Why Am I Not Getting Pregnant? 7 Areas to Look at When Trying to Conceive

By Dr. Alyssa, DC, CFMP

If you’ve been asking yourself, “Why am I not getting pregnant?” you are not alone.

Trying to conceive can quickly become an emotional roller coaster. You track your period. You take the prenatal. You use the ovulation strips. You time intercourse. You analyze every little symptom and convince yourself this has to be the month.

And then your period comes.

Again.

What makes fertility struggles even more frustrating is feeling like you aren’t getting answers.

Maybe you’ve been told to “just keep trying.” Maybe your basic bloodwork came back “normal.” Or maybe medications or hormones have been suggested, but you still don’t understand what your own hormones are actually doing.

At Roots Wholistic Health in Waupaca, Wisconsin, I take a different approach to fertility support.

Instead of looking at fertility as one isolated hormone problem, I want to look at the bigger picture. What could be creating roadblocks for your fertility?

Your reproductive system doesn't operate in a bubble. Nutrition, environmental exposures, sleep, thyroid function, ovulation, hormone patterns, stress, and exercise can all play a role in your overall reproductive health.

When I work with women who are trying to conceive, there are 7 major areas of health I want to explore.

1. Nutrition: Are You Eating to Support Your Fertility?

Let's start with food.

Your body needs adequate energy, protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to support normal hormone production and reproductive function.

And sometimes the answer isn't eating less.

It's eating better—and the right foods at the right times.

I want women to think beyond what they're eating and start paying attention to where they are in their menstrual cycle.

This is where Cycle Syncing comes in.

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our hormones naturally fluctuate throughout the follicular, ovulatory, luteal, and menstrual phases of your cycle. Cycle Syncing is a way of adjusting your nutrition and lifestyle throughout these different phases with the goal of supporting your body's changing needs.

Instead of eating and exercising exactly the same way every single day of the month, start learning how to work with your cycle instead of against it.

For example, different phases of your cycle may be a good time to emphasize different nutrient-dense foods, adjust carbohydrate intake, prioritize healthy fats and protein, or pay closer attention to recovery and nourishment.

When I work with women who are trying to conceive, I want to know:

Are you eating nutrient-dense foods?

Are you getting adequate protein and healthy fats?

Are you supporting your blood sugar?

Are you giving your body the building blocks it needs for normal hormone production?

And are you changing the way you nourish yourself as your body moves through its cycle?

Your fertility journey doesn't need another extreme diet.

It needs nourishment—and a better understanding of your cycle.

Want to Learn How to Cycle Sync?

If you're thinking, Okay, but what am I actually supposed to eat during each phase?—I created my Cycle Syncing online course for exactly this reason.

Inside the course, I walk you through your menstrual cycle and help you understand what's happening with your hormones during each phase, along with practical ways to support your body through food, movement, and everyday lifestyle choices.

The goal isn't perfection. It's learning your body well enough that you can make intentional choices throughout your cycle—especially when you're preparing for pregnancy and trying to conceive.

Also visit FindYourFertility.live for my free fertility resources, courses, and The FERTILE Plan.

Stop fighting your cycle. Start learning how to work with it.

2. Toxins and Endocrine Disruptors: What Are You Exposed to Every Day?

Now take a look around your bathroom, kitchen and laundry room.

Skincare. Makeup. Perfume. Lotion. Shampoo. Hair products. Cleaning products. Teflon pans. Aluminum foil. Iodized salt. Plastic water bottles. Tupperwear. Synthetic scents. Dryer sheets. Colorful detergents.

We are exposed to a variety of chemicals every day, and certain substances found in consumer products are considered endocrine-disrupting chemicals, meaning they can interfere with normal hormone signaling.

Does this mean you need to throw everything in your house away tonight?

Please don't.

Instead, start paying attention to the products you use most frequently and make realistic swaps over time. As one product runs out, replace it with a cleaner option. Visit my Amazon Storefront for fertility-friendly household swaps.

You don't need perfection.

You need progress.

3. Sleep: Are You Getting Quality, Restorative Sleep?

You can technically spend eight hours in bed and still wake up feeling like you haven't slept.

Sleep quality matters for hormone and reproductive health.

Sleep and circadian rhythms interact with many systems involved in metabolic and reproductive health. Staying up late, waking frequently throughout the night, or consistently getting inadequate sleep may be another piece of your overall health picture.

And sometimes fertility support starts with something incredibly unexciting:

Go. To. Bed.

Your body needs time to recover. Put the phone down, stop scrolling, and let your brain shut off. Get my bedroom must-haves for rest and relaxation here.

4. Thyroid Function: Has Your Thyroid Really Been Evaluated?

Your thyroid and fertility are closely connected.

Thyroid dysfunction can affect menstrual regularity and ovulation, which is why thyroid evaluation can be an important part of a fertility workup.

This is also why I want to know more than:

"My doctor said my thyroid was normal."

What was tested? TSH is NOT enough information.

What were your actual results?

What symptoms are you experiencing?

What does your menstrual cycle look like?

Those details matter.

