Infertility affects millions of people of reproductive age worldwide. According to estimates, 48 million couples and 186 million individuals worldwide are dealing with infertility. According to a study, about 27.5 million couples in India who are actively trying to conceive suffer from infertility.
The health of the world is getting worse
Globally, 39 percent of adults over 18 are overweight and 13 percent are obese, and worldwide obesity has tripled since the 1970s. Obesity has become the biggest lifestyle-related risk factor for diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and infertility. Adipose tissue can influence the hormonal balance necessary for good fertility by producing a number of factors such as leptin, free fatty acids (FFAs) and cytokines.
Women with a higher body mass index (BMI) have increased egg production, irregular menstrual cycles, an increased incidence of miscarriage, and pregnancy complications.
Polycystic ovary disease is associated with weight gain and is the most common cause of infertility in women.
In the male reproductive system, men with a high BMI have problems with sperm rejection, no or low sperm count, or abnormal sperm shape (morphology) and sperm motility (motility). About 40 percent of couples with infertility have problems with male factors.
Late marriages and couples trying to conceive in their 30s and 40s contribute to lower birth rates. The negative effects of poor diet and sedentary lifestyle lead to hormonal imbalance, which leads to infertility.
Learn about several other factors
It is important to understand that infertility affects men and women equally. The ability to conceive is not entirely hereditary.
There are several environmental, genetic, and acquired factors that contribute to the decline in fertility in today’s reproductive age group, i.e., 25 to 34 year olds.
Some of the lifestyle-related causes of infertility that can be changed include:
1. Bad lifestyle
Various factors such as late working hours, cemetery shifts, irregular sleep patterns, sleep disturbances, as well as stress and anxiety affect our daily routine. Along with the lack of regular exercise, which leads to obesity, hormonal disorders and irregular periods.
Obesity harms sperm: male hormone imbalance, heat generated while sitting at work for long hours affects sperm. Wearing tight clothes, jeans for a long time will definitely have harmful effects.
2. Wrong choice of diet
Eating frozen, fast, and packaged foods high in carbohydrates and a diet low in fiber, millets, fruits, and vegetables can be harmful. High sugar foods and baked goods and the lack of probiotics in packaged and canned foods alter the balance in the normal bacterial flora of the vagina, which is very important for preventing vaginal, cervical and uterine infections.
The quality of sperm is directly affected by eating habits. In women, a poor diet can cause ovulation disorders and delayed menstruation, which can lead to infertility. Irregular meal times also play a role in influencing BMI.
3. Lack of knowledge
Lack of sexual and reproductive health education during adolescence can lead to sexually transmitted diseases, which can lead to irreversible infertility due to tubal problems. Also, lack of knowledge about fertile windows is very common. People don’t have sex when they really need it because of work shifts or living in different workplaces.
4. The tendency to give priority to the post
People tend to seek financial stability by delaying marriage and having children. Indian women reach reproductive age six years earlier than European women. The average age of menarche for Indian women is 47 years, but for European women it is 51 years.
Therefore, reproductive life is short and we see many women with AMH (Anti Mullerian Hormone) in our daily practice. Early menarche in girls further complicates the problem because their reproductive lives begin early and end early.
5. Impact on environmental pollution
This has led to polycystic ovary syndrome in many women and reduced sperm count and quality. Excessive use of plastic damages various parts of our body. Early menstruation or early puberty in girls under the age of 10 is said to be the result of air pollution and adulterated food.
6. Smoking and drinking
Smoking and alcohol consumption, as well as electromagnetic radiation from gadgets, can significantly reduce sperm count and damage sperm DNA.
Women who smoke experience a rapid decline in their ovarian reserve, meaning fewer follicles, lower AMH levels, and possibly premature births.
The solutions to these causes are self-explanatory. Getting counseling, contraceptive safety counseling, prenatal counseling before starting sex life can go a long way in alleviating these problems and restoring fertility in many couples.
The younger generation should be aware of these factors that threaten their fertility and seek proper counseling when planning a pregnancy. Consult your doctor as soon as possible.
