The number of couples who are not able to conceive a child has been growing recently. In addition to the health of both parents, a successful pregnancy is affected by reproduction, or fertility. This is the ability of an organism in puberty to produce offspring. It is the concept of “fertility” that we will analyze in this article.
Fertility period
So, in other words, fertility is the body’s ability to conceive and have a baby. The period or age of female reproduction is the period when it is capable of fertilization, normal bearing and giving birth to a child. The demographic age of fertility is 15-49 years. From a medical and social point of view, this period is somewhat narrowing. So, at the age of 15 it is very difficult to give the child a full upbringing, and at 40 the possibility of pregnancy is reduced, and the risk of having a baby with various anomalies increases. Therefore, it is generally accepted that the age when fertility is most elevated is 25-30 years. Age in male fertility plays a lesser role.
Female fertility
A newborn girl has about 400 eggs, but they are still immature and are located in the follicles of the ovaries. These cells begin to ripen during puberty. However, with each menstrual cycle, only one egg is matured. This process is called ovulation. After maturation, the egg becomes ready for fertilization and passes into the uterine cavity through the fallopian tubes. Thus, ovulation and female fertility are closely related. Also, the condition of the fallopian tubes affects reproductive performance. They must be passable, otherwise the sperm will not be able to move towards the egg. In addition, for a successful conception, the condition of the endometrium is important, which takes a fertilized egg, and the cervix and the uterus itself hold it, and subsequently the fetus.
Male fertility
Fertility of a man depends on the quality of sperm, their ability to fertilize. Every 72 days, the sperm stock is updated. Quite a lot of factors affect male fertility. This is primarily alcohol abuse and smoking. Also, reproductive performance of men is affected by diseases of the genitourinary system, childhood infectious diseases (mumps), concomitant diseases in adulthood (viral hepatitis, diabetes mellitus). In addition, the presence of excess weight, poor nutrition with a deficiency of zinc and vitamin C, frequent visits to baths and saunas negatively affect male fertility. Reduces the ability to conceive and frequent sexual intercourse, this leads to the fact that immature forms of spermatozoa begin to prevail in the ejaculate, as well as a significant decrease in their concentration.
How to normalize fertility?
If the cause of the decrease in fertility is not a serious pathology (endometritis, obstruction of the tubes, impaired development of spermatic cord, and others), then fertility can be restored if the following recommendations are observed:
Have a regular sex life.
Refuse low-calorie diets that adversely affect the hormones responsible for reproductive function.
Stick to a healthy diet balanced in fat and protein. And carbohydrates, consumed in large quantities, negatively affect fertility.
Regulate your weight: obesity negatively affects both male and female fertility.
Take additional trace elements and vitamins. Zinc, folic acid, or carnitine, consumed over a period of six months, helps restore male fertility. Also for this purpose, ascorbic acid, selenium, vitamin E are used, which positively affect spermatogenesis. Women are recommended to take folic acid, vitamins E, B6, B12, zinc, magnesium, L-arginine, selenium.
For men, it is very important not to overheat the testicles, this has a bad effect on spermatogenesis. In summer, you should give preference to loose trousers made of natural fabric, and also not to abuse the sauna.
It is believed that the ideal time of year for conception is the beginning of winter. During this period, increased sperm activity is observed.
It is necessary to avoid stressful situations, to be able to relax, to control your emotions.
During ovulation, refuse to take analgesics, since they affect prostaglandins.
Limit or completely eliminate smoking. A woman who smokes has a 30% lower fertility than a non-smoker woman.
Refuse to drink alcohol (especially beer for men).
Limit coffee, as caffeine negatively affects fertility.
The environment also affects reproduction. Work in the hot shop, in chemical production, and in radiation conditions negatively affects fertility. If you can’t cope with the fertility problem on your own, consult a doctor.
What fertility rate?
This is the average number of births per woman of reproductive age. To calculate the fertility rate, it is necessary to divide the number of children born during a certain period by the number of women capable of conception and multiply by a thousand. To replace generations with relatively low mortality, the birth rate should be 2.3, if this indicator is less than 2.15 - this is low fertility, at 2.4 - high. If two children per one woman - this is the reproduction of the population. If the fertility rate is higher, then this indicates the possible material problems of parents associated with their inability to feed their children and give them an education. A coefficient of less than two indicates a decrease in the population and its aging.
Prospects
In general, a decrease in fertility is observed in the world, especially in industrialized countries. From 1960 to 2010, the world birth rate fell from 4.95 to 2.56. According to statistics, the moral and emotional state of the population, as well as unemployment, migration, and the level of wealth affect the level of reproduction. Creating new jobs and reducing migration can significantly increase fertility.