Take a deeper look into the reversible causes of infertility.
What does it mean to be infertile?
In America, 12% of women at childbearing age have difficulty getting pregnant after two years of trying to conceive. Only half of healthy couples under the age of 30 are able to conceive within three months of trying, which accounts for 9% of men and about 11% of women. Whatever the cause may be, in America, 12% to 15% of couples are unable to conceive after one year of having unprotected sex.[1] The CDC reported a large decline in birth rate between 2016 and 2017, making it now the lowest number in thirty years. This decline is likely due to many factors, but infertility is surely one of them.[1]
The truth is that many couples who are labeled infertile, really aren’t. At least not permanently. By medical standards, infertile simply means you have had unprotected sex for one to two years without conceiving. It does not mean the obstacles you face are irreversible. Quite the opposite, actually. Consider my husband and I. We had unprotected sex for five years without successfully conceiving except for a few miscarriages, we fit this diagnosis perfectly! Yet now we have two beautiful boys. To me, it seems logical to reserve the term “infertile” for those who have a structural abnormality, genetic condition, or an irreversible condition that truly prevents them from ever being able to conceive naturally. If we used the term in this way, many women would be spared from the trauma associated with this label defining their womanhood.
More often than not, the cause of not being able to conceive is within our power to change. It may be due to something in our environment causing a high toxic load that reduces the quality of egg and sperm, poor liver function, adrenal fatigue, an imbalance of blood sugar or hormones, or even improper timing of intercourse. If you can believe it, a very common obstacle to conceiving can simply be having the right timing. Many women are so disconnected with their own cycles that their fertile window has never really been identified. This is something that can easily be remedied. I give easy to follow cycle-tracking instructions in my book.
But, there are some conditions that may cause a decrease in fertility such as food sensitivities and leaky gut, endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), premature ovarian failure, hypothyroidism, autoimmunity and other chronic diseases that may require a longer, in-depth approach to cleansing and preparation to achieve pregnancy. Although it is still possible, it may take one or two years to prepare your body for conception, depending on your level of toxicity and progression of disease.
For women, fertility challenges can be due to ovulatory, metabolic, pelvic, cervical, immune-mediated, or other functional and unexplained causes. For men, infertility may be due to a decline in sperm count or health, low testosterone, or estrogen dominance. Until recently, infertility was approached with heavy focus on the woman, but now the focus has shifted to the male partner. We have realized that the inability to conceive is more often than not partially or entirely due to poor sperm quality. This is why I never take on an “infertility” case of just a woman (unless she is using a sperm donor). I require both partners to participate in the pregnancy preparation. If I didn’t, my success rate would drop significantly!
I understand that some of you may suffer from infertility due to a structural malformation in your ovaries, fallopian tubes, or uterus that prevents your body from making, transporting, or implanting the egg. Your partner may have structural issues as well that doesn’t allow for proper maturation or flow of sperm. In these cases, if the uterus is structurally intact, IVF is a great option. IVF is a wonderful medical discovery that has created many beautiful families, but in my opinion it is being used more often than necessary. Annually, IVF accounts for 2% of babies born in the U.S.[2]
I urge couples to reserve fertility treatments such as IVF for the time when you have exhausted other avenues to promote fertility, such as a good preconception cleanse and preparation. This is because when a couple chooses to proceed with IVF, they are making a financial commitment of $10,000- $30,000, with no guarantees. These couples are adding a large financial burden on top of their already existing tension around pregnancy. For many couples, this puts a major strain on the relationship. In fact, one Danish study revealed that after fertility treatment, a couples’ marriage was three times more likely to end in divorce.[3] The stress of it all is unbearable to some.
My take home point is that many conditions responsible for decreased fertility can be corrected. But the length of time needed to prepare for conception will vary depending on the severity of your case. No one fits into a cookie cutter model of fertility. We must be patient and understanding of our own unique biological makeup. However, using a guide, such as my Preparing for Pregnancy ebook, can make it easier to navigate the changes needed to adapt a healthy lifestyle, specifically for promoting fertility.
Also, work with your GYN/OB, functional medicine practitioner or naturopathic doctor to rule out any genetic, autoimmune, or structural causes of infertility. After considering all of the above, determine the need for conception assistance such as IVF. Because even if you will require IVF to conceive, preparing your body before hand will increase the chances of successful implantation. Therefore, preconception cleansing and preparation is a win, win for all forms of conceiving.
Resources
NPR. U.S. Birth rate report - cdc 2017. May 2018.
PenMedicine. IVF by the numbers. 2018 March.
News, U.S. Study: Infertile couples 3 times more likely to divorce. 2014 January.
Dunson, D.B., D.D. Baird, and B. Colombo, Increased infertility with age in men and women. Obstet Gynecol, 2004. 103(1): p. 51-6.
Chasse, J., female infertility, in Perfect fertility. 2018 February: Online course.
Duhon, S. Preparing for Pregnancy. 2019.
