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Preconception Health Care and Natural Fertility

By Claudette Wadsworth

Preconception Health Care

Fertility is a complex issue that involves both prospective parents. Conceiving a child is a very special, though often unconscious, event. For others, it may be problematic. Natural Fertility Management offers you a program of preconception health care for conscious conception or to overcome fertility problems, using holistic natural medicine, detoxification, stress management and timing techniques. This program can profoundly improve your chances of a healthy, successful conception, pregnancy, birth and baby.

What is Preconception Health Care?

It is the combined effort by both parents to ensure the health of their new baby.
One of the most important components is that both partners undertake preconception health care: 50% of the genetic material comes from the female and 50% comes from the male.

Preconception care ensures there is an adequate supply of factors which are essential to the health of the female and male reproductive organs, the general health of both parents, the health of the sperm and egg, foetal development, the ultimate health of the baby, and an absence of things that have been shown in studies to be harmful.

Why is it necessary?

Sperm can take up to 116 days to develop and mature, during which time they are vulnerable to damage. Likewise the egg takes approximately 100 days to mature before ovulation.

Poor nutrition, tobacco, drugs, alcohol, environmental pollution, lack of exercise, stress, oral contraceptives, genito-urinary infections, and other infections eg Candida, allergies, child bearing at an older age and stress are all important factors which may be harmful to sperm, eggs, health of the male and female reproductive organs, general health of both parents, and in turn the health of the baby.

Therefore 4 months of healthy living before conception will improve the quality of sperm, egg and pregnancy. Most couples are keen to conceive as quickly as possible. However, preconception care ensures all underlying causes are dealt with prior to conception attempts rather then seeking reasons after problems have occurred.

What studies or research is it based upon?
FORESIGHT, the Association for the Promotion of Preconception Care, was established in the UK in 1978. A study involving 1100 couples is currently being run with Surrey University. Another 2 year study of 367 couples was completed in 1992 where originally 59% of the couples had prior adverse reproductive history, including 38% miscarriage and 37% infertility (1-10 years). Upon completion of the study, 89% of all the couples had successful births of healthy babies. No baby was born before 36 weeks and none was lighter than 2368gm. There were no miscarriages, no perinatal deaths and no malformations. No baby was admitted to Special Care. In comparison to any similar sized population sample who do not practice preconception health care, approximately 70 miscarriages and 12 malformations usually occur. Natural Fertility Management extends this program to include herbal medicines for reproductive and hormonal difficulties.

Is preconception health care a new idea?
No. Many traditional societies practiced preconception health care, such as the Ancient Greeks and Romans whose conceiving couples abstained from alcohol prior to and during pregnancy due to its damaging effects on the foetus. Veterinarians, stock breeders and farmers all feed special diets to their animals prior to conception attempts.

Why is there renewed interest in this practice now?
Currently, one couple in six is infertile, one woman in five will suffer a miscarriage, one baby in ten is born prematurely, one in thirty is born with a congenital defect. At least one child in every ten suffers from a learning or behavioural problem and one child in five suffers asthma. However, medical research has revealed that all these conditions are frequently preventable with preconception health care.

Is Natural Fertility Management compatible with or after IVF?
Natural Fertility Management is ideal prior to undertaking IVF as it can resolve or reduce the underlying causes of the infertility and thereby actually increases the success rate of IVF. IVF does not address these underlying causes e.g. infections, auto-immunity (e.g. sperm antibodies), hormone imbalances but bypasses them to force the conception to occur. As a result, IVF has a higher than normal rate of miscarriage, birth defects and low birth weight babies. However, naturopathic treatment is available concomitant with IVF treatment. In fact, nutritional support and stress management are vital for those undergoing assisted conceptions, e.g. IVF. No supplement that has a hormonal effect is given to interfere with the drug regime. Emphasis is placed upon boosting your nutritional requirements and reducing stress.

Benefits of Preconception Health Care

Females:

• Regulates ovulation

• Balances hormone levels

• Improves health of ovaries and egg (ova)

• Reduces endometriosis and improves uterine health

• Helps clear blocked fallopian tubes and improves tubal function

• Diagnosis and treat, hidden infections in the reproductive tract

• Treats Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

• Reduces polycystic ovaries and management of insulin resistance

• Lessens cervical damage from erosion/infection/surgery

• Enhances quality and quantity of fertile mucous and reduces hostile mucous

• Reduces miscarriage antibodies and sperm antibodies

Males

• Improves sperm count, sperm motility, health and quality of sperm (morphology)

• Balances hormone levels and boost testosterone.

