Deodorants and breast cancer investigated
The iVillage fertility chat
traceyw37: Is it true that drinking alcohol and smoking reduce the chances of you conceiving?
Dr Lockwood: I'm afraid that both smoking and drinking alcohol reduce the chance of getting pregnant and increase the risk of miscarriage. In fact smoking reduces the chance of IVF working by a staggering 40%! Some exciting new research from Denmark shows that even very low levels of alcohol (1-2 units a week) make it harder to conceive. We all know people who chain-smoke, live on Bacardi Breezers and get pregnant without problems, but if you have even a minor fertility problem then you must stop!
yinkaoluwole: I have been trying to get pregnant for the past year and getting depressed due to stress and the frustration of the past year. My worry is that my period is very dark and now lasts for three days instead of the normal five. It is also less heavy than it used to be. Do you have any idea what might be wrong with me?
Dr Lockwood: If you have been trying to get pregnant for a year and you are getting worried and depressed, then it is time to seek some help, initially from your GP. Stress can interfere with periods, but if you are having regular periods, you are almost certainly ovulating (releasing an egg each month). The best times to conceive are around the 'middle' of each cycle (days 8-15) if you have a 28-day cycle.'Dark' periods are sometimes an early sign of endometriosis so it is important to check that your pelvis is healthy. Try and get your partner to have a sperm test too.
rdutta: I'm 28 years old and plan to have children, but not for another four or five years. I read recently that fertility levels in women over 30 are dropping and I am concerned that if I wait this long, it may be too late. Are my concerns justified?
Dr Lockwood: I'm afraid it is true... Fertility peaks in the mid-twenties and starts to decline from 33-34. Women over 35 take twice as long to get pregnant on average and after 38 the miscarriage rate climbs very rapidly. Forty per cent of all pregnancies over 40 will miscarry.
If you have 'risk factors' for low 'ovarian reserve', such as family history of early menopause, or you are a smoker or have endometriosis, you may want to reconsider your decision to delay. Have a look at my article on called Getting pregnant at 40 or even 30.
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