Estrogen ? Related Infertility: Is Hormonal Imbalance Affecting Your Ability to Conceive?

There are many factors that can affect a woman’s ability to bear a child, and hormonal imbalance is one of the more prominent culprits for infertility. While the ‘hormone’ is associated with women more than it is with a male’s ability to fertilize can be affected by abnormal levels of estrogen. This article aims to shed some light into estrogen-related infertility, and what couples can do about it.

What is estrogen?

Estrogen is the female steroid hormone that gives way to the development of female secondary sex characteristics. Estrogen is comprised of estriol, estradiol and estrone. It plays a major role in the menstrual cycle and thus affects reproductive ability.

Secondary sex characteristics are those defining features that make a woman feminine. Although estrogen is present in both males and females, it is in significantly higher levels in women, especially of the child-bearing age.  It is actually estrogen that makes women’s skin smoother with less facial hair than men’s. It is also this hormone that facilitates the development of breasts and pelvis and it is responsible for the body fats in thighs, butt and hips that give a woman those distinct curves.  

What is estrogen’s role in the menstrual cycle and in reproduction?

The ovaries, particularly developing follicles, are responsible for the production of estrogen in women. The corpus luteum also releases estrogen. The placenta, during pregnancy releases adequate estrogen in order to maintain the pregnancy until term.  Other organs and glands such as the breasts, liver and adrenal glands also facilitate in the production of estrogen, but in minute amounts.

When a woman ovulates, her body produces more estrogen in order to prepare her organs for a possible pregnancy. Estrogen is what makes a woman’s monthly period regular, and it is also what helps thickens the endometrial lining (the lining in the uterus) with more blood and tissues to welcome a fertilized egg, should there be one. If there is one, this lining sheds into what is known as menstrual bleeding.

In the first half of a menstrual cycle, a woman’s body is dominated by high levels of estrogen over progesterone. The peak of estrogen’s height is during ovulation, after which estrogen must decline, and the second half of the menstrual cycle would be when progesterone levels are at their max. 

How does estrogen imbalance affect fertility?

Estrogen dominance is a condition wherein the levels of estrogen exceed or overpower progesterone and testosterone levels, thereby hindering fertility. It can happen to both women and men.

Estrogen can become dominant in the body for a number of reasons namely poor diet, weight gain or loss, extreme stress, and exposure to environmental or replacement estrogen. When a poor diet consists of preservatives, fats and sugars and caffeine, estrogen levels can increase. Stress also contributes to estrogen dominance, because the adrenal glands release higher levels of estrogen and lower progesterone amounts when it feels extra pressure or anxiety. Hormonal replacement drugs could cause a rise in estrogen levels but not in progesterone, leaving the latter inadequate to perform its functions in menstruation and reproduction.

In women, estrogen dominance affects fertility by causing conditions such as polycystic ovaries or endometriosis. Excessive estrogen could also decrease libido, thus lessening contact and chances of getting pregnant. On the other hand, the ability of a man’s sperm cells to fertilize relies on the male sex hormone, testosterone. If estrogen exceeds his testosterone levels, his ability to fertilize an ovum will be greatly diminished because of low sperm count. 

What can be done about estrogen-related infertility?

Tests and exams in your clinic will help your doctor determine whether you or your partner are experiencing hormonal imbalance, particularly dominance in estrogen. Then, he or she will suggest a series of treatments to bring back balance in your hormones. While hormone replacement may be the first thing on your mind, go for non-invasive and more natural treatments first.

A diet and lifestyle modification needs to be part of the treatment plan. Cutting back on fats and sugars and increasing intake of fresh fruits, vegetables and roughage can help bring down estrogen levels in the body. Maintaining an ideal body weight through exercise, and engaging in effective stress-reducing activities also reduce the possibility of estrogen-related infertility. Also, avoiding exposure to pollutants, artificial food additives and preservatives could also work wonders in combating estrogen imbalance.

If these do not prove effective, medications will be prescribed by your doctor to boost your body’s production of other hormones, or to lower or suppress estrogen levels.