Can Lifestyle Choices Be Causes of Infertility | Dr Rama Sofat Hospital

Can Lifestyle Choices Be Causes of Infertility?

A number of factors can lead couples to infertility, but not all of them are medically related. Certain lifestyle choices can affect fertility just as much, if not more, than medical conditions as explained by Dr Rama Sofat (IVF EXPERT).


Women’s lifestyle issues

Maintain a healthy weight:
When it comes to female fertility, a woman’s weight can greatly impact her hormone production. Being significantly overweight or underweight can inhibit normal ovulation. 

Women who are obese can have a harder time getting pregnant and can take longer to achieve pregnancy than a woman of normal weight. It is important for women to maintain a weight that is considered medically healthy, measured by a body mass index (BMI) calculator.

Eat healthy:

Bodies perform best when they are fueled by healthy nutrients, and pregnancy is no exception. It is important to eat nutritious foods likes fruits and vegetables as opposed to foods that are high in fat and preservatives as explained by Dr Rama Sofat (IVF EXPERT).


Don’t smoke:

In addition to other health concerns, smoking ages a woman’s ovaries and depletes her eggs prematurely. If a woman does not have healthy eggs, she will struggle to become pregnant.

Men’s lifestyle issues

Maintain a healthy diet:
The cells in a man’s body do not properly function if the body lacks nutrients. For this reason, it is important for men to maintain well-balanced diets to ensure their bodies have the nutrients needed to function properly, which assists in the production of healthy sperm.

Avoid alcohol and drug abuse:
Aside from contributing to overall poor health, drugs and alcohol can lower the number and quality of a man’s sperm. Steroids specifically can cause testicles to shrink, decreasing sperm production.

Control weight:
When it comes to fertility, men who are overweight may struggle to produce sperm. Obesity can also lead to a decreased sex drive. It is important for men to maintain a healthy weight in comparison to their height (BMI). 

Do not use tobacco:
Tobacco is proven to decrease sperm production, in addition to causing a number of other overall health concerns.