How to make happy time for my reproductive organs?
February 3, 2013 10:24 AM Subscribe
What can I do, as a mid-twenties female, to ensure my reproductive organs will be as healthy as possible by the time I want kids? There is also history of problems in my family.
I would really like to have children some day and want to be sure that things will work as smoothly as possible when that time comes. This is recognizing all of the things that we are exposed to that can lower fertility, and also in light of my mom having had not one, but two miscarriages. I also got freaked out by this picture that was linked in another AskMefi question--it shows that acne in some places can be indicative of problems with reproductive organs. Now, I don't really buy that, but do want to take any and every measure I can now to help keep these organs performing their best.
What can I do?
Resources, books, personal tips, anecdotes, links, disambiguation, all appreciated. Tips specific to the uterus, ovaries, general body hospitality, are welcome.
I can give details of my personal life if it's helpful. I eat mostly vegetarian, some crap food like processed candy, and use plastic tupperware. I'm a 25-year old female raised in the Midwest. I am willing to be quite extreme, so lay it all on me.
I would really like to have children some day and want to be sure that things will work as smoothly as possible when that time comes. This is recognizing all of the things that we are exposed to that can lower fertility, and also in light of my mom having had not one, but two miscarriages. I also got freaked out by this picture that was linked in another AskMefi question--it shows that acne in some places can be indicative of problems with reproductive organs. Now, I don't really buy that, but do want to take any and every measure I can now to help keep these organs performing their best.
What can I do?
Resources, books, personal tips, anecdotes, links, disambiguation, all appreciated. Tips specific to the uterus, ovaries, general body hospitality, are welcome.
I can give details of my personal life if it's helpful. I eat mostly vegetarian, some crap food like processed candy, and use plastic tupperware. I'm a 25-year old female raised in the Midwest. I am willing to be quite extreme, so lay it all on me.
I also got freaked out by this picture that was linked in another AskMefi question--it shows that acne in some places can be indicative of problems with reproductive organs. Now, I don't really buy that,
Good, because that page is an infinitely dense cluster of bullshit promulgated by people who should be under close psychiatric supervision. I don't have anything else much to add, but this stuff is even worse than the standard crystal-clutching internet-alternative-"medicine" crap and you should place absolutely no trust in it.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 10:43 AM on February 3, 2013 [17 favorites]
Good, because that page is an infinitely dense cluster of bullshit promulgated by people who should be under close psychiatric supervision. I don't have anything else much to add, but this stuff is even worse than the standard crystal-clutching internet-alternative-"medicine" crap and you should place absolutely no trust in it.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 10:43 AM on February 3, 2013 [17 favorites]
Basically, if you're looking after yourself, you'll do just fine. Eat well, avoid excessive drinking, skip the smoking. The women in my family tend to go one-for-one (a miscarriage for each pregnancy) and I've got more siblings and cousins than I can count. I'm also a vegetarian who microwaves her food in plastics regularly, who has been known to drink her gin by the pint and who's idea of a workout is using the heavy mouse while web browsing, and I'm 21 weeks pregnant as we speak. It's much less of a problem than it seems.
Think of it this way - women surviving on one meal a day have children. Women working in hazardous environments have children. Women with one ovary and one functioning fallopian tube have children. Transmen who have spent a good chunk of their adult lives with a male hormonal profile fall pregnant from time to time. We're pretty geared for it.
posted by Jilder at 10:44 AM on February 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
Think of it this way - women surviving on one meal a day have children. Women working in hazardous environments have children. Women with one ovary and one functioning fallopian tube have children. Transmen who have spent a good chunk of their adult lives with a male hormonal profile fall pregnant from time to time. We're pretty geared for it.
posted by Jilder at 10:44 AM on February 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Admitted: That link was a horrible example.
Also, I don't smoke or drink.
posted by ramenopres at 10:46 AM on February 3, 2013
Also, I don't smoke or drink.
posted by ramenopres at 10:46 AM on February 3, 2013
I have a specific medical condition that can sometimes--but not always--cause fertility problems, and when I was originally diagnosed, while I wasn't anywhere near ready to have kids (still not there) it really worried me and I asked all of the doctors I saw what I could do. This included an endocrinologist, a general practitioner, and since then I've spoken about the same thing to a couple of gynaecologists and more general practitioners, as I encounter them for other reasons.
The consensus is "you won't know until you try."
I've never been given any suggestions about what to do. There is no predicting fertility, unfortunately! Sometimes people like me who have many points against them get pregnant without trying, and vice versa some people who have no reason to think it would be hard have a lot of trouble. I have no medical qualifications, but I have spent a lot of time reading and thinking about this, and I think the best you can do is to keep an eye on your reproductive health--go see the doctor if you have an irregular cycle, irregular bleeding, or anything like that, so if you do have a problem it'll be caught early. And then once you are ready to start trying, take prenatal vitamins and try not to stress too much!
(Phew, on preview, so glad you don't really believe in that link!! Brain problems will cause acne under your nose???)
posted by snorkmaiden at 10:50 AM on February 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
The consensus is "you won't know until you try."
I've never been given any suggestions about what to do. There is no predicting fertility, unfortunately! Sometimes people like me who have many points against them get pregnant without trying, and vice versa some people who have no reason to think it would be hard have a lot of trouble. I have no medical qualifications, but I have spent a lot of time reading and thinking about this, and I think the best you can do is to keep an eye on your reproductive health--go see the doctor if you have an irregular cycle, irregular bleeding, or anything like that, so if you do have a problem it'll be caught early. And then once you are ready to start trying, take prenatal vitamins and try not to stress too much!
(Phew, on preview, so glad you don't really believe in that link!! Brain problems will cause acne under your nose???)
posted by snorkmaiden at 10:50 AM on February 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
My understanding is that a healthy bodyweight helps fertility. I don't think that being slightly overweight makes much of a difference, but being either significantly overweight or even slightly underweight reduces fertility.
I don't have a cite, sorry. There's a ton of information online about how being very overweight reduces fertility, but I can't find the study I read about how being slightly underweight reduces fertility (if I remember correctly, it was a peer reviewed scientific study).
posted by insectosaurus at 10:51 AM on February 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
I don't have a cite, sorry. There's a ton of information online about how being very overweight reduces fertility, but I can't find the study I read about how being slightly underweight reduces fertility (if I remember correctly, it was a peer reviewed scientific study).
posted by insectosaurus at 10:51 AM on February 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you are really concerned, I would recommend getting checked out by an OBGYN just to make sure you don't have any hidden problems that could get worse over time. For example endometriosis can cause infertility by creating scar tissue; this problem can get worse with time if it's not treated. Use of birth control pills can help control endo and keep it from causing fertility problems over time.
If you are eating healthy, exercising regularly, and not smoking, though, you are probably already ahead of the game.
And yes, miscarriages are not really uncommon, so I wouldn't worry too much about that family history.
posted by BlueJae at 11:24 AM on February 3, 2013 [4 favorites]
If you are eating healthy, exercising regularly, and not smoking, though, you are probably already ahead of the game.
And yes, miscarriages are not really uncommon, so I wouldn't worry too much about that family history.
posted by BlueJae at 11:24 AM on February 3, 2013 [4 favorites]
You don't smoke or drink, so I'm guessing you probably also don't do drugs, but juuust in case: meth damages internal organ linings just like it damages skin. Don't do meth.
posted by fingersandtoes at 11:37 AM on February 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by fingersandtoes at 11:37 AM on February 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Get your thyroid checked. Having hypothyroidism can definitely cause fertility issues, and is easily treated. If you take any other prescription medication, talk to your doctor(s) about your options during pregnancy. If you need to switch to a different medication, try to do it months ahead of time.
posted by barnone at 11:42 AM on February 3, 2013
posted by barnone at 11:42 AM on February 3, 2013
Nthing thyroid health. No drugs or drinking or smoking will go a long way. Eat well. Pay attention to cycle irregularities, and if they happen a lot, go talk to the OBGYN about it.
posted by zdravo at 11:58 AM on February 3, 2013
posted by zdravo at 11:58 AM on February 3, 2013
Get regular STI checks. STIs like chlamydia can lead to infertility if untreated, and many people are asymptomatic.
posted by ghost dance beat at 12:01 PM on February 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by ghost dance beat at 12:01 PM on February 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
If your mom had problems, what was her overall picture in terms of fertility?
Honestly, the only things working against most women are: age, age and age.
posted by rr at 12:04 PM on February 3, 2013
Honestly, the only things working against most women are: age, age and age.
posted by rr at 12:04 PM on February 3, 2013
Get a copy of "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" and start charting your cycle. If anything starts to go wonky (thyroid issues, PCOS, anemia, etc.), you'll recognize the signs and have data for the doctor's visit. Plus, when you want to become pregnant, you'll know when you're ovulating. Seconding everyone above re: baseline medical check-ups and maintaining your sexual and overall health.
posted by Iris Gambol at 12:14 PM on February 3, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by Iris Gambol at 12:14 PM on February 3, 2013 [6 favorites]
Don't get even slightly underweight. Don't get significantly overweight, and if you do, under no circumstances crash diet. Get exercise. Be vigilant about STDs. See your GYN if your periods get at all funky. Eat a balanced diet with lots of dark, leafy greens. Get enough sleep.
These are all useful things anyway for most people.
posted by Sidhedevil at 12:15 PM on February 3, 2013
These are all useful things anyway for most people.
posted by Sidhedevil at 12:15 PM on February 3, 2013
I think the best you can do is take care of yourself, including regular visits to the OB-GYN, and plan to give yourself plenty of time when you do decide to start trying to conceive. I think in general, you should anticipate that it can take 6-12 months to conceive if everything is in working order. Also, I know several women who have miscarried and subsequently had healthy pregnancies. It sucks but it happens. I also know two women who have PCOS and both were able to conceive. So if you're taking care of yourself, keep doing what you're doing.
posted by kat518 at 2:26 PM on February 3, 2013
posted by kat518 at 2:26 PM on February 3, 2013
Response by poster: Re being slightly underweight, is that something I just have to take care of shortly before I want to conceive, or would it have negative effects if I were underweight in years prior? I run low where weight is concerned (but can change that pretty readily), so I would want to watch that, if the latter. I already am being mindful, but could add a bit more concentrated effort.
posted by ramenopres at 3:00 PM on February 3, 2013
posted by ramenopres at 3:00 PM on February 3, 2013
GYNs say the optimal body weight to shoot for is BMI 20-24.9. Of course it's really hard for most people to gain or lose weight intentionally, and everyone is different, but as a statistical group, that's the group with the lowest rate of fertility issues.
posted by Sidhedevil at 3:39 PM on February 3, 2013
posted by Sidhedevil at 3:39 PM on February 3, 2013
Eating healthily and exercising are important. The older you are, the fewer and less vibrant your eggs will be. That said, I'm 39, my first baby is due any day now and I've had a very healthy pregnancy. It took us about 3 months of trying to conceive (this is in part about family history). Some things I did outside of healthy food and exercise when trying to conceive included a thorough check up for things like iron levels and cortisol. Any efforts to minimize stress on your body are positive. Also, while it's not everyone's thing, I did have acupuncture treatments to help minimize the results of a preceeding period of high stress and to boost my fertility. Finally, I found out about Fairhaven Health that offers all manner of natural fertility supplements. I took the 'fertilitea'. All this aside, I would suggest that you don't worry about it too much until you are certain that it is an issue-it could be counterproductive in the end. Just enjoy taking good care of yourself in the meantime.
posted by sassy mae at 4:39 PM on February 3, 2013
posted by sassy mae at 4:39 PM on February 3, 2013
Take a multivitamin every day that contains folic acid/folate. Take good care of yourself, don't fret, look forward to the future - attitude is worth a lot. Remember that difficult conceptions and pregnancies are not the norm.
posted by aryma at 11:05 PM on February 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by aryma at 11:05 PM on February 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Just keep eating well, moderately exercising several times a week, avoiding smoking and drugs, and don't wait too long to try, and you'll be in as good shape as you can be.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 10:39 AM on February 3, 2013 [12 favorites]