“Detox” is a popular health buzzword these days, and for good reason. When it comes to pre-conception work, there is significant evidence to support its use in the months prior to planning to conceive.
A 2005 Environmental Working Group study found an average of 200 industrial chemicals and pollutants in umbilical cord blood. Lead, cadmium and mercury were measured in placental tissue, umbilical cord and maternal blood samples. Decreasing the toxin burden of both parents will not only improve egg and sperm quality, but also decrease the maternal toxin burden passed on to child in utero via the placenta and while breastfeeding.
In my clinical practice, I typically recommend a three-month preconception detox for both partners, to have the biggest impact on egg and sperm quality, and to release stored toxins prior to conception. This plan typically includes:
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- Decreasing the amount of toxins that are entering the body – particularly in the food supply, as well as water and air and home environment – using EWG’s dirty dozen list to guide organic produce purchasing decisions is a great place to start
- Supporting the liver in the detoxification process, with both nutrients and herbal support, along with a whole-foods diet – Milk Thistle is a herbal medicine I often prescribe for liver support
- Supporting the emunctories (our elimination organs, including the GI tract, lungs and skin) in ridding our bodies of toxins – I often start with probiotics and foods/fibre that will promote regular bowel movements
Fertility involves a complex series of factors that empower or disempower your body, and your partner’s body, to reproduce another human being. Any strategy you can use to support your bodies to be at their best is worth pursuing, and detox has the happy side effect of supporting your bodies in numerous other ways to be healthy parents during and after pregnancy as well!
I hope you have found this helpful, and do let me know if you have any questions!
If you are hungry for more evidence-based information in your pregnancy, sign up for my free webinar: 7 Pregnancy Myths Debunked – and get the information you need to have a healthy pregnancy and a thriving baby.
And if you are a care-provider looking for evidence-based resources for your fertility patients, please get in touch with us at support@
In health,
Dr Jocelyn Land-Murphy, ND
Terra Life
Disclaimer: The information and content provided is for general educational and informational purposes only and is not professional medical advice, nor is it intended to be a substitute therefore. Please consult the Disclaimer and Terms of Use for full details.
References:
Environmental Working Group. (2005). Body Burden — The Pollution in Newborns. A benchmark investigation of industrial chemicals, pollutants and pesticides in umbilical cord blood.
Marcho, C. et al. (2019). The preconception environment and sperm epigenetics. Andrology.
Rozati, R. et al. (2002). Role of environmental estrogens in the deterioration of male factor fertility. Fertility Sterility.
Sears, M. (2012). Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury in Sweat: A Systematic Review. Journal of Environmental Health in Clinical Medicine.
Uzumcu, M. et al. (2007). Developmental exposure to environmental endocrine disruptors: Consequences within the ovary and on female reproductive function. Reproductive Toxicology, 23(3): 337-352.