Fertility Issues

Fertility issues (also widely termed, although perhaps inaccurately, as "infertility") and fertility treatments are big news these days. This seemingly increased interest may be due to many things: public accounts from celebrities who experienced miscarriages or who underwent IVF treatments, couples delaying having children until they are older, an increased number of clinics offering fertility treatments and more openness about the topic of infertility or problems with conceiving.

Most people know of someone, or at least a friend of someone they know, who had problems with getting pregnant or had a miscarriage.  It may even seem that fertility issues are very common, perhaps on the rise.  "Infertility" is generally defined as the inability of a couple to conceive (or carry a baby to term) after 12 months of frequent intercourse without any birth control measures (6 months if the woman is over 35 years of age).  By this definition, the infertility rate in Canada is about 1 in 10 couples. Surprisingly the rate of infertility has not significantly changed since the 60’s, but because our society is more open to talk about and seek treatment for infertility, there is a perceived increased.

What are the Causes of Infertility and Fertility Issues?

Of the couples that are assessed with fertility issues, 40% can be traced to problems experienced by the women, 40% can be traced to problems experienced by the man and 20% are “unexplained” cases. That the causes of infertility are accounted for equally by both men and women may surprise many people because so much media attention is paid to the woman’s problem. (This, of course, may be due to men not being as open about this topic as women. )

Fertility problems in the woman may be due to:

Ovulation disorders

Hormonal problems that may lead to ovulation disorders or irregular periods

Pelvic Inflammatory disease (PID) caused by sexually transmitted infections that can result in scarring and blockages of the reproductive organs.

Endometriosis: A condition in which endometrial tissue is abnormally found in locations that can cause tubal blockages and cyst formations

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS): A condition commonly associated with increased male hormones (androgens) and irregular or absent ovulation.

Congenital conditions that affect the reproductive organs and their structure or function

Environmental and occupational exposure to chemicals, radiation and other factors that can negatively affect conception and the developing baby during pregnancy.

Fertility problems in the man may be due to:

Inadequate semen or sperm quality or quantity

Sexual dysfunction, including the inability to achieve or maintain an erection and problems with ejaculation (premature, blocked, or delayed)

Congenital conditions that affect the structure and function of the male reproduction organs

Fertility problems can also be due to physiological incompatibility in a couple. So the man and woman may otherwise be healthy, but together they are unable to conceive.

Factors in fertility that can be controlled by the individual

Age: It is fact that fertility is less optimal after the age of 30 for women and decreases more rapidly with time.  For men, it is largely believed that they can continue to produce semen and sperm well into old age, however, quality and quantity may decrease with age, especially with accumulated “bad habits” such as smoking, poor diet, chemical and radiation exposure.

Weight: Being over or under weight for women can affect her menstrual cycles which in turn affects fertility. For men, being overweight may affect sexual functioning and sperm quality and quantity if being overweight is the result of poor eating habits and excess alcohol intake.

Excessive exercise (more than 60 minutes/ day): While regular exercise in reasonable amounts is beneficial, too much exercise is detrimental to fertility.  For women, too much is associated with irregular menstrual cycles (usually because her body fat drops to low levels).  For men, too much exercise (along with restrictive clothing) may result in prolonged increase in scrotal temperature, resulting in reduced sperm production.

Tobacco, alcohol and drug use:  The use of these substances are associated with menstrual irregularities, reduced ability to conceive, increased miscarriage and premature births in women and sexual dysfunction and reduce semen and sperm quality in men. 

Stress: Stress may contribute in many ways from irregular menstrual cycles and hormonal imbalance in women; psychological blocks to fertility (especially in those diagnosed with "unexplained infertiltiy" and reduced libido and sexual function for both men and women.  Just as your body and your cells are affected what you eat, drink and put into your body, your body and cells are affected by the daily mental and emotional messages that are received every moment of every day. Stress is especially compounded by those experiencing fertility issues.

The Naturopathic Approach: I do not like using the word "infertility" as the term itself implies a finality that may or may not  be biologically true, but for that labelled individual, the word "infertility" can become a mental and emotional self-fulfilling prophecy.  Only a small number of conditions are truly "infertile" (for example, those with absent reproductive organs, those who have undergone surgical birth control and never intend to reverse it, those wth rare genetic diseases etc). "Fertility issues" is a more accurate description that allows hope and gives the affected couple something to work with.   

Naturopathic Medicine combined with hypnosis can help address your health issues and improve the fertility of couples.  To learn more, read about our Enhancing Fertility Program