Fertility - How To Safeguard It?

The question of being fertile is an important one in the lives of young men and women, who opt for protected sexual intercourse for the time being but plan to become a parent sometime in the future. There might be a number of causes of infertility in both the sexes. Some of them are beyond one’s control while some are majorly dependent on an individual’s lifestyle, choices, and attentiveness to one’s overall health.

Safeguarding Female Fertility -

Female fertility can be protected and maintained by sustaining good reproductive health.

• Whenever there is a hormonal imbalance in the body, it should promptly be discussed with a doctor as hormonal imbalances greatly damage the female reproductive system.

• Abnormality in the menstrual cycle should be brought to the notice of the gynecologist as it leads to infertility if left untreated for a long time. Conditions of a faulty menstrual cycle include abnormal menstruation, periods being absent (Amenorrhea), prolonged bleeding during periods, shortened bleeding during periods, heavy flow during periods (Menorrhagia), the periods being infrequent (Oligomenorrhea), the periods being frequent (Polymenorrhea), intermenstrual bleeding (bleeding between two adjacent cycles), painful periods (Dysmenorrhea), and pain during sexual intercourse.

• Diseases related to the structure of the reproductive system should not be avoided or left untreated. They should, in fact, be taken care of on high priority.

Safeguarding Male Fertility -

Issues related to fertility are not just associated with women. It is important for both the partners to be sexually healthy in order to conceive and bring a child into this world. In order to safeguard fertility, it is important to understand its underlying causes.

• Environmental causes like exposure to harmful and toxic chemicals have been becoming an increasingly alarming reason for male infertility worldwide since a number of decades. Hazardous chemicals include mercury, cadmium, lead, vinyl chloride, ethylene oxide, and radioactive substances. One should avoid such exposures.

• Electromagnetic exposure, like exposure to X-Rays, is also a risk factor.

• Exposure of the male sexual organs to higher temperatures as in a hot bath, steam rooms, whirlpool, etc. hampers the production of sperm, leading to infertility. Hence, these should be avoided whenever possible.

• The problem of low sperm count or dry orgasm should be discussed immediately with the doctor.

Optimizing Fertility in Both Sexes -

Some of the factors are responsible for optimizing fertility in both the sexes. These are discussed as follows:

• Fertility declines with age. Therefore, if a couple is planning to have a family sometime in the future, they should adhere to the functioning of the biological clock in themselves. Chances of conception drastically change after the age of 45 in both the genders.

• Couples should avoid being involved in unprotected sexual intercourse, and also avoid having multiple sexual partners.

• Excessive consumption of alcohol, use of drugs and excessive smoking, all lead to poor reproductive health due to overall damage these do to the body.

• Obesity and malnutrition, both decline fertility. Hence, the consumption of a balanced diet is necessary.