Infertility is a silent health threat and its consequences extend beyond conception and baby to a couple's general health and wellbeing.
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There's a hidden message for couples struggling with infertility, and that is the link between infertility, overall health, and the increased risk of early death.
Despite what many people believe, infertility is not an isolated issue, and often it's a manifestation of broader underlying conditions and imbalances that can have serious implications for an individual's health.
Understanding this link can encourage couples to address their underlying health concerns and improve their overall long-term quality of life and health outcomes.
A 2021 study revealed a connection between infertility and mortality, concluding that infertile men had a higher risk of death, and women with infertility also face increased risks for severe maternal morbidity, cancer, and chronic disease.
The study revealed women with infertility had a 32 per cent higher "relative risk for death from any cause" than women without infertility.
When comparing men who were infertile with those who were fertile, the study found that infertile men had a 26 per cent higher risk of death.
The findings underscore the importance of identifying the root cause of infertility that may otherwise leave couples exposed to health issues such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, immunological and hormonal imbalances, and liver and kidney disease.
Identifying and treating the root cause can actually have far-reaching beneficial effects on the entire prospective family's overall health, including a couple's unborn children.
The answer to overcoming infertility requires a full medical diagnostic assessment to uncover the cause.
By focusing solely on IVF, couples neglect the issues affecting their infertility, and the failure to treat and address these issues can hinder conception and mask future health problems.
It's common that many health conditions, especially when considered to be mild, are ignored and left unaddressed if found as a part of a fertility workup, diagnosis, and treatment.
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Some of these lesser-known co-existing conditions with significant overall health consequences include:
Blood sugar imbalance - Blood sugar dysregulation, even without progressing to diabetes, can prevent couples from conceiving because the imbalance disrupts hormonal levels necessary for ovulation.
Fatty liver - The liver is the body's detox centre. Improving the liver's health can lead to feeling and looking better, improved sleep, more energy, less stress, and higher libido. Left untreated, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease can impact fertility because it causes inflammation, impacting hormone production and can lead to various biochemical imbalances that negatively impact overall health and fertility.
Thyroid dysfunction - Thyroid hormones affect every organ, influencing our heart rate, digestion, weight, energy levels, and moods. Proper thyroid function is important for the implantation of a fertilised embryo in the uterus. Dysregulated thyroid function can damage sperm quality and motility.
Anti-phospholipid syndrome - A disorder of the immune system can cause an increased risk of blood clots, which in infertile or pregnant women can cause miscarriages and stillbirth, and may also lead to deep vein thrombosis, stroke, and heart attacks. Preventable, hormonal, and environmental factors play a part in the development of this condition.
- Gabriela Rosa is the founder and clinical director of the Rosa Institute, an organisation and fertility clinic dedicated to improving clinical results in reproductive medicine and supporting couples with reproductive health concerns. She is currently completing her Doctor of Public Health at Harvard.
