Outsmarting Infertility
By Dr. H. Singh, ND
Dr. H. Singh, ND has helped thousands of couples in Ottawa, Canada struggling with Infertility and supported them on their path to a healthy pregnancy.
This Podcast is for all of the "go-getters" interested in reclaiming their Fertility and taking their Reproductive Health in to their own hands.
Outsmarting InfertilityAug 18, 2021
Deficiency of this One Vitamin is Associated with Twice the Risk of Miscarriage
When it comes to miscarriage risk prevention we have to consider preconception care. Over the years more research has shed light on how lifestyle, diet, preconception health can predispose or reduce the risk of miscarriage for patients. When we support patients who are dealing with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) and there is no identifiable cause, we need to start digging a bit deeper to these modifiable risk factors to determine if we can help identify potential cause(s) for the recurrent miscarriages.
A new research paper published in the Journal of Fertility and Sterility in 2022 published data collected from 10 different research papers (4 randomized clinical trials and 6 observational studies) and found that deficiency in a particular vitamin was associated with an increased risk for miscarriage.
The Common and Hidden Cause of Sperm-Factor Infertility Affecting Around 12% of Patients
It is estimated in some studies that sperm-factor infertility affects upwards of 60% of infertility cases in couples. Yet, it is too common to hear from patients that very little attention was given to their male partners during the treatment plan and workup. Most patients have a simple sperm analysis and are given very little information as to the results as opposed to 'looks good' or some of the numbers are a 'little low.' It is important for patients to be informed as to which numbers are good, which ones are low, and which tests (if any) were not completed as a part of the baseline testing but are available. This is due to the fact that research over the last few years has emphasized the importance of advance sperm function tests, usually not included in the basic sperm analysis test.
Read more: https://www.infertilitynaturopath.com/post/the-common-and-hidden-cause-of-sperm-factor-infertility-affecting-around-12-of-patients
How your risk for endometrial polyps and your gut Microbiome are correlated
Omega 3s and reduced risk for miscarriage, improved pregnancy rates and good sperm health
It is well established that dietary patterns can strongly affect fertility outcomes, however, we are still learning about how specific nutrients can exert positive or negative effects when it comes to conception. Omega 3s are important in that they have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects in the body.
Treatment for Idiopathic Male Infertility (IMI) for Successful Pregnancy
Infertility can be caused by a variety of factors, however, more patients hav been dealing with a diagnosis of 'Idiopathic Infertility,' meaning the cause for the issue is unknown. Even after various tests, ultrasounds, genetic screening some patients are left in the dark about why their sperm parameters are much lower than the healthy average. Read more here.
PCOS Fertility Acupuncture to Increase Uterine Lining Thickness, Follicle Growth & Implantation
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) can significantly affect chances of conceiving due to both follicle development/ovulatory issues and poor endometrial receptivity (negatively affecting implantation rates). One of the mainstay treatment options used in conventional medicine for supporting ovulation and fertility with PCOS is the medication letrozole (inhibits the activity of an enzyme called aromatase in the body).
An important hormone measurement to help determine chances for ovulatory success with PCOS
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a complex and multifaceted condition, and diagnosis can be more complex for some patients since it can present differently depending on each case. One thing we know about PCOS is that the inability to conceive can directly be related to the inability to ovulate, although this is not the only factor that impacts chances of conception in patients with PCOS.
One Cost-Effective Method of Treating Infertility caused by Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common reproductive endocrine disorders across the globe. Depending on which population was studied it was estimated that anywhere from 6-21% of the population had a diagnosis of PCOS. This is a dramatic percentage of the population, and considering how PCOS can affect various health parameters, its optimal management is absolutely crucial to simultaneously improve overall health and quality of life for patients and reducing costs/burden to the healthcare system.
Read more here.
Utilizing Medicinal Herbs to your Advantage for Sperm Health and Fertility
There is a well documented negative impact that poor sperm health appears to have on the chances of conceiving. It is estimated that up to 50% of infertility cases involve poor sperm health. However, patients are rarely provided any counselling or treatment to help improve their sperm parameters. Many cases of couples dealing with infertility involve little to no treatment for low sperm-factors, and instead assume that no changes can be made.
The World Health Organization (WHO) itself encourages the use of medicinal plants and encourages researchers to help find rational uses of medicinal plants as a source for new medial therapies [1]. As such, interest in the use of medicinal herbs for the treatment of sperm-factor infertility is growing.
Read more here.
The Reproductive Microbiome and its Impact on IVF Success and Implantation Rates
Read more here.
Uncovering a Hidden Cause for Unexplained Infertility: Thyroid and Beyond
Read more here.
Increased Risk of Emergency Cesarean Section and the Vaginal Microbiome
Impact of Supplements + Diet + Lifestyle on Sperm DNA Fragmentation Rates and Fertility
One of the negative impacts of increased oxidative stress on the body is the harmful impact it has on sperm health. Increased oxidative stress can cause damage to the DNA content of sperm cells, particularly because antioxidants (our body’s way to neutralizing oxidative stress) are largely removed from the sperm cells along with cytoplasm to help reduce the size of the sperm head. This leaves sperm cells very vulnerable to damage from oxidative stress. One of the main methods to assess damage to the sperm DNA is the DNA Fragmentation Index (DFI). In most cases, a sperm DNA fragmentation rate above 15% is considered elevated.
Read the rest here.
Omega 3s: Helpful or Harmful for Fertility?
Click here to read more.
Diminished Ovarian Reserve: Additional Therapies of Potential Benefit
Join us to learn more about diminished ovarian reserve and important considerations for the optimal treatment to support Egg reserve and Egg quality.
How much Progesterone is needed to help Protect a Pregnancy and Reduce Miscarriage Rates?
Can Green Peas Prevent you from Conceiving?
When to Check for Vitamin D Deficiency while Trying to Conceive
Optimizing Nutrition to Promote Fertility
Still, research has continued to explore additional treatments which can help support pregnancy and reproductive outcomes. The relative success rate of IVF per cycle still rests under 30% on average in Canada (this number may vary depending on number of embryos transferred, age of patient, and previous fertility treatment history). Some of the modifiable risk-factors which can improve fertility and reproductive health include: physical activity, metabolic health and weight, nutrition, lifestyle, and nutraceuticals. A number of studies have now been published and we are now seeing a clearer image of what an optimal diet can look like for patients struggling with infertility. And more importantly, how an evidence-based nutritional and dietary plan may help optimize fertility for patients trying to conceive naturally or with assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs).
And the numbers did not hold back, in fact, one prospective cohort study following over 18’000 nurses found that following a fertility diet reduced the likelihood of experiencing infertility by 66% due to ovulatory disorders and by 27% for all other causes of infertility! While this is an observational study, the results are significant! This is just one of the 100+ research papers published on this topic.
Click here for all the details and to download our Free PDF of the important points from this new research.
Why Acupuncture is a Safe and Clinically Useful Treatment to include during Pregnancy
Welcome to the Outsmarting Infertility Community!
With an average of over 5000 research papers being published on fertility and reproductive health every year, we will share with you the most valuable evidence based updates on how to help launch you forward on your fertility journey
We will share updates on the latest research that can help make a significant impact on your fertility outcomes.
Join our community of listeners to learn the latest on lifestyle medicine, nutrition for fertility and pregnancy, evidence based complementary and alternative medicine updates for hormone health, fertility and pregnancy support.
Learn to leverage the newest research to treat polycystic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis, low egg quality, poor sperm health, recurrent miscarriages and more!
With weekly new episodes, you can tune in to learn something new every week, and empower yourself with the knowledge and evidence based guidance to help support you through your fertility journey.