New Delhi: The fertility rate among women is decreasing rapidly. Modern lifestyle is playing a major role in the declining ovarian health of women. The changing modern lifestyle is raising concerns for women’s reproductive health as fertilization requires a good number of eggs but, unfortunately, both the quality as well as the quantity of eggs are quite low. Dr. Amitha N, Consultant-Fertility Specialist, Motherhood Fertility & IVF, Electronic City, Bengaluru, spoke about the causes of low ovarian reserve in younger women.
Impact on ovarian health
The urge to balance both work life and personal life causes stress. It increases the level of cortisol badly impacting women’s reproductive system and resulting in hormonal imbalances and the depletion of ovarian reserves. Consuming processed food, sugary drinks, and oily food also affects ovarian health. Excessive exercise, extreme weight loss, and excess body weight also result in a low ovarian egg reserve. Smoking and alcohol habits are detrimental to a woman’s hormonal levels and egg quality and thus lower fertility.
Lack of exercise, yoga, and meditation in life further contributes to infertility in women. Sleep patterns are also linked to the depletion of ovarian reserve. Women with a proper sleep schedule have higher chances of fertility compared to sleep-deprived women. Women who delay pregnancy due to career pressure or personal choices often find it quite difficult to conceive because the eggs start diminishing once they reach their mid-30s.
How to take care of reproductive health in women?
Women must refrain from smoking and the consumption of alcohol. Regular exercise like yoga, sometimes going for a casual walk, or swimming further stimulates fertility rates while improving the sleep cycle through stress reduction. Heavy exercises must be avoided, as these further deteriorate the ovarian reserve. Including food rich in antioxidants, Vitamin D, E, and Omega 3 fatty acids also helps in building the ovarian reserve. The diet should include all possible varieties of green leafy vegetables, nuts, avocados, berries, cinnamon, and ginger.
Conclusion
Awareness of the rapidly increasing rate of decrease in ovarian reserve in women may lead to self-care practices that help strengthen the ovarian reserve. Urging women to preserve and protect their ovarian health will, in turn, help some women avoid future health complications. Apart from increasing fertility rates, living a healthy lifestyle serves as a boost to their reproductive health. Counseling with doctors about reproductive health problems and ways to improve ovarian reserve should also be considered by women.
Ovarian health in women largely depends on lifestyle choices. And surprisingly, even low body weight and excessive workouts can lower ovarian reserve significantly. Health News Health News: Latest News from Health Care, Mental Health, Weight Loss, Disease, Nutrition, Healthcare
