The Truth Behind the Infertility Epidemic

When I was growing up, infertility was a word I barely heard.

While there have always been women who struggle to conceive, it used to be very much the exception. These days, it’s almost impossible to find a family that infertility struggles haven’t impacted.

According to this chart from global data company Statista (also shown below), the number of babies born using assisted reproductive technology (ART) has increased by more than 150% in just ten years.

What does this say about current infertility rates and what they will look like another ten years from now?

Number of infants born in the United States who were conceived through assisted reproductive technology (ART) from 2011 to 2021 Source: Statista

INFERTILITY BY THE NUMBERS

According to the US Centers for Disease Control, low fertility rates among women aged 15-49 are currently around 13.4%, and infertility affects 8.5% of women in this age group.

In one-third of infertility cases, it’s the male of the couple who is unable to conceive. 12.2% percent of women have sought out fertility treatments.

As shown by United Nations data, birth rates have dropped drastically since 1950 and are projected to continue to decrease. Birth rates have decreased partly due to cultural shifts around women and their role in the household, but there is more going on here.

In 1951, there were 23,711 births per 1,000 people in the United States. In 2020, that number had reduced by over half to 10,939.

With the rates of infertility treatment increasing alongside a drop in fertility rates, what is going on?

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WHAT IS TAKING OUR FERTILITY AWAY?

Mental Messaging

Our reproductive systems are complex, and the answer to what causes infertility isn’t cut and dry. However, we have helpful insight that has helped women conceive when professionals told them they never would.

In his book Life-Changing Foods, respected global health authority Anthony William (the Medical Medium ®) writes about some of the factors that detract from our fertility. I’ve seen the truth of this information play out in my many years of working with couples who struggle with infertility.

One factor is a modern cultural trend for young women to avoid pregnancy. There’s nothing wrong with a 19, 27, or 36-year-old woman choosing not to conceive until she’s older, but that avoidance of pregnancy sends a conscious message to the reproductive system that it should not create life.

Our thoughts and beliefs are powerful, and our bodies respond when we send them messages like, “I don’t want to be pregnant” or “I believe my immune system is attacking my body.”

When preventative measures like “the pill” and other contraceptive tools are involved, a sort of training of the reproductive system not to produce a baby can take place. It takes time to shift back to a place of encouraging fertility in our bodies rather than infertility.

Reproductive System Battery

Anthony William also writes about the idea of the reproductive system battery and how it can get low in many women. I love this image, and I find so much truth in it.

According to William, the reproductive system has a soul and runs on its own energetic power source. Many women in today’s world are stressed, undernourished, running on caffeine and adrenaline, and multitasking from waking up until sleep.

This constant “go go go” lifestyle can deplete the energy of our reproductive systems, especially when we aren’t replenishing our bodies with the foods that God and the Earthly Mother have explicitly designed to bring our reproductive systems to life.

One technique you can use if you are seeking to overcome infertility involves breathing light into your uterus and entire reproductive system to “charge” it with life and vitality.

In my upcoming webinar, 4 Biggest Lies Revealed: Discover the Truth about How to Have a Successful Pregnancy From Fertility to Birth & Beyond, I’ll discuss this technique and many others.

Sign up here!

It may take some time for a woman’s body to recharge her reproductive battery when she decides it’s time to conceive, but it is possible with the right tools, information, and nutrition.

Endocrine Disruption

Another roadblock to fertility in women is a disrupted endocrine system, which is becoming more common for women worldwide.

When a woman’s adrenal glands are weak due to stress or consuming caffeine, her body’s ability to produce progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone – all fertility-related hormones – is hampered. Mounting research, like these two articles published by the National Library of Medicine – one and two – links high stress levels with infertility.

When a woman’s body is under stress, adrenaline can act like an anti-fertility drug.

Viral Pathogens

Viruses like the Epstein-Barr virus can disrupt the immune system and reproductive systems and cause mystery infertility that doctors often cannot explain. As viruses deplete the immune system, it can also weaken the reproductive system.

In the case of Epstein-Barr, the uterus can be specifically targeted by the virus, which causes inflammation and spasms that can disrupt pregnancy in what is supposed to be the sacred garden of life in our bodies.

Epstein-Barr is also the underlying cause of many reproductive disorders, including endometriosis, cysts, fibroids, irregular periods, fallopian tube obstruction, and preeclampsia. It’s essential to strengthen our immune systems to overcome these pathogens and their role in causing infertility.

Nutrition, Toxins, and Infertility

Certain foods weaken reproductive health. Foods high in adrenaline, like factory-farmed meat, can weaken fertility, just like adrenaline from stress. Eggs, GMO foods, aspartame, MSG, natural and artificial flavors, gluten, and soy can all contribute to conditions like PCOS and endometriosis.

