Keeper's at Home: Home Remedies to Increase Fertility in Women

What is infertility?

Infertility is a disease of the male or female reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. 

What causes infertility?

In the female reproductive system, infertility may be caused by:

• Tubal disorders such as blocked fallopian tubes, which are in turn caused by untreated sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or complications of unsafe abortion, postpartum sepsis or abdominal/pelvic surgery;
• Uterine disorders which could be inflammatory in nature (such as such endometriosis), congenital in nature (such as septate uterus), or benign in nature (such as fibroids);
• Disorders of the ovaries, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome and other follicular disorders;
• Disorders of the endocrine system causing imbalances of reproductive hormones. The endocrine system includes hypothalamus and the pituitary glands. Examples of common disorders affecting this system include pituitary cancers, hypopituitarism, hyperprolactinemia, hypothalamic amenorrhea.
• Advanced age- As women approach age 40, the quality and number of their eggs tends to decline, ovulation may become irregular, and the ovaries may produce less estrogen and progesterone. In addition, women this age are more likely to have medical problems that can cause infertility, such as fibroids. Also, more of a woman’s eggs will have chromosomal abnormalities, which can result in miscarriage. 
• Recurrent miscarriages-Recurrent miscarriage or recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is characterized by having 2 or more miscarriages. 
• Pelvic Adhesive Disease-Pelvic Adhesive Disease can be caused by surgical procedures, pelvic inflammatory diseases and infections. The result is scar tissue that binds adjacent organs to each other.If adhesions (scar tissue) form inside or around the ends of the fallopian tubes, they may block an egg and sperm from meeting. If the tubes are partially blocked by adhesions, sperm may meet the egg, but the fertilized embryo may be trapped, resulting in an ectopic pregnancy. Adhesions that develop on or around the ovaries may also disrupt the egg being picked up by the fallopian tube, and those that develop inside the uterus may prevent a fertilized egg from implanting properly. 
• Premature Ovarian Failure-Premature ovarian failure is a relatively rare condition in which menopause occurs before the age of 40. Women who develop early menopause usually have run out of eggs in their ovaries. There are a few reasons why the ovaries may stop producing eggs at an early age. Exposure to certain chemicals or medical treatments, such as chemotherapy, can damage or destroy the ovaries. Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis are also sometimes associated with early menopause because the immune system forms antibodies that attack and damage the ovaries. Heredity can also play a role, as some genetic disorders lead to early menopause. 

Signs of Potential infertility in women:-

• Abnormal periods. Bleeding is heavier or lighter than usual.
• Irregular periods. The number of days in between each period varies each month.
• No periods. You have never had a period, or periods suddenly stop.
• Painful periods. Back pain, pelvic pain, and cramping may happen.

In some cases female infertility can be related to a hormone problem such as:-

• Skin changes, including more acne
• Changes in sex drive and desire
• Dark hair growth on the lips, chest, and chin
• Loss of hair or thinning hair
• Weight gain

If there is a disorder, some symptoms can include:-

• Milky white discharge from nipples unrelated to breastfeeding
• Pain during sex

How can I to prevent infertility?

• Eat a well-balanced diet and maintain a weight that’s healthy for you.
• Don’t smoke, misuse drugs or drink alcohol.
• Get treated for STIs.
• Limit exposure to environmental toxins.
• Stay physically active, but don’t overdo exercise.
• Don’t delay conception until an advanced age.

How can I boost fertility?

• Eat foods rich in antioxidants:-increase your antioxidant intake, consider adding more fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and vitamin C to your diet. These foods tend to be higher in antioxidants like: vitamins C and E folate beta carotene lutein (egg yolks, spinach, kale, corn, orange pepper, kiwi fruit, grapes, zucchini, and squash)
• Eat a heartier breakfast
• Omega-3 fatty acids:-fatty fish flax seeds and flaxseed oil chia seeds walnuts
• Cut down on carbs if you have PCOS
• Minimize refined carbs
• Pay attention to fiber-Research a diet higher in fiber and lower in added sugar may slightly increase female fertility:-whole grains fruits vegetables beans
• Reconsider your protein sources
• Consume alot of dairy
• Consider prenatal vitamins (ensure to check that you use those that are made from the bovine family)
• Get physically active
• Take time to relax
• Limit caffeine
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Check your iron levels
• Avoid alcohol
• Consider bee products
• Avoid eating trans fat
• Include Multivitamin
• Reduce stress levels

Exercises to increase fertility:-

• Walking:-Walking is also considered a low-risk exercise, meaning you are more likely to avoid acute and microtraumas associated with more intense exercises. Walking can make you feel better and less stressed because it increases feel-good hormones like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, and promotes neuronal growth (your brain controls your hormones so having a healthy brain helps support a healthy endocrine system and thus a healthy reproductive system).
• Cardio Exercises:-Cardio exercises like walking, jogging, aerobics, Zumba are Best Fertility Boosting Exercises as these exercises can increase circulation in the body and good circulation of blood is essential for a healthy pregnancy (15 minutes of brisk walking or jogging each day and gradually increase it to 30 minutes is sufficient.
• Swimming:-Swimming is low-impact exercise that builds muscle tone and offers fantastic cardiovascular benefits. Swimming, in particular, is ideal for expecting moms since it makes you feel weightless and can help relieve common early pregnancy symptoms like nausea and swelling.
• Breathing:-Diaphragmatic breathing helps calm the nervous system and reduces muscle guarding, which increases mobility and blood flow to the pelvic floor. Place one hand on your chest and one on the abdomen. Relax your jaw and shoulders. Take a slow, gentle breath in and let the abdomen and rib cage expand. Stretch your stomach and ribs equally in all directions, like you’re opening an umbrella in your rib cage. Slowly breathe out and let your belly fall back down.

Exercises to avoid:- Exercises like sprinting, jumping, cross-fit, heavy lifting, and any contact sport including basketball, soccer, and volleyball may negatively impact your fertility. High-intensity exercise signals to our body that our environment is unsafe and that we are under immense physical stress and threat of harm. In other words, high-intensity exercises are not recommended and note that too much exercises can lead to a negative impact on fertility.