To Your Health
May, 2018 (Vol. 12, Issue 05) |
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Fast Food Slows Down Fertility
By Editorial Staff
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 6 million women ages 15-44 have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant.
Infertility, defined as not being able to get pregnant after one year of trying (for women under age 35) and after six months for women age 35 and older, can be devastating for couples who long to start or grow their family.
Fast food isn't doing women any service when it comes to fertility, according to a study in Human Reproduction. Women who rarely or never ate fast food had an 8 percent risk of infertility, while the risk was double in women who ate fast food at least four times a week.
Interestingly, fruit intake also influenced fertility: Women with the highest fruit intake had an 8 percent risk of experiencing infertility, whereas the risk jumped to 12 percent in women with the lowest fruit intake. A direct connection between fruit intake and fast-food intake was not established, but one can at least generally assume that people who eat lots of fast food may be inclined to eat less fruit (vegetables and other healthy whole foods).
If you're trying to become pregnant, talk to your doctor about the potential role your diet may play in the process. A few fewer trips through the drive through may make the process a whole lot smoother.
