Pre-Conception
​
Enhance Fertility..avoid the pill
​
Millions of women take the oral contraceptive agents (OCAs) for contraception. Many tolerate the prescription without incident; however down the road women may have fertility issues, mood issues, thyroid problems, or leaky gut (to name a few issues) and no conventional doctor will associate these with OCAs from years ago. Many women complain of vaginal dryness, lost libido, experience blood clots; OCAs can cause a variety of deficiencies that is associated with to breast cancer, and early menopause.
​
“Post birth control syndrome,” a set of symptoms that together define a syndrome that can occur after using OCAs for a period of time. Some of the symptoms described in this syndrome include PCOS, nutrient deficiency that affect fertility, irregular cycles, weight gain and other auto immune issues to name a few.
​
OCAs contain synthetic versions of estrogen and progesterone, the two main female hormones. Over time, the dose of synthetic estrogen becomes the dominant hormone in the body and a woman’s natural cycle is suppressed (to prevent pregnancy). Every woman is different and fertility usually returns after discontinuation of the pill in most cases. Sadly in recent decades, OCAs are prescribed for more than preventing pregnancy; for concerns such as acne, excessive or inappropriate hair growth, PCOS, painful periods, irregular periods, heavy periods, endometriosis, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD); interestingly enough all of the above ailments are caused by a hormone imbalance and in the long run OCAs can make all of the above worse!
​
How OCAs Work
The hormones in OCAs prevent ovulation, while thickening the lining of the cervix to prevent sperm from reaching any eggs that might have been released, and thinning the uterine lining to make it harder for a fertilized egg to implant. The pill “tricks” the female body into not having a normal monthly cycle, which prevents unwanted pregnancy 99.6% of the time, when used properly. The basic mechanism suppresses production of luteinizing hormone, which triggers ovulation.
​
Contraindications by Manufacturer recommendation
Of course every drug has absolute contraindications for use. OCAs are no different.
The standard list for OCAs include
-
Hypertension
-
Migraine
-
breast cancer
-
blood clot or deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism
-
history of stroke or heart disease
-
history of estrogen-dependent cancer including known or history of breast cancer
-
smoking
-
being older than 35 years.
Considerations for avoiding OCAs include, as symptoms can worsen
-
Estrogen dominance
-
Unbalanced testosterone levels
-
Thyroid imbalance
-
MTHFR…more info on avoidance of synthetic hormones and MTHFR
-
Vitamin D deficiency
-
Weight gain and fluid retention
OCAs have been shown to lower levels of several nutrients, including vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, B9 (folate), B12, vitamins C and E, magnesium, selenium, and zinc. As these are all important for maintenance of health, they are integral for the development of a baby during pregnancy. So, bottom line these nutrients need to be replete during OCA use.
But If I don’t take the pill I will have a zillion babies
​
There are multiple non-hormonal options including NFP (natural family planning) that are as effective as OCAs..check out https://ccli.org/what-is-nfp/ for more info.
But I can’t go my OCA right now..am I doomed?
You are not doomed
Instead
Focus on eating a balanced, varied diet to ensure the body is getting adequate nutrients. Need recipes check out my book
​
Be sure to include foods full of:
-
B vitamins- including folate and b12
-
Vitamin C
-
Minerals like- zinc, selenium and magnesium
Check out my “perfect Prenatal”
interested in additional information or my preconception program…message me!
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12128235
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15946211
