A couple makes the momentous decision to” make a baby”, and tries for a while, and the effort fails. So begins an often frustrating, expensive, and sometimes disappointing journey, with numerous visits to doctors and specialists. Of course, both potential parents check to see if things are copacetic at their respective ends, for men, sperm count and motility, for women, multiple structural issues and the quality of eggs. If need be, medical interventions are made; treatments are used to enhance fertility as needed.  Some succeed after several tries. But some don’t. These are the cases of “unexplained infertility” or “idiopathic infertility.” (Idiopathic is the medical jargon for” We haven’t got any explanation for this problem.”)  It is assumed that there is still an issue with egg, sperm, or female anatomy, but it is unidentifiable. So, what to do?

Many physiologic factors can disaffect the viability of seemingly healthy eggs and sperm. Effective approaches lie in seeking and eliminating all “root causes”, in an integrative fashion. Seeking and addressing all potentially contributory factors, though seemingly not directly related to successful conception, can make an enormous difference in successfully allowing a fertilized embryo to evolve into a fully formed fetus and, ultimately, a healthy baby. It is important to note that studies show that about 1/3 of infertility can be attributed to the female 1/3 to the male and a third to both. So, in this unclear scenario, both partners must participate fully in the effort to produce the best result.

The simplest steps, although not the easiest, are giving up smoking, unprescribed drugs, alcohol, caffeine, and excessive sugars. A nutritionist or nutritionally oriented/functional physician can provide guidance with dietary changes and offer useful substitutions.

Other worthwhile changes would include:

– Reducing excessive weight in either partner insofar as possible

– Changing to a mostly organic diet

– Increased frequency of intercourse, timed to ovulation

– Adequate restorative sleep, 7 to 9 hours nightly

– Avoidance/reduction of stress, a huge negative in conception, via therapy/counseling,
support groups for this specific issue, regular prayer, and meditation

– Optimizing nutrient status. Testing is available via local labs, and valuable in-depth specialty lab tests are a standard part of the functional medicine infertility workup.

– Reorganization of the bowel “microbiome,” and restoration of gut/colon health. This one step serves many purposes. It is part of detoxification, defends against autoimmunity, and as, as a “bonus”, it is a way of preparing a strong microbiome to deliver to the baby once conceived. Hence, even mothers without fertility issues would be well to clean up the microbiome prior to conception. This step is accurately guided by a variety of classic functional medicine tests. Results are addressed with straightforward, doctor-designed protocols to “remove”, “restore”, and “replace” the old population of organisms with one that supports not only pregnancy, but cognition, suppresses inflammation, and is part of unimpeded detoxification via healing the “leaky gut” (an unhealthy, porous state of the colon related to unbalanced gut organisms.)

– Perhaps the most essential step in reducing inflammation is the detoxification of toxins, including heavy metal toxins, industrial/ petrochemical toxins, and mycotoxins (from environmental molds). All of these can be detected readily under the guidance of a physician by appropriate lab testing and diminished and/or deleted using IV antioxidants and targeted nutrient programs.

These changes, consistently and comprehensively implemented, can have remarkable effects on the success rate of natural conception and/or IVF treatments in leading to healthy, happy pregnancies, and overcoming unexplained fertility: solid effort, joyously rewarded.

Since initially being mentored by Dr. Rober Atkins, Robin Ellen Leder, M.D. has worked at her Hackensack office to address a wide variety of specific, often difficult-to-treat, medical; issues, seeking the underlying “root causes” and correcting chemical, physical, and emotional imbalances. Using innovative, functional medical testing in combination with the best of traditional medicine, IV therapies, chelation therapy, diet/nutrient programs and behavioral change, she has successfully guided thousands of patients one-on-one to optimal short- and long-term health.