Eliminating these 6 risks could help improve your chances of getting pregnant

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Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

A risk scoring system based on just 6 risk factors could help women improve their chances of conceiving, according to research from Singapore.  In the study, women were given 1 point for each of the following factors: unhealthy body mass index, unhealthy diet, smoking, drinking more than 1 alcoholic drink each week, not using folic acid supplements, and being over the age of 32. Compared to women who scored only 0 or 1, the chances of women with higher scores conceiving were reduced by between 31% and 77% as scores increased. The authors say eliminating these risk factors is estimated to reduce the incidence of not conceiving by 34% in the study population. 

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Associate Professor Alex Polyakov is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne and is a Medical Director at Genea Fertility Melbourne

In this study, researchers wanted to understand how different lifestyle factors can impact a woman's ability to conceive. Many women are interested in knowing what they can do to increase their chances of getting pregnant. The researchers found that several lifestyle factors can impact a woman's fertility, including body mass index, diet, smoking, alcohol intake, folic acid supplement use, and maternal age. To make it easier for women to understand how these factors can impact their fertility, the researchers developed a score that takes into account these different factors.

The study found that the likelihood of conceiving decreased as the score increased. For example, women with the highest risk score had a 77% decrease in the likelihood of conceiving compared to those with the lowest risk score within one year. This highlights the importance of making positive changes in these lifestyle factors for women who are trying to conceive.

The study's results are important for women who are trying to get pregnant and for healthcare providers who work with women who are trying to conceive. By understanding how different lifestyle factors can impact fertility, women can make informed decisions about how to increase their chances of getting pregnant. Additionally, healthcare providers can use this information to guide women in making positive lifestyle changes, which can help improve their fertility.

The study provides important insights into how different lifestyle factors can impact a woman's ability to conceive. The score developed by the researchers could be a valuable tool for women trying to get pregnant, helping them understand how they can improve their chances of conceiving.

Last updated:  18 Aug 2023 4:38pm
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Research JAMA, Web page Please link to the article in online versions of your report (the URL will go live after the embargo ends).
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JAMA Network Open
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Organisation/s: KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore
Funder: The study was supported by Open Fund-Large Collaborative Grant MOH-000504 from the National Research Foundation administered by the Singapore Ministry of Health National Medical Research Council (NMRC) and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research. Dr Cheung was supported by Clinician Scientist Award NMRC/CSA/0039/2012 from the Singapore NMRC. Dr Godfrey was supported by grant MC_UU_12011/4 from the UK Medical Research Council, grant NF-SI-0515-10042 (senior investigator) from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), grant IS-BRC-1215-20004 from the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre; grants Erasmus+ Programme ImpENSA 598488-EPP-1-2018-1-DE-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP from the European Union, and grants RG/15/17/3174 and SP/F/21/150013 from the British Heart Foundation. Dr S.-Y. Chan was supported by Clinician Scientist Award NMRC/CSA-INV/0010/2016 from the Singapore NMRC. Dr Ku was supported by Clinician Scientist Award NMRC/MOH-000596-00 from the Singapore NMRC. Dr J. Chan was supported by Clinician Scientist Award NMRC/CSA-SI-008-2016 from the Singapore NMRC.
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