Fertility is influenced by a wide range of factors, some of which you can change, and some you can’t. In Part 1 of this blog, we explored lifestyle and environmental factors that you can influence, such as diet, exercise, and sleep. In this second part, we’ll look at the factors that are outside of your control and explain what you can still do to protect or preserve your fertility.
Age is the most important factor affecting fertility, especially for women.
a) Health Conditions
In women, health conditions that affect fertility may include:
In men, common conditions that affect fertility include:
b) Medications
For women, medications that may impact fertility include:
For men, medications that may impact fertility include:
If you're planning to conceive, it’s important to speak to your doctor about whether your medications could affect your fertility.
c) Genetic Factors
Sometimes, fertility challenges run in families. If close relatives experienced the below conditions, you may be affected by these conditions as well:
While you can’t change your genes, being aware of your family’s medical history can help you make informed decisions earlier.
If you’re thinking about starting a family someday and are worried about how factors like age or health conditions might affect your chances, learning about your options for preserving your fertility is the best first step you can take.
Egg freezing (for women) and sperm freezing (for men) allow you to store your eggs or sperm at a younger age, when the quality is higher. These options don’t guarantee a successful pregnancy later, but they can increase your chances if you face age-related or medical fertility challenges when you start trying for children.
If you have a medical condition or a family history of fertility issues, it’s worth speaking to a fertility specialist to explore your options early.
While you can’t change your age or your genes, understanding how these factors influence fertility can help you to plan ahead. When you combine this knowledge with healthy lifestyle choices (covered in Part 1 of this blog), you give yourself the best possible chance of conceiving when the time is right for you.
Remember: Everyone’s fertility journey is different. If you have questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to talk to your general practitioner or a fertility specialist.
Being informed is the first step. Take a moment to explore our fertility preservation section (at the top of your screen) and start your journey today.
Fertility is a complex process which can be affected by many factors, some of which you can control, and some which you can’t. Knowing how lifestyle and environmental factors can affect your fertility can help you make simple changes to improve your chances of getting pregnant.
In this blog, we will explore how different factors such as diet, exercise, weight, smoking, alcohol, recreational drugs, stress, sleep, and your job can affect fertility for both women and men.
What we eat plays a crucial role in fertility. A diet rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals supports reproductive health, while processed foods and excessive sugar can negatively impact hormone levels and sperm quality.
Regular physical activity supports hormonal balance and overall health, but too much or too little can have negative effects.
Read more about exercise and fertility here.
Being underweight or overweight can interfere with fertility.
Read more about weight and fertility here.
Poor sleep patterns can disrupt reproductive hormones and reduce fertility.
Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep each night and maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
Substances like tobacco, alcohol, and other recreational drugs have a significant negative impact on fertility.
For both women and men, fertility can be improved by quitting smoking, stopping or limiting alcohol intake to moderate levels, or avoiding recreational drugs. Read more about smoking and fertility here.
Chronic stress affects the body’s hormonal balance, which can interfere with ovulation in women and reduce sperm count and quality in men.
Managing stress through relaxation techniques, mindfulness, exercise, and therapy can help regulate hormone levels and improve fertility. If you are feeling stressed at work, there are a lot of helpful tips online to help you create a better work-life balance.
Read more about stress and fertility here.
Conditions in certain jobs can affect fertility.
Read more about work and fertility here.
While some factors that affect fertility are beyond our control, taking small, consistent steps toward a healthier lifestyle may enhance your reproductive health, and you may be able to improve your chances of getting pregnant. However, it’s important to remember that everyone’s fertility journey is unique, and what works for some people may not work for you. Always consult a healthcare professional if you need more guidance.
As part of your fertility journey, it’s also important to think about the things we can’t control, like age and health conditions, as these can impact fertility even more than lifestyle factors. You can read more about this in Part 2 of this blog (coming soon!).
Developed in collaboration with Daniella Corder | Menstrual cycle health & fitness coach (@coach_cords)
If you’ve ever felt amazing during a workout one week but sluggish and unmotivated the next, you’re not imagining things—your menstrual cycle could be playing a big role in how you feel. Hormonal fluctuations throughout the month impact your energy levels, metabolism, and even how your body responds to working out and what you eat.
Instead of pushing through workouts that don’t feel right or battling cravings without understanding why, adapting your approach to align with your cycle can be a game-changer. By working with your body rather than against it, you can improve performance, recovery, and overall wellbeing.
Developed in collaboration with Daniella Corder | Menstrual cycle health & fitness coach (@coach_cords)
If you’ve ever felt amazing during a workout one week but sluggish and unmotivated the next, you’re not imagining things—your menstrual cycle could be playing a big role in how you feel. Hormonal fluctuations throughout the month impact your energy levels, metabolism, and even how your body responds to working out and what you eat.
Instead of pushing through workouts that don’t feel right or battling cravings without understanding why, adapting your approach to align with your cycle can be a game-changer. By working with your body rather than against it, you can improve performance, recovery, and overall wellbeing.
Your menstrual cycle isn’t just about your period, it’s a month-long process that affects everything from your mood to your metabolism. It consists of four phases: the menstrual phase (days 1–4), the follicular phase (days 5–17), ovulation (around day 17), and the luteal phase (days 18–29).
Understanding these phases can help you adjust your workouts and diet to support your body’s natural rhythms rather than working against them.
As hormonal fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle can impact energy and performance, there are simple way to adjust your workouts to maximise your potential in each phase.
Fasted training (working out on an empty stomach) is thought to help your body burn fat faster, as there is less sugar readily available in your body from food.
While this approach to training is popular, research has shown that fasted training may not be suitable for women as our brains are more sensitive to a low availability of energy than men’s. As a result of this, when we don’t provide enough energy to our body before a workout (e.g. if we train fasted), we are more likely to use our muscle tissue as fuel because our body will try to maintain our fat and carbohydrate stores.
For women, the recommended amount of food before working out is:
• 15 g of protein for strength-based workouts, OR
• 15 g of protein AND 30 g of carbohydrate for strength and cardio-based workouts
Of course, remember that all bodies are different, and if you struggle to eat a lot before your workouts, try a light pre-workout snack that is high in protein and carbohydrates, such as a small protein shake and a banana.
Just like your workouts, your diet should align with your cycle to optimise energy and recovery.
Your menstrual cycle is a powerful tool, not a barrier, to feeling your best. By adapting your workouts and diet to match your body’s natural rhythms, you can improve performance, reduce fatigue, and support your overall health.
Start by making small changes, such as tracking your cycle and scheduling reminders in your calendar to help you remember to adjust your workouts and diet as you enter each phase of your menstrual cycle. For example, you could set reminders to focus intense workouts during your follicular phase or to add more magnesium-rich foods to your diet in your luteal phase. Over time, you’ll find a routine that works for you, embracing your cycle rather than fighting against it.
So, next time you feel off during a workout or find yourself craving carbs, remember: your body isn’t working against you, it’s trying to tell you what it needs. The more you listen, the better you’ll feel.