If you are struggling to get pregnant, experiencing irregular periods, or aren't sure whether you are ovulating consistently, your thyroid may be one area worth discussing with your healthcare provider.

5. Ovulation and Hormone Testing: Are You Actually Ovulating?

Here's a big question:

Do you know when—or if—you are ovulating?

Having a period doesn't necessarily tell us everything we need to know about your ovulation or hormone patterns.

When working with women who are trying to conceive, I want to understand the entire menstrual cycle.

When are you ovulating?

Are you ovulating consistently?

How long are your cycles?

What is happening during your luteal phase?

What symptoms appear throughout your cycle?

And when appropriate, test your hormones.

If your fertility treatment involves changing or supplementing hormones, there can be tremendous value in first understanding what your hormones are actually doing.

Stop guessing and start testing.

Testing doesn't answer every fertility question, and the appropriate testing will depend on your individual situation. But objective information can help us ask better questions and develop a more individualized plan.

6. Stress and Adrenal Health: This Is a BIG One

Before you roll your eyes because someone has already told you to “just relax and you'll get pregnant”...

No.

That's not what I'm saying.

Telling a woman who is struggling to conceive to “just relax” might be one of the least helpful pieces of fertility advice ever.

Stress isn't simply emotional.

Work stress. Financial stress. Undereating. Overtraining. Poor sleep. Illness. Blood sugar swings. Chronic overwhelm.

Your body's stress-response system interacts with sleep, metabolism, thyroid function, and reproductive function.

The goal isn't to eliminate every stressful thing from your life. Unless someone knows how to do that, in which case, please share.

The goal is to understand how the stressors affecting your body and find realistic ways to support your stress response to handle it better.

7. Exercise and Fertility: Are You Moving Too Much—or Too Little?

Exercise is incredibly beneficial for overall health.

But more exercise isn't always better.

Too little physical activity can affect metabolic health, while excessive exercise—especially when combined with inadequate calorie intake—can disrupt menstrual cycles and ovulation.

That's why I don't automatically tell every woman trying to conceive to work out more.

I want to know:

What does YOUR body need based on which phase of the Menstrual Cycle you are in?

Maybe it's strength training.

Maybe it's walking.

Maybe it's adding more movement throughout your day.

Or maybe it's pulling back from intense workouts and finally allowing yourself to recover.

How you move should depend on where you are in your cycle and supporting the hormones are being produced. Learn more about how to move with your cycle, not against it with Cycle Syncing.

Functional Medicine and Fertility: Looking at the Bigger Picture

This is why I am so passionate about helping women find their fertility.

At Roots Wholistic Health in Waupaca, WI, we take a whole-body approach to women's health and fertility support.

Rather than focusing on one symptom, I want to understand your story and look at the different systems that may be influencing your reproductive health.

That can include your:

• Nutrition and nutrient status

• Environmental exposures

• Sleep

• Thyroid function

• Menstrual cycle and ovulation

• Hormone patterns

• Stress response

• Exercise and movement

When appropriate, we use testing to gather additional information and help guide a more individualized approach.

Because when you've been trying month after month, you deserve more than:

"Let's just wait and see."

You deserve thoughtful questions.

You deserve information.

And you deserve to better understand what your body is doing.

Fertility Testing at Roots Wholistic Health in Waupaca, WI

If you've been trying to conceive and feel like something is missing, Roots Wholistic Health offers functional medicine services for women who want to take a deeper look at their health and fertility.

Our goal is to identify potential health factors that may be creating additional roadblocks on your fertility journey and give you practical steps to support your body.

If you're looking for answers, I would love to meet with you, hear your story, and determine what testing and next steps may be appropriate for you. Book an initial Functional Medicine Consultation to get started.

Not Ready for Fertility Testing? Start With Find Your Fertility

Maybe you're just starting to try to conceive.

Maybe you're preparing your body for pregnancy.

Or maybe you aren't ready for an appointment or functional medicine testing but still want to know:

What can I start doing today to support my fertility?

That's exactly why I created Find Your Fertility.

At FindYourFertility.live, I share free fertility resources, practical tips and online courses designed to help women better understand their cycles, hormones, and everyday habits.

You'll also find The FERTILE Plan, my framework for the 7 areas I consider when looking at fertility:

F — Food

E — Endocrine disruptors and environmental exposures

R — Rest + Recovery

T — Thyroid health

I — Identify Your Fertile Window

L — Less Stress

E — Exercise and movement

You don't have to change your entire life overnight.

Start learning.

Start asking questions.

Start paying attention to your cycle.

Start making small changes that support your health.

And most importantly:

Stop guessing. Start testing. Start understanding your body.

If you're looking for a deeper, individualized approach to your fertility, schedule an appointment with Roots Wholistic Health in Waupaca, Wisconsin.

And if you're just beginning your fertility journey or want practical resources you can start using from home, visit FindYourFertility.live.

Your fertility journey deserves more than a guess. Let's look deeper.

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat infertility or replace individualized medical care. Fertility challenges can have many causes and may involve either partner. Talk with an appropriate healthcare professional about fertility evaluation and treatment.