Female fertility and lifestyle

Female fertility is influenced by a complex interplay of lifestyle factors. They may include weight, diet, supplementation, physical activity, sleep and substance use. Understanding these factors, in combination with a thorough understanding of strategies to support effective behavior change is essential to develop effective lifestyle interventions for women who wish to enhance their fertility. This review aimed to summarize the evidence on female fertility and lifestyle, and to discuss intervention considerations which may affect implementation of the evidence.

Electronic databases (PubMed, Google Scholar) were searched to identify relevant peer-reviewed studies and evidence-based guidelines.

The following lifestyle factors are associated with improved female fertility: maintaining a healthy weight, following a healthy dietary pattern (e.g. Mediterranean diet) with appropriate supplementation, participating in regular physical activity, attaining 7-8.5 hours of high-quality nocturnal sleep and avoiding or limiting substance use (caffeine, alcohol and smoking). Considering the factors affecting lifestyle management in both consumers (e.g. emotional eating and financial barriers) and health professionals (e.g. time constraints and concerns about patient expectations of care) is essential to optimize success of lifestyle interventions to improve fertility.

Lifestyle management has an important role in improving reproductive health and overall health for women who wish to conceive. A patient-centered approach which incorporates behavioral science, individual preferences, and healthcare delivery considerations is essential. There is a need for further research to inform optimal intervention components and behavior change strategies for this population.