Infertility is the result of a wide variety of conditions and processes, and its treatment is one that dates back to over 5000 years ago. In fact, in the orient there is recorded proof of herbal remedies to help women with reproductive problems that were inscribed on things like tortoise shells.
Medically, it is suggested that if a women below the age of 35 has trouble conceiving after 12 months of trying to become pregnant she should seek medical attention to help assess for any problems that can lead to infertility, and for women above the age of 35 it is recommended that they do the same after 6 months of trying.
The treatment of infertility can be complex because the whole body and its environment should be taken in to consideration. This is because anything that affects the body can have some sort of effect on its reproductive organs.
Here are five recommendations women can implement to help support a healthy external and internal environment for the body to optimize their fertility:
Replace your cup of coffee with green tea. Caffeine intake has been shown to be correlated with increased rates of spontaneous abortion and pre-term birth for the pregnant women, and possibly reduce the likelihood of pregnancy per cycle by disrupting the hormonal balance in the body. Giving a cup of green tea instead of coffee to your male partner would be beneficial as well, since caffeine can negatively affect the sertoli cells (responsible for the production of sperm).
Getting enough sleep. In Chinese Medicine, insufficient sleep or sleeping very late is a causal factor for kidney yang and/or yin deficiency, which are the two important agents needed for conception to occur. From a western perspective, chronic poor sleep hygiene can lead to increased levels of stress and stress hormone (cortisol) which can suppress the production of reproductive hormones (luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone).
Cut down on Alcohol. Amounts as low as one drink a week to 5 drinks a day can decrease the conception rate by up to 50%. One of the proposed mechanisms by which this can happen is elevated levels of estrogen, which will reduce the amount of follicle stimulating hormone released in the blood, and therefore decreasing the signal strength to the ovaries to mature follicles.
Maintain a healthy weight, and make sure that you are eating sufficient amounts of healthy food. Too much adipose tissue or too little adipose tissue can disrupt the menstrual cycle and hormonal levels. Women who consume less calories than they expend daily are less likely to ovulate during that cycle, so making sure that you are eating enough is very important.
Replacing animal protein with vegetable protein. Even adding a single serving of meat to the daily diet may be associated with infertility risk of up to 32%. While increased consumption of vegetable protein was found to have a protective effect on ovulatory function. That being said, one must ensure that they are consuming sufficient amounts of iron as well, preferably from a vegetarian source.
This article is in no way a replacement for medical advice or medical care, it is advised that anyone concerned about Infertility should speak with their Naturopathic Doctor or Family Physician.