American couples starting a family today might be swimming against a stronger current than their parents did. New CDC data released in April 2024 shows Americans are having fewer children than ever, with U.S. fertility rates dropping another 2% since 2022 – part of a decade-long downward slide that includes fewer births among women in their 20s and 30s.
What’s behind this decline in fertility? While many couples are choosing to start families later, experts believe there is more to the story. Current thinking points to a variety of factors that include dietary choices, daily habits, and environmental exposures – all of which may affect fertility.
To better understand this fertility crisis, The Stand spoke with Becca Collins, a certified holistic health coach who specializes in fertility and whole-body wellness. She has a degree in nutrition and dietetics from the University of Kentucky and is certified by the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Collins began her journey after facing personal struggles with hormone imbalance, stress, and severe calorie restriction that disrupted her hormonal cycle for four years. In her quest for answers, she turned to holistic health and discovered how lifestyle and environmental changes could support reproductive health. Her perspective combines scientific insight with a compassionate, faith-based approach to understanding these challenging trends.
Food factors
Collins identified multiple factors that she believes contribute to the rising infertility rates, including issues related to nutrition.
“In today’s society, the majority of people’s diets consist of processed foods – inflammatory seed oils, refined sugar, chemicals, and lab-made ingredients,” she said. “Most people aren’t even eating real food, but food-like fake products. This causes inflammation, stress on the body, thyroid issues, metabolic issues, hormone disruption, and more.”
Despite an abundance of food, nutritional deficiencies in the American diet are a significant concern.
“It’s no wonder infertility and miscarriage rates are on the rise,” she said. “Our bodies need nutrients – lots of them – to thrive.”
According to Collins, the irony is that while people are eating more, they’re consuming fewer nutrients necessary for optimal health. Corporations that profit from ultra-processed foods contribute to the problem by shifting the blame for modern health problems onto traditional foods like butter and meat, when, in fact, the real culprits may be the very foods they promote.
Environmental toxins
Collins’ critique also extended beyond nutrition to broader lifestyle and environmental factors. She highlighted the critical role of sunlight as a form of stress management.
“Sunshine is healing,” she explained. “It lowers stress, boosts metabolism, regulates circadian rhythm, and supports vitamin D production. Sunlight helps convert cholesterol into progesterone, an essential hormone for fertility.”
Collins also discussed how the role of environmental chemicals is one of the most alarming aspects of the fertility crisis. She pointed to specific toxins that dramatically impact reproductive health.
“Phthalates and BPA [bisphenol A] are common chemicals found in plastic products. Studies show that exposure to phthalates during egg maturation can interfere with egg development and fertilization,” she said. “BPA has been proven to compromise egg quality and is linked to reduced fertility, miscarriages, and egg and sperm abnormalities.
“Even the air we breathe and the water we drink can have known endocrine disruptors,” Collins added. “I highly encourage everyone to filter their water. Having an air purifier at home can be helpful for cleaning up indoor air. But at the very least, open windows daily, and clean your home regularly.”
Another environmental factor that poses a long-term threat to fertility is perfluorolkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or “forever chemicals.” Found in various everyday items, PFAS do not break down over time and can accumulate in the body, interfering with reproductive health.
“Studies show that PFAS can reduce women’s fertility by 40%,” Collins noted. “PFAS are linked to an increased risk of cancer, liver disease, blood pressure and cholesterol issues, polycystic ovary syndrome, and more. Research has even detected forever chemicals in newborns. PFAS can cross the placenta and can even be transmitted to babies via breast milk.”
Even the female reproductive system is remarkably responsive to environmental conditions. Collins contends that stress makes bad matters even worse.
“As a society, we are more stressed than ever, and it is affecting our fertility,” she further explained. “When under stress, the body instinctively becomes less receptive to pregnancy, disrupting menstrual cycles and ovulation. Women’s bodies also make cortisol (the stress hormone) at the expense of progesterone (the ‘pro-gestation hormone’). Most of us are not sleeping enough, on our phones too much, not getting enough sunshine or movement, and not resting enough – all of which are stressors on our bodies and affecting our fertility.”
Practical fertility support
Collins’ guidance for couples who are trying to conceive or to maintain a healthy pregnancy includes taking prenatal vitamins, beginning at least three to six months before getting pregnant.
“It is important to flood our bodies with bioavailable nutrients to optimize our fertility, even before trying to conceive,” she explained. “Not all prenatals are created equal, though; I recommend finding a high-quality, third-party-tested one that has methylated B vitamins.”
Being aware of hormonal levels is important as well, Collins said: “Interestingly, one of the main causes of miscarriage is low progesterone, so I highly recommend every woman, when she finds out she is pregnant, to get her progesterone tested.”
In addition to maintaining a healthy lifestyle – eating whole foods, avoiding processed foods and alcohol, exercising regularly, regulating stress, and sleeping well – Collins urges women to understand their bodies’ God-designed rhythms.
“Women can only get pregnant up to six days each menstrual cycle,” she explained. “This is something that should be well-known but isn’t. If a couple is trying to conceive, I highly recommend the woman track her cycle. When she ovulates, her body starts producing progesterone, which is a thermogenic, heat-inducing hormone that increases her body temperature. By tracking her basal body temperatures, she will be able to see that spike in temperature, which confirms that she ovulated. This will help immensely with conception, as she knows when her fertile window is, and the couple can optimize their ability to get pregnant.”
A result of the fall
While Collins is confident that processed foods and environmental toxins are significant contributors to the current fertility crisis, she also believes that infertility is ultimately a result of the fall.
“We live in a fallen world, with sin and destruction becoming more prevalent,” Collins explained. “Infertility is part of that destruction and is such a heartbreaking thing to endure.”
However, Collins remains optimistic for those struggling with infertility.
“God made our bodies to be resilient. Do the best you can, and don’t sweat the rest. Find a balance that works for you and your family,” she encouraged.
According to Scripture, the desire to have children is a God-honoring desire.
“Despite what mainstream media and modern society want us to believe, children are a blessing,” Collins emphasized. “They are a blessing from God.”
Editor’s note: This article is intended for informational purposes only and is not to be considered as medical advice. Women should consult their physicians before making any changes.
