Is your home making you infertile?

It is estimated that one in seven married couples worldwide experiences difficulty conceiving. Experts at the UAE Reproductive Symposium 2014 put local infertility rates at somewhere around 10 per cent, and all agreed that the demand for fertility treatments here in the UAE is higher than the global average, and rising.

According to the World Health Organization, 85 per cent of couples fall pregnant after one year of trying naturally. Where the woman is below the age of 35, fertility advice is recommended after 12 months without conceiving. Above the age of 35 specialist help is recommended after six months of trying. Dr Lanalle Dunn, naturopathic physician at Dubai’s Chiron Clinic, says the number of those seeking help is on the rise.

“In 2010, the Dubai Health Authority released a report that estimated around 30,000 couples in Dubai were struggling with fertility – that was four years ago, the figure is thought to be higher today. I would estimate that as many as 15 per cent of my patients come to me with fertility-related issues.”

One of the factors leading to the high incidence of infertility is undeniably lifestyle. “Obesity, smoking, alcohol, stress and poor nutrition all play a role,” says Dr Dunn. “But many are unaware that certain toxins in our homes also contribute to infertility.”

Environmental health is an ever-growing field of study. Since the second half of the 20th century, we have seen the introduction of more than 70,000 new chemical compounds. Not all of them are bad, but in this age of consumer awareness, a little knowledge can go a long way.

Dubai London Clinic’s obstetrics and gynaecology specialist Dr Anna Sepiolo says that lifestyle and environmental pollutants are some of the leading causes of today’s growing incidence of infertility. “Reports suggest that environmental oestrogens [or chemicals that mimic our natural oestrogen] are creating infertility problems by confusing the body’s own oestrogen receptors. These are referred to as endocrine disruptors and can be found in pesticides and herbicides but also in many household items. It’s important to realise, however, that it’s not as simple as just cutting out one chemical to achieve pregnancy; the inability to conceive is usually due to a combination of factors, not just environmental toxins alone.”

The dirty dozen

The US-based Environmental Working Group (EWG) has identified 12 hormone-altering chemicals found in our homes that may affect fertility, and suggests ways to avoid them (for the full list and more information on the studies visit www.ewg.org/research/dirty-dozen-list-endocrine-disruptors). One culprit currently under the spotlight is bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical that is commonly used in hard plastics such as water bottles, baby bottles, mobile phones, reusable food containers and the linings of food cans. “What’s concerning is that BPA can leach from the plastic and into the food and drink we consume,” says Dr Dunn. “BPA can disrupt our hormone balance even at very low concentrations. Avoid it by switching to fresh, organic foods and don’t use BPA plastics that are marked with the recycling label #7 or PC.”

Holistic approach

“I may then prescribe specific herbs, homeopathy and vitamins. A typical nutritional supplement I often recommend is powdered maca – a South American root vegetable that’s effective for both men and women in increasing fertility naturally.”