Random TTC Topic

katie0919

Now that I have been TTC for almost a year, with two miscarriages (one CP and one miscarriage at just over 8 weeks), I am curious what sort of things you have read/heard that affect fertility.

My most recent (that I read just this morning) is that Stevia extract shown to cause infertility in rats in a study done in the late 60s (granted, rats are not humans and they were given the herb in HUGE amounts, much larger than any normal person would consume). Anywho, this got me worried. When I conceived my son, I never used Stevia (I used Splenda, which is terrible for you), and I thought I was choosing a more natural no-calorie sweetener by switching to Stevia. 

I also didn't really drink coffee when I conceived him...I mostly drank diet sodas (again, terrible for you). Now I drink a (large) cup of organic coffee everyday to be more natural. BUT, that being said, could my "natural" choice of Stevia and coffee be ruining my fertility? Or has this all been luck of the draw. I don't feel like I over consume anything that could be perceived as "bad" but I now wonder if I should just give up all my vices for now, to see if it helps me at all. Just curious what strange or off-beat things you have read that could affect fertility. I think I will just not drink anything but water from now on.

tmorash

I drink a cup of coffee every day, pretty much -- somtimes two, but I'm conisdering switching to decaf (blasphemy!) for the second. Or maybe the first even, if my BFP remains out of reach this cycle. I drink my coffee black, so the stevia/splenda question deosn't apply. Would just straight-up sugar be a reasonable alternative?

There's the alcohol bit too, of course (although I think the jury is still out on any clear connection between alcohol and fertility when TTC). I haven't really been limiting my alcohol intake -- not that I'm a big drinker or anything, but a glass or two of wine with dinner every few nights, and probably a few more on the weekends. I've decided to cut back though, just in case it'll increase our chances.

And what about on the flip-side of the fertility question -- things that might help boost fertility? I take a prenatal (not to boost fertility necessarily, but to be ahead of the game once I get that BFP), and I also take a B-complex and Fish Oil capsules, as I've heard they both can contribute to lengthening the luteal phase.

I'm generally pretty skeptical about any such claims, but it seems that when it comes to TTC, if I haven't seen anything specifically warning that it can decrease fertility, I'll give it a shot. So I'll be staying tuned to see what other ladies have to say on this topic!

 

tlc35

I hate that this makes us second guess random stuff. My gut says it is just shitty luck of the draw.  The only think I can think of that I'm doing differently is that I started taking CoQ10, extra folic acid and Calcium with vitamin D. The other thing is that I have cut back on the Soy milk.  My H likes it so I was drinking it but now I don't drink it very often. I've never been a fan of artificial sweeteners in general but that is an interesting thought.\
PS I am glad to see you posting here.

hooligans4

Skip all artificial sweeteners. 1 tsp of sugar is only 15 calories. So as long as you don't drink other sugary drinks having a tsp if sugar in your coffee isn't bad.
I switched to decaf coffee, no artificial sweeteners and cut out alcohol almost completely.

I recently read that too much soy can affect fertility. If that's the case than I'm screwed. I'm a vegetarian and most of my protein is soy based.
I've been vegetarian for over 25 years and my son is 10 so obviously it didn't have an effect back then but now I'm old and my eggs ain't what they used to be.

katie0919

hooligans4 I don't use artificial sweeteners at all - hence why I switched to Stevia. It's not artificial, it's derived from a plant. However, how they process it makes all the difference in the world. My question was that, Stevia is an herb - there are natural herbs that can have an adverse affect on fertility. I know a small amount of sugar is fine, but I really don't care to add them into my diet. 

I'm actually MUCH healthier than I was when I conceived DS. I eat about 90-96% of my diet organic and natural (I make everything we eat from scratch with natural and fresh ingredients), I also RARELY eat anything processed, I don't eat any soy products, we shop entirely at Whole Foods (don't worry people, I know that doesn't mean I'm perfectly healthy). That's why I was curious as to if there is something natural I am doing that isn't necessarily good for my fertility. I find it funny that I got pregnant immediately with DS when I was eating a lot of processed foods, drinking diet sodas/using artificial sweeteners, drinking more than I do now, etc. Of course I was 31 when I got pregnant with him....being 35 now, I'm sure that makes a bigger difference than I think. Although, my RE does just say she thinks my miscarriages have been "bad luck" and feels good about my prognosis for the future.

My biggest vice is alcohol, for sure - which is the extent of any sugar I actually consume. I actually don't touch it during the week, but on the weekend I drink more than I should in one day, that's for sure. 

tmorash - I too take a prenatal (never stopped after getting pg with my son)....they don't increase fertility, but help prevent birth defects obviously. The vitamin C, CoQ10, vitamin E, Vitamin B complex...I've read all that and do so, but it hasn't helped my luteal phase all that much. I considered what is it, vitex? But read that can REALLY jack you up. Ugh. TTC is an all-consuming absolute mind fuck, eh?!

kelley72

I'm oddball on this I think, I do not do anything different than I ever have, save one thing.  I don't drink alcohol and haven't for 9 years, but prior to that I drank heavily.  If I could safely drink, in moderation, I would. I drink coffee, just as I always have.  I also have never been into artificial sweeteners as a taste preference not because I think  moderate amounts they are dangerous.

I  I just don't believe anything, unless it is a known teratogen, is going to make a difference one way or the other, in a fairly typical diet.  Now, that doesn't mean I don't believe in taking prenatals I do.  I also believe the unknown affect of otc and/or homeopathic/natural remedies may cause more harm than good.

I also don't think that doesn't mean some particular people are particularly sensitive to diet changes, but that is for those with known issues ex. pcos, diabetes,  similar.

Anyway it is interesting discussion.

edit delete unnecessary words

tmorash

@katie0919 "an all-consuming absolute mind fuck" sums it up perfectly; I couldn't possibly have said it better myself. How on earth did I think I would just casually try to get pregnant and not become dangerously preoccupied with it? I am just pathologically impatient I guess, and am even annoying myself with my inability to relax about the whole damn thing. I'm exhausting.

@kelley72 I bet your're right. And yet here I am, popping 5 pills a day (to be fair, it's only a prenatal, a b-complex, and three fish oils).

kelley72

love it @tmorash  mental masterbation = fucking myself... yet I do it every cycle

kelley72

back at you @clgsquared !

ladycop79

I stopped using sweeteners in my coffee even before we started to TTC. (I have a corn allergy and there is some sort of corn in everything! Argh!)  I am debating whether stopping my one-cup-a-day coffee habit but I don't WANT to over think everything...

But y'all are right- I overthink everything nowadays. Sucks big time...

wannabmama23

I got half decaf coffee a couple weeks ago and DH looked at me like I had three heads. I'm trying to wean myself off the caffeine bc I get headaches if I don't have it now and I want to stick to no more than small cup if pg, so didn't cut back specifically to get KU, but just in case I do...

I eat pretty healthy, need to be better about exercise, but get out at least a couple times a week.

I'm cutting back on the alcohol (save last weekend...away in a cabin with lots of wine, whoops). That's really my biggest vice.

I'm also trying to be really good about no refined sugar, eating clean, etc. but again I think that's more to help any future baby than to help get KU now.

Davie813

I'm with @Kelley72 on this one.  I took in plenty of artificial sweetener (the REAL kind--Aspartame!), caffeine, and alcohol while TTC DD, and conceived on our 2nd cycle trying.

This time, I tried restricting those things (for a while), took about a zillion supplements, did acupuncture...Nada.

I think if lifestyle changes work for you and make you feel good, then great, go for it!  But I don't honestly think incidentals like these can do much to override age/egg quality/overall health.  I'm a proponent of living a life you enjoy.  Giving up my little daily pleasures just made failing to conceive that much worse...

URMySunshine77

I am vegetarian, eat pretty healthy and organic, cut out most of the caffeine from my diet, and completely cut out alcohol, but sometimes I wonder if I really need to. Is a glass a wine a week really going to prevent me from getting pregnant? I'm starting to get a little disillusioned.

wannabmama23

@URMySunshine77‌ I say enjoy a glass here and there, if anything, it might be a nice relaxation...and judging from all the people I know who have gotten KU after a wild night, a glass here or there is probably fine...of course I'm no doctor and I've never been pg...

Davie813

wannabmama23 said:

@URMySunshine77‌ I say enjoy a glass here and there, if anything, it might be a nice relaxation...and judging from all the people I know who have gotten KU after a wild night, a glass here or there is probably fine...of course I'm no doctor and I've never been pg...

I honestly think I've read that red wine can help (in moderation, obviously--I've definitely read that 5 or more drinks a week hurts your chances).  Don't quote me, though.   But again, if you feel like you're making quality of life sacrifices to get pg, I really think that makes it harder when it doesn't happen.

lcwed

Cutting back on the diet coke has been the hardest thing for me.  I only really do that because of the sweetener.  I had cut it out last time and it still took 5 months to get pregnant.  DD was conceived over the atlantic ocean coming back from our honeymoon tour of Italy.  It was a guided tour with lots of meals where unlimited wine was given.  DH made my new nickname "lush lcwed" after we got back.  As I finished AF when we started it, the alcohol had no effect on my fertility.  I was only 2 years away from AMA status so I say its just a luck of the draw.  I mean, people were having babies before all these concerns were considered.  What makes me nuts is the episodes of "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant" where women were doing all that stuff, not trying and ended up pregnant.  It's right up there with all the teenage Opps! pregnancy.

Radiantly

For my body I tend to be dehydrated and want to loosen up my tube blockage. Coffee and alcohol are notorious dryer-uppers so I'm sticking to water mostly and herbal tea. I don't usually drink soda anyway or use sugar (mostly honey or maple syrup) but when I do it does dehydrate me also. That's my 2c. I am very sensitive to everything so yeah...