After stating the different origins of infertility, here are a few tips that will help you optimize your chances:
Table of Contents
Weight Control
Nature is very tolerant, and one can have normal ovulation by being very thin, or on the contrary rather overweight. If we exceed these limits too much, negative consequences on fertility may occur. On the other hand, it is sometimes enough to lose (or gain) a few pounds to regain normal fertility, even if you stay far from the ideal weight.
The tolerance interval is measured by the body mass index (BMI). BMI is calculated by a simple formula = weight/(height in meters)². Its normal value is 19 to 24.
Excess weight has scientifically proven consequences on fertility, even though obese people who have many children can be found. The risk of not conceiving after one year of waiting is increased by 30% in case of overweight and 80% in case of obesity.
The link with infertility is a certain resistance of the ovaries to stimulation treatment, poorer results in IVF (-30%), a higher risk of miscarriage (+33%), and more frequent pregnancy complications (diabetes – hypertension – prematurity – caesarean section). For the unborn child, obesity carries an additional risk of fetal malformation and obesity.
Being too thin is also a handicap. To function normally, the ovaries need a certain ratio of muscle mass to fat mass. The consequences for fertility are almost the same as excess weight: significant ovulation disorders, resistance to ovarian simulation treatment, and poorer results in IVF.
High level sportswomen, especially those who practice endurance sports, have the same problems, due to a too high ratio of muscle mass to fat.
Physical Exercise
Essential complement of slimming diets, it also has a proven beneficial activity on ovarian function.
Eliminate Toxins
Many products can interfere with fertility, but some are particularly concerned by the frequency of their use and their harmfulness.
Smoking
The negative consequences of smoking on fertility are absolutely certain, both in natural fertility and in Assisted Reproduction. In IVF, smokers lose 15% of their chances of pregnancy.
Smoking causes a decrease in the ovarian oocyte reserve, a reduction in the rate of embryo implantation, and sometimes serious complications for the child (low birth weight, premature delivery, lung problems, etc.).
“All of these risks increase with the importance and duration of consumption”, says Miguel Arruda from Enlistalo Fertilidad México. However, since we do not know if there is a limit below which there is no risk, the advice is rather to stop completely. Passive smoking could also be harmful.
The effects of cannabis use are very similar to those of tobacco.
Alcohol
Although women are much less affected than men by this type of intoxication, its consequences on fertility are also well documented.
It is advisable to abstain from regular daily consumption, as well as from heavy consumption, even accidental.
Environmental Toxins
The products concerned are mainly endocrine disruptors, i.e. toxic substances capable of mimicking the action of certain hormones.
This is a very complicated problem: most of these toxins probably do not act alone, but in association with others, their effects are not the same for the embryo, child or adult, and the long-term consequences are difficult to evaluate.
As a general rule, it seems prudent to avoid contact with pesticides, herbicides, certain food plastics (phthalates), hair dyes, solvents, industrial inks.
In the daily diet, the more a product is in fact in the food chain, the more it is likely to concentrate toxic products: a cereal is less suspect than beef or salmon fat. And an organic product will always be less at risk.
As the action of medicines in everyday life is not always well documented, it seems prudent to limit drug consumption as much as possible, even on analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs.