Fertility
4 Things You Didn’t Know About Gut Health and Fertility
Eloise Edington | 10 Feb 2022
Did you know your digestive system plays an important role in your fertility?
Our gut microbiome plays an integral role in our overall health and fertility and to effectively support our immune health, our gut needs both balance and diversity of organisms – like yeast and bacteria.
At The Ribbon Box, we know the importance of a fertility-boosting diet and having a healthy, balanced gut to support getting pregnant faster and staying pregnant.
Today, we turn to our partners at Microgenesis to answer your questions about the relationship between gut health and fertility. The team at Microgenesis have developed the world’s first functional microbiome test to evaluate your gut health and how it impacts your fertility. Microgenesis (view their website here) also provide personalized recommendations for restoring your fertility microbiome to help you get pregnant faster.
Read on to learn about the digestive system and reproductive health.
Words by Holly Pigache
1. What is the connection between gut health and fertility?
Many people in our community ask: How does gut health affect fertility? To answer that, we need to understand the role microorganisms play in our body.
Our body contains countless microorganisms that play a critical role in many biological processes. Microorganisms that live together in one environment, like the gut, are called a microbiome. When microbiomes are well balanced, they are beneficial for a person’s health. A microbiome exists in all our mucosal tissues in the body including the stomach, intestines, skin, nose, mouth and vagina. Microbiomes can become imbalanced, which leads to inflammation and related problems with that microbiome. When the fertility microbiome isn’t optimal, it impacts fertility success.
80% of women who struggle to conceive have a gut imbalance.
2. Can an unhealthy gut cause infertility?
Without even realising, you may be causing an imbalance in your gut microbiome (this is called a dysbiosis). There are three types of gut dysbiosis:
- loss of beneficial organisms
- excessive growth of potentially harmful organisms
- loss of overall microbial diversity.
Any one of these dysbiosis can cause inflammation, leading to fertility issues like PCOS, endometriosis, a struggle to conceive and having miscarriages. In fact, Microgenesis found 8 out of 10 women who are infertile have inflammatory markers.
As there are many things we do in everyday life that can impact our gut health and cause dysbiosis, it’s important to know what causes a gut imbalance and how to support good digestive health. Common causes of dysbiosis include:
- Taking too many antibiotics (because they don’t distinguish between friendly bacteria and harmful bacteria and so combat them all)
- Taking certain medications
- Having poor diet habits
- Exposure to environmental toxins and
- Genetics
Book a free consultation to talk about your gut health and fertility with the Microgenesis team by clicking here.
3. How can I boost fertility by improving my gut health?
You may be tempted to include probiotics, kombucha and yoghurt in your diet. But taking “friendly bacteria” found in yoghurt and probiotics won’t necessarily improve your gut health (nor your fertility). In fact, scientists at Microgenesis tested the impact of gut microorganisms on fertility and found 68% of participants showed an overgrowth of “friendly bacteria”.
To fully understand the state of your fertile biome take a scientifically-formulated test which provides unique and detailed results.
The Microgenesis Test at-home testing kit analyses saliva, blood and vaginal fluid for specific MicroRNA in order to learn if the fertility microbiome is out of balance, resulting in poor fertility. With your results, Microgenesis send a personalized Natural Restoration program, tailored to your situation and needs. (The Test must be ordered directly from the Microgenesis lab and is available for women TTC in the US, Spain and Argentina.)
Restoration recommendations are supported by the work of a nutritionist and fertility and fitness coaches for a holistic approach to improved fertility. By following Microgenesis’ suggestions, women can restore and rebalance their unique fertility microbiome (this typically takes around 90 days).
4. Can I improve my gut health during fertility treatment?
Absolutely, yes! The Microgenesis program is safe to follow while undergoing fertility treatment. In fact, having an optimal fertility microbiome is so important during IUI and IVF treatment. The Natural Restoration program is completely natural – no drugs or medical procedures necessary.
While it may take a little time for your body to become accustomed to the recommendations in your personalized Natural Restoration program, you will find there are many benefits of improving your gut health, beyond your fertility:
- Increased energy, mental clarity and a sense of calm
- More consistent bowel movements
- More regular menstrual cycles with fewer blood clots and less pain
- Weight loss and healthy weight management
- Reduced cramps
- Clearer complexion
Through understanding the state of our fertile microbiomes, we can take steps to improve our gut health and, ultimately, our fertility – helping us to become (and stay) pregnant.
Schedule a free consultation with the Microgenesis team here to take the next step in improving your gut health for fertility.
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