• Reduces sperm antibodies

• Management of varioceles and improvement in circulation and health of testes

• Improves health of prostate and quality of seminal fluid

• Diagnosis and treat, hidden infections in the reproductive tract

Pregnancy and Birth

• Normal, healthy, full term pregnancy with reduced complications such as morning sickness, varicose veins, haemorrhoids, constipation, heart burn, stretch marks, poor memory, mood swings, hair loss, skin pigmentation, bleeding gums, fatigue, susceptibility to infection eg thrush

• Reduced incidence of more severe complications such as hyperemesis, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, toxaemia, preterm birth and stillbirth

• Short and straight forward labour with reduced risk of post-partum haemorrhage, postnatal depression

• Successful breast feeding- quantity and nutrient quality of breast milk, mastitis, cracked nipples

Baby

• Enhanced physical and mental health

• Reduced incidence of congenital defects, even of older parents, learning and behavioural disorders or delays later in childhood

• Reduced incidence of SIDS: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, allergies eg. asthma, eczema, food allergies, poor immune system

• Reduced excessive crying, colic, nappy rash, thrush, teething problems

Statistics

1 couple in 6 is infertile
1 woman in 5 will miscarry
1 women in 10 suffers from toxaemia or high blood pressure
1 women in 4 undergoes a Caesarean section
1 baby in 10 is born prematurely or ‘small for dates’
1 baby in 30 is born with congenital defects
1 in every 3 women suffer from some degree of post natal depression
1 woman in 10 breast-feeds her child for more than 12 months
More than 1 child in 10 is affected by a learning or behavioural problem
1 child in 5 suffers from asthma

What is involved for both prospective parents?

Ideally both parents are equally involved in preconception care for a minimum of 4 months.

• Dietary Changes: The essential component of preconception health care is optimal nutrition. Every step of reproduction, from the production of sperm and maturation of eggs to the formation of healthy breastmilk, is reliant upon an essential supply of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fatty acids.

• Supplementation – Unfortunately nowadays a healthy diet may be inadequate as the nutrient content of food is affected by farming methods, modern processing and refinement of foods, lifestyle issues, environmental hazards, such as the use of tobacco, alcohol, being on the oral contraceptive pill and other drugs that rob the body of vital nutrients. This was demonstrated by a CSIRO study that found 67% of Australian women received less than the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of zinc in their diets. Zinc is needed for more than 200 enzyme reactions in the body and is essential for reproduction. Stress increases the demand of a variety of nutrients. Older couples may require an increase in nutrients compared to a younger couple as the nutrient stores may be depleted and they have been exposed to lifestyle and environmental factors for a longer period of time. Nutritional needs is increased by 15-20% in pregnancy.

• Improving your lifestyle: abstinence from smoking, alcohol, drugs and caffeine

• Cleaning up your environment for toxic metals, chemicals, radiation and other hazards

• Detoxification- If you drive in heavy traffic, eat processed, refined foods with additives, take medical drugs, smoke, drink alcohol and consume caffeine, use a computer for several hours, had any X-rays recently, live near a source of radiation, near environmental pollution or clean or fumigate your house with chemicals, you will need to detoxify before conception.

• Getting fit- the importance of exercise for physical and emotional health is imminent in preconception care health.

• Staying positive and stress management techniques.

• Using Natural Contraception for 4 months during the preconception phase. This is important as you do not want to conceive during detoxification. You are taught how to chart your menstrual cycles using temperature, mucus observations and lunar dates.

• Overcoming reproductive disorders and improving your reproductive health

• • For women: irregular periods, irregular ovulation, hormonal imbalance, lack of periods, PMS, painful periods, heavy bleeding, inadequate mucous, recurrent vaginal thrush, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease, genito-urinary infections, blocked fallopian tubes, fibroids, thyroid dysfunction, pituitary dysfunction, infertility, miscarriage antibodies.

  • For men: low sperm count, low level of sperm motility, sperm abnormalities, genito-urinary infections, varicocele, prostatitis.

  • Mutual problems-sperm antibodies and hostile mucous.

Diagnostic tests may include:

• Hair mineral analysis – to detect heavy metal toxicity, trace mineral levels.

• Blood pressure – correction of high or low BP is required prior to conception as correcting an imbalance during pregnancy is far more difficult as many medications, natural or conventional, are contra-indicated in pregnancy.

• Basal Body Temperature test – determines a low or high thyroid function. This may be contributing factor for reproductive disorders in women. A blood test may also be used for further testing of thyroid function.

• Blood tests- Tests are specifically selected to test for various nutrient deficiencies, immune status, hormones, genitor-urinary infections, rubella status, thyroid function, etc. You will be given a referral for these tests for your doctor. Further investigations may be advised to work with doctors to diagnose causes of infertility and monitor treatment.

• Pap smear & high cervical swab: testing for any genito-urinary infections, STDs and cervical cell changes.

• Zinc Tally test- to determine zinc levels. Zinc is the most important mineral for fertility and general reproductive health for men and women.

