Why is it Increasingly Difficult For Women to Get Pregnant These Days

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Seems getting pregnant is a hot topic these days as I found recently during a causal conversation with friends. Infertility seems to be a growing problem for many women (and men) and more are seeking reproductive treatment and medical procedures like In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) to help conceive. And age is no longer an advantage with more young women being affected.


Infertility affects more young women than people realize. According to statistics, approximately one-in-10 women between the prime childbearing ages of 20 to 35 in the US is infertile. In Europe, infertility is set to double by 2015 according to UK fertility expert, Professor Bill Ledger, from Sheffield University. One in seven couples already have trouble conceiving naturally. Similarly one in six couples struggle with infertility in Australia.

The increasing rate of infertility in the world's most developed countries must surely be a sign of underlying health problems as a healthy body should be a fertile one too. Here are 5 reasons why we felt it was increasing difficult for women to get pregnant these days:

1) Stress

Stress seems to be a constant in our modern lives, limiting sleep to less than seven hours a night, irregular exercise and tendency towards alcohol and other stimulants, all of which work together to increase infertility.

2) So-called Healthy Lifestyle

In the age of healthy diets, many women are actually suffering from nutrient deficiencies. Dieticians report that many women lack iodine and Vitamin D. Vitamin D or the "sunshine vitamin" prevents hormone disorders. In Australia, 80% of Aussies are low in selenium. This combined with the low Vitamin D, low iodine, low progesterone and stress creates a profound fertility problem. In addition, fertility is declining as more and more women choose convenient food which are usually highly processed and low in nutrients instead of natural, home cooked meals.

3) Low Progesterone

Also known as the pregnancy hormone, progesterone is important in promoting fertility. It performs a balancing role with oestrogen to prepare the lining of the uterus for the fertilised egg, to maintain the pregnancy and boost the immune system. Unfortunately, our modern times characterised by a high carbohydrate diet, excess body weight, nutrient deficiencies and stress create a fall in progesterone levels.

4) Overweight

Just being overweight can put the follicle stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone (FSHLH) out of balance leading to improper ovulation and progesterone deficiency. This in turn can affect the uterus and shut off the pituitary gland. Being overweight also encourages insulin resistance which introduces the added risk of polycystic ovarian syndrome. This drastically affects regular ovulation needed for reproduction. Even without this syndrome, young obese women usually take longer to conceive and experience lower IVF success rates than slim women.

5) Chemical-filled Environment

Exposure to chemicals in the environment is one of the greatest challenges to fertility with endocrine disruptors being the main culprit. 80,000 man-made synthetic chemicals have been released into the environment in the past 60 years. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals like phthalates or PCBs found everywhere from plastic bottles and cleaning products to make up and pesticides. They are in the plastics used with food and liquid, particularly when food is heated; the white resin lining in canned foods; the air freshener; and cosmetics and personal care products. They are impossible to escape so it's all about minimising your exposure.

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