Category Archives: Healthy Embryos

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Being Overweight, or Underweight, Can Adversely Affect Fertility

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As mentioned in previous posts about fertility and weight, it is important to have healthy weight and waist size when trying to conceive. It is important to address dietary and lifestyle issues in order to be in health weight and waist range before trying to conceive.

Healthy Waist Size

Healthy waist range for a woman is 80cm (from the belly button around)

Healthy waist range for a man is 94cm (from the belly button around)

If a woman’s waist size is about 88cm and a man’s waist size if above 102cm then they are in what we call “metabolic syndrome”

This increases their chances of diabetes, heart disease, depression, gynaecological conditions (PCOS, endometriosis etc), sperm issues, egg quality issues, reproductive issues, increased miscarriage, increased risk of certain cancers and of course…. infertility.

Body fat and how it affects fertility

Excess body fat (now known as obestrogens) can disrupt hormones and fertility and can have a negative effect on egg and sperm quality.

Similarly being underweight and low body fat can affect fertility outcomes too. Body fat has a regulatory role in reproduction and a moderate loss of fat, from 10% to 15% below normal weight for height, may delay the menstrual cycle, completely stop the menses altogether and inhibit ovulation. Both dieting and excessive exercise can reduce body fat below the minimum amount and lead to infertility. But this is reversible with weight gain, increased body fat and reduction of intensive exercise, or both.

A moderate reduction in body fat, not just weight, for those overweight, can increase fertility and chances of pregnancy exponentially. Similarly an increase in body fat for those that are underweight, and who don’t have enough body fat, can increase their fertility and chances of pregnancy as well.

This goes for men too. Increased body fat, or not enough body fat can affect hormone production and fertility and can affect sperm quality and sperm production.

This is why preconception care and healthy screening and weight and waist management is so important before trying to conceive. This should also be a part of any fertility program and is definitely part of my fertility program for all couples.

Are you in healthy waist range?

Regards

Dr Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Master of Reproductive Medicine and Women’s Health Medicine

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

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Why Excess Body Fat and Obesity is The Enemy of Fertility

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Excess body fat and obesity is the enemy of fertility and it is something that needs to be talked about. Despite what anyone tells you, being overweight, or being obese significant affect on fertility and it can also affect the future health of offspring. This is a fact and we need to talk about it more and bring more awareness to this subject. This is why I have been focusing on this very important subject a lot more lately.

At present up to 70% (or more) of Australians are either overweight, or obese, so we can no longer ignore what the consequences of these statistics mean. We know that excess weight and excess body fat is linked to serious health consequences, but we need to talk about how it affects fertility and decreases the chances of obtaining a live birth.

Overweight, or obese men and women have higher levels of body fat and higher levels of the hormones leptin. As I have mentioned in previous posts, this excess body fat is also now referred to as obestrogens, as they cause the same health consequences as environmental estrogens (known as endocrine disruptors). These excess body fats and higher levels of leptin do impair production of sex hormones and also reduces fertility. It can also lead to poorer sperm quality, poorer egg quality and can also increase the risk of miscarriage. The more excess body fat, the greater the risk of fertility difficulties a couple will have. This is a fact. Despite what your specialist, your doctor, Dr Google, or your own mind tells you, this is a fact and we need to start being real about it. It isn’t about fat shaming either. It is to help people who are struggling with fertility and to help them seek the help they need to have a baby.

Excess body fat, especially excess abdominal fat is also linked to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and other health issues. It also interferes with the regulation of sex hormones and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG).  This can then increase the risk of irregular cycles, PCOS, endometriosis, sperm quality issues, miscarriage and other factors affecting fertility.

While the facts around excess body fat, excess weight and obesity are very real and can often seem overwhelming, there is some good news for couples that are overweight and obese.

Dietary and lifestyle changes and fat loss interventions which also includes exercise, can significantly improve fertility outcomes. It can also help with regular menstrual cycles, PCOS, endometriosis, sperm issues, egg quality, mental health and many other health issues. It definitely improves the chances of pregnancy and lessens the chances of miscarriage.

Research has shown that fat loss of up to 7%, for those that are overweight, achieved by diet, exercise and lifestyle changes, can improve overall health, fertility and improve chances of a successful live birth.

