External impacts on your fertility

There are a number of external elements, such as lifestyle and medications that can adversely affect your fertility.

Lifestyle changes and fertility

• Stop smoking - both of you.

• Aim for a healthy lifestyle - eat a balanced diet and stay active.

• Cut down on alcohol (women not more than two units per week, men not more than seven units per week). Women are advised not to drink alcohol at all when pregnant.

• Overweight women can have ovulation problems, so losing weight helps. In one study, 12 out of 13 women who lost 6kg (13lb) or more began to ovulate and 11 out of 12 conceived. Keeping weight within the ideal range is also important for male fertility.

• Don't use temperature charts to find ovulation days (fertile days) and don't confine lovemaking to fertile days; couples used to be advised to time intercourse for these days, but the stress involved can work against you.

• Have penetrative sex two to three times a week.

• Although very frequent sex can diminish the number of sperm in each ejaculate, don't abstain for longer than ten days or the sperm count will start to fall.

• Women should take 400mcg folic-acid as supplements daily.

• Stop taking recreational drugs. Many of them affect fertility.

Drugs that can affect fertility

Many medications can harm your fertility, affecting sperm, eggs, or sexual activity. Your doctor will want to know if you have been treated with, or have been using, any of the following drugs.

For men:

• sulphasalazine may lower sperm count

• nitrofurantoin may lower sperm count

• tetracyclines may lower sperm motility

• cimetidine may cause impotence

• ketoconazole may cause impotence and lower sex drive

• colchicine may lower fertilization power of sperm

• antidepressants may cause impotence

• propranolol may cause impotence

• chemotherapy can lower sperm count

• cannabis and alcohol may cause sperm abnormalities

• cocaine may lower libido as well as sperm motility and count.

For women:

• anti-inflammatories (such as ibuprofen) may affect egg follicles

• chemotherapy can cause ovarian failure

• cannabis may stop ovulation and interrupt menstruation.

Dr Miriam Stoppard

Conception Pregnancy and Birth
Copyright © 2008 Dorling Kindersley
Text copyright © 2008 Miriam Stoppard

Posted 16.11.2010

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