How to enhance your fertility naturally

If you have determined that you want to try and have a biological child, there are many considerations to keep in mind as you go through the maze of fertility treatments. And while no one can absolutely guarantee your success, doing all that you can to enhance your fertility with proper diet, lifestyle and complementary therapies can really boost your chances. Whatever age you are, a healthy body is more likely to receive and nurture a fertilized egg. Getting healthy doesn’t happen overnight, so the sooner you start, the better.

* Get on a pre-natal multivitamin. This is standard procedure for any couple wanting to get pregnant. And don’t forget the father! If he (or a donor) is contributing sperm, maximize his nutrition as well, especially his zinc status.


* Quit using stimulants like caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine Cigarette smoke (including secondhand smoke) has been linked to spontaneous miscarriage, accelerated egg loss and menopause, and the inability for ovaries to produce estrogen. Smokers require twice as many tries at IVF before they are successful. Women who smoke are more likely to have ectopic pregnancies, low birth weight babies, and episodes of SIDS. Men who smoke have lower sperm counts. Many studies have shown that caffeine consumption is related to infertility. Caffeine is also linked to insulin resistance, which can halt ovulation. Studies performed on rats and humans suggest a link between heavy alcohol consumption and lower fertility rates. Other studies show that women who drink alcohol while pregnant pass abnormalities on to their babies, known as fetal alcohol syndrome.


* Cleanse your system. Before you get pregnant, do a gentle detox like the one we describe in our quick-cleanse plan. Start eating organic food whenever possible and steer clear of toxic cleaners and solvents. Just by being alive today, you are inundated with manmade chemicals that can wreak havoc with your hormones and other vital systems. Endocrine disruptors, certain types of chemicals which mimic hormones in the body, are especially troublesome when you are trying to conceive. Do what you can to reduce your body burden by avoiding obvious sources of contamination. Read the labels on everything, from cosmetics and soaps to garden fertilizers and air fresheners. Replace plastics with natural substances like glass or wood. Never microwave in plastic containers or wraps — in fact, you may want to forego the microwave altogether. In addition to obvious sources of contamination, you might also look into disruptive organisms. Systemic Candida, parasites or bacteria can alter your hormonal balance and decrease fertility. So work with a qualified practitioner to see if this is a piece of the puzzle.


* Get more exercise — or less. BMI plays a significant role in fertility. A woman with 10–15% excess body fat may have an estrogen imbalance which can cause ovulation problems. On the other hand, body fat levels at 10–15% below normal may completely disrupt a woman’s cycle. If you have irregular or nonexistent periods due to excessive or strenuous exercise, consider reducing your activity or adopting a gentler form of exercise like yoga or qi gong.


* Reduce stress wherever you can. This is good advice for anyone, whether or not they are trying to have a baby. Everyday stress is at the root of many conditions and diseases, including fatigue, weight gain, depression, headaches, and you might as well add infertility in there, too. Studies have shown direct links between the adrenal gland, which is responsible for your stress response, and ovulation. Elevated cortisol levels in your blood can cause you to stop ovulating, a condition called anovulation. Environmental, emotional, and physical stress are also known to cause low sperm counts. The fact that many couples have to schedule sex doesn’t help matters. You and your partner may feel like slaves to your ovulation calendar and temperature charts — hardly a low-stress approach. So, I recommend postponing the charts and schedules as long as possible.


* Restore your hormonal balance. The older you are, the more crucial it is to have good hormonal health if you want to conceive. As you creep toward menopause, your body is preparing itself to not have any more children. If you are imbalanced, it may manifest as missed or irregular periods and ovulation cycles. Using bioidentical progesterone support for a few months may help your system kick back into regular cycles by restoring the right ratio of progesterone to estrogen. Talk to your healthcare practitioner if you think this may apply to you. Also, cutting down on simple carbs, refined sugars and processed foods will help balance your insulin levels and boost your metabolism, which will help when you try to balance your sex hormones. Remember, you can’t balance the minor hormones (estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, for example) without first balancing your major hormones (insulin and glucagon).


* Try an alternative therapy. Homeopathy, naturopathy, Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine use ancient techniques, such as herbal remedies, cleanses, and acupuncture, to increase fertility. These approaches usually work best if both partners (producers of egg and sperm) are involved. These methods treat each individual holistically, trying to balance specific deficiencies and increase your life force. (In TCM, this is called qi; in Ayurvedic medicine it is referred to as prana.) In TCM, practitioners will also assess the nature of the energy flow between a couple and adapt their treatments accordingly. These techniques have helped people become parents for millennia and can be undertaken in addition to any other measures.

You’re more in control than you think

Just as infertility is usually a combination of causes, the path to conception usually takes a combination of changes, treatments and options. Don’t be afraid to combine the ancient with the modern, or the natural with the high-tech. As I said before, your way will be individual. Finding the right professionals to guide you may be critical. I’ll give you a simple shortcut right here: stop worrying about what–ifs and start acting. Know down deep that you will be a mother if you truly want to be. Your fertility is not tied to your reproductive organs. To truly accept this you may have to rewrite the script in your head, but you are strong and you will get there — and we are here to help.

Taking control of your needs and your whole health picture can do wonders in terms of fertility and in every aspect of your life. Feel free to visit Women to Women’s library for other articles exploring the health-related topics women ask us about most.