Your Health & Fertility
Becoming pregnant is one of the most exciting times in a woman’s life. It can also be very stressful and trying. At times it may even seem hopeless. In fact, in April of 2009 there were an estimated 7.3 million US women between the ages of 15 – 44 that were suffering from some form of infertility. In Australia, approximately one in six couples will have trouble trying to conceive a child. Many couples will immediately assume that lengthy, costly, and painful medical treatments are the only option to help them conceive. However, this is not the case. In fact there are many ways a woman can naturally increase her fertility.
Some simple lifestyle changes can have a profound impact on fertility. Factors such as weight, stress levels, and sleeping habits, and can all have a positive or negative impact on fertility. Below, we will take a closer look at each of these lifestyle factors and how they can be altered to aid in fertility.
Your Weight and Fertility
Recently a CBS News Report indicated that 50% of Americans are overweight and another 30% are obese while Australia boasts a 62% rate of obesity among adults! These staggering numbers carry a host of medical problems such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and more recently it has been deemed that infertility can be added to this list. That’s right — being over weight or under weight can be a key cause of infertility. An estimated six percent of women who are both over weight and under weight suffer from primary infertility.
A woman’s body produces estradiol, which is the primary female sex hormone. Estradiol is lipid soluble, meaning that is dissolves or disappears in fat. Over time, this hormone accumulates in body fat and eventually reaches equilibrium with the blood. This storage of sex hormones along with other complex metabolic functions results in the body altering its own reproductive functions. When a woman’s reproductive function is altered it can make conception nearly impossible. A normal, ovulating, healthy weight woman experiences a regular menstrual cycle every 28 – 32 days with symptoms such as breast fullness, a clear abundant mucous secreted from the vagina, and bloating. A deviation from this normal cycle is the first sign of a poorly functioning reproductive system. Obese women can experience irregular menstrual cycles, heavy and prolonged bleeding, and the growth of dark hair on the lower abdomen. Slender women will also experience many of these symptoms with one exception; slender women will eventually begin to suffer from vaginal dryness and a lowered or complete lack of sex drive.
Unfortunately, many doctors overlook this aspect when performing a fertility evaluation when it should in fact it should be the first factor considered. Fortunately, more than 70% of women who are infertile due to a distorted body weight will spontaneously conceive once their weight is corrected. This is also one of the easier causes of infertility to treat. For obese women, weight loss is a must and for slender women, weight gain is a must. Under the supervision of a doctor and/or dietician, a weight challenged woman should begin a structured diet and exercise regimen so that her ideal weight can be reached. It is important to recognize that this process is going to take time and will not happen overnight. As a matter of fact, a woman should only gain one half a pound per week, or lose one pound per week depending on the situation and it can take upwards of 6 months to restore normal reproductive functions.
Stress Levels and Fertility
For many years, women who have had repeatedly tried and failed to conceive were told to just “relax and it will happen” or that they were “trying too hard” or even that they were “too stressed out.” Unfortunately for the millions of frustrated women battling infertility, these words offered no real help or comfort. However unhelpful these comments may seem, they are not totally useless as new research indicates that infertility can be linked to high levels of stress–in as many as 30% of all infertility cases.
Although the direct link between stress and infertility is still unclear, doctors are confident that it lies in the production of certain hormones. During times of high stress the body produces cortisol and epinephrine which circulate throughout the body in large quantities and can affect a woman’s fertility. Also during these times the proteins that are found within the uterine lining that aid in implantation are decreased along with a decrease in blood flow to the uterus. Similar to weight, stress is another rather easy cause of infertility that can be treated. Some of the best ways to reduce stress include acupuncture, yoga, deep breathing exercises, foot reflexology, and massage.
Sleeping Habits and Fertility
According to the National Sleep Foundation, a woman (age 30 – 60 years) should get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. Reality however, dictates that the average woman only gets 6 hours 41 minutes of sleep each weeknight. This can affect a woman’s ability to conceive. For example, if a woman doesn’t get enough sleep, it can have a powerful impact on hormone levels that are responsible for regulating ovulation and menstrual cycles. A lack of sleep can result in low leptin levels. Leptin is responsible for appetite and a poor appetite or a lack thereof can affect ovulation which in turn impacts fertility.
Again this is another fairly easy factor to change. Here are 5 quick and easy tips to aid in sleeping better:
1. Get into a routine. Train your body to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Sleeping on a schedule is the only way to sleep.
2. Don’t over stimulate yourself before going to bed. Try to avoid things such as computer screens, TV’s, and books just before or while trying to fall asleep.
3. Set the mood. Make sure that the bedroom is dark and void of all stimulation that can keep you awake.
4. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Okay, so you don’t have to completely eliminate these from your diet but do make sure that you don’t consume these during the late afternoon or evening as they can keep you from falling asleep.
5. Get comfortable. Make sure that you are laying in a comfortable position and that you are not too hot or too cold.
A diagnosis of infertility can be heartbreaking for any woman but it isn’t the end of the world nor does it mean you must spend your life savings on expensive fertility treatments. There are many factors that can negatively affect fertility. The good news is that these factors are within your control and with a few lifestyle changes you can possibly reverse your infertility.