Which factors increase a woman’s risk of infertility?

Which factors increase a woman’s risk of infertility?

by | Dec 3, 2013 | Truth Bomb

What increases a woman’s risk of infertility?

PCOS isn’t the only culprit that can increase a woman’s risk of infertility. Many health and lifestyle factors can negatively impact a woman’s ability to have a baby, or heighten the risk of infertility. Some of these include:

  • Age
  • Smoking
  • Excess alcohol use
  • Stress
  • Poor diet
  • Athletic training
  • Being overweight or underweight
  • Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
  • Health problems that cause hormonal changes, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome and primary ovarian insufficiency

How can women reduce the risk of infertility?

For many women, the good news is that lowering the risk of infertility is in our control, including quitting smoking, reducing or cutting out alcohol altogether, lowering stress levers, and making dietary changes to ensure proper nutrition.

Unfortunately, factors such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and other hormonal changes aren’t in our control. But that doesn’t mean that your chances of getting pregnant are gone for good.

On the contrary.

If you have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and are hoping to become pregnant, there are plenty of lifestyle changes you can make to reduce the risk of infertility. Talk to your doctor, and contact me today for fully customized nutrition plans and personalized lifestyle changes.

Together we’ll get your life with PCOS back on track.

Why do women with PCOS have trouble with their menstrual cycle and fertility?

Why do women with PCOS have trouble with their menstrual cycle and fertility?

by | Nov 29, 2013 | Truth Bomb

The basics: PCOS, periods, and fertility

What exactly is PCOS? And why do women with PCOS have trouble with their menstrual cycle and fertility?

When a woman has PCOS, her ovaries (where a woman’s eggs are produced) have tiny fluid-filled sacs called follicles or cysts.

As the egg grows, the follicle builds up fluid. When the egg matures, the follicle breaks open, the egg is released, and the egg travels through the Fallopian tube to the uterus (womb) for fertilization. This is called ovulation.

Ovulation: How PCOS affects menstrual cycles and fertility

In women with PCOS, the ovary doesn’t make all of the hormones it needs for an egg to fully mature.

The follicles may start to grow and build up fluid, but ovulation does not occur.

Instead, some follicles may remain as cysts.

For these reasons, ovulation does not occur and the hormone progesterone is not made. Without progesterone, a woman’s menstrual cycle is irregular or absent. Plus, the ovaries make male hormones, which also prevent ovulation.