Infertility at the Movies

The movie adaptation of the P. D. James novel, “Children of Men,” was released in December of last year to great critical acclaim. The movie, starring Clive Owen and Michael Caine, was nominated for three Academy Awards. Set in England in the near future the story is about a world in which all women on earth have become unable to conceive. This movie parallels the story line of two other popular movies, “Aeon Flux” (2005) starring Charlize Theron and “Handmaid’s Tale” (1990) starring Faye Dunaway and Robert Duvall. In each of the movies some unknown environmental factor has caused widespread infertility leading to the populations being controlled by authoritarian governments.
Fortunately, the real world of fertility treatment is far more positive than the world of science fiction. Modern fertility medicine is making constant advances due to careful scientific experimentation and observation. Rather than taking place against the backdrop of authoritarian regimes, fertility treatment is at the forefront of reproductive freedom. Finally, unlike these three movies, infertility is just as often caused by male rather than female factors, as was the case of the character played by Woody Allen in another Michael Caine movie “Hannah and Her Sisters.” That movie was nominated for seven Academy Awards® and, unlike “Children of Men”, won three.
Readers may also be interested in looking at the entries in the International Infertility Film Festival (March 31, 2007) at infertilityfilmfestival.blogspot.com. The site shows an interesting series of short films on coping with infertility and infertility treatment.

Fertility and Nutrition

Did you know that nutrition plays an important role in one’s ability to conceive? Researchers have found that poor nutritional status may be responsible for the inability of some couples to conceive. Why? Women require a critical weight and percentage of body fat for the onset and maintenance of regular menstrual cycles. Adipose tissue, also known as fat, is an important source of estrogen. A decrease of approximately 10-15% below normal weight can reduce a woman’s percentage of body fat. When fat reserves drop below a critical threshold, the menstrual cycle and ovulation becomes abnormal or ceases. Although regular menstruation and ovulation do not ensure conception, they are prerequisites. Maintaining a normal body mass index (BMI), therefore, is key. Short term dietary intervention studies have consistently shown that weight loss in overweight women and weight gain in underweight women can normalize reproductive function. Dietary modifications should include: adequate caloric intake with fat comprising less than 30% of daily intake; decreased saturated and trans fat; decreased glycemic load; moderate protein; increased fiber; and increased polyunsaturated fat.
A person’s daily diet should also supply adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals. Some studies have suggested that a diet deficient in zinc may actually cause decreased spermatogenesis (sperm production). Because dietary deficiencies are amenable to curative and preventative action with adequate diet and supplementation, couples can readily increase their chance of conception by changing and/or improving their dietary habits. When attempting to conceive, evaluate your diet to determine whether it provides you with adequate nutrients and caloric intake.
Guiding principles:
Minimize the amount of food and maximize the nutrient content:
Choose most of the foods you eat from plant sources: fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds
Limit your intake of high-fat foods, particularly from animal sources
Include the fats that are good for you, the essential fatty acids found in seafood, nuts, seeds, and oils of sesame and flaxseed
Avoid chemicals, pesticides, and hydrogenated foods
Limit consumption of alcoholic beverages and sugar
Eat seasonally: soups, stews and root vegetables in winter, fruits and salads in summer
Be physically active, thirty minutes a day of walking or stretching at a minimum
Strategies for increasing dietary fruits, vegetables, and grains:
Keep fruits and vegetables (primarily fresh or frozen) stocked and in sight
Reach for unsweetened juice or water instead of coffee or soda
Add chopped fruit or nuts to cereal, yogurt, salads
Snack on fresh chopped carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, and peppers
Add fresh greens, carrots, celery, parsley, tomatoes, and/or beans to your soups
Keep dried fruit and nuts (apricots, dates, raisins, walnuts, almonds) for a quick snack at home or work
Get as much nourishment as possible from whole foods. But if you know that you are not getting the nutrients you need, take supplements:
B-Complex for the blood
Flax seed or primrose oil (essential fatty acids) for hormonal balance
C and E for the immune system
Liquid minerals for the brain