There is no fast track, or easy way to lose excess body fat and people need to face the facts, face reality and just get in a do it. The best ways to do this are as follows:

Seek the help of trained healthcare professionals that can help you with dietary and lifestyle changes and can help monitor you and support you rather than blaming and shaming. It also helps to hold you accountable and keep you motivated.

Do any dietary, exercise or lifestyle changes as a couple. It is much easier if you both do it and can support each other in any changes. You can also hold each other accountable and also see the changes in each other.

Set realistic goals and be realistic about how long things will take. It is no use setting unrealistic goals and having an unrealistic perception of how long things will take to change it your body. This will only set you up for failure and chances of rebounding. It is about one day at a time and one step at a time.

Seek the help of a trained healthcare professional to educate you on what good nutrition, good dietary and lifestyle habits are. The more educated you are about what a good diet is, the better your chances are of eating the right foods and achieving your fat loss goals

You need to exercise as well. Diet changes alone will only help to a point and you do need to do some form of resistance work to help burn fat. While walking is great, it doesn’t burn fat and increase lean muscle like resistance exercise (weights etc) can. You may even need to see a personal trainer to get yourself started and be held accountable.

Have access to fresh foods and means to increase your levels of physical activity. It is important to have access to good fresh foods and stay away from the processed and refined foods. You also need to have ways of exercising and keeping your body active and burning fat.

It is all about perception versus reality. You need to be real about your weight, your body fat and then set realistic goals to lose the excess body fats. Just remember it is about being proactive. Nobody is going to do this for you, but they can help encourage you to be healthy and make better dietary and lifestyle choices.

Lastly, men and women are twice as likely to achieve healthy weight and waist range and proper dietary and lifestyle choices if their partner does it too. The journey to having a baby requires a couple to do it and the same goes for weight loss and achieving healthy body fat and healthy waist range too.

Take care

Regards

Dr Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Master of Reproductive Medicine and Women’s Health Medicine

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

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Let’s Talk About Fertility

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Dr Andrew Orr has an honest and open chat about his years of experience dealing with couples with fertility issues.

Much of it gets back to couples not having the proper testing and investigations, being on the same page, preconception planning, getting healthy, doing the work and the expectations versus reality.

Have a listen to Andrew’s open and honest discussion about a very serious topic.

If you do need help and are struggling with fertility and not having a baby, Andrew can assist you in your journey to becoming parents.

To find out how Dr Andrew Orr’s fertility program, please call his friendly staff to find out more.

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The Journey To Have a Baby Can Be Like a Marathon For Many Couples.

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The Journey to have a baby can be like a marathon for many couples. It can be physically, emotionally and financially draining on every level.
 
One of the things I teach my patients, struggling with fertility issues, is that the journey often is like trying to run marathon. I also explain that they also need to prepare for the journey, just like preparing for a marathon too. 
 
I teach them that ‘couples’ (meaning two people) not just the woman unless she is doing it alone, need to get into the best shape possible prior to running the marathon, not just think about it half way through, when they are tiring and the finish line is nowhere in sight.
 
Healthy couples create healthy sperm and healthy eggs, which then go onto to being health embryos and then later health babies.
 
When preparing for a marathon you need to get the body into the best shape possible. That means physically and mentally too. Never overlook the mental aspect and this is why counselling and mindfulness is so important for couples struggling to have a baby. Many times this is the most important, but often overlooked aspect to a couple having success. 
 
Then couples need to get their diet in check, their lifestyle in check, get the body investigated and assessed properly and get the body fully ready to be able to make that finish line.
 
Nobody should ever just decide to run a marathon without proper training, good nutrition, mental preparation and getting the body in shape.
Unfortunately many couples try to run the marathon without the proper preparation and preconception care and then try to patch things as they struggle along the journey. This is when I see many of them. They are struggling on every level and exhausted and ready to give up.
One of the things I mention often is that  I wished that I saw every couple before they even started their journey. This way they are less likely to end up at this point of exhaustion and despair and clutching at straws to make it all work.
I see so many out at sea in a leaky boat trying to patch the holes as they go along, when really they should have got the boat sea ready before they head out. Trying to patch things half way through the journey never works. It  just causes desperation and wasted time and money as well. It can also lead to much worse and many couples actually end up breaking up due to the stress of it all.
 
