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Lifestyle factors have a profound influence on your health, and that includes fertility. Your daily habits, the foods you eat, and even where you live can affect your health either positively or negatively.
Various lifestyle factors affect fertility in both women and men. From exposure to pollutants, to your weight, find out what lifestyle factors may contribute to fertility problems.
OB/GYN Marguerite Brathwaite, MD, FACOG of Innovative Women’s Care in Las Vegas, Nevada, helps couples and individuals struggling with fertility find answers and solutions to help them accomplish their dream of having a child.
If you’ve tried to get pregnant for 12 consecutive months without success, it’s wise to talk to a infertility specialist like Dr. Brathwaite. Let’s discuss what you should know about the connection between lifestyle and fertility.
Being overweight or obese is more than a cosmetic issue. Not only does carrying too much weight increase your risk of several chronic diseases, it’s also an independent risk factor for infertility.
There are several ways that obesity can interfere with your ability to get pregnant, but the main problem is that being overweight can cause hormone imbalance. The resulting hormone imbalance can cause or worsen fertility problems.
While being underweight can also cause trouble getting pregnant, it’s less common.
Most people know that smoking harms fetal development once you’re pregnant, but fewer people realize that smoking can negatively impact your ability to become pregnant in the first place.
Chemicals like nicotine lower sperm quality and motility, and can cause erectile dysfunction in men. There’s evidence that smoking not only harms eggs in women, but also harms women’s reproductive organs.
The foods you eat have an impact on your fertility. For example, a nutritious diet built on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and unsaturated fats is linked to better fertility in women and men. In contrast, a diet high in added sugar and saturated fat is consistently linked to poorer fertility outcomes.
Things like excess alcohol consumption, chronic stress, and high blood pressure can also make it harder to become pregnant. In men, high blood pressure can affect sperm quality. Indulging in too many alcoholic drinks can cause problems ovulating in women and affect sperm quality and production, as well as lower testosterone in men.
Stress on the other hand, is a less clear cause of fertility problems, but we do know that women with higher reported stress levels take longer to conceive.
Fertility is a complex process, and when it doesn’t come easy there may be a variety of factors at play. Let our expert, Dr. Brathwaite provides the guidance necessary to understand your fertility issues. In some cases, a cause is not found. However, even if a cause is not apparent, there are treatment options available to increase your chances of a successful pregnancy.
If you’re under 35 and have been struggling for a year to get pregnant or for six consecutive months if you’re over 35, it’s time to speak with a fertility specialist. Give us a call 702-936-4027 to schedule a visit with Dr. Brathwaite. We’re here to help you every step of the way.