By Dr. Shiwali
Parenting is harder than it appears to be. There is no denying the fact that being a parent brings with it a fair amount of happiness, but it also brings with it a considerable number of challenges. One of the major hurdles that today’s couples face is infertility. Some individuals wait until a later age to realize they want to start a family and then lament their infertility. Despite the fact that aging might affect fertility, many women do experience absolutely healthy pregnancies in their middle years if they choose to make consistent good lifestyle choices.
However, becoming pregnant can be more difficult as one matures than it is for someone early 20s. Yet, a woman can increase her fertility and chances of having a healthy baby by making the correct lifestyle decisions.
Below given are some fertility tips for mid-age women:
Switch to healthy food: It is unquestionably crucial for everyone in their mid-age, regardless of gender, to adopt good eating habits. Especially for women, being overweight can seriously hamper their chances of conceiving. Here, a shift to a nutritious diet rich in fruits and vegetables and a reduction in processed foods is crucial. Additionally, a woman’s body mass index should not be higher than 30 as it could lead to problems while conceiving and have adverse effects on the health of the fetus. Keeping a healthy weight is therefore unquestionably crucial.
Quit alcohol: Alcohol consumption should normally be reduced or probably quit as a person reaches middle age. It is generally advisable to give up alcohol, particularly if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant. Heavy drinking can hinder sperm motility in men and it can also make it more challenging for women to get pregnant. For the benefit of your own health, it is preferable to convert to mocktails and make every effort to limit your consumption of alcohol as you reach mid-age, specifically if you are planning on conceiving.
Say no to smoking: Quitting smoking is something that is generally recommended to everyone. However, recent studies have shed light on the harm tobacco generally does to birth rates. In particular, it’s important to remember that women who smoke will experience menopause on average two years before than non-smokers, which may affect their ability to conceive later in life. Therefore, it is advised that you give up smoking for good if you intend to get pregnant at a later age.
Avoid strenuous exercises: When it comes to getting pregnant in your mid-age, excessive exercise should be the last on your list. Intense exercise may prevent conception since it may make you skip ovulation or encounter implantation failure, according to industry experts. However, sedentary lifestyles have also been connected to infertility. Therefore, it is essential that you talk to your doctor about your workout routine & workout a balanced exercise regime.
Decrease your caffeine dosage: Are you someone who cannot get out of bed without coffee? If yes, then you might want to reconsider that if you intend to start a family later in life. It is a known truth that drinking too much coffee might affect fertility. Therefore, it is preferable that you reduce your coffee consumption and switch to plain milk, which will do wonders for you and your fetus.
Take time to relax: Stress comes along with pregnancy. Especially if you are planning on conceiving at a later age, you are bound to get stressed. Your chances of becoming pregnant decrease as your stress levels increase. This is due to the hormonal adjustments that stress leads to. Therefore, it is preferable to choose a self-care activity, such as yoga or meditation, to keep oneself at ease.
Concluding Thoughts!
Pregnancy has its challenges whether you are planning at the right age or at a later age. The only difference is that when it comes to later age, conceiving gets a little more complicated but it is the healthy lifestyle choices that can get you through the journey. Switching to healthy food habits, quitting alcohol, cutting down on smoking, avoiding heavy exercise, decreasing caffeine consumption and adopting some forms of self-care are certain things that mid-age women need to integrate into their routines if they want to boost their fertility and chances of delivering a healthy baby.
(The author is Senior Consultant- IVF & infertility, Apollo Fertility (Varanasi). Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the FinancialExpress.com.)
