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Diet To Stress And Obesity Can Be Reasons For Infertility Among Indian Couples

Diet To Stress And Obesity Can Be Reasons For Infertility Among Indian Couples
Fertility rates in India are quietly but steadily declining, and fertility experts believe that shifts in lifestyle choices have an important role. Fertility experts are reporting that stress, sedentary habits, and contemporary lifestyle choices are major causes of the increased infertility rate in urban India, despite the fact that career building, financial stability, and marriages are becoming more common.
We speak to Dr Aswati Nair, Clinical Director & Fertility Specialist, Nova IVF Fertility, Rajouri Garden, Delhi, to understand if there is a dip in fertility rates and what the possible causes for it are.
One of the most visible shifts is physical inactivity. With long working hours, screen-heavy routines and app-based conveniences, everyday movement has reduced sharply. Tasks that once involved walking or household labour have been outsourced to technology. Even grocery shopping or going out for dinner, once an outing for couples, is now being delivered to the doorstep through apps. While this has made life easier, doctors warn it has come at a cost: rising obesity and lifestyle-related disorders like diabetes, thyroid imbalance and hypertension, all of which directly affect fertility.
India is already being described as the diabetes capital of the world, and the ripple effects are showing up in reproductive health. Excess weight and metabolic disorders can disrupt ovulation in women and reduce sperm quality in men. Stress compounds the problem. Chronic stress and sleep problems are caused by a high-pressure work culture, which can cause hormonal imbalance. This can cause irregular menstrual cycles and affect ovulation in women. Late-night shifts are also one of the reasons for poor-quality sperm and eggs, as they affect your sleep hormones and increase cortisol levels.
Significant social shift around marriage and parenthood. Marriage itself is often delayed or questioned, and even married couples take longer to decide on having children. Many prioritise career building, personal freedom and lifestyle over parenthood, delaying their chances of pregnancy for later years.
Fertility is impacted by certain lifestyle choices like substance usage, alcohol consumption, long-term smoking, and even some fitness trends. Fertility specialists have observed an extensive trend among males who use anabolic pills and protein powders extensively for bodybuilding, which can include hormone-like compounds like testosterone, which may help increase muscle mass but eventually affect their sperm.
Another factor is diet. Reduced egg and sperm quality has been associated with increased use of junk food, processed foods, fizzy drinks, and artificial supplements.
While advancements in fertility treatments like IVF are being made, addressing lifestyle factors remains important. As India struggles with declining fertility, lifestyle choices are to blame, but whether society is ready to make healthier choices before it is too late is another question.
Source: News18
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