10 Natural Ways to Address the Root Causes of Infertility

Avoid the two most common allergens
The link between food intolerances and anti-sperm antibodies is now well established.
Studies have found that women with multiple allergies and food intolerances are
more likely to miscarry. An overactive immune system is more likely to attack
its own body cells. From an immunological point of view and embryo and sperm
cell are foreign bodies. But Mother Nature was clever: she programmed immune
systems to distinguish between an everyday invader and a sperm cell or embryo.
A normal and healthy immune response to an embryo or sperm cell is orchestrated
by Th2 cytokines. They suppress your killer cells (that’s what they are called)
to leave the embryo unharmed. Because of this protection many pregnant women
are poor wound healers and can come down really badly with a cold or flu. Your
natural protection has been suppressed so that your body can develop properly.
An abnormal immune response to the implantation of the fertilized egg is orchestrated by Th1 cytokines. Rather than suppressing your killer cells they stimulate their activity. This can lead to defects and the loss of the fetus. The two most widely spread food intolerances are gluten and dairy. I recommend all my
patients have an IgG immunoglobulin test done to check if you are dairy and
gluten intolerant. But since most people have some level of allergy to gluten
and/or dairy, it’s advisable to avoid gluten and dairy altogether during the preconception and pregnancy period.

Have an STD check
Most people believe both they and their partner are STD free. However there are some STD’s which can by asymptomatic, meaning that you may not be aware you have them, as there are no obvious symptoms. One such STD is a Chlamydia infection. In men, a Chlamydis infection can lead to sperm abnormalities including sperm antibodies.
In women, it can lead to scarring, blocked tubes and miscarriage.
A study found 60% of asymptomatic male partners of infected females attending a
fertility clinic were found to be infected with Chlamydia. Most STD’s are easy
to treat, so it pays for both partners to have an STD check. There is no point in only one partner going for a test as the other partner can re-infect them
again.

Allow yourself 120 days before trying to conceive

There is a common misconception that egg and sperm quality cannot be improved. In fact it is possible to improve the quality of your egg and sperm. However, it takes 120 days. This is because it takes approximately 120 days for eggs to mature and
sperm to develop. During the generation and maturation of gamete cells sperm
and ovum that form an embryo everything that you and your partner ingest,
inhale or are exposed to will influence the health of your eggs and sperm for
better or worse, and the ultimate quality of the genetic building blocks you
pass onto your child.
This is why it is crucial to follow a good preconception plan for a minimum of 4 months before conception. A baby is a 50-50 product of his or her parents therefore
optimizing the quality of eggs and sperm is of paramount importance. Sperm
disorders contribute to 40% of infertility cases. Women who suffer from
recurrent miscarriages often have partners with low fluid counts and visually
abnormal sperm. Therefore both partners should detox, follow a fertility diet,
take preconception supplements and avoid reproductive toxins discussed in this
article for a minimum of 4 months before conception.

Avoid coffee, smoking and alcohol
You may not want to hear this, but drinking coffee decreases fertility. A large study from Connecticut found as little as 1 cup of coffee per day increasing the risk of
not conceiving by 55 percent. And if you have 2-3 cups per day that risk rises
to 100 percent and continues to increase with an additional cup up to 176
percent. And did you know that women who drank coffee before and during
pregnancy had twice the risk of miscarriage?

Alcohol is harmful to women’s eggs and men’s fluid and as little as one glass can reduce fertility by 50 percent! This can further lead to damage of the developing
embryo and may result in miscarriage. And although it’s been known for a long
time that drinking while pregnant is a no-no, drinking before pregnancy has
been largely ignored. This doesn’t stop with coffee and alcohol. Smoking and
recreational drugs can also reduce your odds of conception. A study tested the
effects of cigarette smoking on semen quality in men and found that sperm
motility (ability to propel forward) decreased in light smokers while heavy
smoking produced abnormal sperm shape. Scientists have discovered that quitting
smoking may increase sperm count in men who quit smoking for 5-15 months 50
percent to 800 percent respectively.

Take a good quality preconception and pregnancy supplement.
Regardless of whether you are eating organic produce and a healthy diet, you are unlikely to be getting all the nutrients your body needs for optimal fertility from your
diet. This is why supplementation is important.
Getting pregnant and growing a new human being with your own reserves, requires a surplus of nutrients and energy. In your body’s accounting terms, pregnancy is
a luxury, a splurge of energy and nutrients. Some of the key nutrients for
fertility are zinc, selenium, magnesium, calcium, B12, B6, folic acid, Vitamin
C, Omega-3 fats.

IVF Does Not Address the Root Cause of Infertility
Conventional IVF and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments don’t address root causes of infertility. These root causes include: nutritional deficiencies, toxin exposure, stress, food intolerances, allergies and immune deficiencies. These subtle but critical factors interact synergistically to impact the quality of your eggs and sperm, affecting your ability to conceive and the health of your embryo.

IVF as Final Option after Preconception Care
IVF should be the last option after all natural treatment options have been exhausted. It should never be the first option. The rate of success of IVF is (on average) 25% per single attempt. Studies show that by following a natural preconception program prior to attempting IVF the success rate is increased to 47.1 percent per single attempt. I always advise couples to undertake a preconception
program as a first step and reserve IVF as a final option. Most infertility can be treated without IVF. However if IVF is needed the success rate of each
attempt is nearly doubled by combining it with a natural preconception program.

For more info:
Email: dapoashiru@medicalart.com ; ekua53@yahoo.com
Telepone: 08166516945

Prof. Dapo Ashiru is Medical Director of MART IVF Centre, Lagos.