Making Better Babies Naturally

Fertility

Making Better Babies Naturally

Australian research on fertility, carried out by Dr. Anne Clark, (2006) the Chair of the “Preservation of Fertility”,  gives us an insight into issues surrounding fertility today. The research covered 2,400 Australians age 18+ across all states, the results were as follows:

  • 1 in 6 couples are affected by fertility problems.
  • In the age group 30-39 year olds 14% took more than 12 months to conceive a planned pregnancy ( with their first child).
  • In 1976, 92% of people had their first child under the age of 30 (1 in 4 births were unplanned). That figure in 2006 had dropped to 27% in this age group with 1 in 2 being unplanned.

Barriers to Conception

  • 51% of childless women aged 30-49 years thought they could still conceive whenever they wanted to, despite  95% believing that their fertility declined with age.
  • Only 2% of participants thought that male factors were a reason to have IVF.
  • 24% of treatment cycles are the male factor alone. 34% of IVF cycles are for men over the age of 40.
  • Only 4 out of 100 women believed their partners fertility could affect their chance of conceiving.

 
Lifestyle Effects

  • Active and passive smoking harms sexual and reproductive health throughout reproductive life in both men and women.
  • Moderate alcohol intake (1-5 drinks per week) increases the risk of:

1. Fertility and miscarriage in women
2. Fertility problems and DNA fragmentation in men

  • The survey shows that 30% of men and 19% of women affected by fertility problems reported they drank more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day (14 + drinks per day).
  • Women have an increase of fertility problems ( 2-% fold increase) by being over weight.
  • Men have 2 fold increase in fertility problems by being overweight and a 3 fold increase of erectile dysfunction.
  • A 9kg weight gain is sufficient to lower fertility rates.
  • 42% of men and 52% of women with fertility problems were overweight.

 
Infertility

  • The incidence of PCOS ( Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) of those with fertility problems surveyed was 20%.
  • 5% of those had been formerly diagnosed with PCOS.
  • Australian research show it takes 48 months on average for a women to be diagnosed with Polycystic ovaries and complications from the time of first presentation to a medical practitioner.
  • The incidence of endometriosis in fertility patients is 30-40%.
  • The diagnosis of endometriosis takes 8-11 years on average.
  • 59% of those with fertility problems have never consulted a doctor.

 
Societal changes have impacted significantly on couples. Life time events are happening later, which means a couple may not be able to have children until their fertility has already started to decline.
Preconception, conception, and pregnancy care with natural medicine is the least invasive form of treatment.
 
The Benefits of Preconception Health Care
Preconception health care can help to:

  • improve fertility and resolve infertility in both men & women.
  • ensure a normal, healthy full-term pregnancy (prevent miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth).
  • ensure a natural unmedicated birth.
  • avoid postnatal depression.
  • ensure successful breastfeeding.
  • ensure a very happy, healthy baby.
  • avoid birth defects.

Through improving all aspects of health we can optimise the health of the sperm and egg, therefore better embryos and successful implantation.
 
A healthy body is a fertile body!

Jacky Dixon
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