Fertility Self- Assesment Test
Often I am asked, “Is there an ideal age to have a baby?” Biologically, the answer is clear. Peak fertility occurs in a woman’s midtwenties. For most of us, however, other factors weigh in. There are social considerations: Do I have the right partner? Is he ready? Financial constraints also influence us; having a baby and raising a child are expensive! And educational and career aspirations can be all consuming early in adult life. The media has portrayed advances in reproductive technology as a panacea. We are regaled with celebrities who conceive and bear children in midlife, leaving many women to believe they can have a child easily, with a bit of help from modern medicine, at age forty or even fifty. This has obscured the fact that as women age, fertility declines and miscarriage rates increase. So I ask younger women to think carefully about whether it might be best if they were to have a child earlier, and I help women of all ages to maximize their fertility with the full range of integrative approaches.
In a certain respect, the challenge that we face today is an unintended consequence of the miraculous invention of the birth control pill. Introduced in 1965, it allowed women, for the first time in history, to be sexually active and to control whether or not they bore a child. This freedom helped women avoid unplanned pregnancy, and drove up the average age of first childbirth from twenty-one in 1968 to twenty-five in 2002. As we swallow these pills from our teenage years on, we can lose touch with our underlying cycles, and with the fact that time is slipping by. I advocate that women become reacquainted with our cycles as this will make it easier to conceive. It also provides warnings of potential fertility problems (polycystic ovarian syndrome, short luteal phase, and more) that are better addressed at earlier stages and younger ages when they will be easier to reverse.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself to get a better idea of your own body and your fertility. After having answered these questions, a conversation with your doctor about your health will be much easier and more defined.
Menstrual Periods
At what age did you start your period?
How regular are your periods?
How long is your cycle?
What is your flow like?
Do you have pain during your period?
How do you view your period?
Contraception
What type of birth control have you used?
Have you discontinued it?
What effect, if any, has it had on your fertility?
Have your periods returned to normal?
Nutrition
Do you cook your own food?
How often do you eat out?
Are you on any kind of special diet, such as Atkins, the Zone, shakes, or Medifast?
How often do you eat freshly cooked whole foods?
Do you have any food intolerances?
How many servings of vegetables and fruit do you eat per day?
How often do you eat fish?
Are you avoiding shark, swordfish, tilefish, and king mackerel?
How often do you eat sushi?
How many servings of animal protein do you consume daily?
How many servings of vegetable protein do you consume daily?
Do you binge, or have a sweet tooth and eat a lot of cake, candy, or pastries?
How many sodas or sweetened beverages do you drink each week?
How many alcoholic beverages do you drink each week?
How much coffee do you drink per day?
Do you use iodized salt?
What do you usually eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
Supplements
What vitamins, herbs, and/or supplements do you take?
Are you taking a prenatal multivitamin multi-mineral with folic acid, iron, and iodine?
Where do you get your advice regarding choosing supplements?
Have you been tested for vitamin D deficiency?
Conventional
What prescribed medications do you take? To find out if a medication is safe during pregnancy talk to your physician or pharmacist or look it up on this NIH website here.
What over-the-counter medications do you take?
Have you discussed the safety of these during pregnancy with your doctor or pharmacist?
Are your immunizations up to date?
Do you have celiac disease?
Do you have thyroid disease?
Do you have PCOS symptoms such as excess facial or body hair, acne, and irregular periods?
Have you had surgery for blocked tubes or fibroids?
Have you or your partner been diagnosed with any medical problems that could affect fertility?
Have you had any previous pregnancies, abortions, or miscarriages?
Lifestyle
What is your daily activity level?
How many hours per week do you exercise?
What is your height and weight?
What is your BMI?
Do you currently smoke cigarettes?
How many hours of sleep do you get each night?
Environment
Have you been exposed to lead, X-rays, solvents, or chemotherapeutic agents?
Do you avoid fish that contain mercury and PCBs?
Do you pay attention to the pesticides in your vegetables and fruits and select those with lower levels or purchase organic?
Have you bought new furniture or carpets recently?
Have you painted the house recently? Did you use no- or low-VOC paint?
Do you spray the house for bugs?
Do you use green cleaning products?
Do you have your lawn sprayed?
Do you check the ingredients in your cosmetics, lotions, and shampoos?
Do you use perfumes and/or air fresheners?
Mind-Body
Do you have any concerns or fears about getting pregnant?
Do you have fears about changes in their body, getting “fat,” or a fear that you won’t be able to lose the weight after giving birth?
How much stress are you under?
How do you manage the stress in your life?
Do you do yoga, mindful walking, journaling, meditation, or other mind-body practices?
Do you believe that you can get pregnant and have a healthy child?
Spirituality
Do you have a religious practice or faith tradition that is important to you?
Do you pray for yourself?
Where do you get your strength during difficult times?
