Fertility-impacting factors cannot always be controlled, yet many can. These include age at which we begin trying to start a family, diet, weight management, exercise regimens, psychological stress levels, smoking habits, recreational drug use or alcohol consumption – to name just some of them.
Diet is one of the best ways to increase fertility. Men and women who eat a balanced diet with prenatal vitamins stand a higher chance of conception compared to those who don’t.
Diet
Studies have demonstrated the power of eating healthily to aid female fertility. Studies suggest that an abundance of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and proteins could increase fertility chances; women consuming more fruit, veggies, whole grains, healthy fats and proteins have a better chance of conception than those who don’t consume as many trans fats, refined carbs and limit alcohol consumption; vitamins and antioxidants from avocado, fish, olive oil or leafy greens could also be vitally important to fertility success.
Sperm cells are essential to fertility, yet can be affected by many different factors including age, smoking, diet and environmental pollutants. Men who eat more low-fat food items such as poultry, fish and nuts have greater odds of having normal motility, morphology and count than those who consume more saturated and trans fats such as doughnuts, fried chicken or processed meats.
Avoiding environmental pollutants for women is especially essential, such as pesticides, solvents and heavy metals. Though lifestyle changes can help improve fertility, their effects won’t be seen immediately; patients must work closely with their physician in making long-term commitments to improve it. When there is evidence showing specific behaviors negatively affecting fertility – such as smoking and alcohol consumption – then patients should be encouraged to modify these activities, while when evidence is less clear or conflicting then generally encouraging healthy lifestyle habits is the appropriate approach.
Exercise
Many women who are trying to conceive may have been told by doctors or others that exercising is not recommended, or are fearful that exercise could adversely impact fertility. But moderate exercise is beneficial to both the body and mind of someone trying to conceive.
One study revealed that women who regularly exercised were more likely to conceive than non-exercising women due to exercise’s ability to lower inflammatory markers associated with fertility issues such as irregular ovulation or failed implantation attempts. This may be linked to reduced stress levels associated with working out.
Men should keep in mind that exercise can improve sperm quality by helping to decrease oxidative stress, which damages sperm cells. Furthermore, exercising can lower risks related to low sperm motility which are major contributors to male fertility issues.
As with diet, what constitutes “moderate exercise” varies with each individual. A general guideline would include activities like gardening, walking, swimming and yoga (other than Bikram). When trying to conceive it is wise to consult your physician regarding any preexisting health issues or specific exercises which might be safe. To discover how living healthily can impact fertility contact us today!
Smoking
Smoking poses serious health risks to women’s reproductive organs, while also diminishing her chances of becoming pregnant. Studies conducted on large population samples have consistently linked smoking with increased infertility rates and longer gestation periods; this finding was independent of age, body mass index (BMI), ethnicity or education status affecting fertility.
Even secondhand smoke can contribute to fertility issues among women. It may decrease concentrations of female hormones essential for ovulation and hasten menopause onset. Furthermore, smoking leads to decreased ovarian reserves which decreases egg retrievability and fertilization rates.
Cigarette smoke has less of an effect on male fertility than it does on women, though studies have demonstrated a negative correlation between smoking and reduced sperm quality and IVF cycles with men who smoke resulting in lower counts, densities and motilities of sperm samples. On the plus side though, both males’ and women’s fertility can improve once they quit smoking altogether.
Recreational and prescription drug use on fertility is less well understood. Heavy alcohol use has been linked with ovulation disorders, pelvic inflammatory disease and reduced ovarian reserve; additionally chlamydia/gonorrhea infections can cause inflammation/scarring of fallopian tubes leading to tubal factor infertility.
Alcohol
Women who drink excessive alcohol may experience problems with their menstrual cycles and ovulation, potentially impacting fertility. According to NHS, drinking can disrupt fertilized eggs which could result in miscarriage or other serious pregnancy complications; also alcohol consumption damages internal organs like livers and pancreas as well as negatively impact overall health and well-being in a woman.
Studies have consistently discovered a dose-response relationship between alcohol consumption and fecundability; however, results vary widely across studies due to differences in measurement methods, diet or even how fecundability is defined.
Drinking alcohol can reduce inhibitions, leading them to engage in unprotected sexual encounters that put their health and fertility at risk, including contracting sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea and chlamydia which can have severe repercussions.
Studies of 430 couples who were trying to conceive for the first time revealed that heavy alcohol intake was linked with reduced fecundability. Fecundability was measured using odds ratio analysis – where odds ratio is calculated as number of clinically recognised pregnancies divided by odds of conception in couples who did not conceive; similar to survival analysis measures. Adjustments did not improve model fit so alcohol intake became a significant predictor of fecundability.
