8 Functional Medicine Steps To Take For Miscarriage

Many women suffer from miscarriage and repeat miscarriage.  The devastating emotional toll it takes can be hard to endure.

It’s a topic that is still very taboo and couples are even hesitant to tell close friends and family members that they are pregnant for fear of losing the baby and then having to explain the loss.

When we do experience a miscarriage, what we need most is support and understanding.

Sometimes a simple, I am so sorry for your loss is enough.

If you have experienced miscarriage my heart goes out to you.  I invite you to join the Free Fab Fertile Support Group on Facebook.

Please know that our Fab Fertile Method that can help with repeat miscarriage.

Here are some factors and testing to consider if you have experienced miscarriage or repeat miscarriage.

MTHFR

A good place to start is with genetic testing to determine if there is a MTHFR gene mutation.

An at-home testing kit such as 23andme is a good option, or your doctor may be able to run the test.

Even if you have the gene mutation, it does not mean it will express itself.

There are a lot of lifestyle changes you can make to ensure the gene is not turned on.

Many practitioners recommend starting with methylated B vitamins, for a MTHFR gene, but it is important to remember that if there is adrenal dysfunction and the liver is not detoxifying, this approach could result in a negative detox reaction.

It is essential to prepare the body beforehand by supporting adrenal glands and include the following:

• professional-grade multivitamin
• supporting the liver and making sure there is not a severely leaky gut
• gentle detox strategies such as skin brushing, Epsom salt baths, herbs such as milk thistle and dandelion root

Some good resources to learn more on MTHFR are (click on each practitioner for more details):

Dr Ben Lynch

Michael McEvoy

Dr Jess Armine

Homocysteine

Homocysteine is a common sulfur amino acid in the body.  This means that your blood can clot more easily than it should.  This could put you at a higher risk for heart attack and stroke, but also put your baby at risk too.  Women with the MTFHR gene have a higher risk of having high homocysteine levels.

The test will determine if there is a vitamin B12 and/or folate deficiency.

If your levels are high its best to take a combination of Folic Acid, B6, and B12, this combination can stop the blood from clotting. It is important to work with a practitioner who can help you determine the right doses and forms of the B vitamins you will need.

Also switching to a fertility diet, increase your B vitamins (with green vegetables and beans), plus a prenatal vitamin and lower your stress levels.

C-Reactive Protein (CRP)

C- Reactive Protein is a substance produced in the liver in response to inflammation. The CRP test measures hidden inflammation in the body.  Your CRP levels should be less than 1, anything more indicates that you have hidden inflammation.

If this is the case its best to switch to the fertility diet, get honest about your stressors, include moderate but not vigorous exercise, add supplements such as a good prenatal, probiotic and spices such as turmeric, ginger and garlic are good to fight inflammation.  If using turmeric it is important to have it with a little bit of black pepper and fat to help the body absorb and use the turmeric effectively.

Thyroid Dysfunction

For many women dealing with infertility thyroid dysfunction can be missed, since a normal functional level for TSH is 1.8mlU/L and 2.5mlU/L, whereas your doctor may run a TSH test and find that the normal level could be as high as 5.5 mlU/L.

To see if you have symptoms of hypo or hyperthyroidism check this article out:

It is best to run a full thyroid panel and test the following:

TSH

Free T3

Free T4

T4 Total

Thyroglobulin

Thyroxine-Binding Globulin

Anti-Thyroglobulin Ab

Anti-TPO Ab

* Reverse T3 is also available

Consider switching to a desiccated thyroid such as Armour and review your medicine cabinet to check for any contamination with gluten, which is not recommended for the thyroid.

Learn more about why desiccated thyroid prescription is preferred to synthetic thyroid by prescription at Stop The Thyroid Madness.  Learn more about the link between infertility and hypothyroidism here.

Anti-bodies in the panel indicate there is an autoimmune reaction (such as Hashimoto’s and Graves).  It is important to follow the autoimmune protocol, which includes:

• Determining if you have a food sensitivity with the Fertility Preparation Program (aka as the elimination diet).

• Eliminating nightshades (potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, chili’s, nuts, seeds and chocolate)

If you do have autoimmune thyroid disorder it is important to work with a practitioner to look into some of the possible underlying reasons.  Things like excess stress, leaky gut, and gut pathogens or infections can be implicated in autoimmunity.

The liver is highly associated with the thyroid and the liver may not be detoxifying properly.  T4 is converted to T3 in the liver so if your liver is not properly functioning, this may cause problems with conversion.  As well it may also be due to high stress, which then impacts the cortisol levels, which will impact the conversion of T4 to T3.

This article breaks down the conversion of T4 to T3.  Consider the following liver detox protocol:

• Switch to a Fertility Diet (this is an anti-inflammatory diet, that has nutrient-dense foods, complex carbohydrates, leafy greens, low glycemic fruits, lean proteins, and healthy fats).  Refer to my Free Chapter for details.

• Drink some green juice.

• Eat potassium-rich foods such as sweet potatoes, spinach, beans (legumes), and blackstrap molasses, and of course bananas.

• Also add turmeric, milk thistle, and dandelion root.

• Eat high quality proteins, as the amino acids from proteins are essential for liver function.

Iodine Deficiency

Here are some great articles from Stop the Thyroid Madness and Dr. Mercola about how iodine is essential and how to test for it and what you can do if your iodine levels are low; http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/iodine12345/,

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/20/signs-symptoms-and-solutions-for-poor-thyroid-function.aspx

Blood Clotting Disorder – Factor V Leiden

This is a genetic blood clotting disorder.  If you have unexplained infertility or recurrent miscarriage ask your, doctor to be screened for this test prior to trying to conceive.

If you do have this disorder, you can maintain a healthy body mass index, incorporate regular exercise to increase blood flow, switch to a fertility diet, avoid periods of prolonged mobility, avoid smoking and avoid oral contraception.

Infection

You may have toxicity in your system such as gut infections, heavy metal toxicity, mold exposure, and possibly even Lyme.

A good stool test can check for parasites, bacterial and fungal infections.

Lyme disease – if you have ever been exposed to ticks or been bitten by a tick it may be a good idea to look into Lyme disease especially if you exhibit symptoms. A good functional practitioner can you determine if Lyme is worth looking into.

Mold Test – there is a visual test for a small fee ($ 15) that can tell you if you may have a mold exposure.  Check out Richie Shoemaker at http://www.survivingmold.com/store1/online-screening-test

Heavy Metals – A tri-test (tests hair/urine/blood) can determine if there is heavy metal toxicity.  Especially good to explore if there are amalgam fillings (which may have mercury) this is a good test to determine if there is exposure.

Progesterone Deficiency

Test don’t guess!  The DUTCH test checks hormonal levels such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, melatonin, and cortisol.  When you know your levels a targeted customized protocol can address the imbalance.  Bioidentical hormones can be recommended to adjust progesterone levels. It is important to test your levels of hormones before taking any bio-identical hormones.  A good functional nutrition or medical practitioner can you determine what the best dose might be for you.

These suggestions are based on a functional approach to fertility and will help you get to the root cause of the miscarriage.

Thanks to Brandy Buskow, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, for her recommendations and suggestions.  For further information to see how functional medicine can help prepare your body for a baby – book your FREE 30 minute Fertility Discovery Session here!

Sarah Clark empowers couples to discover how lifestyle and diet can dramatically impact their chances of conceiving.  She was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure at 28 and had both her kids with donor eggs.  Not until years later did she discover that the root cause of her infertility was a food intolerance.  Join the Free Fab Fertile Support Group on Facebook for mini-challenges, motivation, and inspiration!