a very informative piece by prof. dapo ashiru


Avoid the two most common allergens

The link between food intolerances and anti-s.pe.rm antibodies is now well established. Studies have found that women with multiple allergies and food intolerances are more likely to miscarry. An overactive immune system is more likely to attack its own body cells. From an immunological point of view and embryo and s.pe.rm cell are foreign bodies. But Mother Nature was clever: she programmed immune systems to distinguish between an everyday invader and a s.per.m cell or embryo. A normal and healthy immune response to an embryo or s.pe.rm cell is orchestrated by Th2 cytokines. They suppress your killer cells (that’s what they are called) to leave the embryo unharmed. Because of this protection many pregnant women are poor wound healers and can come down really badly with a cold or flu. Your natural protection has been suppressed so that your body can develop properly.
An abnormal immune response to the implantation of the fertilized egg is orchestrated by Th1 cytokines. Rather than suppressing your killer cells they stimulate their activity. This can lead to defects and the loss of the fetus. The two most widely spread food intolerances are gluten and dairy. I recommend all my patients have an IgG immunoglobulin test done to check if you are dairy and gluten intolerant. But since most people have some level of allergy to gluten and/or dairy, it’s advisable to avoid gluten and dairy altogether during the preconception and pregnancy period.

Have an STD check

Most people believe both they and their partner are STD free. However there are some STD’s which can by asymptomatic, meaning that you may not be aware you have them, as there are no obvious symptoms. One such STD is a Chlamydia infection. In men, a Chlamydis infection can lead to s.pe.rm abnormalities including s.pe.rm antibodies. In women, it can lead to scarring, blocked tubes and miscarriage.
A study found 60% of asymptomatic male partners of infected females attending a fertility clinic were found to be infected with Chlamydia. Most STD’s are easy to treat, so it pays for both partners to have an STD check. There is no point in only one partner going for a test as the other partner can re-infect them again.

Allow yourself 120 days before trying to conceive

There is a common misconception that egg and s.pe.rm quality cannot be improved. In fact it is possible to improve the quality of your egg and sp.er.m. However, it takes 120 days. This is because it takes approximately 120 days for eggs to mature and s.pe.rm to develop. During the generation and maturation of gamete cells sp.er.m and ovum that form an embryo everything that you and your partner ingest, inhale or are exposed to will influence the health of your eggs and sp.er.m for better or worse, and the ultimate quality of the genetic building blocks you pass onto your child.
This is why it is crucial to follow a good preconception plan for a minimum of 4 months before conception. A baby is a 50-50 product of his or her parents therefore optimizing the quality of eggs and male fluid is of paramount importance. S.pe.rm disorders contribute to 40% of infertility cases. Women who suffer from recurrent miscarriages often have partners with low fluid counts and visually abnormal s.pe.rm. Therefore both partners should detox, follow a fertility diet, take preconception supplements and avoid reproductive toxins discussed in this article for a minimum of 4 months before conception.

Avoid coffee, smoking and alcohol

You may not want to hear this, but drinking coffee decreases fertility. A large study from Connecticut found as little as 1 cup of coffee per day increasing the risk of not conceiving by 55 percent. And if you have 2-3 cups per day that risk rises to 100 percent and continues to increase with an additional cup up to 176 percent. And did you know that women who drank coffee before and during pregnancy had twice the risk of miscarriage?

Alcohol is harmful to women’s eggs and men’s fluid and as little as one glass can reduce fertility by 50 percent! This can further lead to damage of the developing embryo and may result in miscarriage. And although it’s been known for a long time that drinking while pregnant is a no-no, drinking before pregnancy has been largely ignored. This doesn’t stop with coffee and alcohol. Smoking and recreational drugs can also reduce your odds of conception. A study tested the effects of cigarette smoking on semen quality in men and found that s.pe.rm motility (ability to propel forward) decreased in light smokers while heavy smoking produced abnormal s.pe.rm shape. Scientists have discovered that quitting smoking may increase fluid count in men who quit smoking for 5-15 months 50 percent to 800 percent respectively.

Take a good quality preconception and pregnancy supplement.

Regardless of whether you are eating organic produce and a healthy diet, you are unlikely to be getting all the nutrients your body needs for optimal fertility from your diet. This is why supplementation is important.
Getting pregnant and growing a new human being with your own reserves, requires a surplus of nutrients and energy. In your body’s accounting terms, pregnancy is a luxury, a splurge of energy and nutrients. Some of the key nutrients for fertility are zinc, selenium, magnesium, calcium, B12, B6, folic acid, Vitamin C, Omega-3 fats.

IVF Does Not Address the Root Cause of Infertility

Conventional IVF and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments don’t address root causes of infertility. These root causes include: nutritional deficiencies, toxin exposure, stress, food intolerances, allergies and immune deficiencies. These subtle but critical factors interact synergistically to impact the quality of your eggs and male fluid, affecting your ability to conceive and the health of your embryo.

IVF as Final Option after Preconception Care

IVF should be the last option after all natural treatment options have been exhausted. It should never be the first option. The rate of success of IVF is (on average) 25% per single attempt. Studies show that by following a natural preconception program prior to attempting IVF the success rate is increased to 47.1 percent per single attempt. I always advise couples to undertake a preconception program as a first step and reserve IVF as a final option. Most infertility can be treated without IVF. However if IVF is needed the success rate of each attempt is nearly doubled by combining it with a natural preconception program.

For more info, please call: 08166516945
Prof. Dapo Ashiru is Medical Director of MART IVF Centre, Lagos.