Information about Infertility and Fecundity

by John P. Thomas
Health Impact News

For several years now, I have been noticing scientific references to how human fertility is being threatened. I wasn’t sure what to make of these warnings, because it seems that couples are still producing offspring and the schools are still full of children.

Recently, I read several statistics that made me pause and examine whether the threat is real.

1. The U.S. fertility rate fell to another record low in 2012, with 63.0 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44 years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s down slightly from the previous low of 63.2 in 2011. It marked the fifth year in a row the U.S. birth rate has declined, and the lowest rate on record since the government started tracking the fertility rate in 1909. [1]
2. For five years now, America’s teen birth rate has plummeted at an unprecedented rate, falling faster and faster. Between 2007 and 2013, the number of babies born to teens annually fell by 38.4 percent, according to research firm Demographic Intelligence. This drop occurred in tandem with steep declines in the abortion rate. [2]
3. A few years ago, statistics from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put the number of women having difficulty conceiving at approximately 10 percent—roughly 1 in 10. Now, using results from this newest survey [reported in 2013], that number appears to be closer to 16 percent—1 in every 6 couples. [3]

Do these statistics alarm you? Are we watching the leading edge of a slowly moving tidal wave of infertility about to sweep over the world, or is this just a little statistical blip that will reverse itself next year?

I wasn’t sure what is really happening with human fertility until I took a hard look at the data and the science. I now believe that there is strong reason to be concerned about the emerging trend.

Scientists Identify Numerous Causes of Infertility

We are being warned that our exposure to pesticides, industrial chemicals, processed food, food additives, sugar, trans fats, genetically modified food, vaccines, medications, radiation, tobacco, excessive alcohol, recreational drugs, cleaning products, synthetic fragrances, and other toxins are all having a negative effect upon the ability to conceive and produce healthy babies.

There are research studies scattered throughout various scientific disciplines, which are raising serious warnings about the harmful consequences of our lifestyle choices. These choices are threatening our capacity to produce healthy children.

Sadly, these warnings are largely being ignored by the mainstream media.

Fertility Rate is Different than Prevalence of Infertility

What we commonly see in the media is a discussion of fertility rate, but when considering the threat to our on-going ability to produce children, we must also consider the prevalence of infertility.

We are seeing an increasing prevalence of couples that are not able to produce children even though they wish to become parents. If it takes 10 women producing 21 children in order to maintain the current population in the United States, then what happens if one or two of those women are unable to have children? If the population is to remain stable, then the remaining 8 or 9 women will need to produce additional children. So, if 8 out of every 10 women produce 21 children, then the population stays stable.

Thus, the fertility rate could remain stable even if a large number of couples are infertile. This leads to the mistaken assumption that as long as babies continue to be produced every year, then we shouldn’t be concerned about fertility.

So, what about the 16% of couples who are now infertile? Do we ignore the increasing rate of infertility or should we see it as the leading edge of a trend that is heading toward even higher rates of infertility?

The evidence is clear! There is an emerging trend of increasing infertility and the reasons for the trend are easy to see if we are willing to look for them.

What is the Mainstream Media saying about the Rate of Fertility?

The mainstream media commonly speaks of the fertility rate when they discuss the topic of social trends in human reproduction. They usually paint a picture that shows us that everything is OK and any reductions in the fertility rate should be seen as a positive sign of social progress. We are being encouraged to believe that a lower population will be better for America and the world, and it doesn’t matter much how that goal is accomplished.

Some media sources want us to believe that these trends are simply a matter of economic choice, i.e., the economy is slow and couples are just delaying bringing children into the world until they can better afford to raise them. Certainly this has some truth, because this type of trend was observed during the Great Depression at the beginning of the 1930s. But I think there is much more to the story, which is the point of this article.