This is why my fertility program is about preparing the couple on every level. Making sure everything is evaluated and properly investigated on a medical front first and then preparing their bodies on a holistic, and physical and emotional level too. It is also teaching the couples the power of intimacy and connection again too. Literally, I make sure “No Stone is Left Unturned” and then I know couples are ready for the journey ahead. For many it is often a short journey afterwards and this is what I hope for everyone trying to have a baby.
 
I always say that the couples that put in the work, get their bodies ready, prepare physically and emotionally, get the right nutrition, change their lifestyles, take all the supplements and nutrients, talk to a counsellor, do mindfulness, get some acupuncture, do some exercise, connect as a couple, have date nights, make love often, and do all the requested investigations and testing etc, they are the one that get that baby they so desperately deserve.
 
I have a special interest in Reproductive and Fertility issues. I have assisted in helping over 12,500 babies into the world and I know what couples need to do to increase their chances of having a baby. I want all couples to experience the joy of being a parent.
If you are having trouble have a baby, or not getting the help you so desperately deserve and need, then give my friendly staff a call and find out how my fertility program may assist you in having a baby. 
Regards
Andrew Orr
-No Stone Left Unturned
-The International Fertility Experts
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The Myth of The Barren Woman Runs Deep

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The word “Barren” comes originates from the French word ‘Brehaigne’, which means not producing, incapable of producing offspring, infertility, infertile; sterile.

Sounds terrible doesn’t it?

Fortunately very few women are ‘sterile’ and the word “infertility” is often misused in our modern society. Nobody is truly infertile, unless they actually have reproductive organs missing, or have genetic abnormalities that will actually prevent conception from happening etc. When a couple is having trouble conceiving, we should really use the word “sub-fertility” instead of “infertility”

The problem with talking fertility, sub-fertility, or infertility is that we often reference, target, or even blame the woman. Yes, women are often the blame of not being able to conceive a child and therefore the myth of the barren woman still runs deep and is very much in existence and kept alive by all concerned today in our modern world.

But is conception and the ability to conceive a child inherently the fault, or responsibility of the woman?

The answer to that is “No!”, but there is still this expectation, or focus, that not being able to conceive all falls back on a woman. Sometimes women actually wrongly blame themselves, or wrongly take on that responsibility too. Some women will even take on that burden, to protect a partner, who may actually be the main issue.

Then we now have an area of medicine that has its focus as being the woman, because women are the primary driving force for wanting to have a child.  Hence the vicious cycle continues in this terrible loop and then many, practitioners included, buy into the myth of the barren woman and so the cycle continues over and over again.

Well, I am here to tell you that women are not the only part of having a child and that men play just as big a part when it comes to fertility issues and not being able to conceive.

No matter what you get sold, or what BS (bullshit) you are sold, while pulling on your ‘I need a baby heartstrings’, to make you part with your hard earned money, the fact remains, and will always remain, that it takes a sperm and an egg to make a baby. That is basic biology 101 and no matter what someone tries to tell you, sperm quality is just as important as egg quality in this equation.

Every day I see practitioners, both medical and in complementary medicine, focussing in on women as the primary focus of fertility and actually feeding the myth of the barren women by their very actions.

Many times the men are overlooked, or ignored, or completely disregarded in the fertility equation. Not only is this unethical, to just treat and focus on the women when it comes to fertility treatment, but it is highly negligent as well. Men are not born with an inherent right to automatically be able to conceive and worse still, the male sperm levels have fallen by as much as 60% in the last 70 years, with sperm quality levels said to be dropping at an alarming rate.

So why is the focus, the burden, the guilt and the whole emotional baby roller coaster left solely to women?

Well, I have explained that practitioners are to blame, the fertility profession is to blame, society is to blame, guilt is to blame and last of all men are a big part of the issue too.

Men are often to reluctant passengers in the fertility journey and are often very happy to bury their heads in the sand and pass the responsibility of not being able to conceive onto a woman. Then many men are told their sperm is fine, when in fact it is far from being fine.

