The Nordica Fertility Centre’s medical director, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, has revealed that lifestyle decisions like the age at which one starts a family, what one eats, and excessive caffeine consumption, among other things, have a significant impact on both male and female fertility. This comes as the prevalence of infertility rises in sub-Saharan Africa.
Ajayi told LEADERSHIP that stress, tobacco, alcohol, strenuous and excessive exercise, exposure to pesticides and radiation cause infertility in male and females.
He said research has shown that a woman’s decision to start a family at a certain age can either improve or negatively impact her odds of becoming a mother.
‘’For instance, women over 40 years have about a five per cent chance of getting pregnant in any single ovulation cycle, compared to a 25 percent chance for women in their 20s and early 30s,’’ he revealed.
Ajayi said, “Studies have shown that obesity is associated with decreased sperm count and quality in males, while being underweight is linked to ovarian dysfunction and infertility in women. What we consume also affects our fertility.”
The medical director added that although excessive activity is known to influence ovulation and fertility in women, intense exercise and taking several drugs are known to lower sperm count in males.