Infertility has been described as
the inability to conceive after one year of frequent, unprotected sexual
intercourse. It is good news that we have defeated the myth that once
infertility is mentioned only the woman is affected, we now understand that the malefactor contributes as much as 45%.
For conception to occur, both the
male and female factors must be in place. The sperm cells must be viable-having
the required count, motility, and morphology. For the woman, the ovum, fallopian
tube, uterus, and hormones must be in check. We are aware that up to 10-15% of
the cause of infertility can still not be explained medically. In this post, we
aim at sharing some common factors that affect the fertility of both males and
females alike. Some of these factors have become a lifestyle for some and are
often neglected when fertility is often mentioned. While some are physiological, and there is
little or nothing to be done about them some are however modifiable and a
little change or adjustment could cause a marked change in your journey to
conception.
Below are some of these factors
and how we can modify them.
1. WEIGHT: Being overweight or underweight
affects a woman’s fertility by tampering with the normal hormonal profile and
by extension causing ovulation problems and polycystic ovarian syndrome in
some. So is there an ideal weight for conception? We would not call it “ideal”
as this is also relative; however, it is important that your body mass index (BMI)
(which is a number that expresses your weight in reference to your weight) is
within the healthy range. Adults with a BMI between 18.5-24.9 are considered
healthy, between 25-29 are considered overweight and over 30 indicates obesity.
For overweight and obese individuals trying to conceive, weight loss is
important.
2. SMOKING: Fortunately, this is another modifiable
factor of infertility. Chemicals such as nicotine, cyanide, and carbon monoxide
in cigarettes speed up the rate of egg loss, and unfortunately, once an egg dies
off it cannot regenerate. Statistics show that menopause occurs about 4years
earlier in women who smoke as compared to non-smokers. These smoke chemicals
are so toxic that even passive smokers are affected markedly. For men, the
cyanide, and carbon monoxide have the ability to destroy sperm cells. It is therefore important that you quit smoking while trying to conceive.
3. AGE: The effect of aging on fertility
is “louder” on women than men. While men have the ability to produce sperm
throughout their lifetime, women are born with all of the eggs they will have
in their lifetime. Fertility generally begins to decline in women from early
30 with a marked decrease from 35 years. The hormones begin to drop and so it
the egg quality. As much as we cannot stop the aging process, we can reduce the
effect of aging by taking proper diet, supplements, and regular exercise.
4. ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION: While it is not
known exactly how alcohol affects fertility in women, it has been shown that
even drinking lightly can increase the time it takes to conceive and reduce the
chances of having a healthy baby. In men, alcohol decreases libido, causes
erectile dysfunction, and affects sperm qualities. It is a myth that women
should not drink only when they are pregnant and that it does not really
matter as long as she is not pregnant. The fact remains that alcohol affects you
whether pregnant or not. For women staying off alcohol is the best option.
5. STRESS: The “frangibility” of the
woman’s body is one that she must consider when engaging in stressful
activities. Stress has been shown to affect the normal menstrual cycle of a
woman by altering certain hormones. For most women trying to conceive after a
year of no result, they give in to anxiety further causing the release of
stress hormone which reduces her conception chances. Women should relax and enjoy the process of
waiting with their partners as worrying can only make things worse. You may
talk to a counselor if you need to.
6. TIMING OF SEX: for conception to occur,
timing is everything. The cycle of a woman makes it possible for her to tell
her fertile period. This is the period when she is “open” for conception. The
target of sexual intercourse when trying to conceive is the fertilization of
the egg, and the egg is only available after ovulation (the release of a matured
egg). This usually occurs 14days after the first day of the last period in a
28days cycle. The best three days of intercourse with conception in view is a
day to ovulation, the day of ovulation, and a day after your ovulation. During
these days it is important that sex occurs as often as possible. If you are
having a hard time calculating your ovulation dates, you can walk into a
pharmacy and ask for ovulation test kits.