CNN Money Reported in September 2013:

The U.S. fertility rate fell to another record low in 2012, with 63.0 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44 years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s down slightly from the previous low of 63.2 in 2011. It marked the fifth year in a row the U.S. birth rate has declined, and the lowest rate on record since the government started tracking the fertility rate in 1909. In 2007, the rate was 69.3.

It takes 2.1 children per woman for a given generation to replace itself, and U.S. births have been below replacement level since 2007. About 22% of 18-to-34-year-olds surveyed by the Pew Research Center in December 2011 said they had postponed having a baby because of economic conditions. Even in 2012 — three years after the recession officially ended — 36% of Millennials ages 18 to 31 still lived at home with their parents, according to Pew analysis of U.S. Census data. [4]

VOX.com reported in August 2014:

For five years now, America’s teen birth rate has plummeted at an unprecedented rate, falling faster and faster. Between 2007 and 2013, the number of babies born to teens annually fell by 38.4 percent, according to research firm Demographic Intelligence. This drop occurred in tandem with steep declines in the abortion rate. That suggests that the drop isn’t the product of more teenagers terminating pregnancies. More simply, fewer girls are getting pregnant.

But there’s something uniquely frustrating about the recent, steep decline in teen birth rates: nobody knows why it’s happened. The recent and rapid decline in the teen birth rate is largely a mystery. It makes it difficult to implement policies to further reduce teen births when nobody knows what’s working so well right now.

“You want to say, well, let’s just keep doing what we’re doing,” Laura Lindberg, a senior research associate at the Guttmacher Institute said. “But then you have to answer the question: what in the world are we doing?” [5] (emphasis added)

Ecologists, toxicologists, sociologists, physicians, policy analysts, etc. all tend to view data through the lenses of their own profession. When a pattern such as the decline in fertility rates is observed, these professionals will formulate theories based on their expertise, and will often ignore other possibilities, which are outside of their field of knowledge.

Health educators and public health policy makers are eager to take credit for the falling fertility rates, because they believe it is a sign of social progress and a sign of their influence. They believe that teen pregnancy should be avoided so that young women can seek careers, rather than be stay at home moms.

Having read quite a bit of literature about fertility and fecundity, I have come to the conclusion that the changes in fertility rates do not have a single cause. I do not necessarily believe that the rapid fall in the pregnancy rate is completely positive news or a sign of social progress. Rather, I suspect that these trends may actually include the negative consequences of various forms of toxic chemical exposure and the negative consequences of the standard American diet, which are making it impossible for many couples to have children.

In general, the mainstream media wants us to believe that the falling birth rate is a wonderful accomplishment. They are not sure why it is happening, but they want us to rejoice in the social progress and not be alarmed. Should we really be rejoicing, or should we be mourning over the dark side of what is happening? Let’s look more closely at the other side of the story, which is infertility.

Prevalence of Infertility

As we have seen, Americans are having fewer children. However, increasing numbers of couples who want children are unable to conceive and produce healthy babies. They are turning to very expensive medical procedures as an alternative to natural conception.

The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART), an affiliate of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, is the primary organization of professionals dedicated to the practice of assisted reproductive technologies in the United States. Its 2012 press release on assisted reproductive technologies in the US states:

SART’s 379 member clinics performed 165,172 cycles, or procedures involving IVF, in 2012.  These procedures resulted in the birth of 61,740 babies, an increase of more than 2000 infants from 2011. There were an estimated 3.9 million babies born in the US in 2012, thus IVF babies now constitute over 1.5% of all births. This is the largest number of cycles, of babies and percentage of babies born through IVF ever reported. [6]

Reuters reported in January of 2013 that almost one out of every 6 couples is now experiencing infertility. They reported that the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology indicated that the cost for each round of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) cost $15,000 in 2010. [7]

If we multiply the 2010 cost of each round of IVF treatment by the 165,172 treatments given in 2012, we find that Americans spent 2.48 billion dollars to produce 61,740 babies. This is a cost of $40,129 per child. Should we be concerned that 1.5% of US children are being produced by this extreme and expensive form of medical intervention? Reuters further reported:

