Protecting Fertility

There are ways to protect your fertility and, when trying to get pregnant, healthy living and reducing stress as much as possible is important.

Leading fertility expert William Ledger, professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Sheffield, has provided the following advice on protecting fertility and increasing your chances of conceiving.

Age and fertility

When it comes to fertility, age counts. Many people today wait until they're older to have children but you fertility declines over time and should be taken into account if you plan to have children later.

Both women and men are at their most fertile, (that is, most likely to conceive a child through unprotected sex) in their early twenties.

In women, fertility declines more quickly with age. This decline becomes rapid after age 35. A range of factors cause this, especially the decline in the quality of the eggs being released by the ovaries.

Around one-third of couples in which the woman is over 35 have fertility problems. This rises to two-thirds when the woman is over 40.

Women over 35 are also less likely to become pregnant as a result of fertility treatments, including IVF, and are more likely to have a miscarriage if they do become pregnant.

Men’s fertility gradually declines from around 40 but most men are able to father children into their 50s and beyond.

Good fertility health

Other factors affect fertility. But these are under our control.

• Avoid STIs. Sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea can damage a woman's fallopian tubes, which can result in difficulty becoming pregnant. If you think you might have contracted an STI, seek help from your GP or a sexual health clinic.
• Don’t smoke. “Women who smoke 20 a day experience the menopause on average two years earlier,” says Professor Ledger. Men who smoke are at risk of damaging their sperm.
• Be a healthy weight. Being underweight or overweight can lower your chances of conceiving. One cause of infertility is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which is made worse by being overweight or obese.
• Drink sensibly. Women who regularly exceed the government’s recommended daily allowance of alcohol units may damage their fertility. Men who do so may damage their sperm. See Useful links for more information on the recommended drinking allowance.
• Keep your testicles cool. The testes should be one or two degrees cooler than the rest of your body. Tight underwear, hot showers and hot baths can all raise the temperature of your testes.
• Avoid radiation and dangerous chemicals. Exposure to radiation and chemicals such as glycol ester, found in some paints, can damage fertility.