Do your best to avoid infertility-causing toxins like pesticides, herbicides, and toxic plastics, which mess with our hormones. Shop organic as often as possible, be selective with your clothes shopping (many new clothes are sprayed with harmful chemicals), and avoid scented laundry detergents, commercial perfumes, and chemical air fresheners.

Many foods strengthen the body’s ability to create life. In the words of Anthony William, “Eat fruit to produce fruit.” Fruit of all kinds generally nourishes the body, especially when hoping to conceive.

Keep reading for a full list of fertility foods to give your body everything it needs to produce its own beautiful fruit through the miracle of life.

Infertility in Men

Male infertility is at least one-third of the problem, as we mentioned. When it comes to healthy sperm, we have to talk about mineral deficiencies in men – especially zinc.

It’s crucial for men to restore their zinc and mineral reserves with fruits, vegetables, greens, and mineral-rich herbs like nettle, red clover, rosemary, and lemon balm. Abstaining from masturbation also helps to replenish healthy sperm.

THE MYTH OF OVERPOPULATION

There is a belief that our planet is quickly reaching a point where it cannot sustain more human life.

As more and more couples struggle to conceive, birth rate numbers will plummet, and we will start to grow concerned for the future from a whole different perspective than we’re accustomed to in the news. We can take steps to avoid that future and rebuild our fertility now.

5 WAYS TO RECLAIM YOUR RIGHT TO REPRODUCE

Medical intervention in the form of techniques like IVF is often seen as the only option when couples have trouble conceiving, but there is much we can do to restore our body’s God-given right to create life.

Suppose we can start by reconnecting with our bodies, restoring our reproductive energy, removing harmful toxins that get in the way, and consuming nourishing foods that encourage our bodies to generate life. In that case, we can use modern medicine’s techniques as a final option when all else fails.

Recharge your reproductive battery. This simple but effective technique from Life-Changing Foods by Anthony William can enliven your fertility. Imagine a cord from an unlimited energy source plugging into your reproductive system.

Visualize every aspect of your system – from your ovaries to your fallopian tubes to your uterus – charging up with this unlimited energy source.

Heal your adrenals. Managing stress, avoiding adrenaline-spiking foods like coffee, chocolate, and energy drinks, and eating every 1-2 hours to prevent blood-sugar drops (which trigger adrenaline in the bloodstream) are powerful ways to prepare the body for pregnancy.

Eat fertility foods. Eat foods that strengthen the body’s ability to create life, like fruits, high in life-supporting glucose, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and trace minerals.

Bananas, avocadoes, cherries, mangoes, and especially berries are wonderful fertility foods, as well as sprouts, leafy greens, raw honey, glucose-rich vegetables like potatoes, and reproductive superstar herbs like red raspberry leaf, nettle leaf, and red clover.

Looking for healthy recipe inspiration? Check out my Top 16 Healing Recipes blog!

Build your immunity to overcome pathogens. Strengthening our immune systems should be a daily practice in today’s world.

Powerful immune-boosting foods like raw garlic, onion, ginger, turmeric, oranges and other citrus, bananas, potatoes, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, and more are our allies in fighting the infertility trend. Bring them in as often as you can.

Immune-supportive supplements like vitamin C, zinc, elderberry syrup, propolis, chaga, and plant tinctures like mullein, lomatium, licorice, nettle, and lemon balm.

Avoid toxins. Detox your home by bringing in scent-free and natural cleaning products. Detox your kitchen by washing your produce and consuming organic when you can. Detox your water by avoiding cheap plastic containers and using a high-quality water filter on a daily basis.

Hydrate to flush out toxins you can’t avoid, and be sure to avoid processed foods that contain toxic manmade ingredients. Do your best to reduce exposure to radiation and other environmental toxins like pesticides and chemicals.

A huge source of toxins for women is beauty products. Read my blog on clean beauty, 10 Reasons Clean Beauty is Not a Myth, for more on how to avoid these hidden harmful substances and protect your fertility.

I’ve also created a Clean Beauty Essentials Masterclass just for you so you can dive deeper, learn about the nontoxic beauty brands I love, and remove all sources of toxic nasties from your daily routine.

CREATING LIFE: GOD’S GREATEST GIFT

I began my career as a health practitioner in the birthing world. I am incredibly passionate about conception, pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. As a mother of three beautiful daughters, I know what a gift creating life can be for mothers and fathers.

Nobody should have the gift of creating life taken from them.

I will raise my girls with greater knowledge of their bodies than I was raised with, and I hope to inspire many other women to do the same.

As we reconnect with what our bodies truly need, we will return to the natural wisdom that kept us strong through past generations, wisdom that will keep us strong for generations to come.

To your health and peace,

Muneeza