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Impact of lifestyle choices on female infertility
P D Silva1, J L Cool, K L Olson
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gundersen/Lutheran Medical Center, La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA. psilva@gc.gundluth.org
Objective:
To inform physicians who are involved in the primary care of reproductive-age women of the specific relationships between lifestyle choices and infertility so that they can use this knowledge to educate their patients and encourage changes in behavior.
Study Design:
A review of the relevant literature, performed via Medline search.
Results:
Prevention of chlamydial and gonorrheal infections; maintenance of the proper body weight; increased individual awareness about the effects of age on fecundity; and reduced intake of caffeine, tobacco and alcohol are all possible avenues for primary prevention of infertility.
Conclusion:
Lifestyle choices can be made that influence the reproductive capability of women. It may be worthwhile for primary care physicians to use information on lifestyle to encourage their patients to improve their overall health while positively affecting their ability to reproduce.