One of our Facebook Fan Page friends just asked us, “I have heard that it is harder to get pregnant when you have an anteverted (tipped) uterus, Is this True?”

I would like to address this for her, and share the information with all of you who may be wondering about this. A tipped uterus, which is also known as retroverted or anteverted uterus, is one that that is tilted backwards or forwards away from your belly (as opposed to the more usual straight up and down uterus). About 20% of women are born with a tipped uterus, but in some cases it is caused by childbirth. A tipped uterus is not one of the most commonly discussed factors of infertility and is typically only thought to be problematic when trying to conceive after all other possible reasons for fertility problems have been ruled out.

In a small percentage of women, fertility may be affected by having a retroverted uterus due to the impediment of sperm flow to the uterus for implantation. Many specialists recommend intercourse ‘from behind’ or with the ‘missionary position’ with a pillow propped under your lower back. If you would like to rule this out as a possible reason for conception difficulties, you may see an ObGyn or fertility specialist for a routine pelvic exam. There are procedures such as uterine suspension that can be performed to straighten your uterus which may help improve conception odds.

Biologically speaking, the more birthdays you celebrate, the more fertility challenges you may face. Keep in mind that not everyone has trouble getting pregnant after 35. Statistics do show, however, that your chances of getting pregnant within a given month at age 30 are about 20%. At age 40, your chance of getting pregnant in any given month is just 5%! So why is this the case? As you age and come closer to menopause, your ovaries respond less well to the hormones that are responsible for helping the eggs ovulate. Coupled with your body being less likely to produce mature eggs for ovulation, risk of miscarriage and birth defects raise significantly. There are fertility treatment options that may help women over 35, such as IVF, but the success of treatments like this also decrease with age. Hormone balancing fertility supplements such as FertilAid can certainly help with cycle regulation and more consistent ovulation. Eat right (be sure to get enough folic acid in your diet), limit caffeine, alcohol and smoking, and maintain a generally healthy and active lifestyle. If you are over 35 and are trying to get pregnant, we recommend seeing a fertility specialist who can provide you with as many options, resources, and information as possible.

by Chris Meleltis, ND
Contributing writer

A great deal of research supports that there are numerous nutritional and botanical supplements that can assist the body in overcoming common factors that adversely affect fertility.

Vitamins, Minerals, and Amino Acids

B Vitamins

B vitamin deficiency may predispose a person to altered hormone levels. Folic acid, in particular, is very important for preventing cellular oxidative damage and maintaining the health of the cervix.

Iron
Iron is an important nutrient for erythropoiesis and is necessary in substantial amounts during pregnancy. Iron deficiency may cause amenorrhea, and iron deficiency during pregnancy is associated with pregnancy complications and increased perinatal maternal mortality. Research indicates that iron supplementation in women with lower iron levels improves fertility.

Zinc
Research indicates that low zinc concentrations negatively affect serum testosterone levels and seminal volume. Seminal plasma zinc concentrations are positively correlated with sperm density, which may exert a positive effect on spermatogenesis. Data indicates that infertile males have lower concentrations of seminal plasma zinc, which correlates with reduced blood zinc levels. In one study, men with reduced sperm motility were supplemented with zinc for 3 months. At a 6-month follow-up, the men exhibited significant improvements in sperm counts, progressive motility, and fertilizing capacity; as well as a reduced incidence of anti-sperm antibodies.

Vitamin C
Antioxidants play a significant role in promoting fertility in both men and women. In men, low levels of vitamin C are associated with increased oxidative damage to spermatic DNA. In one study, vitamin C intake in normal healthy men was reduced from 250 mg to 5 mg per day. This resulted in a reduction of seminal levels of vitamin C by 50% and a 91% increase in spermatic DNA damage. Another study found that vitamin C supplementation to infertile men for 1 week resulted in 112-140% increase in sperm count.

Vitamin C is also important for female fertility. Using animal models, researchers have shown that supplementation with vitamins C and E decreased age-related reduction in ovulation rates compared to the control group of animals of similar age. Another study found that women taking a fertility drug clomiphene with no results were able to have a menses and ovulate with the addition of 400 mg of vitamin C daily.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E supplementation has been shown to significantly decrease malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, a measure of lipid peroxidation, in the seminal plasma and spermatozoa as well as improve sperm motility. A similar study showed that supplementation with Vitamin E and selenium in men with low sperm counts and decreased motility improved both of these infertility factors after 6 months of supplementation.

Selenium
Selenium is important for sperm motility. In one study, infertile men were supplemented with selenium, selenium plus vitamins A, C, and E, or placebo for 3 months. The subjects in both selenium treatments groups’ demonstrated significantly improved sperm motility, and 11% of the men impregnated their partners during the 3-month study.

Amino Acids
Arginine is an amino acid that is converted to several compounds believed to play a role in sperm motility. In one study, 74% of the men supplemented with arginine for 3 months showed improved sperm counts and motility. Another amino acid, carnitine, is important for the development of healthy spermatozoa. In infertile patients, research has shown a direct correlation between sperm motility and semen carnitine content and a positive correlation between carnitine supplementation and sperm counts and number of motile sperm. L-Carnitine is a key ingredient in most male fertility enhancing supplements, including FertilAid for Men.

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