Ways to protect female fertility
Female fertility is the ability to conceive a biological child. Women become fertile on their first menstrual cycle. This continues until they enter menopause when they stop menstruating. Fertility can be enhanced by making some healthy lifestyle choices. At the same time, it is important to know that your lifestyle may have a negative effect on your ability to get pregnant.
Nowadays, many women postpone motherhood until later in life. However, as they get older, conception becomes more difficult. When we are young and carefree we don’t think much about the future, but the many choices we make at that time can impact our future ability to conceive.
If you are not sure about what habits can affect your fertility and what to do to protect it, keep reading. These tips have the power to significantly reduce the chances of becoming infertile by the time you are ready to have children.
Use protection when having sexual relations - Practicing safe sex will prevent 99% of sexually transmitted infections (STI). And many of them, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, can have a dramatic impact on your fertility. Although most STIs are treatable today, they may have long-term effects on your health. The only safe option is to use condoms during sex.
If you are not sure or suspect you might be suffering from an STI, do not postpone seeing your healthcare provider as soon as possible. If you have experienced chlamydia, your Fallopian tubes might be blocked, so in vitro fertilization may be your next option. [1] The chances of experiencing an ectopic pregnancy are also much higher.
Avoid smoking - Cigarette smoking is proven to cause infertility and early menopause. Moreover, smoking increases free radicals in the body that damage your ovaries and eggs. Active and passive smoking are both detrimental to fertility and are associated with the premature aging of organs and tissue. Women who stop smoking increase their chances of getting pregnant, while those who smoke can experience a decreased number of healthy eggs and spontaneous abortions more often. [2]
Maintain a healthy weight and a nutritious diet - Sudden and big weight loss as well as weight gain can impact the production of estrogen but so does excess weight and underweight. The healthy BMI for females is within the range of 18.5 and 24.5. Pay attention to not only how much you eat but what you consume. In order to keep your body healthy, eating nutrient-dense food containing 1 gram of protein per kilogram of weight, complex carbs, healthy fats, and microelements will keep your body in top condition.
Have a healthy circadian rhythm - Working at night and sleeping through the day can destabilize your hormones and thus affect your fertility but worse than that is not getting enough sleep.
Do not over exercise - Nothing in excess is good for you, and overdoing it in the gym can cause your ovulation to cease.
Since women’s reproductive role is not first and foremost on the agenda these days, many women may not be aware that they are experiencing fertility problems. If you do not have a partner, or you are not ready to have kids yet, you can still check your fertility level by taking an AMH test. Additionally, you may consider freezing your healthy eggs to use them in the future when you want to become a parent.
Sources:
[1]Budrys, N. M., Gong, S., Rodgers, A. K., Wang, J. J., Louden, C., Shain, R. N., Schenken, R. S., & Zhong, G. (2012). Chlamydia trachomatis Antigens Recognized in Women With Tubal Factor Infertility, Normal Fertility, and Acute Infection. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 119(5), 1009–1016. https://doi.org/10.1097/aog.0b013e3182519326
[2]Sepaniak, S., Forges, T., & Monnier-Barbarino, P. (2006). Tabac et fertilité chez la femme et l’homme. Gynecologie Obstetrique & Fertilite, 34(10), 945–949. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gyobfe.2006.06.018
[3]Female fertility: Why lifestyle choices count. (2022, December 6). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/in-depth/f...
