Nearly all women who are pregnant follow certain dietary and lifestyle recommendations to help their developing child. However, our environment now has many toxins that surround us at home, work, and play. Thus, the efforts to improve our health for pregnancy should begin before conception. You should consider a detox strategy as part of your plan to conceive.
Detox before pregnancy
You can take several easy steps that are beneficial for all women, such as taking a prenatal vitamin, adding appropriate supplements, eating organic when possible, and detoxing your personal care routine. By switching to organic foods, many herbicides and pesticides will be eliminated from your body within just a few days.
It makes a difference. Babies today have many toxins already in their system at birth. One study by the Environmental Working Group found 232 toxic chemicals in the umbilical blood. Another study by the same group found 287 various industrial chemicals and pollutants in the umbilical blood. 180 of these chemicals are known carcinogens, and 217 are known to be toxic to the brain and the nervous system.
The importance of detoxing prior to conception
In years past, eating a healthy diet and taking a methyl folate supplement was enough. However, the last 10 years have seen an increase in health issues that affect children, including autoimmune diseases, asthma, eczema, and allergies. Autism diagnoses have grown exponentially. Many pediatricians are pointing to environmental toxin exposure as the culprit.
These exposures also impact genetics and fertility. We pass that impact down to our children at conception. Then the expectant mother faces more exposure to toxins during pregnancy. Several studies have shown that at the time of birth, babies already have nearly 300 different environmental chemicals detectable in their blood.
Heavy metals in the environment are another threat. One study conducted in New York State showed that Asian women of childbearing years had blood levels of mercury that exceed federal safety standards and that most of this mercury can be traced back to high levels of fish consumption.
Another study in New Hampshire addressed problems with arsenic in rice. The pregnant women in the study who consumed high levels of concentrated rice products (like products with rice syrup) had the highest levels of arsenic in their systems.
The toxic load can impact our unborn children. Studies show that switching from conventional to organic foods can eliminate a significant amount of toxins like pesticides and herbicides in just days. The result is lower systemic toxic levels.
It’s a small investment to make to clean up toxin exposure prior to conception. Considering that up to 40% of pregnancies are unintended, it’s best to start now with detox and better eating habits.
Rather than devolving into mom-blaming or shaming, this is an opportunity to become educated and make some positive changes. These can be small changes or large adjustments in lifestyle. Even though many of the environmental toxins come from big industries like energy, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals, when we each make a change, it adds up. Awareness is the key.
Simple steps to detox
First, any woman who plans to get pregnant within 6 weeks should not undergo a deep detox. In addition, if she plans to get pregnant within 3 months, she should not do a provoked heavy metal detox. Either will release many toxins to be eliminated by the body. That elimination must take place prior to conception to ensure that the developing child is not exposed.
Switch to organic
Switching to organic as much as possible is the first step, and it includes personal hygiene products, cosmetics, and household cleaners. These contain endocrine disruptors, which have been shown to cause congenital abnormalities in babies. The most notable abnormality is penis malformation due to chemicals that act as strong estrogens on the body. As a result, some states have banned these chemicals from store receipts and airline tickets. By choosing healthier foods and home products now, you will likely save on long-term deleterious effects.
Support your body’s detox system
The second step is to support your body’s own detox system by eating a wide range of foods like leafy greens (broccoli and kale), high-quality protein and fats (salmon, extra virgin olive oil, avocado), lacto-fermented foods (sauerkraut), fresh berries, and full-fat yogurt or kefir with live active cultures. These support liver function to break down and eliminate toxins.
Then your intestines work to clear out the toxins including the endocrine disruptors. This regularity is so important especially when you are pregnant. Keep your fiber intake high with fresh vegetables or ground flaxseed. You can also take 400-600 mg of magnesium citrate.
In general, taking a multivitamin/multi-mineral supplement daily is beneficial because they usually contain the nutrients your body needs to specifically enhance or repair natural detoxification, for example, B vitamins and magnesium.
