Episode 56-In the United States, about 12% of women aged 15-44 have difficulty getting pregnant and/or carrying a baby to term. That percentage increases as couples wait longer to have children and is in addition to the 6% who can't get pregnant at all. That means that nearly 20% of women or 1 in 5 experience fertility issues. On top of this, male infertility has been increasing over the past four decades. That's because average sperm counts are down by 52% compared to the early 1970's. Maybe you and your husband are among these folks. So, it's time we talk about the best fertility herbs and other natural helps we can try before turning to drugs and expensive fertility treatments.
Let's Talk About Fertility
Most people take fertility for granted. But, many, many things have to go right in order to conceive a child. In women, several organs have to be working optimally. In men, the quality and quantity of sperm has to be high, in addition to an optimally functioning organ. Very often, we assume that if a woman is having her period, she is fertile. That is not necessarily true. We make similar assumptions about a man's virility, but he may have low sperm, dead sperm,  or the pH of the vaginal tract could be killing the sperm. If there is low or dead sperm, there could be a physiological reason, such as having only one testicle.

But, if there is no physiological reason, many times, infertility can be reversed with the best fertility herbs and other natural helps. After all, sperm is produced in response to hormones and hormone production is influenced by diet, exercise, lifestyle factors, and other things.
Fertility in Women and Men
Hormonal Imbalance in Women
Hormone imbalances that lead to painful periods and PMS can also impact fertility. Low progesterone levels can lead to a short luteal phase. This is the phase right after ovulation that encourages thickening of the uterine lining. The progesterone also helps support the early weeks of pregnancy until the placenta forms. So, low progesterone means that the uterus doesn't thicken to support the embryo and there is an early miscarriage.

On the other hand, low estrogen levels affect the release of an egg. Low estrogen doesn't always mean there is a problem with the ovaries. It can indicate an issue with the pituitary gland instead. That's because it's the pituitary gland that releases follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) that then triggers the rise in estrogen levels in the ovaries. Usually, it's diabetes that can cause problems with the "master gland."

Some other things that have been linked to hormone imbalances are birth control pills, weight issues, a very low-fat diet, excessive exercise, stress, and exposure to estrogen mimicking chemicals (endocrine disruptors), such as pesticides and certain plastics. All of these things don't just affect women, though.  Lack of exercise, low-fat diets, and exposure to endocrine disruptors can cause fertility issues in men as well.
Special Note About Male Hormones
Endocrine disruptors and phytoestrogens such as soybeans interfere with the production of testosterone. Boys exposed to these chemicals for any length of time, especially in the first three months of life and/or during puberty, are at risk. Please, for the sake of your son's masculine development, do not use Back to Episodes