Natural Fertility Support

by Ian Donnelly

“You can’t hurry love,” sang the Supremes. “No, you just have to wait.” For millions of couples who want to start a family, these words sound familiar. They fell for each other, feathered the nest, and turned their thoughts to welcoming a baby into their lives. Now, after waiting for the time to be right, they’re still just . . . waiting.
 

Approximately 12 percent of American women have difficulty getting pregnant or carrying a baby to term, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics. That means one in every eight couples confronts infertility—and wonders what to do about it. Before jumping to conclusions, however, it’s useful to know that the process can take time even for healthy partners. Experts consider up to one year of trying to get pregnant (six months if the woman is over age 35) to be normal.
 

Some factors can be controlled and others can’t. But a wholesome diet, smart supplement routine, and other lifestyle choices can support men and women who want to increase their chances of conceiving naturally.
 

A Healthy Foundation
 

Eating right sets the stage for a healthy pregnancy and motherhood. “An optimal diet will best support the functioning of every system in the body, including the reproductive system,” says Cynthia Sass, RD, LN, at the American Dietetic Association.
 

Recent findings from the Nurses’ Health Study, a long-term investigation, suggest that the right foods can counter ovulatory infertility, which prevents conception in one-quarter of couples or more. For example, women who eat “slow carbs,” or carbohydrates with a low glycemic index (GI) that burn more slowly in the body, have greater success getting pregnant.
 

Healthy fats can help too. The Nurses’ Health Study finds that a high intake of polyunsaturated fat provides some protection against ovulatory infertility in women with high intakes of iron. Also, one or two daily servings of full-fat dairy seem to improve fertility. Just be sure to avoid trans fats: Even consuming as little as four grams a day, women are less likely to conceive.
 

Both partners are wise to give up tobacco, cut alcohol and caffeine consumption, and reduce exposure to toxins. (Choose organic foods, replace conventional household cleaners and lawn care products with natural alternatives, drink from glass or reusable stainless-steel containers, and look for nontoxic personal care items.) Visit a healthcare practitioner before trying to conceive to discuss ways to get and stay healthy during preconception.
 

Helpful Supplements
 

Key supplements support reproductive wellness. Since vitamin and mineral deficiencies can contribute to infertility, it’s important to recognize and correct possible imbalances. For example, if a woman took birth control pills for many years before discontinuing their use, she may be low in folic acid (particularly crucial in the earliest stages of pregnancy to help prevent birth defects), vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, C, and E, along with the minerals zinc and magnesium. Each is essential for healthy fertility.
 

Hopeful mothers-to-be might also consider fish oil supplements (aim for 650 mg combined EPA and DHA daily). A bonus associated with these healthy fats? DHA is required for optimal vision and brain development during pregnancy, and low levels of omega 3s are linked with increased depression risk immediately before and after childbirth. Natural vitamin E helps fight oxidative stress in the reproductive system and may be particularly appropriate for women hoping to conceive in their 40s. The amino acid L-arginine appears to improve uterine blood flow and fertilization rates.
 

Don’t forget a high-quality multivitamin/mineral. According to Tori Hudson, ND, author of Women’s Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, a prenatal multi is a good option for prospective moms. Dr. Hudson adds that some women will benefit from additional supplementation of magnesium, selenium, folic acid, and B12. (A recent Israeli study of more than 170 couples experiencing infertility found that in 43 percent of the cases, at least one partner was B12 deficient.)
Some evidence supports the use of combination products for reproductive health. One proprietary formula containing chaste tree, green tea, L-arginine, and a variety of vitamins and minerals, for example, seemed to help normalize menstrual cycles in women trying to conceive; at the end of the three-month trial, 26 percent of women in the supplement group were pregnant, compared with 10 percent in the placebo group.
 

Dietary supplements help support male fertility as well. Vitamins C, B12, and E may boost sperm quantity and quality. Selenium, zinc, L-arginine, and L-carnitine appear to do the same. In a small study among subfertile men, 200 mg daily of Pycnogenol (French maritime pine bark extract) for three months improved sperm quality and function.
 

Other botanicals can play a positive role, although men trying to conceive are wise to avoid excessive use of echinacea, Ginkgo biloba, and St. John’s wort, which may suppress fertility. The Chinese herb astragalus (A. membranaceus) appears to improve sperm motility (ability to move forward). Green oat (Avena sativa) and horny goat weed (Aceranthus sagittatum) help support healthy sexual function and sex drive in men; the latter may also increase sperm count. And a randomized, double-blind trial of maca (Lepidium meyenii) extract recently showed promising results in the subjective sexual well-being of men with mild erectile dysfunction.
 

Wellness Practices
 

Acupuncture is a complementary strategy for individuals struggling to conceive—and enjoys a centuries-long tradition of use. It’s been shown to increase pregnancy rates in women undergoing fertility treatments. One review of three studies using acupuncture at various stages of infertility treatment described this practice as “promising,” despite the fact that the trials weren’t blind. Look for a licensed acupuncturist who specializes in reproductive health.
 

Fertility expert and acupuncturist Randine Lewis, PhD, offers a helpful tip about attitude during preconception in Be a Healthy Woman! by Gary Null, PhD. “There are certain guidelines that you follow, but it’s more of a process of learning to be receptive . . . learning to open up to life,” she says. Many couples find that working toward conception can overly stress both individuals and relationships. And in a vicious circle, too much stress inhibits fertility. To address emotional and mental strain, consider yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, spiritual exploration or prayer, massage, and other bodywork techniques.
 

Exercise helps reduce stress and shed pounds. It also appears to promote fertility in both men and women. Women who come in above—or below—their healthiest weight may be less likely to conceive. Based on statistical models of probabilities, BMI (body mass index) between 20 and 24 appears to be “the fertility zone,” explain Harvard researchers. But “if you aren’t in or near the zone, don’t despair,” they add. “Working to move your BMI in that direction by gaining or losing weight is almost as good. Relatively small changes are often enough to have the desired effects of healthy ovulation and improved fertility.”
 

Overweight impacts male fertility as well. While there’s no optimal BMI fertility range for men, being too heavy lowers testosterone levels and inhibits production of good-swimming sperm.

An Equal Challenge
 

Infertility is an equal-opportunity affliction: about one-third of all cases are due to female factors while another third are chalked up to male factors. The remaining cases? They’re a combination of the two or remain unexplained.
Among men, problems most often occur with insufficient sperm production or sperm’s inability to reach and fertilize the egg. The following factors affect men’s sperm count and/or quality:
 

• Age
• Alcohol or drug use
• Environmental toxins such as pesticides or lead
• Existing health conditions
• Tobacco use
• Some medications
• Radiation or chemotherapy

Ovulation problems (which manifest as irregular or absent menstrual periods) are responsible for many cases of women’s infertility. Other factors that affect a woman’s ability to conceive include the following:
 

• Age
• Alcohol use
• Athletic training
• Health issues that affect hormones
• Poor diet
• Overweight or underweight
• Sexually transmitted diseases
• Tobacco use
• •    Stress