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New book Making Babies helps couples avoid infertility

A new book called Making Babies has just been released by Jason Jackson - a Brisbane-based naturopath who has helped more than 5,500 couples overcome fertility issues and have healthy babies.

Infertility currently impacts more than one in six Australian couples, or over three million Australians, and this trend is increasing. One in three couples is predicted to be affected by infertility within the next ten years.

Today men are overtaking woman as the leading cause of miscarriage. Male reproductive disorders are estimated to contribute between 50 and 70 percent of genetic miscarriages in western countries.

"Fertility is a couple's issue, not a women's issue. The fact is 30 percent of men with perfectly adequate sperm have trouble fertilising a healthy female's ovum to achieve conception. There must be other factors contributing to men's infertility," Mr Jackson said.

In the Making Babies book, Jason answers why fertility levels are declining so rapidly and what can be done to reverse this trend, including:

How to improve fertility naturally
Male and female reproductive failure
Foods to avoid and foods to improve fertility
Why stress and the pill can interfere with fertility
How natural medicine can increase success of IVF
Medically assisted reproductive techniques available

The average age of women Jason has treated is 38. Statistics show couples are waiting until later in life to become parents, challenging their bodies' biological clocks.

"Chances of successful conception decrease as you age into your 30s and 40s, but there is still hope to defy the laws of statistics and make the improbable happen. Even with these statistical odds, the number of births among women aged 45 to 49 today has increased a remarkable 500 percent from only a decade ago," said Mr Jackson.

Through Jason Jackson's Greenslopes Naturopathic Clinic, more than 60 women aged 48 and more than a few 50-year-old women have given birth for the first time after being given little to no chance of natural conception.

"Diagnosing reproductive problems is intriguing because it's the little details that can make the difference. In my experience, it is not always the most obvious problem that is the actual cause, but rather the less obvious factors that are the ultimate culprit," he said.

Stories from some of the 5,500 couples Jason has helped with fertility issues over the past 15 years are included in the book. Heart-felt and inspiring, these stories give hope to all couples trying to conceive, especially those experiencing multiple miscarriages and reproductive health issues.

Jason Jackson is also launching a Making Babies fertility program via mail and email to help couples who want fertility treatment but are unable to visit his Brisbane clinic.

The Making Babies book is available for order at bookstores everywhere or online for $38.95. For details visit www.makingbabies.net.au

For media information, images and interviews contact: Chelsea McLean 0413 792 908

Infertility currently impacts more than one in six Australian couples and this trend is increasing. One in three couples is predicted to be affected within the next ten years.

Today men are overtaking woman as the leading cause of miscarriage. Male reproductive disorders are estimated to contribute between 50 and 70 percent of genetic miscarriages in western countries.

Jason Jackson is a naturopath who specialises in fertility and has helped over 5,500 couples overcome fertility problems. He has just released a book called Making Babies and he joins us now...
Hello Jason...

Q. Why are fertility levels declining so rapidly?

Marriage and parenthood are happening later in life than ever before
Exposure to chemicals interferes with reproductive health
Lifestyle-related diseases are affecting fertility

Q. How can you tell if you have a reproductive health problem?

Infertility is clinically diagnosed after a couple has been unsuccessful in their attempts to conceive after one year of trying to fall pregnant. It can also refer to the inability to carry a pregnancy to term.
Infertility can affect the male or female partner, or both.
There are a range of tests couples can have that can usually reveal the cause.

Q. Are men contributing to infertility now more than before?

Yes, men are overtaking women as the leading cause of miscarriage.
Male reproductive disorders are estimated to contribute between 50 and 70 percent of genetic miscarriages in western countries.
30 percent of men with perfectly adequate sperm have trouble fertilising a healthy female's ovum.

Q. What are some of the reasons why men could be infertile?

Factors impeding male fertility can include poor nutritional status, drug and chemical exposures, heavy metal toxicity, obesity and emotional and hormonal problems.
Or the problem could be as simple as overheating of the testes, often caused by wearing tight-fitting underpants.

Q. What are the main ways you can improve your fertility naturally?

Natural medicine philosophy is to treat the person as a whole from a health perspective, by modifying the diet and using mineral and vitamin supplements.
It's important to have a balanced lifestyle with plenty of exercise and sleep.
Reducing stress is also important because stress interrupts fertility hormones.

