According to National Infertility Association and contrary to the common belief, as many as 70% of pregnancies may end in miscarriage! With more than 50% of losses going undetected and mistaken for a period. Formerly it was believed that only 15-20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. Those figures seems small to the alarmingly high numbers reported today.

The two most common reasons a miscarriage occurs are:

1. The product of pregnancy – the embryo was damaged and could not develop into a healthy baby.
2. The environment – the embryo’s environment did not support its healthy development.

Either way the culprit can be found on the cellular level.

Chromosomal abnormalities, immune abnormalities and progesterone deficiency are some of the reasons of miscarriages. However they don’t exist without a cause.

The delicate internal balance between hormones, nutrients and toxins in both partners determines what you will be passing onto the embryo and how your body will react to it.

Be that as may the bottom line is – Healthy Couples are Fertile Couples!

Here are 5 ways you can minimize the risk of miscarriage and maximize your chances of taking home a healthy baby:

1. Could you be zinc deficient?

Zinc is the most important mineral for the reproductive system. Zinc deficiency among many other things impairs body’s ability to properly maintain pregnancy in women and produce healthy sperm in men.

Unfortunately zinc competes for absorption with the most of the nutrients from food and is often called the “lonely mineral”. This means it is one of the minerals which is most likely to be deficient. On top of that artificial hormones in the form of oral contraceptives and ovulation drugs significantly reduce its levels further.

Some symptoms of zinc deficiency:

o Frequent colds and infections
o White spots on fingernails
o Mental exhaustion
o Poor appetite
o Dry skin and hair
o Poor sense of taste and smell

How to boost your zinc levels:

o Good sources of zinc are: lean meat, whole grains, egg yolk and oysters.
o Take a zinc supplement last thing at night to ensure its absorption.

2. Boost your progesterone levels

Progesterone aka pregnancy hormone needs to be at the optimal level for pregnancy to be maintained.
Progesterone deficiency is characterized by PMS and short cycles and is often referred to as a luteal phase defect.

What to do?

Ensure adequate intake of magnesium and vitamin B6 for production of progesterone.
Foods like seeds, nuts and egg yolk are rich in B vitamins and dark green leafy vegetables, legumes and nuts are a good source of magnesium. However you may need to supplement to get optimal therapeutic doses of each. If you eat non organically grown food, the likelihood of nutrient depletion of those foods is high.

3. Increase your vitamin C intake

The strength of the lining of your uterus (womb) is crucial when you are trying to conceive and stay pregnant. More commonly than not, when the connective tissue is weak the embryo will not be able to attach or stay attached. The quality of the connective tissue and blood vessels depends on how much vitamin C and bioflavonoids are present in the body. Bioflavonoids help the body absorb more vitamin C and also contribute to the strength of the connective tissue.

Where do you find vitamin C?

Citrus fruits: preferably lemons, limes and grapefruits as well as berries which are loaded with bioflavonoids.

4. Butt it out for good

Miscarriages more commonly occur when the male partner has low sperm counts and visually abnormal sperm. Smoking severely impacts the quality and quantity of sperm. Scientists discovered that quitting smoking has increased sperm count in men who quit smoking for 5-15 months by 50-800% respectively.
Here is how to give it up for good:

1. Set a date to quit
2. Tell all those close to you that you are quitting
3. If both partners smoke, quit together
4. When the date arrives throw out all the smoking paraphernalia (cigarettes, ashtrays…) from your home, car etc..
5. When you get the urge to light up get up, walk, take a few breaths of fresh air and have some water instead
6. Change your routines to reduce the association with smoking (coffee, drinks and parties)…

And remember:

1. Body’s addiction to nicotine only lasts for 3 days
2. It takes 21 days to get rid of the old habit and to acquire a new habit
3. Nature abhors vacuum! So if you give up something make sure you replace it with something else that’s good for you.

5. Put that drink down and Give up coffee

When trying to conceive it’s best to stay clear from all the alcohol. Alcohol is very harmful to woman’s eggs and men sperm before conception. As little as ONE glass can reduce fertility by 50%! This can further lead to damage of developing embryo and result in a miscarriage.
Are you aware of the scientific fact that drinking coffee before and during pregnancy doubles the risk of miscarriage? Studies have found that drinking as little as one cup of coffee per day increase the risk of non conceiving by 55%. Every additional cup keeps raising the risk even further.
There are great coffee substitutes available in health food shops and you might want to give them a try.

6. Optimal preconception care

Optimal preconception care started well before you try to conceive has been found to reduce most of the common causes of miscarriages.