Reproductive health is of prime importance to anyone in the world. Even for countries, ensuring that the health system is appropriate to handle the reproductive health of its citizens is very important. The reproductive health of the general public is not just affected by individual actions but also by the conditions of the nation.

Widespread pollution is one of the leading factors causing a decline in the reproductive health of people. Industrial effluents that go into the atmosphere, like persistent organics, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), etc., have also been known to decrease fertility in both men and women and thus affect reproductive health too. These chemicals in the environment also affect the hormonal systems causing further depreciation of the reproductive health of individuals.

We must start taking care of our reproductive health to ensure that severe complications like miscarriage and infertility do not affect us further down the line. Certain reproductive disorders are genetic but can be treated with proper hormonal therapy. For the most part, lifestyle changes and dietary habits play a major role in achieving good reproductive health.

Factors affecting reproductive health

Research by the NIEHS found that heavy lifting or working during non-daytime shifts can cause decreased egg counts in women. This occupational habit has also been linked to infertility in some cases. It was also found that reduced vitamin D levels in dietary intakes usually put females at a higher risk of uterine fibroids. Feeding soy formula to infant girls has also been linked to heavier menstrual bleeding, pain, and larger fibroids during puberty.

In the case of men, having a diet that lacks carbohydrates, fiber, folate, lycopene, and fruits can lead to lower semen quality. On the other side, diets low in proteins and fats can help improve male fertility. Another important factor is smoking. Smoking affects the entire body and is more prevalent in men. One of the adverse effects of smoking is making men infertile.

Mental stress is also an important factor that affects reproductive health in men. Stressful events at the job or in personal life can lead to decreased sperm count and affect testosterone levels in men. Male reproductive health is more susceptible to mental disorders such as anxiety and depression than female reproductive health, which is affected by physical stress.

Parting words

The first step to improving reproductive health is by educating yourself about it. At dedicated websites like gethealthy360 and their reproductive health podcast, one can educate themselves and prevent mishaps from happening in the future. So get on to the reproductive health podcast at gethealthy360 right away to take a step towards improving yourself.