The term infertility refers to a person’s inability to conceive a child after a year of having unprotected and regular sex. About a third of the population suffers from infertility.  It affects men and women equally.  Female Infertility refers to the woman being infertile.  Although there are only two types of infertility, there are numerous reasons for why they occur.  Primary Infertility is when both partners have never been successful with conceiving a child versus Secondary Infertility, when one or both partners were successful having children in the past, but experience infertility later.  Miscarriages are also considered an infertility issue.

Conceiving a child can be a complicated process when it’s intentional.  A lot of factors come into play for both partners, especially the female who carries the child.  The timing of intercourse, both partner’s health, the woman’s menstrual cycle, ovulation times, and even body temperature all play important roles in the conception of a child. 

Female Infertility is not a disease or a disorder; it’s a condition that people experience.  There aren’t any real symptoms associated with Female Infertility, however, there are some signs that can indicate fertility issues.  The most apparent sign is not getting pregnant after a year of having unprotected and regular sex.  The other signs of Female Infertility are related to the female’s menstrual cycle, hormonal issues, or health conditions that affect reproduction. 

• Abnormal or Irregular menstrual cycles (bleeding variations, periods that are heavier or lighter than usual, fluctuations in the number of days in between each cycle, periods that are too long or too short)
• No menstrual cycle (never having a period or if the period doesn’t occur anymore)
• Lack of Ovulation
• Extreme menstrual cycles (severe cramps, pelvic pain or any other affliction when on your period)

Potential Hormonal Issue:

• Rapid weight gain
• Change in sex drive
• Excessive hair growth in places that normally don’t grow as much
• Hair loss or thinning
• Skin issues (pigmentation, acne etc.)
• Painful intercourse
• Nipple discharge

There are a variety of things that can cause Female Infertility and your overall health is the main factor.  During a woman’s reproductive years, ovulation and the quality of eggs are are at their best.  As the production of eggs starts to decline, the chance of conceiving a child starts to decrease, primarily after the age of 30.  The number one cause of Female Infertility is the lack of eggs being produced.  The low production of eggs and specific causes of Female Infertility derive from certain health conditions, changes to the body, lifestyle choices, and your overall health in general.  All of the things listed below affect ovulation or your body’s capability to conceive.

• Hormonal Issues (hypothalamic dysfunction, hormones that are responsible for ovulation, estrogen or testosterone imbalance, or excessive prolactin)
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (infection of the reproductive organs, for example, Blocked fallopian tubes or scarring to the uterus)
• STD’s (Gonorrhea and Chlamydia often contribute to inflamed reproductive organs)
• Miscarriages and Child Birth can sometimes cause damage resulting in Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
• Ovulation Disorders (conditions that affect the production of eggs or cause infrequent ovulation such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), Premature Ovarian Failure and Ovarian insufficiency)
• Uterine Health Conditions (uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, polyps, infections, endometriosis, abnormal shape uterus, polyp’s on uterus, Adenomyosis)
• Cervix issues (ectopic pregnancy, cervical polyp’s, Cervical stenosis (narrow cervix), insufficient amount of mucus in cervix to help transport sperm
• Menopause
• Age (after 30 years of age, fertility decreases)
• Surgeries or procedures (abortions, myomectomy, hysterectomy, tubal ligation, chemotherapy)
• Certain health conditions (Diabetes, Lupus, Arthritis, Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism may cause infertility)
• Medication
• Stress
• Poor Diet and lack of nutrition
• Smoking
• Excessive Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug use
• Athletic Training (excessive stress to the body and low body fat can contribute to infertility)
• Overweight or underweight
• Environmental factors (exposure to lead, chemicals, radiation)

