Infertility is a word that conjures up a myriad of emotions and feelings from anger, confusion, and sadness to laughter and hope. It is a word that is heartbreaking to be spoken by anyone, it can feel like someone has the weight of the world on their shoulders. The journey of infertility can be a challenging one, but it is not impossible. There is help out there, but it can be difficult to find it. Infertility is not a “one size fits all” journey and there is no clear-cut solution.

1. What is infertility?

It is a difficult journey for everyone involved, the woman and her partner.  The term infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after one year of unprotected sexual intercourse. Infertility can affect both men and women. There are several factors that can lead to infertility such as age, health, and stress level. It is important to note that there are different reasons and root causes for someone who experiences this challenge.

2. What causes infertility?

Infertility has seemingly become very common issue and it is affecting a lot of people. There are many different causes of infertility. In fact, according the the cdc, “In the United States, among heterosexual women aged 15 to 49 years with no prior births, about 1 in 5 (19%) are unable to get pregnant after one year of trying (infertility). However, there are many different factors that can cause infertility and the cycle of infertility can vary from person to person, and with both males and females.

3. How does a woman know if they are fertile without even trying? 

One of the most common signs your body may be giving you is irregular or infrequent periods. If you are experiencing irregular or infrequent periods, it may be a sign that you may not be ovulating or at least, not ovulating regularly. This can be a sign of problems with the reproductive structures or hormonal signals that happens throughout a woman’s menstrual cycle.  Other symptoms of infertility include: Painful periods, missing menstrual signs. Hard time loosing weight, extra hair, and other signs of high testosterone.  

4. What is needed for conception?  Everything has to be at the right place and at the right time in order for conception and a healthy pregnancy to occur.  Pregnancy  is trully a blessing and a miracle. It takes two to tango.  Men are equally as responsible and accountable not only for child rearing but in reproduction as well.  According to the NIH, The three key things are: 

Good sperm.

Good eggs.

Good cervical fluid.

(And good sex, hopefully!)

Assuming sperm and eggs are good, cervical fluid is another key ingredient – the key ingredient no one tells you about – to your fertility.

Spermatozoa need cervical fluid to survive in a woman’s body. Without it, they will die in acidic vaginas within a few hours. 

Cervical fluid is composed of water, electrolytes, proteins and simple carbohydrates. It nourishes sperm, and, most importantly, its pH is alkaline. Cervical fluid buffers against an acidic environment, providing safe passage for eager sperm.

5. What to do and how to deal with infertility

I was in a long, and painful journey of infertility. There were times when things felt hopeless, and at one point when I felt like having children is nothing but a distant dream. I was experiencing a roller coaster of emotions. Through the hard times, faith, mindset and advocacy became really the cornerstone of how I survived. There were also moments when I would remind myself that everything happens for a reason.

The key things were:

• Building a team of professionals and educating yourself about your own body: everyone has thier own specific specialties and offer services that complement each other.  Starting with charting your own cycles and being in-tuned with the clues your body is giving you will prove essential. 
• Self-Care.  In times of stress, the body releases corstiosl in order to survive.  The body also shunts all resources to keeping a person alive.  Procreation is not it’s primary focus. 
• Lifestyle and Nutrition:  Egg quality and environment for conception is essential.  If nothing else, this is what you are able to control during this process.  What you put in your body and how you treat it dictates how it functions. 

Conclusion: 

Infertility is a tough journey and can have a huge effect on your life and your relationships. I hope that this article on how to navigate through infertility was able to provide you a different perspective on one of the hardest things many couples go through. The ultimate goal is to conceive and give birth to a healthy baby and be able to enjoy your life fully. As a thank you and to help empower you, visit www.fertilityboostingfoods.com to download a guide to help you with this journey. 

About the author:

Cristy Murray is a Nurse Practitioner and functional nutrition consultant. She balances functional medicine and nutritional endocrinology methods to help women recover their health and fertility naturally. All without losing their minds, ruining their health, or their relationships. She does this holistically while using food and lifestyle as the first solution.

She is the founder of www.blueveilwellness.com, Blueveil Wellness Health Coaching, whose mission is to support high-achieving women who are tired of the run-around, finally find wellness clarity, and take action so they can achieve their health goals and perform better in life.