Чакат ни любов и морски дни, а после пухкаво бебе в пелени. ~бебеправене 608~

The Basic Plan
Whether you are just starting to think about getting pregnant and have no
reason to expect any difficulty or you have been struggling with infertility
for several years, all women trying to conceive can benefit from the basic
steps that have been shown to improve egg quality and fertility. To increase
your chance of conceiving and reduce the risk of miscarriage:
• Start taking a daily prenatal multivitamin as soon as possible,
ideally at least three months before trying to conceive. Doing
so may not only prevent serious birth defects but will also
protect your eggs and may therefore help you conceive sooner.
A brand that includes 800 mcg of folic acid rather than 400
mcg may offer additional benefit. If you have a sensitive
stomach, try several brands until you find one that works and
take the supplement before bed. Good-quality brands include
Rainbow Light and New Chapter Organics.
• Consider adding a daily CoQ10 supplement to enhance energy
production inside developing eggs and possibly prevent
chromosomal errors. The most effective form of CoQ10 is
ubiquinol, and the basic dose is 100 mg, preferably taken in the
morning with food.
• Reduce your exposure to the hormone-disrupting toxin BPA by
only buying canned food labeled “BPA-free,” replacing plastic
food storage containers with glass, and handling paper receipts
as little as possible.
• Minimize exposure to phthalates by avoiding nail polish and
perfume, and by switching to fragrance-free or phthalate-free
skin-care, hair-care, laundry, and cleaning products, such as
those made by The Honest Company, Alterna, Neutrogena
Naturals, California Baby, and Seventh Generation.
• Further reduce your phthalate exposure by watching out for
soft, flexible plastic products made of vinyl or PVC. Replace
these items with safer alternatives made out of fabric instead of
plastic, or specifically labeled as “phthalate-free” or “PVCfree.”
• Reduce sugar and refined carbohydrates in your diet and shift
toward a Mediterranean diet based on fruits, vegetables,
minimally processed grains, olive oil, nuts, and lean protein.

Intermediate Plan: Difficulty Conceiving
If you are having trouble getting pregnant but have not yet been diagnosed
with any specific fertility problems, there are some further steps that may
help you conceive sooner. In addition to following the advice listed above
for the basic plan:
• Ask your doctor to test you for vitamin D deficiency, celiac
disease, and underactive thyroid. These three conditions often
contribute to unexplained infertility and are typically
overlooked by fertility specialists. They are also easy to treat.
• Consider taking a higher dose of CoQ10 (ubiquinol), such as
200 mg, and taking one or more additional antioxidant such as
vitamin E (200 IU), vitamin C (500 mg), or alpha-lipoic acid
(in the form of R-alpha-lipoic acid, 100 mg to 600 mg per day
on an empty stomach). Studies have shown that women with
unexplained infertility often have compromised antioxidant
defenses in their ovarian follicles and that antioxidant
supplements can reduce the time it takes them to conceive.

Intermediate Plan: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or Irregular
Ovulation
PCOS is one of the most common causes of infertility. Symptoms include
weight gain, acne, facial hair, and irregular menstrual cycles or cycles
longer than 35 days. PCOS causes infertility by disturbing normal ovulation
and reducing egg quality. In addition to the steps listed above for the basic
plan, to improve egg quality and rebalance hormones:
• Consider taking a myo-inositol supplement for two or three
months before trying to conceive. The typical recommended
dose is 4 g per day, divided into two doses: half in the morning
and half at night.
• Be particularly vigilant about minimizing your exposure to
BPA. Studies have found that BPA levels are often significantly
higher in women with PCOS, and BPA appears to contribute to
the hormonal imbalances that are characteristic of PCOS.
• Prevent spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels by strictly
limiting sugar and refined carbohydrates in your diet. Insulin
raises testosterone levels, which is often a major contributor to
infertility in PCOS.
• Consider also taking an alpha-lipoic acid supplement to control
the oxidative stress that contributes to poor egg quality in
PCOS. The dose shown to improve fertility in women with
PCOS is 600 mg, twice per day.

Advanced Plan: Recurrent Miscarriage
While there are various medical causes of recurrent miscarriage, including
blood clotting and immune disorders, nearly half of all early miscarriages
are caused by chromosomal errors in the egg. By improving your egg
quality, you may be able to reduce the chance of chromosomal errors
occurring and thereby reduce your risk of miscarriage. In addition to the
steps listed above for the basic plan:
• Take a daily CoQ10 (ubiquinol) supplement of up to 300 mg to
enhance energy production in developing eggs and encourage
correct chromosome processing. You may also want to consider
taking one or more additional antioxidants such as vitamin E
(200 IU), vitamin C (500 mg), or alpha-lipoic acid (in the form
of R-alpha-lipoic acid, 100 mg to 600 mg per day on an empty
stomach).
• Consider taking a myo-inositol supplement if you have insulin
resistance, irregular ovulation, or other symptoms of polycystic
ovarian syndrome (4 g per day, divided in 2 doses). Insulin
resistance is much more common in women with a history of
multiple miscarriages, and myo-inositol may be able to address
this problem.
• Ask your doctor whether you need a higher dose of folic acid,
such as 4000 mcg per day.
• Ask your doctor to test you for underactive thyroid, a major
cause of recurrent miscarriage. If you are diagnosed with
hypothyroidism, insist on proper treatment before trying to
conceive again. Studies have found that in women with
autoimmune thyroid disease, treatment with an added thyroid
hormone called levothyroxin reduces the miscarriage rate by
more than 50%.
• Ask your doctor to test you for celiac disease, which
dramatically increases miscarriage risk. If you have celiac
disease, closely follow a gluten-free diet to prevent the immune
reactions and vitamin deficiencies that increase the chance of
losing a pregnancy.
• To further prevent the chromosomal errors that cause many
miscarriages, consider taking DHEA if you are trying to
conceive through IVF and have diminished ovarian reserve.
• Make sure your male partner is also taking a daily multivitamin
and has a diet rich in antioxidants, particularly if he is over the
age of 40. Also ask your partner to strictly limit his alcohol
consumption.

Advanced Plan: Trying to Conceive Through IVF with
Diminished Ovarian Reserve:
If you have been diagnosed with diminished ovarian reserve or age-related
infertility, you have the most to gain from an aggressive plan to improve
egg quality. In addition to the steps listed above for the basic plan:
• You may benefit from a higher-dose of CoQ10 (ubiquinol),
such as 300 mg. You may also want to take one or more
additional antioxidants in the form of vitamin E (200 IU),
vitamin C (500 mg) or alpha-lipoic acid (as R-alpha-lipoic
acid, 100 mg to 600 mg per day on an empty stomach) for three
months before your next IVF cycle.
• To increase your egg numbers and prevent chromosomal errors
in eggs, consider also taking a DHEA supplement for three
months before your next IVF cycle. The formulation of DHEA
is particularly important because if not formulated correctly, it
will not be absorbed. Look for a brand that is pharmaceutical
grade, micronized, and potency guaranteed, such as Fertinatal.
The typical dose is 25 mg, three times per day.
• To further boost egg quality, consider taking a melatonin
supplement at the start of your next IVF cycle, when you begin
injectable medications. The typical dose is a 3 mg tablet shortly
before bed. If side effects bother you, take a smaller dose.
• Ask your doctor to test you for underactive thyroid, a common
cause of diminished ovarian reserve in younger women.
• Carefully limit sugar and refined carbohydrates in your diet and
maximize vitamins and antioxidants.
• Make sure your male partner is also taking a daily multivitamin
and has a diet rich in antioxidants.