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Functional medicine tips to protect your baby & yourself
Losing a pregnancy is heartbreaking, and sadly, it’s more common than you might think. Statistics show that miscarriage affects about 10-20% of known pregnancies [1], but the actual number is likely even higher when you count the losses that happen before a woman even realizes she’s pregnant.
When you’ve had a miscarriage (also known as a spontaneous abortion), it’s frustrating to hear your doctor say it’s “unexplained” or just blame it on chromosomal abnormalities. While these can certainly be risk factors, functional medicine takes a deeper dive into what else might be going on beneath the surface.
You see, the big difference with functional medicine is that it looks at your body as one whole, interconnected system—not just a series of separate parts. It’s all about finding the root causes of miscarriage and other health problems and creating personalized treatment options to address them. When it comes to early pregnancy loss, recurrent pregnancy loss, and overall fertility, this means digging deeper with advanced testing, targeted nutrition, and lifestyle changes that can help balance your hormones, support your overall health, and give you the best chance of a successful pregnancy.
So, what are some of the possible causes of miscarriage that your regular doctor might miss? Let’s take a closer look at eight big ones and explore how functional medicine can help.
1. Thyroid Dysfunction
Thyroid hormones play a big role in regulating your menstrual cycle, ovulation, and even the development of your baby [2]. So, if your thyroid isn’t working quite right, it can definitely impact your fertility and pregnancy.
Here’s the thing: you might have a “normal” result on a standard blood test, but that doesn’t necessarily mean your thyroid is at the optimal level for getting and staying pregnant. Studies have found that even mild thyroid dysfunction can increase your risk of recurrent miscarriage.
For example, if your TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) level is above 2.5 mIU/L, that’s been linked to a higher chance of pregnancy loss, even though the “normal” range goes up to 4.0 mIU/L [3]. High TSH can be a sign of an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), which can mess with your progesterone levels – and progesterone is super important for maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Plus, if you have thyroid antibodies (which often aren’t even tested in a standard thyroid panel), that can point to an autoimmune disease that affects fertility.
In fact, one study found that women with subclinical hypothyroidism (meaning their TSH was high but their other thyroid hormones were normal) had a 2.4 times higher risk of miscarriage compared to women with normal thyroid function [3]. That’s a big deal!
So, what can cause thyroid problems in the first place? Some common culprits include iodine deficiency, autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto’s, and exposure to toxins in the environment. A functional medicine approach would look at all of these factors, run a full thyroid panel (not just TSH), and work on optimizing your nutrition (especially iodine and selenium), managing stress, and removing any potential triggers like food sensitivities or toxic exposures.
2. Blood Sugar Imbalances
You might think blood sugar problems only matter if you have diabetes, but that’s not the whole story. Even if your blood sugar levels aren’t high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes, they can still impact your fertility. Insulin resistance (when your cells don’t respond well to insulin) can affect egg quality, make it harder for an embryo to implant, and interfere with early pregnancy development.
In fact, research shows that women with pre-diabetes (meaning their blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet in the diabetic range) have a significantly higher risk of miscarriage [4].
So, what can cause blood sugar imbalances? Eating a lot of processed carbs and added sugars, not getting enough exercise, and chronic stress can all play a role. A functional medicine approach would focus on balancing your blood sugar through a whole-foods diet, regular movement, stress management, and maybe some targeted pharmaceutical-grade supplements to improve insulin sensitivity.
3. Gut Health Imbalances
Believe it or not, the bacteria in your gut can have a big impact on your fertility! Your digestive system does a lot more than just process food – it also helps regulate your hormones, absorb nutrients, support your immune system, and keep inflammation in check. All of these things are super important for getting and staying pregnant.
Recent studies have found that the specific types of bacteria in your gut can actually influence whether or not you have a successful pregnancy [5]. For example, certain beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus gasseri help regulate estrogen metabolism by aiding in the breakdown and recycling of estrogen, while others such as Bifidobacterium infantis modulate immune function, reducing inflammation, and promoting a more supportive environment for implantation. An imbalance in your gut microbiome can create inflammation, hormone disruption, nutrient deficiencies, and immune system problems – all of which can lead to an increased risk of miscarriage.
