I think the pre-conception time should be a time for thoughtfulness, reflection, and getting healthy in mind, body and spirit. You don’t have to be facing a fertility issue to join in on this program for optimal health and healing. “Fertility” stuff is really just about becoming the healthiest, most vibrant version of you by addressing any underlying imbalances that have come up for you that you are finally taking the time to get the root of. Would you like better sleep? Better digestion?Better skin? Better moods? This plan is for you!
In this blog, I will cover the basics of fertility over 35 and a few things you might want to keep in mind. I am going to teach you how to take charge of your fertility by giving you an action plan. This is the basic plan for any couple over 35 serious about having a healthy baby. You don’t have to be experiencing any baby making trouble to do this get your body baby-ready plan. It is for everyone. If you have specific roadblocks like PCOS, or endometriosis, I will talk with you in depth about additional solutions for those at the time of our visit. Also, everyone’s fertility is different. Over age 35 is just a general time frame. Some of you over 35 may need some or none of this while others will want all of it. The main focus in this blog is on nourishing egg and sperm health.
So, you are in love and you want to have a baby. What to do first?
1. Have sex at the right times for 6 months.
This should be the fun, easy part! Do you know your most fertile times? Our bodies are always changing. You may ovulate differently than you did in your 20’s or you may not be ovulating every month. Pay attention to this. Track your ovulation by paying attention to fertile cervical fluid, and track your temps with a basal body thermometer ( can get at walgreens). You will see your temp rise after ovulation and your chart should look biphasic, meaning there is a definite shift in temperature at ovulation. If you know your partner has low sperm count or suspect it could be an issue, have sex on day of ovulation or every other day, not every day leading up to ovulation. I highly recommend the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility. Get it and read it if any of this jibberish above sounds confusing to you.
If you really aren’t sure when you are ovulating, consider home fertility test kits that show ovulation if you want confirmation. There are also over the counter test kits for men as well. This is a good choice if you are just getting serious but haven’t yet booked an appointment with a fertility specialist, also called a reproductive endocrinologist. The reason I suggest having sex for 6 months with purpose, is because if there is something seriously keeping you from conceiving, you want to know about it sooner than later. You don’t want to waste any time.
If 6 months has passed of purposeful sex on or near ovulation days and you are not pregnant, schedule a pre-conception apppointment with me( if you aren’t already seeing me) and your favorite OB/GYN or Fertility Specialist, also called a Reproductive Endocrinologist ( RE). I can give you a referral. Follicle Stimulating Hormone, or FSH, will be tested which tells you a basic baseline for your fertility and specifically the quality and quantity of your eggs. It is one of the best tests for your fertility. This test is often done on day 3 of your cycle along with estrogen testing. Expect to go over diet, lifestyle, any current medications and anything that might be getting in your way. Men can have a basic sperm analysis as well at this time. Things that can make conception more difficult at this age are endometriosis, uterine fibroids, scar tissue from surgery, decreased cervical mucous, oxidative stress, and other health issues such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
I have a few facts from the American Pregnancy Association. On average couples over 35 can take 1-2 years to concieve. So remain positive if it doesn’ t happen as fast as in your 20’s. One of the reasons for this is that ovulation sometimes happens less often, so your chances are reduced. Miscarriages increase in women 35-45 and the rate is about 20-35%. There is a higher incidence of chromosomal abnormalities. Smoking, alcohol, and caffeine can negatively impact your fertility. Both for men and women. Smoking harms sperm. Couples that are physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy are more likely to conceive. Take stock of how you are doing on all levels. Assess your stress levels. These all affect hormonal balance.
2.) Eat a Nutritious Fertility Diet.
Top foods for egg health are maca, greens mix, spirulina, brocolli, berries, dark leafy veggies. salmon, pumpkin seeds ( high in zinc for sperm), sesame seeds, pomegranate seeds, turmeric, ginger, avocados, eggs, organic meats, only whole fat organic dairy used sparingly, healthy oils and fats such as coconut oil, olive oil, and organic, grass fed butter. These are all true for sperm health as well, though I typically don’t have men take maca. Why is diet important? As we age, our eggs are also getting older. We are bombarded with free radicals from the environment, poor diet, etc. that damage the cell’s DNA. This can negatively impact a couple’s ability to get pregnant. When we feed our fertility with antioxidants, we are protecting the eggs and sperm from damage and improving health. Foods with antioxidants are organic berries, and dark leafy greens among others. Nutrition plays a huge role. It takes 90 days improve egg and sperm health.
3.) Take supplements and herbs that boost your egg and sperm quality.
From a Western perspective Coq10( Ubiquinol), myo-inositol, vitex, and folate are a few important supplements. The Eastern perspetive is royal jelly, and herbal tinctures to nourish Kidney yin and jing. A blend of East and West is best. There are herbal formulas that help decrease FSH and preserve your essence. Also, consider maca, especially if you have decreased sex drive. Spirulina is very nourishing, as well evening primrose oil.
Antioxidants are important for both men and women. They protect the sperm and egg from free radical damage or what we call aging. These protect us from environmental factors that are often out of our control. CoQ10 ubiquinol also has shown in studies to improve egg health and fertilization rates, especially in women over 35. Over a 3 month period of time, this can make a difference! The amino acid, L-Arginine has been shown to increase uterine receptivity and increase ovarian response in large doses.
