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Can you increase your chances of getting pregnant by avoiding excess carbs? It’s still highly controversial, but according to fertility specialist dr Michael D. Fox the answer is definitely yes.
The most common cause of infertility today (before menopause) is PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. This is a hormonal disturbance closely related to metabolic syndrome. Women with PCOS often struggle with their weight and may have acne and a tendency towards excess facial hair. They also often have irregular cycles, longer than 28 days.
Not surprisingly eating a low carb high fat diet can work wonders for infertility due to PCOS, like for other similar metabolic conditions (e.g. obesity, type 2 diabetes).
There are a lot of “low carb babies” by now (I’ve got one too). And dr Michael D. Fox has a fascinating tale to tell for anyone interested in healthy food and pregnancy. Here’s my interview with him from the recent Low Carb Cruise.
Do you know a couple struggling to get pregnant? Perhaps you can help out by telling them about this.
For those who aren't familiar, part of the WIC program involves issuing food vouchers to low income parents (for their children) or expecting mothers for use in grocery stores. On each voucher is a list of WIC approved food items the customer receives for free. The grocery store gets reimbursed from the government.
I processed most of my WIC checks about 10 years ago, so MAYBE they changed some of their recommendations... but back then, only things like skim, 1%, or 2% milk, low fat cheese, orange juice, and apple juice were approved. I think certain "flavor" baby foods and some baby formulas were allowed too. I can't remember if eggs made the list, but I know damn well heavy cream didn't!
BTW "Highly Skeptical", WIC is for women Who are already pregnant or who have young children. children, so maybe because they can't afford "healthy" whole grain low fat products in the first place they do not need to see a "high-priced fancy specialist" to conceive???
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
:-)
Most women with PCOS who are trying to conceive will never be told by their reproductive specialist that PCOS is a metabolic issue that responds to dietary changes. Instead they will spend thousands of dollars in infertility drugs, testing, and treatment. Dr. Fox addresses this in the video. Very few reproductive specialists care to learn about this becuase it will not make them much money.
It's hard to find the doctors who understand and use dietary Interventions and some women with PCOS need Metformin as well. Since many women with PCOS are overweight, they will often be told to follow the CW low fat, high carb diet instead, further reducing their chances of conceiving.
I suspect until there are published studies showing the results that Dr. Fox talks about there physicians will continue to give the wrong advice and make a lot of money off unnecessary treatments that put women at great risk.
Also to mention that in my time on Diabetic forums, the topic of PCOS is frequently discussed; with dietary advice such as LCHF and/or medications such as Metformin often being suggested. I think the word is getting out there... albeit slowly but (like Tom Naughton) I am confident that the internet has made this "wisdom of crowds" an unstoppable force.
From my conversation with people , not from the hanging on internet, I can tell that so far it is absolutely widespread opinion that LC is as questionable as smoking, using such diet in eys of most people is something like using an ephedra. I see only people who I think would benefit from seriously cutting their carbs consumption, but thinking that ELMM is as effective and more healthy, or even worse, opting for a "kind diet" and balloning. Besides my mother, only two more people followed my example. To my surprise, I should add. They didn't need to lose weight, but needed to improve how they felt. They both asked (on separete occasions, they don't know each other)me what did I do to look so well, I told about LCarbing without attempting to convince or convert anyone, they tried, it worked. For health, blood pressure normalization, increased energy, as a flue prevention. I knew about second person recently, I had a conversation with him during some event in my husband's company in September, he is close to 60 yo now, was given a lot of new responsibilities recently and struggled to cope. I briefly told him what I was doing in order to feel better, added that my mom normalized her bp (because everybody immediately assumes that LC contributes to a weight-loss and harms health in general), and recently his wife called me with some questions. I think the health benefits of LC are under-appreciated, mostly due to a wide-spread pressure of health officials.
It takes a lot for women to go against medical advice. I can't begin to convey how desparate couples trying to conceive feel, and they will follow a doctor's conventional advice and take heavy hormone treatments first and foremost. I was blessed with an endo that advised me to go low carb and take Metformin 12 years ago when nobody else was doing that. Enlightened physicians remain few and far between all these years later.
Since I have a huge issue with ingesting synthetic hormones and antibiotics, I wanted to exhaust all options before resorting to this very last one. And, as I was on a tight "schedule", I googled all the key words that crossed my mind the minute I got out of the doctor's office, until I found something which made sense: sugar being the culprit!
That very day, I stopped all carb intake and ate what we all know: fat and protein + veggies and nuts. And - I would like to say that it came as a surprise, but it didn't actually - within a matter of 2-3 days, I tossed the doctor's receipt into the trash bin.
Ever since, my period doesn't last longer than 3-4 days, it's regular and, as per the last checkup, I am ovulating.
Kudos to LCHF!
My husband and I have been trying for five months to get pregnant. I've had the signs of PCOS since puberty, and I've been scared that I would never be able to conceive. This interview and the information you provide on your blog make me feel hopeful that I can have a healthy pregnancy and baby. Thank you!
And if one lose a lot of weigth as you have done.. then your body do take a pause with some things.. like fertility!
Its probaly react as to starvation.. and wait till you are at a stabel weight.. and have enough of fat depoes to survive a pregnancy.
For others how have PCOS a low carb diet is a way to get pregnant.
He is my reproductive Dr and I started seeing him December '11 I had surgery for Endometriosis in the end if January ate low carb the whole time and when my husband came home from deployment the first week of June we were pregnant the the end of the month! We are now proud parents of a 2 month old baby girl. Our low carb baby had been in the making for almost 3 years and Dr Fox made it happen, we are forever grateful!
I have metobolic syndrome. I am currently back on my low carb way of life and am hoping to lose more weight beofer number 2.
Putrescine levels drop as we get older and they cycle from high to low in the ovulation cycles.
Look up Putrescine and ovulation and see for yourself. Also look up pectin and putrescine and see the animal studies.
1 tsp 3 times daily for days 1-14 of your cycle until pregnancy can help with egg quality.
You must be kidding?!
Do you think that we (dietdoctor) are doing all this work if LCHF would be a short term non sustainable diet?
We are convinced that this is a long term sustainable diet that can give fantastic health benefits. :)
If you are a member you can direct questions like that here:
https://www.dietdoctor.com/member/ask-the-experts
Thanks