Connection Between Eating Disorders and Infertility
BackInfertility can be caused by several reasons. Eating disorder is one of the important reasons for infertility. Infertility is, in fact, one of the common side effects of the eating disorder. This includes bulimia, anorexia, binge biting and many other compulsive eating patterns.
Damages Caused to The Endocrine System
Anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating causes an unhealthy weight gain that leads to infertility. Eating disorder is one of the prime reasons for poor nutrition in a person. This can have major impacts on the endocrine system of any woman. For your information, the endocrine system is responsible for producing reproductive and growth hormones. Any damages caused to the endocrine system of a woman can disrupt her ovulation. The woman can experience irregular menstrual cycles or even menopause at the younger age. The quality of her eggs is reduced and can lead to ovarian failure. This leads to her lesser chances of conceiving naturally. It also increases her chances of miscarriage after getting pregnant. People having eating disorders are more prone towards anxiety stress and depression. This often leads to unhealthy habits like smoking and drinking that hampers their pregnancy plans.
The Good News
Well, there is good news for all of you suffering from eating disorders. 70 to 80% of women suffering from this syndrome can control themselves and get treated for infertility. All you need is a thorough checkup with your doctor and follow his instructions to control your eating habits. You must be honest with him during your consultation session and disclose every significant and insignificant fact about your eating. In case you are obsessed with leftover food, you should not feel reluctant in disclosing the same fact to him. It is important for your doctor to know everything about your eating disorder to put you in a support group. The therapies and controlled eating methods treat you during this period. This helps you prepare yourself before going for an infertility treatment. Hopefully, your infertility treatment will be more fruitful as you overcome eating disorders first. As you start to eat healthily, you give your body the required nutrition and prenatal vitamins. Staying hydrated ensures a happy health for you and your baby.
Link Between Eating Disorders and Infertility
An eating disorder can really affect fertility in a person. The body lacks nutrition and other dietary requirements as it does not get proper food. The body also gets affected by complaints of high blood pressure and diabetes under the influence of heavyweight gain. The strength of the body also diminishes due to the eating disorder. The body is not able to carry the gestation or deliver the baby. It is important for the womb to remain prepared to carry the pregnancy without any chances of miscarriage.
Negative Effects of Poor Nutrition
Diet plays an important role in ascertaining a woman’s ability to become pregnant and carry the pregnancy term successfully. Continuous poor nutrition negatively affects the fertility of a woman and causes risk to the pregnancy. An unhealthy body can be a major risk to both mother and fetus.
Women coming for fertility treatment should undergo an assessment for any history of eating disorders. In case they have experienced repeated weight loss in the past, they should consider a standard health care for eating disorder before the infertility treatment. As a matter of fact, the infertility treatment should not be initiated unless the eating disorder is addressed properly.
Risks of Pregnancy Complications
There are risks of complications related to the mother and the baby in case the mother is suffering from eating disorder. Treatment of eating disorder reduces the chances of such complications. It requires a regular monitoring of the mother undergoing treatment and therapies for eating disorder to achieve a successful conclusion. Her nutritional goals should be met prior to her infertility treatment. This results in better chances of her being pregnant after infertility treatment.
It is very important for intended parents to know that their infertility treatment cannot be fruitful in case any of them are suffering from eating disorders. The quality of sperm also gets affected in men suffering from eating disorders. Hence, it is not only important for the intended mother but also for the intended father to combat eating disorders before going for a fertility treatment.
Ending Words
If you go deeper into the study, you will come to know that eating disorders can lead to destructive behavioral syndromes in intended parents. People can get addicted to alcohol, drug or even substance abuse due to prolonged eating disorders. They even suffer from depression due to this. A depressed mind creates low self-esteem in a person and forms another reason for infertility.
Professional counselors and therapies can help you combating eating disorders that is causing infertility in you. Always remember that you are not alone struggling with this. There are a lot of other people with you in the same group. So, be positive and move your step forward into the world of fertility.