4.) Move your Body, Enjoy Life, and De-Stress
For optimum fertility, your ovaries need freshly oxygenated blood and overall good circulation. Feed your follicles by promoting blood flow to your ovaries and reproductive organs. Exercise and acupuncture both do this. I recommend daily exercise and acupuncture 1-2 weekly. Promoting blood flow will also help nourish your endometrial lining which helps with implantation. Research shows acupuncture specifically has a positive effect on your hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis. This means it helps balance your hormones effectively. For instance, for those with PCOS, it helps balance the excess testosterone and LH. I love how acu does this! This stuff gets me so excited! Acupuncture also helps your body deal better with stress. Stress is really bad for fertility as it activates your sympathetic nervous system and diverts blood away from your reproductive organs. When you are relaxed and in a more parasympathetic state( when you are on the table getting acu, or happy), your body and mind say yes to making a baby. This is a very important part of how acupuncture can help you get pregnant and have a healthy pregnancy. Practice mindfulness in your eating, exercising, playing, relaxing, and working.
Start this pre-conception time with a sense of joy at being able to get your body, mind, and spirt ready for a child. I like to tell couples that preparing for a child doesn’t mean there is something wrong with you! It means you are being thoughtful about bringing a child into a healthy environment. It also means that you will most likely feel your best during pregnancy as well.
So are you ready for my 90 day plan? I am so excited to be here to help!
90 day GET YOUR BODY BABY- READY over 35
My plan for you is a 90 day plan since it takes about 90-`100 days for a follicle to maturate into the dominant follicle that will be released and fertilized by sperm. So what you do today affects conception 3 months from now. We want to nourish YOU so that you can be ready for your baby. It was previously thought that women are born with all the eggs they will have in their lifetime. Recently scientists have found stem cells in ovaries that produce new cells. This is promising. However, it is still vitally important to take charge of your fertility and improve your overall health.
Month 1–Cleanse!
Think of it as an adventure cleanse! You are preparing healthy soil–your healthy inner eco-system. We do this by helping our liver function more efficiently and giving it less to process and do. Eliminate those things you know you have been wanting to such as processed foods, refined sugars, sodas, excess caffeine, and eliminate low fat dairy. Add in lots of veggies, specifically leafy green, fruits ( especially berries), grass fed organic meats, eggs, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and beans ( beans and grains are best after soaking). The myo-inositol that nourishes your egg health is found in organic berries, beans, grains, and nuts. One brazil nut a day nourishes your thyroid gland with selenium which helps your body gently detoxify. Get on a whole foods based multi-vitamin. Focus on teas, tinctures, products that detox your liver gently such as milk thistle, dandelion, antioxidants, and NAC. Eat foods with plenty of fiber. Maybe make a chia seed pudding or add flax to your smoothie. Help unburden your liver by cutting back on alcohol, caffeine, sugar. If you smoke, stop now. Find support for this change in lifestyle if needed. I am here to help. Acupuncture can help cut cravings and put your body into a relaxed parasympathetic state.
This first month is also about optimizing your digestion, so that you can get the most nutrition out of the foods you are eating. Eat fermented foods such as raw sauerkraut and start a probiotic. By the end of month 1, your energy should be increasing and you should notice better digestion and less reliance on stimulants and sugar. Too much acidity in the body can make your cervical mucous too acidic ( excess sugar does this).
Month 2–Balance Hormones
Herbal medicine and acupuncture are your friends and can accomplish this. Get acupuncture to increase blood flow to your uterus and ovaries and balance your hormones. Get your cycle regular, if it has not been. Nourish your kidneys/adrenals if you have been stressed out. During an acupuncture session, we will discover which meridian systems need support, balancing, and/or movement. I am thrilled that there is good research showing how acupuncture works to accomplish this.
Herbal tinctures helps those with high FSH. Good hormonal balance is like a hormonal cocktail that has just the right mix to feed those developing follicles in your ovaries. Good hormonal balance FEEDS these developing emerging follicles. Nourishing them through three months will produce a healthier dominant follicle and better chance of conception and pregnancy.
Month 3–NOURISH
Add more fertility recipes to your diet. Remember eggs and sperm are affected positively by proper oxygenation, blow flow, hormonal balance, nutrition intake, and stress reduction. This month the focus will be in building your fertility food recipes.
We focus on oxygen rich blood flow to your reproductive organs. This is achieved by proper hydration ( drink lots of water!), exercise, acupuncture, and abdominal massage. If you are not properly hydrated your blood with be thicker and make healthy circulation to your developing follicles more difficult.
In summary, what our making a baby plan covers is de-stressing our systems, increasing circulation to our female parts, balancing hormones, and nourishing our eggs and sperm. That’s it in a nutshell! The good news is that I can help you with all of this through acupuncture, herbal formulas, nutrition, supplements, and meditation.
Thanks for reading,
Joy Lechner, MSOM, L.Ac
Joy is a board certified, licensed acupuncturist with a passion for women’s health and fertility.
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