Bellingham, Washington (PRWEB) December 31, 2012
Do your resolutions for 2013 include getting pregnant? If so, we hope that all goes smoothly and your path to conception is a short one. Unfortunately, however, the current reality is that at least one in six couples struggle with infertility, according to the World Health Organization. The reproductive landscape has changed dramatically over the years for a variety of reasons, including increased exposure to environmental toxins and couples waiting longer in life to conceive. While many of these couples are automatically put on the track toward invasive and expensive infertility treatment, the fact is that many couples are able to conceive naturally, on their own, with the benefit of natural fertility supplementation and ovulation prediction tools. After all, it stands to reason that we would exhaust our natural options before resorting to medical interventions that come at a cost, both physically and financially.
Our Environment Impacts Our Fertility…
The food we eat, the products we use and even the air we breathe is vastly different from what it was just 50 years ago, and unfortunately, our prolonged exposure to these harmful chemicals has directly impacted our fertility rates. One example: a study from the National Institute of Health found that exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may decrease a couples? fertility by as much as 29 percent. Another alarming trend is the decline in male sperm count by roughly 2-3 percent each year. According to a study in the British Medical Journal, average sperm count has decreased by 50 percent since 1938.
The harmful toxins and harsh chemicals we are exposed to on a daily basis build up in our tissues over time and negatively impact our reproductive health. Our bodies work hard to remove these dangerous compounds, but our natural detoxification systems are rarely able to eliminate all of these toxins. Of course, the first line of defense would be to avoid these harmful chemicals as much as possible by eating non-processed (ideally organic) food, drinking filtered water and using only non-toxic products in the home. In addition to making these healthy lifestyle changes, couples may benefit from taking a detoxification supplement specifically designed to help eliminate toxins in trying-to-conceive men and women. FertileDetox is one natural detoxification supplement. Fairhaven Health’s FertileDetox is doctor-designed to help prepare the body for conception by promoting the efficient elimination of environmental toxins.
Our Age Impacts Our Fertility…
With increased focus on education and career paths, women are waiting longer in life to conceive their first child than they did just a few decades ago. It’s an undeniable fact that the older one gets, the more difficult it is to conceive. What many couples fail to recognize, however, is that this goes for men as well as women.
When men age, testosterone levels decrease, and consequently, so does their fertility. While men are able to produce sperm throughout their lives, the quality may deteriorate significantly over time. A study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility showed significant declines for men aged 30 to 50 in volume, motility (movement) and morphology (shape). Fortunately there are a number of natural supplements available with ingredients that are scientifically validated to improve sperm parameters. FertilAid for Men is one such fertility supplement which was shown in a double-blind placebo controlled study to increase the total number of motile sperm a man produces.
It?s no secret women are born with a finite number of eggs, the number and quality of which deteriorate over time. But, it is actually the decline in egg quality that impacts a woman?s ability to conceive more than the number of eggs left in her reserve. As egg quality diminishes, it becomes more difficult for sperm to complete fertilization, implantation is less likely to be successful and miscarriages are more common. While there is nothing a woman can do to increase her ovarian reserve, it is possible to improve her egg quality. Ingredients such as myo-inositol, folic acid, and melatonin have been clinically demonstrated to do just that. OvaBoost is a natural, doctor-developed supplement designed to promote egg quality and ovarian function. It includes myo-inositol, folic acid, and melatonin (along with several other ingredients beneficial for egg quality), and is especially recommended for women over 30 and those who have been diagnosed with PCOS or have been told that their egg quality is poor.
But We Were Told IVF Was Our Only Option…
While assisted reproductive technologies (IVF for example) may be necessary for some couples to conceive, far too many couples are being led down this arduous path prematurely.
?Many couples struggling to conceive may be able to do so naturally before resorting to costly and stressful procedures such as IVF or IUI,? said Dr. Amos Grunebaum, an OB/GYN and the director of obstetrics for one of the country?s top university medical centers. Dr. Grunebaum is a strong proponent of fertility education and suggests all couples follow some simple steps before resorting to expensive and invasive treatment options.
1. Pinpoint the fertile window: A woman can only get pregnant during the 4-5 days leading up to, and including the day of ovulation. Identifying this ?fertile window? is key to improving conception odds. A variety of tools and methods are available to help predict the ovulation date including basal body temperature charting, ovulation predictor kits, and electronic fertility monitors.
2. Restore hormonal balance: Many women struggling to conceive have irregular cycles, which can make it particularly challenging to achieve pregnancy. Cycle irregularity is most often the result of a hormonal imbalance that can impact the frequency of ovulation and/or menstruation. Before resorting to prescription medications (along with their attendant side effects), you might explore some proven natural methods of restoring hormonal balance such as the herb chasteberry (vitex agnus-castus), which has been shown to help promote cycle regularity. Vitex can be purchased separately at your local health food store or as part of a comprehensive fertility supplement such as FertilAid for Women.
3. Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Transform your diet and stay away from junk food and incorporate more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean sources of protein (all shown to help improve reproductive health). Exercise regularly and shed those extra pounds. Optimal Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 18.5 and 25, anything above that may decrease your conception odds and increase potential pregnancy complications. Quit those bad habits such as smoking or drinking alcohol which can negatively impact fertility and work towards creating a stress free environment as chronic stress can suppress reproductive hormones.
About Fairhaven Health
Fairhaven Health is a leading provider of natural, doctor-designed products to promote fertility, pregnancy, and nursing health. They offer ovulation prediction tools, natural fertility supplements, prenatal vitamins and breastfeeding support products, all of which are manufactured in U.S. GMP-certified and FDA regulated facilities.
