Scoring system based on six risk factors could improve chances of conceiving

Researchers say they have found a “valuable tool” to help women improve their prospects of pregnancy. See how it works.

A scoring system based on six risk factors could help women improve their chances of conceiving, new research has found.

The system looks at modifiable risk factors, such as unhealthy body mass index (BMI) unhealthy diet, smoking status, alcohol intake, non-use of folic acid supplements, and older age. And an Australian fertility expert says the score could be a “valuable tool” for women trying to get pregnant.

The population-based cohort study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, looked at more than 900 women who were trying to conceive over a one-year period.

The researchers were looking to identify those women with a lower probability of conception within a menstrual cycle, known clinically as reduced fecundability.

A reduced fecundability risk score was derived by giving participants one point for each of the following factors: unhealthy BMI, unhealthy diet, smoking, alcohol intake, folic acid supplement non-use, and older maternal age (aged 32 years or over).

High BMI was a risk factor.

Total scores ranged from zero to six and were classified into five levels: level one (score of zero or one), level two (score of two), level three (score of three), level four (score of four), and level five (score of five or six).

Compared to women who scored only zero or one, the chances of women with higher scores conceiving were reduced by between 31 per cent and 77 per cent as scores increased.

The authors found eliminating these risk factors was estimated to reduce the incidence of not conceiving by 34% in the study population.

“Participants with a lower risk score level were more likely to conceive or deliver live births than those with a higher risk score,” they wrote.

“This tool can be self-administered to empower individuals or couples to mitigate their risks as they plan for their families and to guide health care practitioners in making recommendations for those who are trying to conceive.

“However, future studies are needed to externally validate this tool in different populations globally and to evaluate its generalisability and performance in both public health and clinical practice.”

Associate Professor Alex Polyakov, a fertility specialist at the University of Melbourne.

Melbourne University fertility specialist, Associate Professor Alex Polyakov, agreed with the authors’ findings.

“The study provides important insights into how different lifestyle factors can impact a woman’s ability to conceive,” he said.

“The score developed by the researchers could be a valuable tool for women trying to get pregnant, helping them understand how they can improve their chances of conceiving.”

Professor Polyakov said many women were interested in knowing what they could do to increase their chances of getting pregnant.

“The researchers found that several lifestyle factors can impact a woman’s fertility, including body mass index, diet, smoking, alcohol intake, folic acid supplement use, and maternal age,” he said.

“The study found that the likelihood of conceiving decreased as the score increased. For example, women with the highest risk score had a 77 per cent decrease in the likelihood of conceiving compared to those with the lowest risk score within one year. This highlights the importance of making positive changes in these lifestyle factors for women who are trying to conceive.”

He said the results were also important for healthcare providers who work with women who are trying to conceive.

“Healthcare providers can use this information to guide women in making positive lifestyle changes, which can help improve their fertility,” he said.

Originally published as Scoring system based on six risk factors could improve chances of conceiving