A Study by Harvard University School of Public Health in Boston reported that your iron levels may significantly impact your fertility. "The study examined data provided by more than 18,000 nurses participating in the Nurses' Health Study, zeroing in on 438 who reported having ovulation problems. Those who ate the most free iron (found in supplements, fortified foods, legumes, and grains) had the greatest protection against infertility." Ovulation disorders were more common in women who did not have adequate iron.
The study found that benefits DID NOT apply to women who got most of their iron from animal sources such as red meat and pork.
"These were very striking differences, suggesting that women should focus on getting their iron from supplements" the lead researcher suggested.
It would be a good idea to have your iron levels including Ferittin (which measures the iron stores in your blood) checked. This can let you know if you should supplement with iron BEFORE you become pregnant. Keep in mind though that if you are supplementing with iron and your iron levels are still low then more investigations need to be done. Low iron when on supplements can be an indication that your digestion is less than optimal or that you may be gluten intolerant or atleast sensitive to gluten in your diet.
Issues with gluten (Coeliac Disease in particular) have been shown to impact fertility.
Also when supplementing with iron to avoid constipation you may want to utilise a liquid iron source from your naturopath but atleast an iron supplement that contains other ingredients such as Vit C to help it get absorbed and decrease the chance of constipation.
And when you get the results back make sure you have someone review the levels to see if they are OPTIMAL, not just normal. There can be different ranges of "normals" depending on which lab your test was analysed at, so you will want to discuss your results with a doctor (who doesn't just consider what is "normal") and/or a naturopath/herbalist who deal with fertility issues often to make sure you are at the optimal levels.
In our ebook and CD set Fertility Secrets Revealed available in the books section at www.naturalfertility.com, we discuss other tests that can also be done and what results and issues are often missed because they are overlooked or considered "normal" but oftentimes are far from optimal. For many couples we have worked with, these overlooked areas were crucial points that needed to be addressed for the couple to create a viable pregnancy.
A birth announcement I received recently is a good example of this.
Dear Stacey,
Thank you for everything you have done for us. This is my second baby with your clinic. That in itself is amazing because before my first child was born, the doctors told me I was infertile. If we try for number 3, we will definitely be back!"
JW
