According to Healthline, the diagnosis for infertilty is made if a couple cannot conceive for more than a year after trying. A woman who might be able to conceive but may not be able to carry the pregnancy to term may also be diagnosed with fertility issues.
According to the WHO, one in four couples are affected by infertility.
The risk factors related to infertility in both men and women include old age, exposure to toxins like herbicides or pesticides, smoking, alcohol abuse, and obesity.
There are treatments and remedies to help promote better quality sperm, reduce symptoms of PCOS and regular periods that can also help reduce the risk of infertility.
Here are a few ways to reduce the risk of infertility.
Eat Foods Rich in Antioxidants
According to the American Pregnancy Association, antioxidants help fight the problem of free radicals. Antioxidants cancel the effect of these radicals and promote healthy egg production and regular periods.
Antioxidants have proved to boost fertility in both men and women. They deactivate the free radicals that affect the sperm cells and the eggs. According to the Pubmed Central, antioxidants like folates, vitamin C and K, beta-carotene, and lutein are known to increase the chances of conception by 23 percent.
Foods rich in antioxidants include nuts, fruits, vegetables, dark chocolate, etc
Avoid Trans Fats
According to the Harvard Medical School, consumption of transfats increases the chances of ovulatory infertility in women. This may happen due to the negative effects of trans fats on insulin levels.
The hydrogenated vegetable oils, processed foods, margarine, baked or fried foods contain trans fats and are associated with insulin resistance.
According to Pubmed Central, transfats instead of carbs increase the risk of infertility by 73 percent, and trans fats instead of monounsaturated fats increases the risk of ovulatory infertility by 31 percent.
Consume Less Carbs
Pubmed Central recommends a low-carb diet for women with PCOS so that they can maintain a healthy weight, and keep their insulin levels and fat loss in check, promoting a regular menstrual cycle.
According to the US NIH, a high-carb diet increases the risk of ovulatory infertility by 78 percent.
According to the Global Diabetes Community, high carb diet also affects the quality of sperm cells by damaging their DNA and reduces the chances of conception.
Increase Your Fiber Intake
High fiber foods like grains, fruits, and vegetables helps maintain hormone levels like testosterone and insulin which play an important role during conception.
According to the US NIH, a high-fiber diet also prevents weight gain, glucose intolerance, constipation and gestational hypertensive disorder.
Moreover, the Amercian Journal of Clinical Nutrition also concluded that a high-fiber diet was linked with low hormonal concentration and higher chances of anovulation.
Women can consume 25-28 grams of fiber, and men can consume 30-34 grams of fiber as recommended by the doctors. But the problem is that 98 percent of people do not meet their recommended fiber intakes.
Stay Active
According to the PubMed Central, exercises have various health benefits and they have also proved to increase fertility.
A sedentary lifestyle can be associated with higher risk of infertility and lower chances of conception.
According to the US NIH, few hours of weekly exercise can reduce the chances of infertility by 5 percent.
Moreover, weight loss due to an active lifestyle has positive effects on the fertility rate of women.
Though, try to restrict your exercise to moderate intensity, as high-intesnity exercises are linked with increased chances of infertility or miscarriage.
Eat Iron Rich Foods
Consumption of iron supplements or plant based foods rich in iron is linked with decrease in risk of fertility. According to the PubMed Central, iron rich foods reduced the risk ovulatory infertility by 40 percent.
According to the reports of Healthline, blood supply increase by 50 percent during pregnancy which means more iron is required by the body to produce red blood cells.
Deficieny of iron can cause anemia in pregnant women which results in low-birth weight, pre-birth and other health complications in both mother and the baby.
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