Over 50% of fertility issues are related to male factors and up to 85% of miscarriage issues may be related to male chromosomal, or DNA issues related to sperm. As I said before, research has now shown that the male sperm quality has fallen by up to 60% over the last 70 years and is actually on the decline. Men are often the bigger part of the fertility picture and it isn’t just the woman at all.

Semen analysis parameters are based on what is needed for Assisted Reproduction (IVF, IUI, ICSI) , not based on what is needed for natural conception and this is where some of the biggest issues lay.

Misinterpretation of semen analysis and misinterpretation of parameters have many men believing they have OK sperm, when in fact it is far from being OK. With modern procedures such as ICSI, we only need a few single sperm to be able to fertilise eggs and this can still be considered ok, because at least there was some sperm to fertilise the egg in the first place.

A few single sperm, or a few hundred sperm, or even a few thousand sperm is not OK when it comes to natural conception. We actually need a few hundred million sperm for it to be OK and even then they need to be motile and they need to be swimming properly (rapid progressive) and actually be of good shape (morphology)

While a semen analysis is often the first part of male fertility evaluation, it is also very limited. While we can look at morphology, motility, concentration, count etc, it does not tell us about the actual quality of the sperm inside. Many sperm may look ‘OK’ via a semen analysis, but inside their DNA integrity is poor and there are high amounts of DNA fragmentation and this can only be measured by a DNA fragmentation analysis. Even then, each time a man ejaculates, the quality of the sperm will be different and can differ by up to 20% in each ejaculate.

We also know that what a man eats, drinks and even his physical and emotional health will affect his sperm quality and that a man’s physical, dietary and emotional health can be passed onto his offspring through the sperm. This is why it is important for a man to get his physical and dietary and emotional health in check way before he tries to conceive a child with his partner.

We always say that the healthier a man is, the healthier his sperm is and the healthier the woman is, the healthier her eggs will be also. A healthy man and a health woman produce healthy babies.

I have been assisting couples with fertility and pregnancy for over 20 plus years now, and helped over 12,500 plus babies into the world,  and I can tell you that conception is not just about the woman. It gets back to basic biology 101 that it takes a sperm and an egg to have a baby.

Even when couples are having issues trying to conceive, or doing IVF, or however they are trying to conceive, there will be some issue on the man’s side and the woman’s side. Unless there is absolute infertility on one side, or the other, there will always be a bit of both the man and woman to work on to assist in being able to conceive.

While the myth of the barren woman runs deep in society, fertility clinics and through the guilt handed down from their fellow sisters and mothers, fertility issues and the right to be able to conceive ‘does not’ fall solely into the hands of a woman, far from it.

Men are an equal part in the fertility equation and men need be held just as accountable when it comes to trying to have a baby, or if there are difficulties in conceiving.

No matter what anyone tells you, a man needs to be part of treatment, management and support of the journey to have a baby.  This is a big part in my multi-modality fertility program.

Fertility isn’t just the responsibility of the woman, it is the responsibility of the man as well and I make sure both the man and the woman are properly investigated, clinically managed and helped with treatments as well.

If you do need help with having a baby, then please give my friendly staff a call and find out how my fertility program may be able to assist you

Regards

Andrew Orr

-Master of Reproductive Medicine (MRepMed)

-No Stone Left Unturned

-The International Fertility Experts

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Mediterranean Style Diet May Help to Improve Pregnancy Rates for Couples Undergoing IVF and Assisted Reproduction.

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New research published in Human Reproduction, has found that those who follow a “Mediterranean” style diet at least six months before assisted reproductive treatment have a significantly better chance of becoming pregnant and giving birth to a live baby than women who did not.

As part of my Fertility Program, one of the first things I talk to couples about is the importance of a healthy diet that has adequate protein, lots of vegetables, seeds and nuts, healthy oils, adequate water intake, electrolytes and cutting out all the refined carbohydrates that cause inflammation.

The hard thing is that I hardly see a couple following those health food principles, with many not even really knowing what a health diet is. The diet that I promote is based on my specially formulated PACE diet.

Previous studies have shown that when refined carbohydrates are cut out and replaced with proteins, essential fats and good carbohydrates, such as fruit and vegetables, that the clinical pregnancy rates shot up by 80%. (Fertility & Sterility 2012 Volume 98 issues 3 Page S47)

In this new study, researchers focussed in dietary patterns rather than individual nutrients, food, or food groups. They found that those who ate lean protein, more fresh vegetables, fruit, fish and olive oil, had a 70% greater likelihood of achieving a successful pregnancy and birth compared to women who didn’t follow this style of diet.

