Naturalpath

Fertility rates are on the decline, this is true. Martin O'Connell, chief of the fertility statistics branch of the Census Bureau, said the changes in the last nine years, though significant, were rather small when compared with earlier decades. In 1960, he said, the rate was about 120 births for every 1,000 women of childbearing age; in 1970, it was about 90. Thus, he said, ''The fertility rate now is about half what it was in the late 1950's and early 60's.'' There are many environmental factors contributing to why, including pesticides in our foods, chemicals and pollutants in the air, wireless radiation, and the growing number of women choosing to have children at a later stage in their lives. Stress, however, a clear link to the mind/body connection, may very well be the most overlooked contributor to infertility.

More and more IVF clinics are inclined to implant  developing eggs at the day 5 over day 3.  What are the reasons? And what is the basis on which one to chose? 

Pro:

On a most basic level 25% of 3 day embryos are normal vs. 65% of 5 day, which are now a blastocytes,  are normal.   Most clinics want to have the highest success rates possible.  People chose to come to a clinic based on its success rates.  So there is a survival mechanism to one element.  That is one of the reasons they have an age limitation to whom they will work with.  At some point it is against the odds that you will conceive.

The Enviromental Working Group (EWG) has shown that many known carcinogens and toxins found in cosmetics are now being found in the body. The average nubmer of chemicals found in the body and not found in the enviroment prior to 1950 is in the mid 600 range. In cord blood of newborns it is around 240. On the top of the list of concern are the following toxins. Look for them in the products you are using or thinking about using.

• Phthalates These are found in an array of products from shampoos to nail polish to perfumes. Studies have linked an impaired fertility rate in male offspring who were exposed in the womb or through mothers milk.
• Fragrance This is one of the worst. Of all the perfumes tested all have some level of carcinogen or toxin
• Coal Tar These are found in hair dyes or dandruff shampoos and are linked to bladder cancer and immune system damage

The cosmetic industry admits that their products do contain some know carginogens but asserts that they are present in such negligible amount as to not be of harm. But long term exposure from many different micro sources could add up to a toxic burden that harms the bodies ability to function correctly. If you think of someone who has exposure over several decades from there food, the packaging of their foods, the water, and the 3-9 body products they use every day, not to mention alcohol, birth control, hormone therapy or even the chronic use of apsrin like substance. What we end up with is a total body burden that is greater that the system can handle. From there we could see a number of problems including increased allergies, PMS, to cancers.

Healthnotes Newswire (April 19, 2007)—Women who eat more low-fat dairy products are at higher risk for infertility problems, according to researchers from Harvard University.

The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults eat two to three servings of low-fat dairy products each day. A new study in Human Reproduction questions this advice.

As part of the Nurses’ Health Study II, 18,555 women of childbearing age shared information about their attempts to become pregnant and any fertility problems that they encountered. Over an eight-year period, the women completed questionnaires about their dietary habits, including how much and what types of dairy products they ate.

Healthnotes Newswire (March 22, 2007)—Trans fats are linked to an increased risk of heart disease and possibly diabetes; now it appears that they also impair fertility, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Trans fat is formed when hydrogen is added to a liquid fat, making it solid at room temperature. Small amounts of trans fats are found naturally in some animal foods like butter and meat, but most trans fat in the diet comes from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils like margarine or shortening. Because these fats have a longer shelf life and can be heated to high temperatures, they’re commonly used in processed foods like crackers, candies, cookies, fried foods, and baked goods.