There are countless reasons why some women struggle with fertility. Luckily, a few of these things are within your control.
Fertility is complicated, and understanding your reproductive health has become more important than ever: According to the Office on Women’s Health, about 10 percent of women in the United States under age 44 have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant. If you’re currently having trouble getting pregnant, or have had trouble in the past, you’re not alone. Even celebrities have opened up about their experiences with pregnancy loss, helping to reduce the stigma and shame that women often experience in the same situation. Most importantly, know that fertility issues are not your fault: a variety of health and risk factors can be the culprit.
Whether you’re ready to start a family or you’re just interested in learning more about your body, it’s key to understand the health issues and other lifestyle considerations that could play a role in getting pregnant, especially since that knowledge may give you a better understanding of what to discuss with your doctor. Here are three topics to bring up during your next Well Woman appointment:
Uterine Fibroids
Uterine fibroids are benign growths that occur in the uterus. They can lead to a physical change in uterus shape, possibly distorting the endometrial cavity or blocking access to the fallopian tubes.
Most fibroids don’t interfere with getting pregnant, but since they may distort the shape of the uterus, it is possible that some fibroids could cause infertility or pregnancy loss. Additionally, uterine fibroids may raise the risk of certain pregnancy complications, such as placental abruption, fetal growth restriction, preterm delivery, and in some cases, miscarriage.
Women with a family history of fibroids are more likely to develop them, as well as those who started menstruating at an early age. Also, uterine fibroids disproportionately impact Black women, who often have a larger number of fibroids that occur at a younger age.
More than 25 million women in the U.S. suffer from uterine fibroids, and many suffer in silence. That’s what comedian Amber Ruffin noticed when she began speaking about her uterine fibroids: After sharing her diagnosis, she discovered that many of her friends and close family members had them, too. Remember that speaking up — especially when you’re in pain — can help you find a supportive community.
Fibroid treatment includes minimally invasive options for removing fibroids, such as hysteroscopic or laparoscopic myomectomy. These procedures, including Hologic’s Myosure®, are the most common and most successful for fibroid treatment when it comes to fertility outcomes.
Healthy (and Not-So-Healthy) Habits
Lifestyle factors like frequent or excessive alcohol consumption and smoking play a role in overall wellness, and that definitely includes fertility. However, our daily routines are just one piece of the very complicated puzzle that is fertility — much of it isn’t within our control.
Still, drinking alcohol during pregnancy is widely known to have harmful effects on the growing fetus. But less is known about the amount of alcohol consumption and its effect on women attempting to get pregnant. While studies are still underway, physicians do agree that heavy or excessive drinking has an impact on reproductive health since it can decrease ovulation and menstrual cycles, even contributing to amenorrhea or a pause in menstruation.
One major issue when it comes to alcohol consumption? Binge drinking. Alcohol can change hormone levels of testosterone, estradiol and luteinizing hormone, as well as produce high prolactin in the blood — all of which can reduce fertility. Even if pregnancy is off the table for you, recent studies have shown that excessive alcohol use negatively impacts women’s general health, even leading to earlier diagnosis of liver disease, heart disease, and cancer, compared to men.
Another substance that reduces hormone production is tobacco. You’ve undoubtedly heard that smoking is a major contributor to all sorts of negative health outcomes. But did you know that according to the Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking & Health, regular smoking can make it more difficult for women to become pregnant? It’s also known to cause ectopic pregnancies — when the fertilized egg attaches outside of the uterine wall creating an unviable pregnancy and a potentially fatal situation for pregnant women.
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Each year, 24,000 women become infertile due to undiagnosed sexually transmitted infections. Regular STI screenings are essential for caring for your health and the health of your partners, and since many STIs don’t cause detectable symptoms, it’s recommended that women get tested once a year. However, anyone who has more than one regular sexual partner, has unprotected sex, or shares intravenous needles should be tested every three to six months.
The two most common STIs — chlamydia and gonorrhea — can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) or an infection of the upper reproductive organs, which, if left untreated, can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes. In fact, an estimated 45 percent of tubal factor infertility cases are caused by chlamydia infections.
The infection caused by chlamydia and gonorrhea can travel upward from the cervix or vagina to the other reproductive organs, causing them to be infected. PID can then cause scar tissue on the fallopian tubes that blocks the pathway of the egg released from the ovary, preventing natural pregnancy.
Taking Control of Your Health
While lots of aspects impacting fertility are out of your control, taking care of your body and your health are vital, especially if you’re in the family-planning phase. That means avoiding smoking and excessive drinking, and staying on top of screenings for STIs and fibroids. It also means having honest conversations with your doctor during your annual exams, since being upfront and keeping your doctor informed is the best way to ensure they’re giving you top-quality care.
Yes, talking to your doctor about your reproductive health or heavy bleeding might be embarrassing or tough. That’s why Hologic put together this handy Doctor Discussion Guide: Bring it with you during your next exam, and let it lead the conversation.
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