New research reveals women, men need to get their health in check years before they try for a baby
IF you’re planning to have a family, you need to sort out your lifestyle years before you even start trying — or you’ll be putting your future children at risk of serious illness during their lifetimes.
NSW
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IF you’re planning to have a family, you need to sort out your lifestyle years before you even start trying — or you’ll be putting your future children at risk of serious illness during their lifetimes.
Meanwhile sugar, along with grilled, fried and roasted foods have all been found to have “toxic” effects on the womb, making it harder to conceive at all.
Alarming new research published in a series of papers in The Lancet medical journal has revealed the impact the diet and health of both parents can have on the next generation.
“The effects of being overweight are really significant for outcomes both during the pregnancy and for the future health of the child,” lead author Professor Judith Stephenson said.
Women who are overweight and failing to get adequate nutrition are putting their kids at risk of acute illnesses ranging from diabetes to cancer in later life.
Yet Australian Institute of Health and Welfare figures show that 42.4 per cent of women aged 25-34 are overweight or obese, with the number jumping to 58.3 per cent of 35-44-year-olds. For men, the figures are far worse with 62.7 per cent of 25-34-year-olds overweight and for those aged 35-44 it rockets to almost 75 per cent of men.
Researchers say the preconception period should now be extended to years rather than months, with even children educated about the effect their junk food habits might have on their future families. The findings come from global studies involving millions of would-be parents.
They found a mother’s obesity and malnutrition can cause genetic, cellular, metabolic and physiological changes during the development of the foetus. For dads-to-be, obesity can cause poor sperm quality, which could also increase the risk of chronic disease in later life. And all that is if pregnancy can even occur at all.
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A new Australian study published in the journal Human Reproduction found certain proteins inside the uterus become toxic after exposure to sugar and foods cooked at high heat — grilled, fried and roasted foods. The process triggers inflammation in the wombs of infertile women who are obese.
“We can have a fertile seed, an absolutely perfect embryo, but unless the lining of the womb, the endometrium, is actually ready to receive the embryo then pregnancy can’t occur,” lead researcher Dr Jemma Evans said.
Gladesville mum-to-be Felicity Cook, 31, fell pregnant within two months of trying, but she and husband Luke, 37, took a long run-up.
“I was very careful with alcohol levels around three to six months before we started trying,” Ms Cook, who is 35 weeks’ pregnant said. “I was making sure I continued to exercise and wasn’t eating too many heavy foods.
“My husband cut down on his coffee intake to improve sperm health and cut down on heavy and fatty foods.
“We were a lot more conscious of what we were doing with our bodies before we started trying,” she said.
“I saw a specialist to ensure my hormones and gut health were good. We wanted to ensure we were both as healthy as can be before trying.”