Late night shifts – a ticking infertility time bomb

Gruelling late night shifts in call centres or sleep cycle tuned to day time in the western countries are likely to increase complications related to fertility among young men and women as much as do sedentary lifestyle and tobacco or liquor addiction, say experts.

Regular binges at hookah bars or chronic smoking, apart from liquor addiction, are some factors that pose a grave threat to fertility, say experts.

“As an advice to potential mothers and fathers, we keep saying that even though you are not thinking of conceiving at a given point of time you must remember that your present lifestyle and late night parties or stressful graveyard shifts may have a bearing five years later – in terms of weak semen parameters or low egg reserves – when you try to expand your family,” Dr Puneet Rana Arora, Gynaecologist & Fertility Specialist, Centre for Infertility & Assisted Reproduction (CIFAR).

Dr Arora’s caution comes amid estimates that over 2.5 crore couples in the country are facing infertility challenges in their attempts to seek children. At least a tenth of married couples experience fertility issue at some point of time in their reproductive life.

As young, career oriented and fun-loving adults, both men and women tend to ignore the possible long-term impacts of tobacco or liquor addiction or late night shifts which impact fertility in different individuals in different ways, she said.

Fertility is never a concern when you are young and carefree. It is only when you start planning to expand family and face hiccups that it becomes a matter of concern. In Indian scenario, unfortunately, infertility has traditionally been seen by people as an issue concerning women. The reality is otherwise, said Dr. Arora.

She said in families where there is a history of fertility issues, people should opt for preventive screening. Just as mammography is a preventive check to detect breast cancer, preventive checks for infertility also need to be considered.

Preventive screenings are all the more important to protect fertility, especially, in families with history of genetic fertility issues, said Dr. Arora.

Talking about the need to spot early signs of fertility issues, she said one common factor which has come to notice among women who face fertility issues is that in their younger age they suffered from painful and heavy periods. Irregular periods also point towards a possibility of fertility issues later in life.

Dr Arora also stressed on the need to guard against environmental factors and pollutants that have a negative impact on fertility even though sometime they take a very long time to get detected.

She warned against drinking water stored for long in plastic bottles. Water stored in plastic bottles for long acquires estrogen. Fertility among both men and women gets impacted by estrogen carried by plastic but it is the women who are more vulnerable to its ill-effect, she said.

Dr Arora also warned that air pollution can also negatively impact physical health, including fertility. Clean air ensures full oxygen and energy supply to all body cells, including eggs and semen.

The expert from CIFAR said fertility depends on a multitude of factors and it is something which can be regained even after it gets weakened due to factors like diet, lifestyle or chronic smoking. Nature is the biggest healer and a patient approach towards healing a body, using physical exercise and yoga, can revive or improve fertility.

A good night sleep and a healthy, active lifestyle without any addiction is a perfect recipe for nurturing ones fertility in years preceding the stage when one starts planning about conceiving a baby.