Fertility 101

QUIT SMOKING
Women who smoke can experience menopause on average two years earlier. Smoking also constricts blood vessels, including those that feed the ovaries, which accelerates the loss of eggs.

KEEP FIT
Being overweight or underweight can lower a woman's chances of conceiving. One cause of infertility is polycystic ovarian syndrome, made worse by being overweight or obese.

CONTROL ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION
Drinking over the recommended daily alcohol limit can damage fertility for women.

Avoid STIs
Sexually transmitted infections can cause scarring in reproductive organs, blocking fallopian tubes.

GET HEALTH CHECK-UPS
Undiagnosed or untreated medical problems such as diabetes, thyroiddisease or polycystic ovarian syndrome can cause infertility.

ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES
Alternative or complementary therapies such as acupuncture, herbal medicine and massage can also be used as a means of boosting fertility in both men and women, and as a means of improving physical and emotional health.

KEEP COOL
Keep testicles cool. A man's testes should be one or two degrees cooler than the rest of his body. Tight underwear, hot showers and hot baths all raise testes temperature.

CONTROL ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION
Drinking over the recommended daily alcohol limit can damage fertility for men.

QUIT SMOKING
Men who smoke risk damaging their sperm.

AVOID EXPOSURE TO CHEMICALS and radiation
Exposure to radiation and chemicals such as glycol ester, found in some paints, can damage fertility.

Source: Irish Independent