If you decide to grow your family, it’s difficult to predict how soon you will get pregnant or how likely you are to conceive. However, certain quantifiable risk factors can put women at risk for infertility. Here are three of the most common infertility risk factors to discuss with a fertility doctor. 

What Can Increase Your Risk of Infertility?

1. Age

Fertility naturally declines with age, since the number and quality of a women’s eggs decrease over time. This decline is especially prominent after the age of 35. Fertility doctors generally recommend that women in their late 30s try to get pregnant for six months before seeking fertility testing. You may want to undergo testing right away if you’re 40 or older. The doctor can assess your fertility and may recommend assisted reproductive technology.

2. Smoking 

Smoking can decrease your chances of conceiving or carrying a pregnancy to full term. Specifically, smoking damages your fallopian tubes and cervix while increasing your risk for miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies. If you smoke, your doctor can give you tips for quitting before you try to get pregnant. If you’re a former smoker, you should also talk to your doctor about potential fertility issues, as your fertility specialist may recommend testing right away.

3. Body Weight

Being underweight and overweight can affect your ability to conceive. Fat cells produce estrogen, so your body may have too much natural estrogen if you’re overweight. This excess can prevent you from ovulating, affecting your fertility. The opposite occurs if you’re underweight. A lack of body fat can cause estrogen production to halt, stopping ovulation or menstruation. When the body is not ovulating, your body is not producing eggs to be fertilized. 

If you are concerned about infertility risk factors, visit the team at Pacific In Vitro Fertilization Institute. Located in Honolulu, HI, their team has served local families since 1985. Open seven days per week, this clinic provides fertility testing and treatment, such as IVF. These fertility doctors are also available to answer your family planning questions, whether you’re an LGBT family or have questions about lifestyle changes. You can visit the clinic online to view a full list of their services, or call (808) 946-2226 to make an appointment.