Thinking about a baby? (This includes men!)

Over the last 50 years, which is a tiny tiny time in the history of humans, the global fertility rate has halved. Over the same time frame, roughly 5 million new chemicals have been created, with less than 10% tested for toxicity. Here are some other interesting (scary!) stats I found:

• A meta analysis of over 100 studies found that sperm count had declined by 50-60% between 1973 and 2011

• A study in China which ran from 2001 to 2015 examined the semen of more than 36,000 men who had applied to be sperm donors. It found that over the 14 years, the percentage of qualified sperm donors dropped from 56% to just 18%

Environmental toxins are not the only culprit for our declining fertility rates of course. Other factors like poor diet, increased rates of obesity, and high levels of daily stress are involved too.

Whilst this all sounds scary, you do have some control. One of the most important things you can do if the idea of having a baby is anywhere on your horizon, whether you're a man or a woman, is to reduce your exposure to toxins.

For women, this is really important because environmental toxins can disrupt our hormones, and having the right hormonal balance is essential for getting pregnant and maintaining a pregnancy.

For men, toxins directly impact the quality and number of your sperm. Sperm has a high DHA (an omega 3 fat) content, and DHA is easily oxidised, i.e. damaged. Having poor sperm quality and/or a low sperm count makes it much more difficult to get, and stay, pregnant.

It's important to be realistic with this. Unfortunately we can't avoid toxins - they're in our food, our water, the air (think of blowing your nose after being on the Victoria line!), our clothes, our skincare, the floor we walk on, and even the sofas we sit on. However, here are a couple of simple steps you can take to protect yourself. These are important for everybody, but especially if you're thinking of having a baby in the next year or so:

1. Reduce alcohol as much as possible: Alcohol lowers your sperm count and sperm motility, meaning the likelihood of getting pregnant is lower. The studies on this show the effect is worse for daily vs occasional drinkers, and there's less of a difference between occasional vs non-users. Basically, you don't have to go fully tee-total if that's unrealistic for you, but limit it as much as you can. For female fertility, alcohol disrupts your vaginal microbiome, which is critical, and drinking around ovulation can lower the chance of getting pregnant.

   
   

2. Look for skincare without harmful ingredients: The worst offenders are phthalates (which are endocrine disruptors), parabens (also endocrine disruptors which can impact the development of unborn children), and BHT (yup you guessed it, an endocrine disruptor which can impact fertility and development). I like using the (free) app Yuka when I'm shopping so I can find 'clean' products. You scan the barcode of a product and Yuka gives it a rating based on its ingredients.

   
   

   

   
   

3. Buy organic food & drinks: Organic produce hasn't been grown with chemical pesticides or fertilizers, which is important because pesticides are strongly associated with reduced sperm concentration and fertility issues for women. A study found that women who ate more than two servings of high-pesticide fruit or veg a day were 18% less likely to get pregnant and 26% less likely to have a live birth vs women who ate an average of one serving per day. There are also higher levels of vitamins and minerals in organic food. Buying only organic produce may not be possible, but prioritise oats, flour, milk, and 'the dirty dozen' fruit and veg. This list changes annually, but it usually includes citrus fruit, grapes, bread, pulses, peppers, and berries.

   
   

4. Look for cleaning products without harmful ingredients: Most cleaning products come with intense safety warnings on the pack, and that's because what's inside is often very toxic. If you're using these products in your home, whether you're the one doing the cleaning or not, you're absorbing them through your skin, lungs, eyes, and mouth. These toxins have been shown to disrupt our hormones, and they aren't just in cleaning products. They're also in dishwasher tablets, washing up liquid, and laundry detergents. Greenscents make certified organic cleaning products, laundry liquid, washing up liquid, and dishwasher powder which are all totally natural and toxin-free, smell amazing, and most importantly, work perfectly.

   
   

   

   
   

5. Stop using scented candles, air fresheners, and perfume: These emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which have been shown to be endocrine disruptors. They also contain chemicals like phthalates and formaldehyde which can be detrimental to sperm and egg quality and overall fertility. Swap to beeswax candles, which aren't harmful and can actually cleanse the air.

If you'd like support on your fertility journey or with any other health niggles or concerns, please feel free to book a free twenty minute discovery session with me. I'd love to hear from you!