February is the month of love so it makes sense that it is Heart Health Awareness Month. The Go Red for Women Initiative encourages women to advocate for themselves and “live from the heart,” by paying attention to heart health and overall wellness. When trying to make a baby, you may not be thinking about your heart in a biological sense. But, paying attention to your heart health and wellness can also improve your fertility and help to make sure you and your baby are healthy in your pregnancy.
Tools such as the AHA’s Life’s Simple 7, by the American Heart Association, focuses on lifestyle changes to improve heart health, but following these simple guidelines, also make a difference for your fertility.
Life’s Simple 7 is defined by the American Heart Association as the 7 risk factors that people can improve through lifestyle changes to help achieve ideal cardiovascular health.
- Manage Blood Pressure: High blood pressure before pregnancy increases the chance of blood pressure problems in pregnancy, such as pre-eclampsia.
- Control Cholesterol: High cholesterol can lead to plaque, which can clog arteries. In addition to your vital organs, such as your heart, there may be some decreased blood flow to your reproductive organs.
- Reduce Blood Sugar: Diabetes, high blood sugar, can lead to birth defects and complications with fetal growth in pregnancy. Insulin resistance, often seen with polycystic ovarian syndrome, may cause high insulin levels which can interfere with ovulation.
- Get Active: Moderate amounts of daily physical activity helps to manage blood pressure, control cholesterol, lower blood sugar levels, and improve blood flow and oxygen delivery throughout your body.
- Eat Better: A healthy diet comprised of a wide variety of whole foods including organic produce and whole grains, avoiding highly-processed foods, refined sugars, and fats can minimize exposure to oxidizing compounds and hormone disruptors.
- Lose Weight: If you are overweight, modest amounts of weight loss have been shown to increase ovulation and increase chance of pregnancy, even if fertility treatments are needed. A normal weight will make pregnancy easier and reduce risk of blood pressure and blood sugar problems in pregnancy.
- Stop Smoking: Cigarette smoking has been shown to impact ovarian reserve and tubal motility, which can decrease fertility. Cigarette smoking in pregnancy can lead to growth restriction for babies.
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Disclaimer: All of the comments on this page are for basic information only. They are based on the opinions and expertise of the authors and are not meant to provide a substitute for medical care or specific treatment recommendations. Each person is unique and requires individualized diagnosis and treatment plans. Any specific questions should be directed to your personal healthcare provider.