Infertility specialist Dr. Sacha Krieg from the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City agreed that infertility rates may be on the rise – possibly due to women waiting longer to try to have children or, more controversially, to the possible effects of environmental toxins. [8]

An article from the National Center for Biotechnology Information speaks more directly to the environmental effects on increasing rates of human infertility. Their report states:

Fertility declines may stem at least in part from the modern tendency to delay child-bearing until later in life, when fertility naturally declines. But this doesn’t explain the fact that, according to a December 2005 report of the CDC’s National Survey on Family Growth (NSFG), the fastest-growing segment of U.S. women with impaired fecundity (the capacity to conceive and carry a child to term) is those under 25. Clues from environmental exposure assessments, wildlife studies, and animal and human studies hint at additional factors: exposure to low-level environmental contaminants such as phthalates, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, pesticides, and other chemicals may be subtly undermining our ability to reproduce.

As recognized by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, infertility is a biological disease that impairs a couple’s ability to achieve a viable pregnancy. It can be caused by hormonal, ovarian, uterine, urological, and other medical factors. Known risk factors include advanced age, being over-or underweight, lack of exercise, smoking, alcohol and substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, and poor nutrition. [9]

It is very easy to underestimate the complex series of events that must take place within a male body and a female body to prepare for the possibility of achieving pregnancy. Julia Barrett, author of the article, “Fertile Grounds of Inquiry: Environmental Effects on Human Reproduction,” provides us with even more important information about fertility. Her report states:

Fertility transcends the reproductive system, notes Louis Guillette, a professor of zoology at the University of Florida in Gainesville. “When you talk about infertility, you literally are talking about probably almost every system in the body—infertility is an integrated signal of all these different systems,” he explains.

“There seems to be more to it [impaired fecundity] than can be explained from traditional understanding about impacts,” says Joseph Isaacs, president and CEO of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. “As a patient advocacy group, we believe more research into environmental impacts is needed. We fear that future generations may be at risk because of exposures to toxic substances as early as in utero.”

Geographic differences may suggest environmental exposures that need investigation, wrote Swan in a paper published in the February 2006 issue of Seminars in Reproductive Medicine. For example, in the first phase of the EPA-funded Study for Future Families, of which Swan is the principal investigator, she and her colleagues saw significant reductions in sperm concentration, motility, and total motile sperm in men from Columbia, Missouri, compared with men in New York City, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles. In an in-depth follow-up study comparing variables between the Columbia and Minneapolis men, the researcher discovered that the Missouri group had had higher exposure to agricultural pesticides. Further, men with low sperm counts were more likely to have higher urine metabolite levels of the pesticides alachlor, atrazine, metolachlor, and diazinon. [10] (emphasis added)

Environmental Toxic Exposure from GMO Crops and Infertility

There are several scientific studies that describe the direct link between toxic exposure and increasing rates of infertility. As you will see, this is not just an US phenomenon, but a worldwide pattern, which is prompting international concern. Toxic exposure most frequently targets the endocrine system, which must function properly in both the male and female if children are to be conceived and brought into the world. Minor disruptions in the balance of hormones can disrupt numerous life processes and prevent pregnancy.

Dr. Swanson, one of the leading researchers in the field of glyphosate’s effect upon the human endocrine system provides some basic information to explain how pesticide exposure disrupts the endocrine system. She identifies glyphosate as an endocrine disrupter, and further states:

The endocrine disrupting properties of glyphosate (Roundup Ready Herbicide used on GMO crops) can lead to reproductive problems: infertility, miscarriage, birth defects, and sexual development. Fetuses, infants and children are especially susceptible because they are continually experiencing growth and hormonal changes. For optimal growth and development, it is crucial that their hormonal system is functioning properly. There are increasing reports of glyphosates and glyphosate formulations causing sexual dysfunction, low birth weight, fewer births and sterility in laboratory animals, farm animals and humans. A Russian study found that feeding hamsters GMO soy resulted in complete sterility after two or three generations.

