Promoting Fertility, Empowering Women

by Million Marker

The fertility journey at times can make you feel like you are not in control of the situation. Don't worry, you are not alone and we are here to provide you with resources along the way. Continue to find out more about fertility and what can cause infertility.

pregnant belly

“Somehow, I thought when I was ready, my body would be too.” –K.O.


Our ability to have children is a personal and basic human experience. Not everyone chooses to have biological children. But for those who do, we expect our bodies to “work,” to conceive a child and carry it to term. Deciding to start a family is an exciting, but intense, process. When our bodies are not “on board,” the emotional toll can be devastating.

And while infertility can feel like a lonely experience, in reality, it is extremely common. Over 12% of women have issues with fertility. This is more than one in ten women. Chances are, you or someone you know has experienced infertility.

SO MANY UNKNOWNS...

“I couldn’t believe this was happening. It was surreal… ‘Did I do this? Is this my fault?’” –Anon

Infertility can feel like a “black box.” There are so many unknowns. While the medical field is advanced in many ways, there are still huge questions about fertility. Why can some men and women conceive, and some can’t? What factors might be involved? With this uncertainty, can come feelings of self-doubt, especially for women. Fortunately, there are steps that can be taken to help you on your fertility journey.

WHAT CAN CAUSE INFERTILITY?

“Why were other women pregnant and not me?...All the tests were normal. My ovaries looked normal. Our official diagnosis was “unexplained infertility.” We were told that it doesn’t mean there isn’t an explanation — it’s just that medicine hasn’t found one yet.” –Anon

Our doctors and obstetricians provide the very best care they can. But in many cases, medicine has not kept up with current science when it comes to causes of infertility. Beyond the basic risk factors, the medical field has little to offer. These basic factors include:

  • Age

  • Smoking

  • Body weight

  • Stress

But we know there is another factor as well, that has years of scientific evidence backing it up:

  • Exposure to toxic chemicals

TOXIC CHEMICALS AND FERTILITY

Exposure to toxic chemicals can reduce the ability to conceive and have children. Especially studied are the chemicals known as bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates. These chemicals can be present in:

  • Food and food packaging

  • Food/drink cans

  • Cosmetics

  • Perfume and air fresheners

  • Soft plastics, such as in shower curtains and children’s toys

There have been thousands of studies showing that BPA and phthalates cause problems with fertility. What do they tell us about fertility in women?

These chemicals “look” like natural estrogen in the body. This means that they can mimic the normal hormones your body needs to maintain normal menstrual cycles and carry a baby to term. Therefore, exposure can cause:

TOXIC CHEMICALS AND ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE THERAPY (ART)

“In the course of my research I discovered that the vast majority of assisted reproductive technologies fail.” –M.Z.

Modern science and medicine have given us benefits that have improved options for infertile couples. More than 7 million women have sought out services to combat their infertility. Unfortunately, it is also true that there is a high failure rate for “ART” (fertility treatments and procedures). And for those seeking out ART as a way to expand their families, BPA and phthalates can actually interfere with successful ART treatments. This means that toxic chemicals can potentially increase failure rates.

HOW CAN I TAKE CONTROL?

Before my infertility experience, I had wanted a homebirth, but everything changed afterwards. My trust in my body was gone. ” –Anon

At Million Marker, we believe it is time to flip the story and focus on prevention. We want women to regain trust in their bodies. Infertility can cause lasting damage to women’s mental state, body, and relationships with themselves and others. But there is good news--you can help take control of your health during conception and pregnancy by testing your exposure to toxic chemicals. Our convenient and non-invasive test will allow you to:

  • Identify your chemical exposures

  • Learn to determine the sources of the exposures

  • Eliminate exposures

  • Carry out follow up testing, to ensure exposures remain minimal

Everyone’s fertility journey is unique, but we are here to help make yours a little bit easier.

For a Fact Sheet on this topic, click here.

 

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