The research outcomes found that out of the 244 women in the study, 229 women (93.9%) had at least one embryo transferred to their wombs; 138 (56%) had a successful implantation; 104 (42.6%) achieved a clinical pregnancy (one that can be confirmed by ultrasound); and 99 (40.5%) gave birth to a live baby.

The most important message to come from the study is that women attempting to have a baby should be encouraged to eat a healthy diet, such as a Mediterranean style diet, because it may help increase the chances of successful pregnancy and successful live birth.

The researchers did note that when it comes to conceiving a baby, diet and lifestyle are just as important for men as for women. Previous studies from the same research group showed that male partners that adhered to the same sort had better semen quality.

A healthy diet is important for all couples prior to trying to conceive and should be a part of any preconception planning by all healthcare practitioners assisting couples with fertility.

While this study focussed on improving assisted reproduction pregnancy rates, this style of diet should be adopted by any couple wanting to have a baby and should be implemented at least 6 months prior to conceiving. This is why it is essential for all couples to receive counselling and guidance on the importance of a healthy diet and having a healthy lifestyle as well.

This is a foundation of my fertility program that has helped over 12,500 babies into the world and continues to assist many more couples reach their goal of becoming parents. If you would like to find out more about my fertility program and how it may assist you, please give my friendly clinic staff a call to find out more.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-The International Fertility Experts

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Zinc Deficiency Affects Egg Quality and Early Stages of Egg Development

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Recent studies have shown that zinc deficiency can negatively affect the early stages of egg development, reducing the ability of the egg cells to divide and be fertilised.

This may affect fertility “months” in the future and why preconception planning is so important for a couple. The researchers will be presenting their results at the American Physiological Society annual meeting at Experimental Biology 2018 in San Diego.

Millions of couples around the world struggle with fertility issues and the ability to conceive a child. While there are many factors that can make conception difficult, ovulation disorders and sperm issues are a leading cause of couples not being able to conceive. Researchers are finally looking into how vitamins, amino acids and micronutrients affect fertility and in particular the early stages of egg development.

The availability of micronutrients, through diet, amino acids, antioxidants and vitamin supplements, in the ovarian environment and their influence on the development, viability and quality of egg cells is now the focus of a growing area of research. Sperm also need micronutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients for optimal growth and development too.

This is nothing new to me as this is something I have always focussed on for many years as part my fertility program and as a part of preconception planning and making sure that the couple are in optimal health before trying to conceive.

In human and mammals, the ovary is made up of thousands of structures called follicles, which consist of one oocyte surrounded by layers of support cells, known as somatic cells. At puberty, the body starts to prepare groups of oocytes for maturation, ovulation and fertilization. While a female grows groups of oocytes, which begin to mature each month, only one will be ovulated and have the chance of being fertilized. Many things can influence whether an oocyte will mature correctly and the go on to one day be ovulated, including the presence of sufficient levels of certain micronutrients. To date this has probably been poorly understood by many.

Scientists have recently found more and more evidence to show that zinc is a key player in oocyte development and have been assessing the effects of zinc on egg development extremely early on in the development and maturation of oocytes.

Previously Fertility research and treatment has primarily focused on the larger follicles, called antral follicles, which respond to signals from the pituitary gland to be ovulated.

In humans, preantral follicles have to keep growing for about 90 days before they are ready to ovulate. This is why it is important to focus on egg and sperm quality months before conception is to take place, because this is when both egg and sperm are still growing and maturing and need vital nutrients to develop properly.

In this new research they have examined the smaller preantral follicles, which are still growing and don’t respond to the ovulatory signal yet. Previous studies showed that zinc levels are critical in the antral follicle, but no one had tested the effect of zinc deficiency on preantral follicle growth.

The researchers collected preantral follicles and then matured them in a special cell culture medium. They compared eggs matured in a zinc deficient environment to those grown with normal levels of zinc. The researchers found that preantral zinc deficiency:

  • Impaired the egg cell’s ability to properly divide (meiosis), which is a necessary step before successful fertilization can occur.
  • Led to smaller and more immature egg cells early in development
  • Hindered and disrupted growth of the cells
  • Caused problems with development of somatic cells and elevated certain cell markers.

