By: MITCH KENNEDY, ND
Did you know getting pregnant is increasingly difficult around the entire world? Why do you think? Yes, people are still having babies, but it may take longer to conceive, and you should know it’s not your fault.
You might wonder why there is a worldwide epidemic of conceiving. In our everyday lives, we come into contact with many different chemicals – through the products we use, the food we eat, and the air we breathe.
Studies show that endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can reduce the quality of sperm and eggs and affect a person’s chance of becoming pregnant. For example, PFAS (ie. Teflon) has been shown to disrupt ovarian function, have estrogenic properties, and have affinities for estrogen receptors decreasing sperm generation, and overburdening hormone receptors all over the human body.(1)
Around 95 percent of people worldwide have EDCs in their bodies and people who struggle to conceive have higher levels of some EDCs.
A recent meta-analysis (review of ALL available published research on a topic) showed that the measured (In Real Life) “Tolerable Daily Intake” (TDI) of Bisphenol A (a chemical in plastics with known endocrine organ disruption ability) exceeded the exposure estimates of the scientists by 200 – 300%!
The researchers concluded that there is so much BPA out there in food and product packaging that there is a considerable health concern from dietary BPA exposure.(2) Another paper cited possible health impacts to a fetus’s developing nervous system, thyroid function, and brain growth impacts. There may also be changes in behavioral development, such as hyperactivity; and in the normal development of the prostate gland and ovaries.(3)
So, is it a good idea to do some type of detox and lifestyle modification before Trying To Conceive (TTC)? YES!
Is it commonly done? No, unfortunately. However, we can help, and it can be easy and even fun.
If you are a few cycles into the conception process, and using predictive tools — such as ovulation testing, cervical mucus testing, and Basal Body Temperature (BBT) measurements you may be at a crossroads.
- Are your cycles irregular?
- Are you seeing some inconsistent patterns with ovulation testing?
- Is your BBT spike missing?
Our goal is to provide you with all the resources for success in conceiving naturally.
If you’re starting to feel stuck in your conception process, it may be a great time to consider scheduling a virtual consultation with Dr. Kennedy and talk through your progress and issues.
You can schedule a virtual consultation on our website:
- Wondering if there are nutritional issues to address
- Curious if you are tracking BBT, LH, and CM correctly
- Newly aware that EDC’s may be playing an inhibiting role
- Wondering what the next steps in your fertility journey should be
- Confused by your irregular cycles, stressed over lack of progress
A visit with Dr. Kennedy can provide you with fundamental insight into your unique situation. We can discuss your journey so far, look at the data; BBT, ovulation test strips, and cervical mucus observations. We can help identify issues in timing, when and how you take BBT, or how you are utilizing ovulation tests.
Sources:
- EFSA J. 2023 Apr; 21(4): e06857. Published online 2023 Apr 19. doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2023.6857 PMID: 37089179
- https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/sya-bpa
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10113887/
