Medfem Highlights The Impact Of Health On Fertility On World Health Day
Fertility requires healthy sperm and healthy eggs. Because healthy people are significantly more likely to have healthy sperm and healthy eggs, and their chances of conceiving are much higher. On the other hand, where partners in a couple are struggling with poor health, the quality of their eggs and sperm will be affected negatively, and as a result, their fertility will be compromised.
On World Health Day, Medfem Fertility Clinic highlights the importance of good health for fertility, and encourages couples who are struggling with infertility to seek medical advice promptly, as the causes of infertility – in growing numbers of cases – include medical conditions and certain common lifestyle diseases.
There is a long list of possible medical causes of infertility, and a wide range of specialised medications and treatments for these conditions.
If you are concerned about your fertility, you should immediately contact a fertility specialist who will be able to identify the exact cause of your fertility problem and provide expert information regarding available treatment options.
World Health Day is observed annually in April to mark the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948.
Each year, the Day draws attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. This year, World Health Day focuses global attention on urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy and foster a movement to create societies focused on well-being.
The WHO estimates that more than 13 million deaths around the world each year are due to avoidable environmental causes, including the climate crisis, which is also a health crisis. According to the WHO, over 90% of people breathe unhealthy air resulting from burning of fossil fuels, while pollution and plastics have made their way into our food chain. Systems that produce highly processed, unhealthy foods and beverages also generate a third of global greenhouse gas emissions while driving a wave of obesity, as well as increasing cancer and heart disease.
It is perhaps not surprising then that among the many possible causes of infertility, certain lifestyle choices and stress feature strongly, as do a number of common lifestyle diseases, notably autoimmune diseases such as high levels of insulin (hyperinsulinemia) or prolactin (hyperprolactinemia), as well as thyroid disease (hypothyroidism) and endometriosis, which is one of the most common causes of infertility among women.
Poor lifestyle choices and the lifestyle diseases they cause negatively affect your overall health, and, therefore, your fertility as well. Healthy eggs and healthy sperm are prerequisites for a successful pregnancy. This is because only healthy embryos (eggs fertilised with sperm) are only possible with healthy eggs and healthy sperm.
Lifestyle issues driving infertility
Increasing numbers of South African couples are facing challenges in having children today. In fact, an estimated one in every six couples are facing fertility challenges.
Many of these couples have a medical condition causing infertility, such as tubal disease or blocks in the testes related to infection, to name just two.
However, lifestyle diseases and poor lifestyle choices feature strongly among possible causes why infertility is becoming a challenge for so many South African couples.
In fact, a large group of couples seeking fertility treatment are dealing with lifestyle diseases, notably high insulin levels, thyroid problems, endometriosis, PCOS and autoimmune disease.
Autoimmune diseases play a significant role in the quality of the embryos and the uterine environment. Unfortunately, large numbers of people suffer from autoimmune diseases such as hyperinsulinemia and hyperprolactinemia, which will certainly negatively impact the quality of their eggs and sperm, and the conditions in the womb.
For example, high insulin levels have been proven to negatively affect both the quality of a women’s eggs and a man’s sperm. In fact, high insulin levels can even transform a chromosomally normal egg or sperm into an abnormal egg or abnormal sperm, and a normal embryo into an abnormal embryo that will not implant successfully.
The same goes for prolactin, which is a hormone naturally produced by a woman’s body when she is pregnant and breastfeeding. Raised prolactin levels reduce the production of the hormones FSH and LH, both critical for a pregnancy, and also cause problems with regard to the thinning in the lining of the uterus. Prolactin levels can also be raised in men, and this causes abnormalities in the semen.
To ensure both healthy embryos and a healthy womb, autoimmune diseases such as these must be addressed prior to fertility treatment like IVF to prevent recurrent failures.
Understanding the impact of autoimmune diseases on fertility and also on IVF success rates, our team at Medfem Fertility Clinic tests both male and female partners for autoimmune diseases.
These lifestyle diseases are aggressively treated before any fertility treatment commences, while patients are guided to manage their diets and their lifestyle choices, to ensure the highest chance of conception.
Recommended lifestyle changes
Of course, lifestyle diseases are driven by lifestyle choices around diet, exercise, stress, smoking and alcohol consumption.
Our expert team at Medfem recommends a few simple healthy lifestyle changes which you can start making immediately to boost fertility and your chances of getting pregnant.
*Eliminate smoking and alcohol
Smoking has major adverse effects on both sperm and egg quality. Alcohol also reduces fertility in both partners.
*Improve nutrition
Diet plays a critical role. Whether one or both partners are overweight or not, excessive carbs in the diet is problematic.
A balanced diet could help to boost the chances of falling pregnant and having a healthy baby. A balanced diet should provide all the vitamins, minerals and amino acids your body needs for optimum health, but it is not always possible given today’s lifestyles.
Fortunately, there are also supplements available over-the-counter that are recommended by fertility experts for their role in boosting fertility, as they contain certain vitamins, minerals, herbs or other amino acids. Medfem recommends StaminoGro and Comega Vite.
*Manage stress
Another important factor in infertility is stress. For 21 years, Medfem has also been at the forefront of researching and managing the impact of stress on fertility. Not only does stress inhibit the ability to conceive, but infertility itself compounds an individual or couple’s stress levels. Recent literature and medical studies have shown that the reduction of stress can account for higher pregnancy rates.
A good starting point is to determine if you or your partner has time urgency perfectionism (TUP) stress. This can be assessed free of charge on the following website www.timeurgency.com. If you are suffering from TUP stress, you can follow the TUP stress management program online or at Medfem Fertility Clinic.
Your next step
Following these lifestyle recommendations – including avoiding smoking, alcohol and drugs; managing time urgency perfectionism (TUP) stress; eating a balanced diet; and the daily intake of StaminoGro and/or Comega Vite will improve your general health, your coping mechanisms and your relationships and reduce the chances of lifestyle diseases such as cancer, coronary artery disease, stroke and diabetes.
Most importantly, it will boost your fertility and increase your chances of getting pregnant, while also assisting with the effectiveness of any medical treatments that you may need.
Medfem Fertility Clinic’s team are committed and understanding team of medical professionals, who have the experience, knowledge and desire to provide you with the best chance of a successful outcome at the end of your treatment.
If you would like to meet one of our fertility specialists, simply click here to book an initial consultation or contact us telephonically on +27 (11) 463 2244.
We look forward to meeting you!