Fertility is one crucial topic both men and women should take seriously.
For both genders, it helps them learn about their health status and can prevent them from encountering serious health problems. After all, infertility can affect around 186 million people individually and around 48 million couples worldwide.
While infertility can occur due to a range of reasons, there are some things you can do to stop it or reduce the risk. The best ways to support fertility are through a natural lifestyle and diet. To know more about improving your fertility rate, keep reading.
Basic overview of fertility
To explain the concept further, fertility is the ability of a person to conceive children. For females, it's when they can't become pregnant after 12 months of unprotected sex. Usually, after this, women require an evaluation by a doctor. Males also can be subject to infertility, experiencing problems with how their sperm functions, sperm production and delivery of sperm.
Factors that can affect fertility
Those who experience fertility are not always because of the same reason. Fertility issues can be caused by a range of factors, such as the following:
Age
One of the most common contributors to fertility is the number of eggs available in a woman's body. As they get older, the amount in their body tends to decrease. However, in their mid to late 30's, they tend to decrease in quantity and quality daily. This sharp decrease in eggs means that women will have fewer chances of getting pregnant, and when they do, they're more than likely to have a miscarriage. There is a similar chance with males; however, their chances are much lower.
Last pregnancy
Often people are more than likely to get pregnant if they've previously had a baby in comparison to people who have not had a child before.
Duration
If a couple has been trying for a long time to get pregnant, the less fertile they're likely to be. For instance, if a couple has been trying to get pregnant for under 1 year, they're more than likely to get pregnant with people who have been trying for more than 2 years.
Weight
Women who are overweight and have infrequent periods are less likely to release an egg every month than ovulate than women who have consistent periods. As a result, women have lower chances of getting pregnant. Moreover, a woman being overweight has a higher chance of miscarriage or problems with their pregnancy or delivery. Moreover, if a woman is underweight, it can affect the number of eggs produced. Similarly, men who are overweight may produce less sperm, making them have reduced fertility.
Smoking
If women smoke cigarettes, it can be difficult for them to have a child. They can be 3 times more at risk than non-smokers. Part of this is that smoking can cause the ovaries to produce fewer eggs than a woman who does not smoke. Smoking can cause damage inside the fallopian tubes, which causes an egg to be transported. Similarly, for men, smoking can reduce sperm quantity and quality.
Alcohol
There is research which shows that alcohol may cause birth defects and delay development in children. Similarly, the more alcohol women drink, the higher their risk is for them to conceive.
Over the counter medication
Certain over the counter medications like ibuprofen and aspirin can cause fertility problems such as difficulty with ovulation and implantation. Similarly, the fallopian tube can be at risk of damage by consuming marijuana and cocaine. If males use anabolic steroids, the amount of sperm produced can decrease and may cause permanent damage if suddenly stopped taking.
Medical conditions
Some medical conditions can influence fertility. While many conditions cause this, some of the main ones are Vitamin D deficiency, thyroid disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis and more.
How to naturally support fertility
If you're worried about your fertility rate, you can do a few natural things to support it, such as:
Eat foods high in antioxidants
Some food with antioxidants that contain zinc and folate may help with fertility in both women and men. This is because antioxidants are known to help deactivate atoms or molecules in your body known as free radicals.
Free radicals can pose a big risk of damaging egg and sperm cells. Folate, in particular, has been shown to increase the implantation risk in pregnancy and live birth in 232 women. Therefore it might be wise to consume foods with antioxidants like nuts, vegetables, fruits and grains.
Eat foods with high fibre content
Foods high in fibre can help with fertility levels as they eliminate too much estrogen they bind it to the intestines. Then the estrogen is removed as excess waste. Fibre also helps keep blood sugar balanced, ensuring the baby stays healthy in the womb. The best foods to eat that are high in fibre are vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
Exercise regularly
Moderate and consistent exercise can help contribute to increased fertility. However, too much excessive exercise has been linked to decreased fertility and can cause significant risks to the reproductive system. Therefore gradual exercise may be beneficial.
Overview of Inositol
One of the major molecules that helps sustain and promote pregnancy in females is Inositol. There's a bit of research that shows that they can help regulate ovulation and help with reproductive hormones for those with a polycystic ovary system and insulin resistance.
However, there's more research needed to come out to support fertility as a whole. Inositol is a natural sugar made by your body and found in many foods. It's best taken with folate, a natural type of vitamin B and chromium, a mineral that aids your metabolism. Together all of this helps aid female health.