The new research shows that zinc plays an important role in oocyte growth at an earlier stage than previously investigated, which is during development and before division. The research also showed why preconception nutrients are needed months before the eggs fully develop to give the best outcomes for a healthy pregnancy.

It is estimated that about 17 percent of the global population may be deficient in zinc, due to poor dietary intake their diet. But the estimate may not include cases of marginal zinc deficiency, where people may be getting zinc in their diet, but not enough for their recommended levels.

People that are more susceptible to zinc deficiency are those with dietary and disease factors such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, gastrointestinal disorders and liver disease, those with eating disorders, those with certain dietary restrictions, such as vegetarians or vegans, who may not then be taking supplemental zinc.

Preconception planning, care and management is so important for a healthy pregnancy to occur and should be started many months before trying to conceive. This is to ensure that the sperm are in optimal health and quality and also to make sure that the egg quality is optimal and in the best quality it can be as well.

This is what I do for all my fertility patients and is a crucial part of my fertility program that has now helped over 12,500 babies into the world. If you would like to find out more about my fertility program and how is may be able to assist you, please call my friendly clinic staff and they will be able to explain everything to you.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-The International Fertility Experts

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Soft Drinks/Sweetened Drinks Reduce a Couple’s Chances of Conceiving by 30 Percent

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Consuming just one sweetened soft drink a day reduces a couples’ chances of conceiving by more than 30 per cent, according to new research published in the journal of epidemiology in February 2018.

Men who drink at least one sugary softdrink/soda a day reduce their chances of fathering a child by 33 per cent, research has found.

Women who drink just one sugar-sweetened softdrink/soda beverage a day are 25 per cent less likely to become pregnant in any given month, the research adds.

Before you think about switching to diet soft drinks, or diet soda, you may want to think again. Studies have shown that diet drinks of any kind are actually worse than the ones containing real sugar. These diet drinks contain aspartame, which then gets converted to phenylalanine in the body. Phenylalanine is toxic and what we use to preserve dead bodies with. It can have a detrimental effect on fertility.

Previous research has also shown that eggs and embryos may fail to thrive in high blood glucose environments. Sugar and highly refined foods has also been linked to erectile dysfunction in men.

The researchers analysed 3,828 women and 1,045 of their male partners, who enrolled in the study between June 2013 and May 2017, and were followed until pregnancy or for up to 12 menstrual cycles. The couples were not using fertility treatments and had only been trying to conceive for six months or less.

The researchers from Boston University found positive associations between intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and lower fertility, which were consistent after controlling for many other factors, including obesity, caffeine intake, alcohol, smoking and overall diet quality.

Couples planning a pregnancy should be looking and lifestyle and diet before trying to conceive and consider limiting their consumption of these beverages, especially because they are also related to other adverse health effects.

In my comprehensive fertility program, diet and lifestyle choices are all covered along with everything a couple needs to conceive. No stone is left unturned with my multi-modality approach to assist couples with fertility and trying to have a baby.  If you would like to find out more about my fertility program, please call my friendly staff and they will be able to assist you further

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

-The International Fertility Experts

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Natural Killer Cells Nourish & Promote the Growth of The Fetus

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A study published  in the journal Immunity shows that part of the uterine Natural Killer cell population helps to optimize maternal nourishment of the fetus at early stages of development, not hinder it.

These Natural Killer Cells have actually been shown to secrete growth promoting factors that can also reverse impaired fetal growth and help prevent miscarriage, not cause it.

For many year now I have had people contact me and trying to kill the killer cells, or treat high natural killer cells, or wipe out these cells that they are being told is causing them to miscarry, or not be able to hold an embryo.

For those same amount of years I always said that Natural Killer Cells are meant to be there and the reason they are there is because of inflammation and are doing their job. Now finally, what I have been saying has been proven to be true and now we have an explanation of what these immune cells actually do and the mechanism behind it. They don’t harm the embryo at all. They are there to protect it, nourish it and help it grow.