What can disrupt your gut bacteria? Surprisingly, the effects of antibiotic use can linger for years, even from medications you took as a child. This long-term impact can alter your microbiome in ways that affect your health today [6]. Chronic stress, diets high in processed foods, and exposure to environmental toxins can also throw your gut out of balance. A functional medicine approach would start with comprehensive gut testing to identify any bacterial imbalances or infections, then work on healing your gut through diet (focusing on prebiotic and probiotic foods), stress reduction, and targeted supplements.
4. Hidden Infections
Many women don’t realize that low-grade infections, even without obvious symptoms or signs of infection, can affect pregnancy outcomes. Research has found that certain types of infections – like chronic inflammation in the uterus (endometritis), gum disease, undiagnosed viral infections, and low-grade bacterial infections – can all increase the risk of recurrent pregnancy loss [7].
In fact, one recent study found that 28% of women with recurrent pregnancy loss had chronic endometritis, but it often goes undiagnosed in standard fertility testing [8]. That’s almost one out of every three!
To identify if infections are a root cause behind early miscarriages, a functional medicine approach usually starts with comprehensive testing (like looking at your vaginal and gut microbiome, as well as your uterine environment), then work on boosting your immune system through diet, supplements, and antimicrobial treatments (like herbs or medications) if needed. These steps could help address these hidden infections to reduce inflammation, support healthy reproductive tissues, and create a more welcoming environment for a growing baby.
5. Environmental Toxin Exposure
We live in a world filled with chemicals, and unfortunately, many of them can interfere with our fertility. From endocrine-disrupting chemicals in household products to heavy metals in our food and water, pesticides, herbicides, and plastics – it’s a lot for our bodies to handle. In fact, the average woman is exposed to 168 unique chemicals from personal care products alone every single day!
These toxins can disrupt our hormones, make it harder for an embryo to implant, interfere with placental development, and even impact early fetal development. It’s no wonder that the average newborn has over 200 industrial chemicals in their umbilical cord blood [9]. That’s a scary thought!
So, what can you do to minimize your toxic load? A functional medicine approach would focus on identifying and eliminating common sources of toxins (like switching to natural personal care and cleaning products, choosing organic foods, and filtering your water), supporting your body’s natural detoxification pathways through nutrition and supplements, and incorporating detox practices like sauna therapy or exercise that makes you sweat, which helps eliminate toxins through the skin [10].
6. Nutrient Deficiencies
Even if you’re eating a pretty healthy diet, you might be missing some key nutrients that are essential for fertility and pregnancy. Nutrient deficiencies can happen for a lot of reasons – maybe you’re not absorbing nutrients well due to gut issues, or you have higher nutrient needs due to a genetic variation or a stressful lifestyle. Whatever the reason, not having enough of certain vitamins and minerals can definitely impact your chances of a healthy pregnancy.
For example, folate (a B vitamin) is super important for preventing neural tube defects and miscarriage [11], vitamin D deficiency has been linked to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), infertility, and recurrent pregnancy loss [12], and omega-3 fatty acids (the kind found in fish oil) are crucial for fetal brain development and reducing the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight [13]. Other common deficiencies that can affect fertility include iron, zinc, and vitamin B12.
A functional medicine approach would start by assessing your nutrient status through a combination of symptom analysis, diet evaluation, and comprehensive testing (like micronutrient panels or organic acids testing). Then, we’d work on boosting your nutrient levels through a combination of whole foods, targeted supplements, and improving your digestive function so you can actually absorb all those good nutrients from your food.
7. Immune System Dysregulation
Your immune system is like a super-smart security guard for your body. Its job is to protect you from foreign invaders like viruses and bacteria, but sometimes, it can get a little too aggressive and start attacking your own tissues. This is what happens in autoimmune diseases, and it can definitely impact fertility.