• Dental check up in advance to correct any dental problems such as fillings. Do not attempt to have mercury containing amalgam fillings replaced at this stage, as four months may not be long enough to eliminate residual mercury.

• Semen analysis and culture: testing count, motility and morphology of sperm as well as genito-urinary infections and STDs.

What are the costs involved?
The Fertility/Conception Program involves two 2 hour consultations for both partners (usually about 2-3 weeks apart) at my normal consultation rate of $100/hr. Natural Fertility Management Kit are available to purchase at RRP $160. The cost for prescribed herbal medicines and supplements is additional and is approximately $50 per week per person. Follow-up consultations of 1 hour ($100) are conducted every 4-6 weeks until you conceive. If you live in a remote area, we can do a long 4 hour consultation and subsequent consultations by phone. Following conception, I recommend a consultation each trimester of pregnancy.

Further Research

Below are a selection of research study results that illustrate the importance of diet on fertility, pregnancy and the subsequent health of the baby.

A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in January 2007 found that eating trans fats, eg. Margarine, deep fried oils, processed foods, increased the risk of fertility problems by 70% or more.

Poor maternal diet has been shown to cause:

• Irritability

• Short attention span

• Language difficulties

• Poor reasoning ability

• Poor memory skills

• Unfocused thinking

• Poor concentration

• Lowered intelligence in the mother

Effects of poor nutrition at different stages of pregnancy:

First trimester

• Reduced birth weight

• Proportionately small body

• Reduced weight of child at 1 year after delivery

All trimesters

• Reduced head circumference

• Less than optimum brain development

• Reduced intelligence

• Increased risk of high blood pressure in later life

Incidence of Low Birth Weight in Australian babies 2003
Low-birth weight babies have a greater risk of:

• Poor health

• Longer period of hospitalisation after birth

• Developing significant disabilities

• Mortality: 30% of infant deaths is due to low birth weight < 2500gm, especially common in IVF babies and multiple babies.

Fruit and Veg Intake During Pregnancy is Positively Associated with Birth Weight

• Significant positive associations were observed between fruit and vegetable intakes during pregnancy with birth weight of offspring.

Maternal Vitamin D Intake Influences Children

• Women who have higher vitamin D intakes during pregnancy give birth to heavier babies. “For each one mcg increase of dietary vitamin D (food plus supplements), birth weight increased by 11 grams”

• Low levels of maternal vitamin D may be associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia.

• A steady increase of rickets and vitamin D deficiency was reported at Westmead Children’s Hospital (Sydney) in 2006: Cases doubled between 2002 and 2003 in the Sydney area.

Benefits of multi-nutrient supplementation
Shown to reduce the risk of:

• All congenital developmental defects in general by half (if taken 1 month prior to conception)

• Urinary tract abnormalities by 85%

• Neural tube defects by at least 50%

• Facial abnormality, cleft lip or cleft palate by 25 – 50%

• Some limb abnormalities by 85%

• Heart defects by 35%

• Low birth weight

• Brain tumours (if used in early pregnancy:1st week prior to conceiving and 1st 2 weeks of conception/pregnancy)

Symptoms of Low Iron

• Anaemia Symptoms: Poor stamina, shortness of breath on exertion, unreasonable limb fatigue, dizziness (especially on standing)

• Iron deficiency symptoms: red, sore tongue, cracks in corner of mouth, concave fingernails, reduced resistance to infection (particularly in children), recurrent thrush and poor digestion caused by low gastric acid levels.

Iron deficiency in pregnancy

• Associated with an increased risk of: low birth weight, preterm delivery, perinatal mortality, postpartum depression.

Iron Deficiency = Psychomotor and Cognitive Abnormalities in Children

• Maternal iron deficiency anaemia is associated with poor performance on mental and psychomotor tests in offspring..

Maternal Benefits of DHA from fish oils.

• Reduced risk of postnatal depression

• Reduced risk of preterm delivery or low birth weight

• Reduced risk of pre-eclampsia

• Reduce risk of poor concentration and forgetfulness during pregnancy

• May reduce the risk of dry itchy skin and possibly stretch marks

Maternal DHA Status Influences Childrens’ Health and Development

• Development of baby’s eyes, visual acuity, brain

• Significantly better hand-eye coordination

• Scored higher on measures of vocabulary and language comprehension

• The average phrase-length of their speech was longer

• Children scored higher intelligence tests at four years of age

• Children displayed advanced attention spans into their second year of life. During the first six months of life these infants were two months ahead of babies whose mothers had lower DHA levels

• Breastfed babies have IQ’s of 6 – 10 points higher than formula fed babies

• Decreased levels of DHA are correlated with autism, ADHD and atopy, eczema, asthma and hayfever.