… Other known endocrine disruptors are: BPA (bisphenol-A) & phthalates (both in plastics), dioxins (byproduct of smelting, paper bleaching, manufacture of herbicides and pesticides), atrazine, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs — used in electrical equipment, coatings, inks, adhesives, flame-retardants, and paints). Indeed, we are bombarded with a veritable cocktail of chemicals daily in addition to GMOs and their associated herbicides. These include food preservatives (BHA & BHT), water contaminants (chlorine & fluoride), food additives (aspartame, monosodium glutamate, carrageenan), and food coloring to name a few. We have been exposed to an increasing background level of chemicals for over 40 years. The body burden becomes overwhelming. GMOs [genetically modified organisms] may be pushing us off the cliff. [11]

Canadian researchers report a relationship between glyphosate and endometriosis. Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent inflammatory disease affecting 10% of reproductive-aged women. It is often accompanied by chronic pelvic pain and infertility. Over the last decade, an increase in the incidence of endometriosis has been reported. It is being linked with the introduction of genetically modified foods in our diet. [12]

Vaccines and Infertility

Clear medical evidence now shows that some vaccines can cause permanent infertility in teenage girls and young women.

In October of 2013 the American Journal of Reproductive Immunology published a report of “primary ovarian failure,” where three young girls stopped having periods and showed signs of menopause following the HPV vaccine. [13]

This followed a report written by Dr. Deirdre Little, a pediatrician in Australia, documenting the HPV vaccine causing premature menopause in one of her 16 year old patients in 2012. Dr. Little published a paper in the British Medical Journal warning about the effects of the Gardasil HPV vaccine in potentially destroying young girl’s reproductive health. [14] (See: Study: HPV Vaccine Linked to Premature Menopause in Young Girls.)

The Washington Times reports on a vaccine court case involving Gardasil related infertility:

Two Wisconsin sisters have asked a federal court to find that a government-recommended vaccine is responsible for them losing the ability to conceive children.

At issue is Gardasil, a three-dose vaccine recommended for children 11 to 12 years old to prevent infection by certain strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) that are linked to genital and oral cancers.

The case of Madelyne Meylor, 20, and Olivia Meylor, 19, of Mount Horeb, Wisc., was presented last week to a special master with the vaccine program at the U.S. Federal Claims Court in Washington, D.C.

The women say the premature ovarian failure they both experienced by age 16 was caused by the three doses of Gardasil they received in their young teens. [15]

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, over 67 million doses of the HPV vaccine have been injected into [mostly] young girls between 2006 and 2013. [16]

Since these vaccines are recommended starting at age 12, we have yet to see the full effects of the HPV vaccine on fertility and reproductive health in upcoming generations.

Dr. Mercola reported about Polysorbate 80, which is an endocrine system disrupting ingredient in flu vaccines. It is linked to infertility. His article explains:

 Swine flu vaccine, among others, contains Polysorbate 80, also known as Tween 80.

A study done in Slovakia on female rats found that when newborn rats were injected with the substance within a week of birth, they developed damage to the vagina and uterine lining, hormonal changes, ovarian deformities and infertility.

The package insert for Fluarix mentions that the manufacturer cannot guarantee your fertility will be unharmed. Further, if your fertility is compromised, recently passed laws protecting vaccine makers will prevent you from holding GlaxoSmithKline responsible.

Would you feel comfortable being injected with a vaccine that contains a substance that has been strongly linked to infertility? Well, if you take the Fluarix swine flu vaccine manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline or any of the other swine flu vaccines that contain Polysorbate 80, that is exactly what you will be doing. [17]

Prescription Drugs and Infertility

There is evidence that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit ovulation. Women who have used thyroid replacement hormones, antidepressants, tranquilizers or asthma medication were reported to have elevated risks of being unable to release eggs during the menstrual cycle (anovulatory infertility).