When you get pregnant, your immune system has to strike a delicate balance. It needs to be strong enough to protect you and your growing baby from potential threats but not so overactive that it perceives the embryo as a foreign invader and attacks it. It’s a tricky line to walk, and if your immune system is out of balance, it can lead to miscarriage or implantation failure [14]
Some common immune system imbalances that can affect fertility include elevated levels of natural killer (NK) cells, a specialized type of immune cell that can become overly active. When NK cells are too aggressive, they may mistakenly target healthy cells in the uterus, disrupting implantation or contributing to recurrent pregnancy loss. Other factors, such as chronic inflammation, autoimmune conditions, and food sensitivities, can also interfere with fertility. In fact, one study found that women experiencing recurrent miscarriages often have underlying immune irregularities that standard fertility testing may overlook [15].
A functional medicine approach would start by doing comprehensive immune system testing (like looking at NK cell activity or inflammatory markers), then work on balancing your immune response through diet (focusing on anti-inflammatory foods), removing triggers (like food sensitivities or toxins), and using targeted therapies to modulate your immune function.
8. Sperm Quality
When we talk about fertility and miscarriage, the spotlight is often on the woman’s health—but let’s not forget, it takes two to tango! The quality of sperm plays a huge role in conception and early pregnancy, and issues on the male side can sometimes be the hidden culprit behind miscarriage.
Sperm carries half the DNA needed to create a healthy baby, so if there’s damage to that DNA, it can cause problems right from the start. One big issue is called DNA fragmentation, which basically means the DNA in the sperm is broken or damaged. This can lead to chromosomal abnormalities in the embryo and increase the risk of miscarriage. In fact, studies show that high levels of DNA fragmentation in sperm are linked to recurrent pregnancy loss—even when everything seems fine on the female’s side [16].
So, what causes sperm to go rogue? Oxidative stress, which happens when there’s an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body, is a major culprit [17]. This can be triggered by environmental toxins like BPA, pesticides, or heavy metals, as well as lifestyle factors like smoking, poor diet, or chronic stress. Age is another factor—just like eggs, sperm quality declines over time. Studies have linked advanced paternal age (usually over the age of 40) to a higher risk of miscarriage [18].
The good news? There’s a lot you can do to improve sperm health. A functional medicine approach would focus on reducing toxic exposures, eating a nutrient-dense diet packed with antioxidants, and making lifestyle changes like exercising, managing stress, and quitting smoking, just to name a few action steps. Advanced testing, like a sperm DNA fragmentation analysis, can also help identify issues that don’t show up on a standard semen analysis.
Sperm quality is just as important as egg quality when it comes to creating a healthy pregnancy. By optimizing both partners’ health, you’re giving your baby the best possible start—and that’s what we all want.
Conclusion
Miscarriage is heartbreaking, and it’s often dismissed as “unexplained” by conventional medicine. But as we’ve seen, there are a lot of hidden factors that can contribute to pregnancy loss – factors that standard testing often misses.
By taking a functional medicine approach and digging deeper into the root causes of miscarriage – like thyroid dysfunction, blood sugar imbalances, gut dysbiosis, hidden infections, toxic exposures, nutrient deficiencies, immune system confusion, and male-factor sperm issues – we can create personalized protocols to optimize your fertility and give you the best chance of a healthy natural pregnancy.
Remember, a diagnosis of “unexplained” miscarriage doesn’t mean there are no answers. In fact, in our practice, we say “There’s no such thing as unexplained” – it just means we need to look beyond the surface. If you’re struggling with pregnancy loss or having trouble conceiving, know that you’re not alone, and there is hope. By addressing these underlying imbalances, many women have gone on to have successful pregnancies, even after multiple losses.
If you want to understand more about how functional medicine can help you optimize your fertility and overcome recurrent miscarriages, I invite you to watch our free fertility masterclass. It’s packed with information on how to identify and address the root causes of infertility so you can take control of your reproductive health and build the family of your dreams.
