Are you in your
late 20s or early 30s, perhaps single, and still thinking that you can start a
family whenever you want?
Researchers say
you may be mistaken, warning that being young doesn’t mean that you are
automatically fertile.
The case of Mrs.
Rosaline Akin is instructive. She got married at 25 and was quite optimistic of
starting a family with her 33-year-old husband. However, pregnancy eluded them
for five years, during which they ran from pillar to post, seeking solution to
the numerous questions that bothered them.
So, what are the
reasons for infertility among otherwise young couples?
Early
menopause through smoking
Physicians say
young women are reaching menopause earlier than it used to be, sometimes 18
years earlier than normal. One of the reasons for this is what is medically
termed Premature Ovarian Failure, which happens when a woman enters menopause
before age 40.
A new study
conducted by scientists at the London’s Imperial College suggests that as many
as six per cent of women (or one in 16) experience premature menopause.
One of the reasons
for it is smoking. Experts say the hydrocarbons in cigarette smoke can trigger
egg cell death.
Consultant
Gynaecologist, Dr. Dominic Emeka, says men also suffer an equivalent of
menopause due to testicular damage.
“Testicular damage
can result in the inability of the testicles to produce sperm. Once damaged,
the testicles will not usually regain their sperm-making capabilities. This
aspect of male infertility is analogous to menopause, though it’s not natural
like one experienced by women,” Emeka explains.
Poor diet
and infertility
Emeka says apart
from smoking, poor diet might also impact anyone’s fertility, whether male or
female.
He warns, “If a
woman is chronically malnourished, she can’t menstruate, because a minimum of
22 per cent body fat is necessary for normal ovulation and reproductive
competence.
“In men, severe
malnutrition can affect sperm count, sperm motility and even reduce or stop
sperm production altogether.”
Consultant
Nutritionist, Dr. Mabel Odunewu, says inadequate vitamin C and Zinc in the diet
can cause infertility, alongside other factors. She urges young people to eat
nourishing foods that are rich in vegetables and fruit.
Sexually-transmitted
infections
Sexually-transmitted
infections are other causes of infertility. Emeka notes that two commonest
STIs, Chlamydia and gonorrhoea, are preventable causes of Pelvic Inflammatory
Disease in women. PID is a known cause of infertility.
“Untreated, about
10-15 per cent of women with Chlamydia will develop PID. Chlamydia can also
cause fallopian tube infection without any symptoms. PID and ‘silent’ infection
in the upper genital tract may cause permanent damage to the fallopian tubes,
uterus, and surrounding tissues, which can lead to infertility,” the
gynaecologist avers.
He adds, “In men,
gonorrhoea and Chlamydia can cause infertility by blocking the tubes that
transport the sperm from the testes to the penis.”
Alcohol
consumption
And if you are the
type that drinks alcohol, you might as well be laying a foundation for
infertility. This is because alcohol causes imbalances in the hormonal system
that controls reproduction.
A Professor of
Reproductive Endocrinology, Oladapo Ashiru, says, “Even small amounts of
alcohol can affect a woman’s menstrual cycle and reduce the chance of
conceiving; while long-term heavy drinking can cause women to have irregular
periods or stop ovulating. Periods can stop altogether or they can have an
early menopause.
“As for men,
alcohol can affect the hormonal system that controls testosterone production,
leading to infertility and other health issues such as anaemia, bone loss and
decreased muscle function.”
Environmental
toxins
Again, physicians
say, men and women can become infertile through exposure to perfluorinated
chemicals. These are substances used in manufacturing and other industrial
processes.
Industrial
Chemist, Mr. David Ogundele, says these chemicals are also found in non-stick
pans and food packaging. Emeka warns that women who have very high levels of
PFCs in their body will have very low levels of oestrogen in their blood.
Again, physicians
say, if your thyroid or pituitary glands are not functioning well, you may
become infertile if the situation is not diagnosed, treated and normalised.
This is because these two glands play a part in hormone production, and any
trouble with either or both of them could make a man or woman infertile!
One-in-10-couples
syndrome
Emeka says one in
10 healthy couples of reproductive age will experience fertility problems. “The
causes are variable and equally attributed one-third of the time to the female,
one-third of the time to the male, and one-third of the time to unidentifiable
reasons or to both partners,” he submits.
He warns that
among healthy women, fertility peaks in their mid 20s but begins to decline at
age 27. By the time a woman is 37 years old, he says, fertility takes a plunge,
naturally.
He advises
couples, “If you are in your mid 30s or older and trying to conceive, consult a
fertility specialist if you fail to achieve pregnancy after six months of unprotected
intercourse.”
Indeed,
researchers at Bristol and Brunel Universities evaluated 8,500 couples to
determine the impact of age on the length of time it took to conceive. They
discovered that while only eight per cent of men younger than 25 fail to impregnate
their partners after a year of trying, the number grew to 15 per cent after age
35, suggesting that paternal age may also be a consideration for couples
struggling with infertility.
The bottom line:
If you are over 35 and have been unable to conceive after six months of
unprotected sex, see a competent doctor.
Source: punchng
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