Women who have difficulty getting pregnant may find hope in the results of a recent research conducted at the Harvard School of Public Health. According to Dr. Jorge Chavarro and his colleagues, women who consumed the most amounts of monounsaturated fats in their diets are three times more likely to have a successful IVF procedure.
Moreover, researchers also believe that the same effect holds true for those who are trying to conceive in a more natural way. Are you ready to learn more about this exciting discovery? If you are, please feel free to read the rest of this article.
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Understanding Female Infertility
It has long been established that the Mediterranean way of eating can be beneficial in achieving better health. It has been proven to improve cardiovascular health, reduce the risk of developing cancer and other chronic medical conditions. It can also enhance overall quality of life and promote longevity. Given these facts, is there anything more you can ever ask for?
However, the benefits that can be obtained from the Mediterranean diet do not end there. As more and more studies are being undertaken, the list inevitably gets longer. Now, researchers have also discovered that the Mediterranean diet can help improve a woman’s fertility – even if she has been encountering difficulties conceiving in the past.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are about 7.3 million women in the US with impaired ability to have children. Additionally, there are about 2.1 million women between the ages 15 and 44 who are battling with female infertility.
Female infertility can be due to a number of factors. It may be due to a problem regarding ovulation, a blocked fallopian tube or uterine fibroids and/or a problem with the uterus. Among the factors that may affect a woman’s ability to have a baby include age, weight problems (being underweight or overweight), poor diet, stress, unhealthy habits such as smoking and excessive alcohol use. Sexually transmitted infections and medical conditions that cause hormonal changes such as PCOS are also known to contribute to female infertility.
So, how can the Mediterranean diet help improve a woman’s fertility? Here is a recent research that may offer some interesting insights in solving this age-old problem.
Recent Research Findings on Female Infertility
Based on a report presented at the 2012 annual meeting of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology in Istanbul, Turkey, there is reason to believe that the type of fat in a woman’s diet is likely to determine whether she will have a successful IVF procedure or not.
After analyzing the diets of about 147 women who have undergone IVF procedures, researchers found that women who derived about 25% of their calorie requirements from monounsaturated fats (such as those found in avocados and olive oil) were about three times as more likely to conceive and successfully give birth as compared to those who consumed significantly lesser amounts. On the other hand, those who consumed large amounts of foods rich in saturated fats (red meat, animal and dairy products and processed foods) produce the least amount of eggs suitable for in vitro fertilization.
Surprisingly enough, the same research also found compelling evidence that consuming some types of polyunsaturated fats, which were once believed to be healthy, can actually cause female infertility. This was observed in women who consume large amounts of omega-6 polyunsaturated fats such as those that can be found in canola and corn oils. However, omega-3 polyunsaturates (such as those found in salmon and other fatty fish) do not have the same effect so women who are hoping to get pregnant shouldn’t avoid eating them.
While there may be a need to validate the results of the said research in a larger group, there is now reason to believe that the Mediterranean way of eating can actually help counter female infertility. Are you ready to see if it will work for you, too? There’s really no harm in trying something this good so go ahead and get on with it.
It is my fervent hope that this information will help you achieve your dream of holding a baby in your arms in the very near future.
All the best,
Ray Baker