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Ovulation and Pregnancy
Menstrual Cycle
Female Reproductive
Health
Age Fertility
Delay Motherhood
Female Biological Clock
Egg Freezing
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Female Reproductive Health
Do you have questions about female reproductive health, pregnancy,
ovulation, or female fertility? Welcome to LaterBaby, a complete female fertility educational resource for any woman who is
concerned about preserving her female reproductive health and sees
children in her future.
LaterBaby profiles fertility preservation programs and provides key facts about
female reproductive health and family planning services for women.
Understanding the realities of female reproductive health including age
and pregnancy is an important part of maintaining overall good health and
planning for your future fertility. Sadly, many women are in the dark
about pregnancy, ovulation, and female reproductive health. Test your
knowledge of pregnancy, ovulation, fertility, and female reproductive
health by taking our Free
Female Fertility Quiz.
Female Reproductive Health Risk Factors
Participating in these activities can impact your female reproductive
health:
Smoking
Alcohol and Drugs
Toxins
Sexual History
Smoking
Smoking can have a serious impact on your female reproductive health by
interfering with your body’s ability to create estrogen and thereby
regulate ovulation. It can also cause your eggs to be more prone to
genetic abnormalities, is associated with an increased risk of
miscarriage, and has been linked to early onset of menopause. In addition
to its impact on female reproductive health and fertility, smoking has
been tied to increases in the likelihood of cervical cancer and pelvic
infections.
What to do?
If you smoke, consider quitting. The impact of smoking is greater the
longer you smoke and while not all of the female reproductive health
damage is reversible, stopping now can prevent future damage. In addition
to improving your female reproductive health, you can also improve other
important aspects of your health, including heart and lung health.
If you don’t smoke, don’t start.
Alcohol and Drugs
Moderation is the key with alcohol. In fact, many studies have shown that
there is some benefit in the consumption of small amounts of alcohol for
women. However, excessive consumption of alcohol and alcohol abuse can
lead to female reproductive health problems including; irregular
ovulation, amenorrhea (absence of menses), and the abnormal development of
the endometrial lining.
Illegal drugs, such as marijuana, heroin and cocaine, are universally
damaging to female fertility and female reproductive health. Perhaps more
difficult to manage are the risks that some legal and over-the-counter
drugs may have on fertility and female reproductive health. For example,
some prescription medications can interfere with ovulation.
What to do?
Don’t use illegal drugs and moderate your alcohol consumption. Discuss any
prescription drugs that you are taking with your doctor to determine if
any may pose a female reproductive health problem in the future.
Toxins
There is more information than ever available on the effects of “body
burden”, or the build up of certain environmental toxins, such as
pesticides, fertilizers and solvents, in our bodies, as well as its impact
on female reproductive health. While the extent to which toxin exposure
contributes to infertility is still somewhat unclear, it should be
considered as a preventable cause of female reproductive health problems.
Exposure to toxins has been linked to several female reproductive health
problems such as, irregular periods, hormone changes, endometriosis and
higher miscarriage rates in pregnant women.
What to do?
Try to limit your exposure to toxic materials as much as possible,
particularly while trying to conceive. Take the proper precautions when
using products containing or comprised of harmful toxins including the use
of
safety gloves, face masks and protective clothing to minimize
direct exposure.
Sexual History
The best way to prevent female reproductive health problems related to
sexual history is to practice safe sex – above and beyond preventing
unwanted pregnancies. Many sexually transmitted infections (STDs) go
untreated for long periods of time because the symptoms are sometimes not
visible. This can pose a considerable threat to female reproductive health
and future fertility. STDs, when left untreated, can lead to pelvic
inflammatory disease, causing scarring or blocking of the fallopian tubes,
and changes in the cervix.
What to do?
If you are sexually active, use a condom in addition to any hormonal birth
control method, as it is the most effective way to protect yourself from
STDs. See your doctor regularly to be tested for a range of STDs which may
impact your female reproductive health.
For more information on Female Reproductive Health Issues visit:
www.laterbaby.org.
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