Q. What foods can help improve fertility and what foods should you avoid?

Both partners need a consistently healthy diet, high in vegetables, protein and fish, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.
Foods used throughout history to get you in the mood for love include: almonds, asparagus, caviar, champagne, chocolate, fresh figs, garlic, honey, oranges, oysters and walnuts.
Foods to avoid include: artificial sweeteners, caffeine, lunch meats, food additives and preservatives, peas and soybean products, peas and spinach, sweets, soft drinks, saturated fats and rare red meats.

*Recipes available online - fertility-boosting smoothie and baby-making juice

Q. How can stress lower fertility?

Excessive stress has been attributed to sexual dysfunction and infertility. It can create hormonal imbalance to the male and female reproductive systems.
The naturally occurring hormone progesterone that women need for fertility is frequently depleted by stress, which causes progesterone to be converted to the stress hormone cortisol.
You can control stress with healthy lifestyle habits, effective goal setting, some specific vitamins and nutrients, calming herbs and aromatherapy.

Q. Should you take a special vitamin if you're trying to get pregnant?

There are certain vitamins and minerals that may help improve fertility.
This is an important way to prepare for healthy conception for both men and women.
Everyone's nutritional requirements vary, so having these prescribed by a naturopath may be more effective than buying over-the-counter multi-vitamins for fertility.

Q. How can the oral contraceptive pill interfere with fertility?

The effects of the Pill appear to continue for a relatively long term after it is stopped.
The Pill scrambles brain-ovary communication channels and it takes time to unscramble them. Most women need 2 to 3 months at least to return to a normal cycle.
A study found nearly 25 percent of women could not fall pregnant for at least 13 months after stopping the Pill.

Q. What are some of the causes of female infertility?

These days, many women as young as 30 are not ovulating regularly and this could be because ovulation is blocked by environmental oestrogen mimics, such as organochlorine pollution (insecticides stored in fatty tissues), plastics and pesticides.
It could also be due to chronically high insulin from a diet too high in sugar and refined flour.
High insulin also causes the ovaries to produce testosterone, which is a primary cause of Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).

Q. How common is miscarriage these days?

1 in 5 pregnancies now ends in miscarriage. The Miscarriage Association in the UK estimated the rate may be as high as 1 in 3 or 2 in 5.
The harsh reality is 5 out of 6 embryos will not have survived 8 weeks gestation in the womb.
Most miscarriages occur in the first trimester of pregnancy before 13 weeks.

Q. The book explains all the medical drugs and procedures available for fertility. Can natural medicine complement conventional medicine to increase fertility success?

Medically assisted reproductive techniques (ART) may increase the chances of pregnancy if all other natural methods have been attempted.
Natural medicine can complement medically assisted techniques like IVF and may further improve the chances of conception. The two are not mutually exclusive.
Natural medicine may also offset many side effects of ART and help balance the immune system and improve general health and wellbeing.

Q. Now that the cost of medical treatments like IVF will increase because of new capping on Medicare Safety Net benefits, how can natural fertility treatments help people who may not be able to afford IVF?

Six to 10 months of natural fertility treatment is comparable to the cost of one IVF treatment.
Natural medicine can help reduce the costs, side effects and emotional turmoil of IVF and further improve chances of conception. It can also improve overall health and wellbeing.

Q. How can the lunar cycle affect fertility?

These days there are tips for gardening by the moon and even hairdressing by the moon apparently...
The moon could also affect baby making and although there is no scientific proof, attempting natural conception at the peak of the lunar cycle may warrant consideration.
Many women are known to ovulate on the full moon and have their periods on the new moon.

Q. Does having an orgasm affect your chances of conception?

We know males have to orgasm for fertility to have a chance, but the type of orgasm a female has might also have some bearing on conception.
It's been suggested that orgasms via the G-spot, or Graftenberg spot, stimulation are more likely to result in conception that orgasms via clitoral stimulation, although this hasn't been conclusively proven.

Q. How does nature decide gender and how can you influence the gender of your child?

According to the Billing's or rhythm method of timing female fertility, the closer intercourse is to the peak ovulation time, the better chances of conceiving a boy.
The further away from ovulation (within viable sperm life span of two to four days) the better your chances of having a girl.
Studies have shown very high success rates to prove this theory must have some merit.

Jason has a new Making Babies fertility program for anyone who can't get into his clinic and wants a personal consultation by mail or email.

Go to www.makingbabies.net.au for information about the Making Babies book and program as well as free fact sheets and recipes for Jason's baby-making juice and fertility-boosting smoothie!