Evaluate your specific needs
Your specific detox program may include other steps depending on your personal health such as:
- Evaluate for heavy metals with a healthcare professional
- Clear inflammation by avoiding processed foods and added sugars. Take a fish oil or algae-based supplement for essential fatty acids to help support the development of the baby’s brain and nervous system.
One significant cause of inflammation during pregnancy is blood sugar imbalance. Gestational diabetes may result in lifelong health issues for the baby. Avoid a high sugar diet including natural sugars like maple syrup, honey, and fresh fruit juice. Any food that has processed fats, processed flour, and supplies more calories than nutrients are a problem.
Optimize fertility
The Mediterranean-style diet, which consists of lots of fresh veggies, fish, poultry, and small amounts only of red meat, legumes and beans, nuts and seeds, good quality oils, small amounts of full-fat dairy, grains, and seasonal fruits has been shown to be the most fertility-promoting diet. It is easy to modify to meet your unique needs, such as dairy-free or gluten-free.
Foods that can adversely affect fertility
Some foods and dietary choices adversely affect fertility. Gluten intolerance is a known cause of fertility problems.
Consuming low-fat milk products is not as optimal for fertility as full-fat dairy foods, which have the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Removing the fat removes those hormones and leaves just the male hormone. Plus, this creates a higher sugar ratio that contributes to insulin resistance.
Low protein intake and lack of adequate, good quality, dietary fats have both been shown to reduce conception. These essential nutrients supply the building blocks necessary for healthy hormones.
Nutrient deficiencies can interfere with conception, too. Our bodies require a host of nutrients for ovulation to occur. A deficiency in folic acid results in lower rates of ovulation.
High blood sugar and metabolic syndrome can impact your hormones and create inflammation, both of which block fertility. Good carbs are digested slowly and have a more gradual effect on blood sugar and insulin. But fast-burning sugars like those that come from processed flour products cause high insulin, which has been found to inhibit ovulation.
And of course, foods that have high levels of herbicides and pesticides that act as toxic estrogens in our body can interfere with fertility.
Common factors that inhibit conception
Most common include:
- Thyroid problems, especially hypothyroid and Hashimoto’s
- Metabolic syndrome, pre-diabetes, diabetes
- High levels of stress leading to cortisol imbalances
- Microbiome disruption leading to changes in the vaginal microbiome
- MTHFR genetic changes
- Certain genetic blood disorders
- Factors in the partner, i.e., low sperm count or poor motility
Additional actions to take prior to conception
All women should take a methylfolate supplement. Folic acid has been shown to reduce neural tube defects. Methylfolate is the most absorbable form of folate. To get enough to protect a baby, 400 mcg methylfolate should be taken starting ideally three months before conception and then continued through the pregnancy. Women with a known MTHFR gene mutation may want to take up to 800 mcg daily.
In addition, women should take a general multivitamin and probiotic if they are thinking of conceiving. Iodine should be included in the multivitamin, which is essential for healthy thyroid function. The probiotic helps maintain a healthy gut microbiome, which can help prevent miscarriage, urinary tract infections, preterm labor, and other prenatal problems. Also, probiotics have been shown to help protect babies from developing allergies and asthma, especially if there is a cesarean (which occurs in 34 percent of pregnancies in the US).
If you have a history of miscarriage, trouble getting pregnant, have Hashimoto’s, or elevated thyroid antibodies, a full thyroid lab panel may be in order.
Lastly, use natural alternatives to OtC medications such as headache relievers. If you are taking prescription medication, check with your doctor before getting pregnant.
When should you see a fertility specialist?
Since 90% of women will get pregnant naturally within a year of trying, and most of those who don’t will get pregnant within two years, try to wait for at least 18 months before seeking advice on interventions. Women who have been on the pill may find it takes a year just to get a normal cycle back once they discontinue it. It’s reasonable after about eighteen months of trying naturally to at least get a fertility work-up to make sure everything is normal with both partners.
The exceptions to this would be if you have a known fertility problem or if you have waited until later to have children. But, women are having children into their forties, so it can happen naturally at almost any fertile age.