Understanding Fertility Care by URE Centro Gutenberg

The majority of couples underestimate the impact of a woman’s age on fertility and, at the same time, overestimate the results of assisted reproduction techniques (IVF). As a result, these couples are at risk of putting off parenthood during a time when they are arguably most fertile. It would be beneficial for a couple to consider all of the possible implications of delaying motherhood, before making an informed decision. At our fertility clinic in Spain, we tell our patients every day that, ‘a woman’s age is the most important factor in terms of conception’. Pregnancy rates are fairly stable at around 23% per month until the age of 30, and then this rate begins to decline significantly after the age of 37, resulting in an increased number of infertile women.

It’s important that our patients understand that when their family doctor or gynaecologist tells them that everything looks good at their annual check-up, this doesn’t necessarily mean that everything is OK reproduction-wise. In other words, a woman who is 43 or 45 years old may be in perfect health and her annual gynaecology visits might look fine, but due to her age, her likelihood of receiving a poor prognosis for her reproductive health will be extremely high. That’s why it is important to know your ovarian reserve at every annual check-up. The response to all the above should be a new concept of “infertility prevention,” where the responsibility falls on health professionals, healthcare workers in general and on society as a whole. We should be more aware of the factors that have an impact on a women’s fertility success rates; such as age, as well as the new possibilities for preserving fertility (vitrification of oocytes, freezing of ovarian tissue (egg freezing) and freezing of sperm).

Advanced age is a factor that’s present in a very high percentage of couples dealing with infertility, but it may be not the only factor. Aside from several illnesses and pathologies that can be the cause, we’ve also found that there are certain habits that have adverse effects on fertility which you should avoid if you want to become a parent someday.

Smoking, alcohol consumption and even a sedentary lifestyle are habits that are damaging to our general health. But they’re even worse if you are trying to conceive, as they have a very negative impact on your fertility. This is, of course, not something which only affects future mums, but it also affects male fertility. But if you’ve decided to become a mom and you’re trying to conceive (TTC), it is important that you avoid habits that are detrimental to your fertility success rates, such as the ones we mention below.

Tobacco

We all know that smoking is detrimental to your health, the health of those around you and of course the health of your future baby. When it comes to women’s fertility success rates, regular tobacco consumption is associated with diminished egg quality, decreased chances of endometrial implantation and increased risk of baby loss during pregnancy (in the event that conception occurs). This is in addition to low birth weight in new-borns and prematurity.

As you can imagine, tobacco consumption can also affect male infertility. In males, regular smoking is related to decreased sperm quality which leads to a lower likelihood of conceiving. All these factors have an enormous effect when trying to conceive (TTC), which is why tobacco consumption is one of the main bad habits you should quit if you want to get pregnant.

Related Article – Fertility Experts Live: IVF Treatment Options for Women Over 37 with URE Centro Gutenberg

Being Obese and/or Overweight

In general, the pace of our lives can lead to a rather sedentary lifestyle with little to no physical activity, resulting in being overweight or obese. Body mass index (BMI) is a simple indicator of the relationship between weight and height and is generally used to classify adults who are underweight, overweight or obese. BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by their height squared in metres (kg/m2). Being slightly overweight (body mass index over 25) is not considered especially dangerous to your health, though maintaining a BMI under 25 is recommended. The term obesity is used when an individual’s index is over 30, a number which is a real danger to the person’s health. In terms of fertility, it has been shown that a BMI over 28 in both men and women can negatively impact the likelihood of getting pregnant.

For that reason, at URE Centro Gutenberg fertility clinic, there are many couples who, before embarking on assisted reproduction treatment, are advised to lose weight naturally. In other cases, we see couples whose fertility issues have been identified and who do need to undergo assisted reproduction treatment (IVF). We also advise these couples to lower their weight, because we know that this will make the pregnancy go much more smoothly. In other words, being overweight, or the much more serious case of being obese, is detrimental to the likelihood of conceiving both naturally, as well as with the help of fertility treatments such as In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and artificial insemination.

At any rate, it’s not something you should obsess over. For example, keep in mind that drastic weight loss or being underweight (a BMI lower than 18) are also directly related to female infertility. In males, being underweight can lead to decreased sperm motility and lower sperm concentration.

Related Article – Gut Health and Fertility: Is the Route to Conception through the Gut?

Just like with being sedentary, neglecting nutrition is something you should monitor closely especially if you are trying to conceive, as diet is directly related to fertility. Thus, eating a varied and well-balanced diet will help you to control your weight, enjoy good health and for dessert, increase fertility.

Antioxidants and fatty acids, for example, are essential to the proper functioning of your body and contribute to keeping your reproductive system healthy. Proper nutrition will help with successful ovulation in women, and for men it will lead to improved sperm motility and quality. Eating well will also help to balance both male and female hormones, which will optimise the health of your reproductive organs. Diet and nutrition are factors that, alongside stress, being overweight, lack of physical activity and other toxic habits such as tobacco and alcohol consumption, can be the cause of infertility in women, especially when these factors all work together. Therefore, we recommend you make some small lifestyle adjustments to avoid the above-mentioned bad habits.

Related Article – Fresh / Frozen Embryo Transfers & Pregnancy Signs: What You Need to Know by URE Centro Gutenberg

Do you still have questions regarding this topic? Have you been trying to conceive for some time and think you may have fertility issues? At URE Centro Gutenberg we can help you. Contact us and tell us more about your particular case.

Check out how the fertility specialists at URE Centro Gutenberg can help you today, with a free consult!