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• Nutrition is key to helping with infertility for both men and women.  The body requires proper vitamins and minerals to help it function the way it should and plays an even bigger role when it comes to trying to conceive.  Eating processed foods like sugar, caffeine, dairy, alcohol, and certain meats affects your overall health and can cause hormonal issues.  Alcohol harms the condition of eggs and sperm, reducing the chance of fertility and risking the health of the fetus.  Dairy and caffeine also play major roles in hormonal imbalance, as they can increase and alter your estrogen levels.  Eliminating these things out of your diet can help increase fertility and your health in general.
• Certain nutrients are more beneficial to the body when trying to conceive so it’s important to ensure that your body receives them.  Some of the better nutrients that help enhance fertility include protein, iron, zinc, folic acid, vitamin C and vitamin D.  When the body lacks these vital nutrients it lengthens the menstrual cycle, therefore shortening the time for ovulation and conception.  You can ensure that your body gets these nutrients by eating natural healthy foods that provide a high source of the minerals and vitamins.  You can also take supplements that are all natural.
• Addressing underlying health issues is a great way to increase fertility.  When your overall health is in a better state, it makes it easier for your body to function properly.  Your body should be a welcoming place for the fetus.  When you have underlying health issues, it can affect fertility rates and potentially harm the growing infant.  Your body has to work twice as hard to support a growing fetus, when there are conditions that disrupt your health.  Your health is the number one factor when it comes to conception.
• Knowing your fertility window is the second most important thing to help with infertility, after addressing your health first.  Knowing when your body is ovulating is best so that you can increase the amount of intercourse you’re having during these peak times.  Ovulation, a time period in which women are most fertile, is when a mature egg is released.  There are numerous ways to keep up with your fertility window and ovulation times.  It’s best for females to know what is personal to their body versus the standard rule of ovulation.  The basal body temperature is one way that helps monitor ovulation.  After monitoring your body’s temperature and how it varies by the day, you can better determine when fertility is at it’s highest.
• Fertility massages are an easy at-home treatment women can do to help increase fertility.  It can help clear congestion in the fallopian tubes, increase circulation in uterus, increase mucus in cervix, and bring fresh oxygenated blood to female eggs.  It involves massaging certain body parts, breathing exercises, and sometimes castor oil packs to help enhance the health of the female reproductive organs.
• Having frequent sex is important.  It increases the chances of conceiving and is a key action when trying to get pregnant.  Certain sexual positions can even help.  For example, the missionary position allows sperm to travel faster while “doggystyle” can help if a female has a tilted uterus.  Women should remain lying down for at least five minutes after having sex to help the sperm in transit.
•  Avoiding lubricants, tampons and douches is always best when trying to conceive because these things sometimes compromise the health of your vagina.  Lubricants contain chemicals that kill off sperm and aren’t always welcomed by the body.  The vagina is sensitive and can react to the chemicals found in lubricants and tampons.  Douching often eliminates the good bacteria in the body, exposing you to the same risk and can often lead to other vaginal complications like infections, Bacterial Vaginosis and Pelvic Inflammatory Disease.
• Acupuncture has been linked to helping with fertility as well.  It can help increase the blood flow, which is always beneficial when it comes to fertility. It can also help relax the mind and body, which is important.  Acupuncture has been known to help balance out hormones.  For some women acupuncture addresses the energy in the body and can help enhance the reproductive system.
• Decreasing the amount of stress in your life helps improve your overall wellbeing.  When you’re stressed, it causes your immune system to change almost instantly and affects your hormonal levels.  Hormones are very sensitive to stress, so keeping your stress levels down helps your endocrine system carry out its normal function. 
• Mental cleansing is a natural remedy that is overlooked the most when it comes to trying to conceive.  When your mind and body is overwhelmed with getting pregnant, it can negatively affect your health.  It’s important to stay positive and keep your stress levels down.  Miracles happen everyday and it starts with a positive mind.  Positive affirmations have been linked to helping.  Saying positive thoughts and goals out loud like “my body is worthy of having a child” or “I release my fears” can help overcome the thought of being infertile.  Meditation, visualization exercises, having sex with your partner just for fun and even taking a break from trying, has worked for others and can work for you too.
• Avoid environmental and other types of toxins by any means.  Toxins are generally bad for your health, however, certain ones have been linked to directly causing infertility.  Cigarette smoke, BPA chemicals in plastic, mercury in water and in fish, lead exposure, and pesticides and herbicides from farms are all common toxins from the environment that can affect the health of embryo and sperm. 
• Exercising is always ideal to help prepare the body for pregnancy.  It helps increase your blood flow, strengthens the body, and reduces inflammation.  Yoga, specifically, is a great workout as it relaxes the mind and body improving your stress levels.  It’s also important to be mindful of how much you workout.  Being under or overweight makes a difference when trying to conceive.  Excessive stress to the body and low body fat can contribute to infertility.

• All Dark Leafy Green Vegetables (spinach, kale, mustard greens, collards)
• Cashews
• White Mushrooms
• Cabbage
• Lemon Grass
• Avocado
• Sunflower Seeds
• Banana
• All Berries
• Watercress
• Almonds
• Sun Dried Tomatoes and regular Tomatoes
• Figs
• Dates
• Chia Seeds
• Snow Peas
• Yellow Bell peppers
• Cauliflower
• Guavas
• Kiwi
• Flaxseeds
• Citrus Fruits
• Peas