Our bodies are always sending us messages. Symptoms we experience are usually signs that something bigger is at work. As a Naturopathic Doctor answering the WHY behind the symptoms is my job. It’s also something that could have prevented a lot of pain in my personal health story if I had only known about the MTHFR gene variants when I was pregnant and could also help you in your pregnancy journey.
If I had asked WHY early into my first pregnancy I would have realized what was causing a lot of the pain I suffered.
In this article, I will explain how MTHFR gene mutation can impact pregnancy and what you should do if you are planning to conceive or are already pregnant.
What Is MTHFR Gene Mutation and What Does It Do?
When I was pregnant with my first I was finishing up my degree in occupational therapy. I had no pre-existing health conditions, I was fit and in shape, committed to working out 5-6 days a week. I was also stressed, sleep-deprived, and not eating a healthy diet.
At 27 weeks gestation, I began not feeling well. I recall getting sick on a Monday with fever, chills, and nausea and I was feeling extra fatigued with noticeable swelling in my ankles.
I asked my mom and several other friends if it was “normal” in pregnancy to experience fatigue and swelling at that level. No one was worried so I kept pushing through these feelings, but by mid-week, I called my OB. I was told to have my blood pressure checked, which ended in an ER visit and a diagnosis of severe pre-eclampsia with liver and kidney failure.
My Bailey was born at 28 weeks and weighed 1 lb, 14oz. He spent 4 1/2 months in the NICU and ended up having to have two surgeries to repair the damage done to his small and large intestines from necrotizing enterocolitis.
An awareness of my family history, genetics, and a change in lifestyle choices could have saved my family a lot of pain.
You see, the MTHFR gene variant is a common mutation in your genetic code that can disrupt the methylation cycle, a process that provides methyl to at least two hundred functions in your body. You can read an overview of the MTHFR gene variant here.
When you have one of the two MTHFR gene variants your entire methylation cycle is disrupted, affecting antioxidant production, brain chemistry, cell repair, detoxification, energy production, genetic expression, immune response, inflammation, and several other processes.
Is The MTHFR Gene Variant Always Bad?
If you recently took a genetics test and learned you have an MTHFR gene variant you probably have a lot of questions. Is it bad? Am I doomed? How will my pregnancy go?
I always tell my clients, genes load the gun, but lifestyle pulls the trigger.
The MTHFR gene variant isn’t always bad! Having this gene variant can increase your alertness and make you incredibly resolved. It can also decrease your risk of colon cancer and support DNA repair. Dirty Genes by Ben Lynch is a great resource about how we can impact our genes through lifestyle choices.
The MTHFR Gene Variant
If you have one of the MTHFR gene variants you can track if it is causing disruptions to your methylation cycle in a few ways. Like I mentioned earlier, our body is constantly sending us messages. Here are a few messages you should take note of:
- You have hypothyroidism.
- Your white blood count is on the low end of normal.
- You get strong side effects from laughing gas.
- You had to have IVF or significant interventions to become pregnant.
- One of your children is on the autism spectrum.
- One of your children has Down Syndrome.
- You get menstrual cramping and have clots in menstrual fluid.
- Your homocysteine levels are routinely high.
- Your folate or Vitamin B12 levels are elevated.
- You can’t tolerate alcohol well.
- You don’t eat green leafy vegetables often or feel noticeably better anytime you do eat them.
Other signs that may indicate an MTHFR gene variant are anxiety, brain fog, chemical sensitivity, depression, irritability, and a high temper.
RELATED: WHAT IS THE MTHFR GENE MUTATION?
How Does The MTHFR Gene Variant Impact Pregnancy?
Pregnancy complications from MTHFR mutations may include pre-eclampsia, miscarriage and birth defects.
The MTHFR gene variants often cause high homocysteine levels and low folic acid levels. This can cause complications in pregnancy including miscarriage, birth defects, and pre-eclampsia.
There are two birth defects commonly linked to the MTHFR gene variant. They are spina bifida and Anencephaly.
- Spina bifida – this is where the spinal cord sticks out of the baby’s back, creating nerve damage. Depending on the severity of the spina bifida, some children go on to have normal lives, while others need full-time care.
- Anencephaly – this is where a baby is born without parts of their brain or skull. Most babies don’t live past one week of life.
As you know from my personal story, pre-eclampsia is when the mother has high blood pressure during pregnancy.
RELATED: PREGNANCY: OPTIMIZING HEALTH WITH DIET
Next Steps: Testing & Treatment
It’s not standard to test women who are pregnant or trying to conceive for the MTHFR gene variant. However, I highly recommend that all women get tested. It would have made a significant difference in my life if I had that prior knowledge going into pregnancy.
It’s important to note that there are a few myths around testing for MTHFR. Many doctors believe testing your homocysteine levels is an accurate way to find out if you’re properly methylating. However, most doctors consider 15 micromoles per liter to be high, whereas leading experts in the field of lifestyle medicine and genetics say anything above 7 micromoles is high.
Also, know that your methylation cycle could be blocked due to other reasons like:
- Inflammation
- Oxidative stress
- Heavy metals
- Folic acid
- Yeast overgrowth
- SIBO
- Infection
- Nutrient deficiencies
Working with a Naturopathic Doctor will help you determine the best test to take and interpret the results.
Key Nutrients For A Healthy MTHFR and Methylation Cycle
A healthy lifestyle and better food choice can aid your MTHFR and methylation cycle work properly. I would be glad to work with you so we can create a healthy and high impact pregnancy journey for you.
In regards to treatment, a naturopathic doctor will also be able to pinpoint exactly what lifestyle changes and nutrient deficiencies need to be addressed in your specific situation. Every individual has a unique health background and no two care plans are alike.
However here are the key nutrients your MTHFR and Methylation Cycle need to work properly:
- Riboflavin
- Folate
- Cobalamin
- Protein
- Magnesium
After reading this, you should have a better idea of how MTHFR gene variants can impact pregnancy and what you should do if you are planning to conceive or are already pregnant.
Mandy Patterson
