I'm going to cut straight to the chase here - unexplained infertility is not a thing. Hear me out.
When I speak with couples who have been diagnosed with unexplained infertility, I can feel how final this diagnosis feels for them. And yet, unexplained infertility is not a diagnosis at all. There is always an explanation as to why a couple may be struggling to conceive. Always. Every single time.
So the real meaning behind these crushing words - unexplained infertility - is that the cause for the infertility (or subfertility as I prefer to call it) has not yet been identified, most likely through a lack of thorough investigations. We all know that the NHS is stretched to breaking point and working with extremely limited funding. The tests that the NHS can offer to run for you are great, but they simply don't go deep enough. On top of that results are often classed as 'fine' or 'normal' when they are really not.
Some common drivers for subfertility
Sometimes it is the smallest imbalances within our bodies that can cause an avalanche of issues. And as a rule of thumb, our fertility is generally the first to take the hit. Because if something isn't quite right with our health, all of our energy is diverted to try and rectify the issue to keep us alive, rather than working towards procreation.
Some common factors that could be contributing to your inability to conceive, but are not routinely tested for include:
Stress: Stress is now estimated to be an underlying driver to approximately 80% of all health issues. Not only is it detrimental for our overall health but in the context of fertility it can wreak absolute havoc with your hormone health.
Poor egg or sperm health: When it comes to nurturing eggs and sperm, its not just about what we put in, ie nutritious food, movement, hydration, a healthy lifestyle etc, but it's also about what we keep out, namely the damaging environmental toxins that we are exposed to on a daily basis, to ensure that egg and sperm have the opportunity to thrive.
Varicocele: An extremely common but hugely overlooked contributor to male factor subfertility. A varicocele is an enlarged vein within the testicles which can increase testicular temperature and thereby decrease sperm quality on every level.
Bacterial imbalances: The research on our microbiome health is evolving at lightning speed and we are gaining so much insight into not only the different types of microbiomes that can be found in and on our bodies (did you know that our belly button has a microbiome as unique as our fingerprint!?) but we are also learning just how much an imbalanced microbiome can impact our fertility.
Thyroid issues: One of the most commonly undiagnosed problems and yet absolutely crucial not only for fertility but also pregnancy. 'But my GP tested my thyroid and it was fine', I hear you scream. Sadly, what the GP classifies as fine is often anything but optimal for fertility so it's always worth getting a second opinion from a fertility specialist or endocrinologist.
Overexercising: Exercise is great and absolutely necessary for our physical and mental wellbeing. However, when we are working on fertility, it's better to aim for more gentle exercises as overexercise is a stressor on the body with the potential to impact hormone levels and overall reproductive health.
Infection: Could there be an underlying infection that could be preventing you from conceiving? Inflammation is a key contributor to subfertility so it's worth getting checked out for any acute or chronic infections.
Over/underweight: If you are over or underweight you may find that your hormones can be a little out of whack resulting in irregular (or even absent) cycles which can affect your fertility health.
Poor diet: Poor diet is one of the key drivers for subfertility. Not only can a poor diet case nutrient deficiencies but high levels of processed or sugary foods can cause a rise in inflammatory markers, detrimental for our hormone health and fertility.
Poor gut health: This comes back to the bacterial imbalances I mentioned previously. As a practitioner with a functional medicine approach, I see the body as a whole and the gut is very much the epicenter of our health with any imbalances having the potential to cause wide ranging problems.
Blood sugar balance: Ensuring that our blood sugar levels are balanced is key for our reproductive health, not to mention our overall health and wellbeing. Luckily, there are some super simple dietary hacks that we can adhere to so that we can keep any blood sugar spikes or troughs to a minimum.
Nutritional deficiencies: If you imagine your nutrient levels like a bank account, fertility and pregnancy are the times when you'll most likely see your numbers in the red. It's extremely taxing on our nutritional stores so keeping nutrient levels well stocked is super important to not only increase your chances of conception but also set the stage for a healthy pregnancy.
Toxin exposure: Environmental toxins are lurking in the craziest places and there is a clear disconnect when it comes to knowledge around our exposure. I can help you identify the most common sources and suggest alternatives where necessary.
Poor detoxification: Are you having a daily bowel movement? If not, this is a key area to focus on to ensure that used hormones get excreted before they can be reabsorbed and cause havoc.
Structural abnormalities: Have you been checked for any structural abnormalities? This is not necessarily something that is routinely screened for but is well worth requesting to ensure your anatomy is in tip top shape for conception.
So what now?
Well, that's where a fertility specialist like myself comes in. Luckily, as fertility practitioners we are not only trained to analyse test results in meticulous detail and join the dots to see the bigger picture, but we are also extremely lucky to have access to private tests that go way, way, way above and beyond routine fertility screening to uncover what is really going on under the surface. By diving deep into your medical history, nutrition and lifestyle factors, I can help you identify the areas that may need tweaking or further investigation, to uncover what is really driving your fertility struggles.
If you are struggling to conceive or have been diagnosed with unexplained infertility, I'm here to help you. Simply drop me an email or book in for one of my FREE 30 minute strategy calls, you can find the link at the very top of the page.
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