Natural killer cells are among the most abundant immune cells in the uterus during the first trimester of pregnancy, but their numbers decline substantially after the placenta forms. Up until recently many in the fertility profession have led people to believe that Natural Killer Cells are the cause of all their issues and these new findings may have them eating their words.

Not only have women been offered hormones, steroids and the likes that have never been proven to do they say they do, but they not only have major side effects, but could actually be trying to regulate the very thing that is meant to help a pregnancy.

The results of these new findings not only reveal new properties of natural killer cells during early pregnancy, but also point to approaches for therapeutic administration of natural killer cells in order to reverse restricted nourishment within the uterine environment

Acting as our bodies’ frontline defense system, natural killer cells guard against tumors and launch attacks against infections. This is something that I have been trying to explain for years. If natural killer cells are in high amounts, they are there for a reason and that reason needs to be treated, not the high killer cells.

There has been much research on how Uterine natural killer cells promote immune balance and the growth of blood vessels in the placenta, having a positive impact on birth weight as well as fetal growth. But until now, it was not clear which subset of natural killer cells in the uterus are responsible for promoting fetal growth, or whether these cells help to optimize fetal nourishment at early developmental stages.

In the new study it was discovered that a specific subset of natural killer cells in the human uterine lining secretes growth-promoting factors, which are involved in wide-ranging developmental processes. This subset of cells made up a smaller proportion of natural killer cells in the uterine lining of patients who experienced recurrent spontaneous miscarriage and reduced implantation (42%) compared to healthy females (81%). These findings suggest that insufficient secretion of growth-promoting factors by a specific subset of natural killer cells may be responsible for restricted fetal development in humans.

The studies also showed that a deficiency in this subset of natural killer cells resulted in severe fetal growth restriction and defective development of the fetal skeletal system. The studies also showed that the transfer of uterine natural killer cells reversed fetal growth impairments.

For the purpose of promoting fetal growth in humans, it may be possible to transfer natural killer cells via intravenous infusion or the administration of a vaginal suppository to mothers, avoiding the need for invasive procedures. Moreover, uterus-like natural killer cells are a much safer alternative to many of the methods used in immunotherapy and safer that steroids, or other immunosuppressant’s.

Obviously more study is needed, but these findings are about to turn part of the fertility profession upside down and make it re-evaluate itself.

I’ve always said it isn’t the natural killer cells killing off embryos and always said it was from inflammation and inflammatory gynaecological conditions that weren’t being treated.

We now know that stress uterine cells are also a big part of the issue too. I always say treat the cause to treat the symptoms and now we know that Natural Killer cells aren’t part of the cause, they are actually there to help.

If you are having troubles not conceiving, my fertility program may be able to assist you. If you would like to find out more, please call my friendly staff and they will be able to explain more to you.

Take care

Regards

Dr Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

-The International Fertility Experts

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Stressed Uterine Cells & Inflammation Cause Miscarriage, Not Natural Killer Cells

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It is stressed uterine cells and inflammation causing miscarriage and causing the embryo not to implant, not Uterine Natural Killer cells.

For the first time the functions of natural killer cells in the womb have been identified by Researchers at the University of Warwick and University Hospitals Coventry

Although it has long been known that the lining of the womb harbours dynamic uterine natural killer cells, no functions have so far been given to these cells outside of pregnancy.

The researchers have discovered that the uterine natural killer cells remodel and refresh the lining of the womb at the time of embryo implantation. This is the first time a role for uterine natural killer cells in the lining of the womb has been identified outside of pregnancy. The research was published on December 14, 2017.

In addition they discovered that this process isn’t always balanced in each cycle. The natural killer cells perform the role of targeting and clearing inflammatory stressed cells, thereby making space for the implanting embryo. However sometimes not enough of these cells are cleared away and sometimes too many are targeted and removed. Excessive inflammation or insufficient clearance by uterine natural killer cells makes miscarriage more likely.

For many years I have been trying to tell people that they need to stop trying to get rid of the natural killer cells, or reduce their numbers. I have long known that natural killer cells are meant to be in the body and their job is to protect us from infections, bacteria, cancers, tumours and inflammation.

If killer cells are in high numbers, it means that there is something wrong and that is what needs to be treated, not the killer cells. But unfortunately, many clinics play on couples emotions and the use of the word “Killer”. So then we get this war on killer cells and people wanting to kill the killer cells because they think it is killing their babies.

