Standard fertility workups check the basics. Functional medicine takes a different starting point: instead of treating infertility as a diagnosis to manage, it treats it as a signal that systems internally may be out of balance: gut health issues, hormonal imbalance, poor detoxification, blood sugar regulation, thyroid function, stress/adrenal dysfunction, nutrient status, or chronic inflammation.
While infertility itself is the inability to conceive, various underlying imbalances often contribute to it and present with their own signs and symptoms.
Hormonal Imbalance:
- High estrogen: heavy bleeding, cramping, fibroids, tender breasts
- Low estrogen: vaginal dryness, hot flashes, low sex drive, mood changes, insomnia
- Low progesterone: fatigue, insomnia, irritability, anxiety, weight gain
- High testosterone (in females)
- Low testosterone (in females/males)
Poor/Impaired/Sluggish Detoxification Pathways
Assess four different pathways: gut, liver, kidneys, and skin.
- irregular bowel movements
- fatigue
- pain
- brain fog
- signs of estrogen dominance
Gut Health Issues
- abdominal pain
- bloating
- maldigestion
- gas
- irregular bowel movements
- adverse food reactions
- nausea
- brain fog
- fatigue
- skin issues
- joint pain
- acid reflux
- belching
Stress/Adrenal Dysfunction
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Weight gain
Functional Medicine Testing
Hormonal Balance
Why it’s important: Proper cycle and adequate hormone levels are crucial for egg
maturation, ovulation, implantation, and pregnancy support. Hormonal imbalances
are a common cause of infertility.
- DUTCH sex hormones
- DUTCH adrenal testing
- Serum labs for
- Full thyroid panel
Gut Health
Why it’s important:
- GI-MAP