Chemotherapy treatment with cytotoxic drugs can induce ovarian failure at different rates for various types of malignancies.  Chemotherapy treatment can produce a situation where there are no sperm cells in semen (azoospermia), which is permanent in most cases.

Medication such as cimetidine and sulphasalazine, long term-daily use of some antibiotics, and androgen injections can affect semen quality and can cause low sperm count (oligozoospermia). Use of beta-blockers and psychotropic drugs may lead to impotence. [18]

Conclusions: Infertility is a Huge Problem Plaguing Modern Society

Throughout history, we know that there has always been some level of infertility among couples. We now know that infertility is not just a problem with the reproductive capability of women, but is also shared by men.

The research that has been presented shows that male infertility is a growing concern, because many of the toxic substances that men encounter have estrogenic qualities, which can disrupt their endocrine functioning. The result can be diminished sperm counts and diminished sperm vitality/mobility.

We also know that the food couples eat will have a direct ability to either contribute to fertility or to inhibit fertility. The low fat standard American diet with its emphasis on sugar, white flour, trans fats, polyunsaturated oils, and hundreds of chemical additives, will interfere with conception because of all the toxins contained in this type of diet, its inadequate amount of healthy saturated fat, and its sparse amount of nutrients. In earlier times, people were not afraid of dietary fat. They valued a high fat diet and some cultures encouraged young couples to eat special foods designed to prepare their bodies for conception and pregnancy. Infertility should not be seen as a personal failure of individuals to produce children.

The reality is that both men and women are constantly being exposed to factors that are making it more and more difficult to conceive and bring children into the world. There was a time when almost all couples placed children at the center of their lives. Their properly balanced hormonal activity fostered a strong natural desire to produce children and to devote themselves to the raising of the next generation.

Today, our natural hormonal balance is under constant stress from numerous factors that are hard for us to control. We all face many distractions and economic needs, which are weakening the desire as well as the ability to conceive and raise children.

Unless our exposure to junk food and toxic chemical contamination begins to decrease, it is unlikely that the prevalence of infertility will decrease. The warning has been clearly given by scientists; it is up to us to respond.

Young couples may need to take strong steps to insure their ability to produce children. For many couples, it may be necessary to change their diet and to limit their exposure to fertility disrupting substances. For those of us who are beyond the age of bearing children, we can help by speaking the truth about the low quality toxic food supply in America and the high levels of environmental toxins, which are threatening our future reproductive health.

Get the eBook on How to Overcome Infertility Naturally

If you are seeking for natural ways as opposed to drugs to increase your fertility, I hope that you obtain the eBook below that we have created on fertility. In that book, you will understand that the suggestions being offered there are made with respect and honor for the important work that young couples are doing for us. It is truly a special time of your life and I wish to be an encouragement to you as you work to solve the problem of your infertility.

The eBook contains the information from this article, as well as my second article on this topic:

Overcoming Infertility Naturally Without Drugs

In addition to all of the information contained in these two articles, it also includes the following practical advice:

Cleaning the Toxic Load from Your Life and Your Body

• Suggestions Concerning Pesticides in Your Environment
• Suggestions Concerning Pesticides in Your food
• Suggestions Concerning Pesticides in Your Water
• Suggestions Concerning Plasticizing Chemicals
• Suggestions Concerning Smoking and Air Pollution
• Suggestions Concerning Formaldehyde and other Chemical Additives in Cleaning Products
• Suggestions Concerning Solvents
• Suggestions Concerning Doing a Home Makeover
• Suggestions Concerning Pharmaceutical Drugs and Vaccines
• Suggestions Concerning Coffee, Alcohol, and other Recreational Drugs
• Suggestions Concerning Toxic Exposure at Work

Making Lifestyle Changes

• Suggestions Concerning Your Weight
• Suggestions for How to Lose Weight
• Suggestions Concerning Cell Phones and other Electronic Devices
• Suggestions about Sleep
• Suggestions Concerning Alternative Health Practitioners
• Suggestions Concerning Prayer
• Waiting after Making Lifestyle changes before Trying to Conceive

Read Today’s Rapidly Growing Infertility Problem on your mobile device!

