09 Jun 7 curiosities that you probably didn’t know about fertility

At Reproclinic, we want to help you make your dream come true by making you feel completely comfortable. That’s why we offer you personalized attention, proposing you the treatment that suits you best and helping you to better understand how your body works.

In this sense, you will find below 7 curiosities that you probably didn’t know about fertility, which is that ability that all living beings have to procreate. But this capacity can be altered and / or affected by different factors, either biological, environmental or other. And, from time to time, we discover data that we did not know before and that are, at least, curious:

1. Age does matter

When the time comes for you to want to have children, you must take into account your age and that of your partner, since, from the age of 35, women’s ovarian reserves drop considerably and it is more difficult to get pregnant. In the case of men, age also has an influence because, with age, their genetic material also deteriorates.

2. Percentages in Spain

1 out of 7 Spanish couples have a fertility problem. And that’s not all. Even when it is a young and fertile couple, the chances of achieving a pregnancy are between 25% and 30% for each month they try to conceive a child.

3. Your mother’s records speak volumes

Yes, as you read it!. If your mother went in early menopause or if her pregnancies were somewhat complicated, these are facts that can affect your fertility. This is why it is important that you know it and, if needed, that you go to your doctor to make sure that your pregnancy is safe.

4. Tell me what you eat and I will tell you how fertile you are

Your diet may have a lot to do with your fertility, and Harvard University researchers have concluded that men who follow a Mediterranean diet that includes significant amounts of fruits, vegetables, legumes and fish have a higher percentage of mobile sperm; whereas, the opposite effect has been observed among men who tend to have a more relaxed diet, prioritizing the consumption of energy drinks, red and processed meat or pizza, for example.

On the other hand, scientists from the University of Copenhagen have determined that the higher the level of vitamin D in blood, the more mobility the sperm have. This vitamin is found in fish and milk, among other foods.

5. Beware of cholesterol

The general perception is that high cholesterol levels are a serious problem especially for the elderly, but according to a study of 501 couples aged 18-44 conducted by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in conjunction with the Universities of Buffalo and Emory, it would appear that, in a way, and given that cholesterol is a basic molecule that is directly involved in hormonal changes, high cholesterol levels could act as contraceptives because they would decrease fertility.

6. The extinction of the Neandertals

The Neanderthal species became extinct 40,000 years ago. According to a study of the University of Aix-Marseille, low fertility rates could be one of the causes of this species’ extinction. But what is most shocking about this research is that the experts who formulated it stated that women under 20 years old would be the demographic sector most affected by fertility loss.

7. Coffee can be an enemy to your fallopian tubes

A team of scientists from the University of Nevada has published a study  in which they claim that caffeine can affect female fertility. How? Very easy. The high caffeine level stops the function of the pacemaker cells in the oviduct wall, preventing the ovum from descending along the fallopian tubes. That’s why experts recommend not to drink more than two cups a day.

At Reproclinic we want to help you achieve your dream by feeling at home. That is why we offer you a personalized attention, to be able to know well the functioning of your body and to facilitate the treatment that best fits with you.

And now it is your turn to tell us if you have recently discovered any other curiosities about fertility!

Medical Director at Reproclinic
Specialist in Obstetrics/Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine