relaxed.
Head across to this post to learn more about how stress impacts your fertility.
Natural fertility clinic- The key nutrients
Before we jump in just note that this list is by no means exhaustive. Beyond that your requirements are based on your current base line. Which needs to be determined by proper pathology testing. Remember test don’t guess especially when it comes to fertility you want to have optimum levels for your health and the health of your baby.
That being said here are the most common nutrients that need to be addressed for a speedy conception:
Vitamin D & Fertility
One of the most commonly deficient, you want to get your levels of this vitamin up around 100 nmol/L
Low vitamin D has been linked to PCOS and endometriosis.
There was a study published in 2012 from Columbia university that found women undergoing IVF with higher levels of vitamin D were four times more likely to fall pregnant than those with a deficiency.
If your deficient you will need to go high dose initially for a short time and then tapper the dose back. This should be done under the supervision of a qualified health practitioner.
Folate & Fertility
Folate has been researched to be helpful for falling pregnant and having healthy babies. It’s involved in egg quality because it had a role in making new DNA. It’s also involved in detoxification which is also key for fertility.
Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s)
These are important for a number of reasons. Commonly referred to as EPA/DHA your babies eyes and brain/nervous system is largely made up of essential fatty acids. These also help as a natural anti-inflammatory in the body. Making sure you have an adequate amount of essential fatty acids either in your diet or through supplementation is key. Please note that fish is a great source of EFA’s however many large fish like tuna and salmon have large amounts of Mercury and other toxic metals which can have adverse effects on health and fertility.
Look for a supplement that is regularly screened for metals.
Increase Sperm Count & Health
Zinc
Zinc is found in high amounts in both sperm cells and semen, there have been multiple studies that support the application of zinc for improving sperm motility and capacitation. For a sperm cell to be able to find its way into the egg it needs adequate levels of zinc.
Unfortunately our soils are very low in this mineral and even the healthiest of diets can be deficient in this nutrient. So have your levels tests and supplement accordingly.
Selenium
Selenium is found in high amounts in the tail section of sperm cells, called the flagellum. This part of the sperm cell is important for motility and of course we know that without proper motility the sperm will have a hard time getting to the egg. Selenium is also a potent anti-oxidant and this is important for preventing oxidative damage of the cells.
CoEnzyme Q10
I’ve mentioned this one in another article on egg health, and it’s just as useful for sperm health and fertility markers. You can think of this as powering the energy centres in your cells and so for all of the cells in your body to work well CoQ10 is helpful. But the more metabolically active a cell is the more indicated this nutrient is.
Think a moment about the journey a sperm cell needs to take to meet the egg! It’s amazing when we think about it. So give your swimmers the best chance by increasing their power.
Natural Fertility Clinic
Please consider seeing a naturopath or nutritionist who specialises in natural conception care or women’s health. It can make a significant difference in terms of the following:
Testing- You need to know your baseline to be able to supplement adequately.
Eliminate barriers to conception, lifestyle and behavioural factors
Improve hormonal status
Receive clean and high quality supplements
Guidance on what to take when. This changes throughout the process of falling pregnant.
You’re only half of the equation both of you need to be engaged for the best results. When I’m counselling couples I always request that they both come in to see me at least for the initial consultation. So we have the very best chance possible.
To find out more about how a fertility naturopath can support you on your journey to having a baby head across to this page.
Don’t leave it too long! Especially if you’re 35 or older, especially if you have a history or hormonal irregularities or if you’ve been trying for over 6 months unsuccessfully.
To request an appointment or get more information please fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.