$1.99

 

References

[1] “Baby bust: U.S. births at record low,” Annalyn Kurtz, New York (CNNMoney), September 6, 2013. http://money.cnn.com/2013/09/06/news/economy/birth-rate-low/

[2] “The mystery of the falling teen birth rate,” Sarah Kliff, VOX, August 20, 2014. http://www.vox.com/2014/8/20/5987845/the-mystery-of-the-falling-teen-birth-rate

[3] “Why Are Infertility Rates on the Rise?” (Three experts weigh in on national survey that shows that even more US couples are experiencing infertility), Jacqueline Tourville, BabyZone, January 2013, Retrieved 9/9/2014. http://www.babyzone.com/getting-pregnant/infertility/us-infertility-rates-rising_231910

[4] “Baby bust: U.S. births at record low,” Annalyn Kurtz, New York (CNNMoney), September 6, 2013. http://money.cnn.com/2013/09/06/news/economy/birth-rate-low/

[5] “The mystery of the falling teen birth rate,” Sarah Kliff, VOX, August 20, 2014. http://www.vox.com/2014/8/20/5987845/the-mystery-of-the-falling-teen-birth-rate

[6] “ASRM Press Release: Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology Releases New Annual Report on In Vitro Fertilization Procedures,” February 17, 2014, Retrieved 9/11/2014. http://www.sart.org/Society_for_Assisted_Reproductive_Technology_Releases_New_Annual_Report_on_In_Vitro_Fertilization_Procedures/

[7] “Almost one in six couples face infertility,” Reuters, January 11, 2013. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/11/us-couples-infertility-idUSBRE90A13Y20130111

[8] IBID.

[9] Julia R. Barrett; “Fertile Grounds of Inquiry: Environmental Effects on Human Reproduction,” Environmental Health Perspectives, National Center for Biotechnology Information, November 2006, PMCID: PMC1665442. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1665442/

[10] IBID.

[11] “Genetically Modified Organisms and the deterioration of health in the United States,” N.L. Swanson, 4/24/2013, Retrieved 9/11/14. http://sustainablepulse.comGMO-health-1.pdf

[12] Aris A1, Paris K.; “Hypothetical link between endometriosis and xenobiotics-associated genetically modified food,” Gynecol Obstet Fertil. 2010 December, PMID: 21111655.

[13] Colafrancesco S, et. al. “Human papilloma virus vaccine and primary ovarian failure: another facet of the autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants,”  American Journal of Reproductive Immunology, October 2013, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23902317

[14] Little DT1, Ward HR. “Premature ovarian failure 3 years after menarche in a 16-year-old girl following human papillomavirus vaccination,” British Medical Journal, September 2012, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23035167

[15] “HPV vaccine cited in infertility case,” Cheryl Wetzstein, The Washington Times, November 11, 2013, Retrieved 9/11/14. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/nov/11/hpv-vaccine-cited-in-infertility-case/?page=all

[16] National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) Adjudication Categories by Vaccine for Claims Filed Calendar Year 2006 to Present, Statistics as of September 8, 2014. http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/statisticsreport.pdf

[17] “Fluarix – Flu Vaccine that Can Cause Infertility,” Mercola.com, October 15, 2010, Retrieved 9/11/14. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/15/fluarix-flu-vaccine-that-can-cause-infertility.aspx

[18] “Initial advice to people concerned about delays in conception,” National Center for Biotechnology Information Bookshelf, Retrieved 9/10/14. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK45927/