Is Preconception Prep Important?

 
 
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Did you know that approximately 1 in 6 couples of reproductive age experience fertility problems? Those statistics are truly upsetting and one of the areas that really puts a fire in my belly to make change. So often we look to the women when there are issues falling or maintaining a pregnancy, however when it comes to infertility, approximately 40% of cases are related to female factors, 40% to male factors, 10% to joint factors and 10% of unknown cause.

An individual’s overall health and wellbeing is a good indicator of their fertility. There are of course genetic predispositions and chronic underlying health matters that contribute to their outcome, and that is exactly where naturopathic care fits in. According to IVF Australia the most common causes of female infertility include:

  • age

  • tubal disease or problems with the fallopian tubes

  • ovulation disorders

  • endometriosis

  • polycystic ovarian syndrome

  • fibroids

  • Pelvic inflammatory disease

And for men, common causes include:

  • Sperm quality and quantity

  • High numbers of abnormally shaped sperm

  • Failure of sperm production

  • Anti-sperm antibodies

  • Genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis or a chromosomal variation

What I see that is missing from these long lists is taking into consideration an individual’s diet and lifestyle; think smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, exposure to pesticides, heavy metal toxicity, stress, excessive exercise (women), drug use. We live in a world where we overindulge in things like packaged/processed foods, alcohol, sugar, work, social life.

For optimal chances at conception, a couple would come to see me at the very least 3 to 6 months before trying to fall pregnant. This time frame coincides with the amount time it takes for female’s oocyte development and for spermatogenesis in males. This period of time allows us to do the following:

  • Diet and lifestyle review

  • Nutritional and hormonal status via pathology and functional tests to correct nutritional deficiencies and balance hormones

  • Client education on the female cycle and fertile window

My goal is to take the stress out of trying for a baby, because sadly, stress is one of the biggest culprits of infertility. I can work collaboratively with your GP, fertility specialists and am very excited to help single mothers by choice and same sex couples reach their parenting dream.


Renee Lynch