No matter how hard I have tried to explain it, people just don’t listen and now it is finally great to have the research to back up what I knew all along, plus additional knowledge of how Killer cells actually help with implantation and reducing miscarriage.

The researchers have explained what happens if the natural killer cells cannot do their job properly, or there is inflammation that they haven’t been able to target. They said that a good analogy is Swiss cheese: without holes, the embryo has nowhere to go which will cause implantation failure; but if the holes are too large, the tissue will physically collapse and lead to miscarriage.

This imbalance, which may be short-lived or last for multiple cycles, explains the high rate of early pregnancy failure. It really can be a numbers game on how long that cycle could last and why it is important to make sure there are enough natural killer cells there to do their job properly. Without the natural killer cells, there is more chance of inflammation and stressed uterine cells being left behind, which will then lead to higher pregnancy loss and reduced implantation.

The researchers conducted an analysis of 2,111 endometrial biopsies, which is more than had ever been conducted previously. The research team examined the acutely stressed cells in the lining of the womb which generate tissue inflammation. They found that the natural killer cells which are in the womb perform the important function of selectively targeting and eliminating acutely stressed cells.

When there are high acutely stressed cells in the lining of the uterus, the lining of the uterus fails to sense the chemical signals from the fertilised egg and it then silences many of the genes involved in allowing the embryo to implant and embed into the uterus.

One of the chemicals needed for this process to take place is Trysin, which is a common enzyme the embryos gives off. If trysin isn’t detected the embryo is not accepted and left to disintegrate and then the cycle is reset once again. The lack of Trysin signal appears to indicate to the endometrium that the quality of the embryo is not very high and initiates a reduction of receptivity to implantation. These findings could help to improve the success rates of IVF, because one of the biggest problems with IVF is getting the embryo to implant

The research team also found that high numbers of Natural Killer cells in the endometrium are not only a sign of high inflammation and acutely stressed uterine cells, but also indicate a insufficient production of steroids, which in turn leads to reduced formation of fats and vitamins that are essential for pregnancy nutrition.

Again, this is exactly what I have been trying to say for years and why when I treat women who are having implantation issues and recurrent miscarriage I look at treating the cause of the issue, rather than masking it.

To treat miscarriage and help with embryo implantation you need to do the following

  1. Reduce inflammation in the uterine environment and pelvic cavity
  2. Make sure the pelvis, tubes and uterus have been surgically evaluated properly prior to conception, or assisted reproduction (IVF, IUI, ICSI etc)
  3. Increase blood flow and nutrients into the uterine lining
  4. Ensure adequate essential fats and nutrients are given prior to conception
  5. Reduce stress levels
  6. Increase protein and reduce inflammatory refined carbohydrates
  7. Make sure the couple in are optimum health (healthy sperm + healthy eggs=health baby)
  8. Make sure the man is being treated at the same time the woman is (up to 85% of miscarriage issues are related to chromosomal and DNA factors related to poor quality sperm, which cannot be measured by a normal semen analysis)

We need to stop blaming high NK cells as being the cause of miscarriage and embryos not implanting. We need to look at the real cause, which is inflammation, stressed uterine cells ( due to stress in the person), lack of nutrients and blood flow in the uterus and lifestyle factors that is also leading to increase miscarriage rates and reduced embryo implantation.

Let’s not forget that faulty sperm and DNA damage and chromosomal issues with sperm are also a big part of miscarriage too. Miscarriage is not just a woman’s issue. To be honest, statistically it is more likely to be on the male side of the equation and often gets overlooked. But that is a whole other post in itself.

Couples who are part of my fertility program are educated on issues such as this and all the things they need to do to assist them in having a child.  The program has assisted over 12,500 babies into the world and my motto is “No Stone Left Unturned.”

Hopefully in the future this new information will be used to screen women at risk of reproductive failure and help with new treatment options for women suffering recurrent miscarriages or recurrent IVF failure.

If you are having trouble conceiving my fertility program may be able to assist you in getting the answers that you need. If you would like to find out more about my fertility program, please call my friendly staff to find out more.

Regards

Dr Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

-The International Fertility Experts