1. Your future
fertility Although starting a family in the future is unlikely to be
your priority at the moment, it is important to be properly
informed about your fertility. Lifestyle choices that you
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make now can have an impact not only on your overall
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Sexually infectio
health, but also on your future fertility. If you are aware of
this, you may want to consider lifestyle changes which
could help to protect your fertility for the future.
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Sexually transmitted
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S ss or bining
infections can have a lasting impact
Exce rink
on your chances of having a
Smoking is known to be
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family in the future. Chlamydia is
detrimental to fertility.
extremely common and it is estimated that
Women who smoke are twice as likely to
around 10% of young people who are
have fertility problems as those who don’t
sexually active may have the infection. Excess or binge
and also often have a shorter reproductive
There are often no symptoms, but it can drinking can make it
life as they tend to have an earlier
have an irreversible effect on your fertility. harder to conceive
Anabolic
menopause.
Both chlamydia and gonorrhoea can lead for both men and
steroids Anabolic
to pelvic inflammatory disease, which is a women, affecting
major cause of infertility. Using condoms will sperm and egg
ight
help to protect you from sexually transmitted production.
Recreational
We
infections. steroids, which
men sometimes take to
drugs
improve their performance
in sports and boost
Recreational
muscle, may lead to Weight
drugs, even those which
serious fertility problems can affect your
you may think are not particularly
problems. They can fertility if you are very
harmful such as cannabis, may have
cause the testicles to overweight or underweight.
rs
an impact on both male and female
isorde
shut down completely, Obesity is linked to ovulation
fertility.
d
ating Eating disorders can lead to fertility problems. Women who
and the effects are not problems for women and with
E
always reversible. lower sperm counts for men.
Being very underweight is not
good for your fertility either;
Age
are anorexic often find that their periods stop, and this can have a women need some body fat in
lasting impact even if a woman is able to maintain a normal weight in the order to produce eggs
future. Bulimia is linked with polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition which normally.
affects the way women’s ovaries work.
Your age is a key factor in your
Although you may feel now that starting a family is fertility. Both male and female fertility
something you won’t want to consider for some years decline with age, but for women this is particularly
ahead, being aware of the lifestyle factors that may have an acute; by the time a woman reaches the age of 35 her
impact on your future is important. Making sure that you fertility goes into a fairly sharp decline. Fertility treatment
keep fit and healthy will not only help to protect your fertility cannot reverse the biological clock and is less effective in
for the future, but will also improve your happiness and older women.
well-being now.
Infertility Network Scotland is a branch of Infertility Network UK Charity Registered in Scotland No. SC039511
Telephone: 01294 279162 Email: gwendaburns@infertilitynetworkscotland.com
www.infertilitynetworkscotland.com

2. Although starting a family in the future is unlikely to be your priority at the
moment, it is important to be properly informed about your fertility.
Lifestyle choices that you make now can have an impact not only on your
overall health, but also on your future fertility. If you are aware of this, you
may want to consider lifestyle changes which could help to protect your
fertility for the future.
Sexually transmitted infections can have a lasting impact on your chances
of having a family in the future. Chlamydia is extremely common and it is
estimated that around 10% of young people who are sexually active may
have the infection. There are often no symptoms, but it can have an
irreversible effect on your fertility. Both chlamydia and gonorrhoea can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease,
which is a major cause of infertility. Using condoms will help to protect you from sexually transmitted infections.
Smoking is known to be detrimental to fertility. Women who smoke are twice as likely to have
fertility problems as those who don’t and also often have a shorter reproductive life as they tend to
have an earlier menopause.
Excess or binge drinking can make it harder to conceive for both men and
women, affecting sperm and egg production.
Recreational drugs, even those which you may think are not particularly harmful such
as cannabis, may have an impact on both male and female fertility.
Anabolic steroids, which men sometimes take to improve their performance in sports
and boost muscle, may lead to serious fertility problems. They can cause the testicles
to shut down completely, and the effects are not always reversible.
Weight problems can affect your fertility if you are very overweight or underweight. Obesity
is linked to ovulation problems for women and with lower sperm counts for men. Being
very underweight is not good for your fertility either; women need some body fat in order
to produce eggs normally.
Eating disorders can lead to fertility problems. Women who are anorexic often find that their
periods stop, and this can have a lasting impact even if a woman is able to maintain a normal
weight in the future. Bulimia is linked with polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition which
affects the way women’s ovaries work.
Your age is a key factor in your fertility. Both male and female fertility decline with age, but for women
this is particularly acute; by the time a woman reaches the age of 35 her fertility goes into a fairly
sharp decline. Fertility treatment cannot reverse the biological clock and is less effective in older
women.
Although you may feel now that starting a family is something you won’t want to consider for some years ahead,
being aware of the lifestyle factors that may have an impact on your future is important. Making sure that you
keep fit and healthy will not only help to protect your fertility for the future, but will also improve your happiness
and well-being now.
Infertility Network Scotland is a branch of Infertility Network UK Charity Registered in Scotland No. SC039511
Telephone: 01294 279162 Email: gwendaburns@infertilitynetworkscotland.com
www.infertilitynetworkscotland.com

3. Your future fertility
Although starting a family in the future is unlikely to be your priority at the moment,
it is important to be properly informed about your fertility. Lifestyle choices that
you make now can have an impact not only on your overall health, but also on your
future fertility. If you are aware of this, you may want to consider lifestyle changes
which could help to protect your fertility for the future.
Sexually transmitted infections can have a lasting impact on your chances of Excess or binge
having a family in the future. Chlamydia is extremely common and it is estimated that around
10% of young people who are sexually active may have the infection. There are often no
drinking can make it
symptoms, but it can have an irreversible effect on your fertility. Both chlamydia and harder to conceive for both
gonorrhoea can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, which is a major cause of infertility. Using men and women, affecting
condoms will help to protect you from sexually transmitted infections. sperm and egg production.
Recreational Smoking is known to be detrimental to fertility.
drugs, even those which
Women who smoke are twice as likely to
have fertility problems as those who don’t and also often have a shorter reproductive life as
they tend to have an earlier menopause.
you may think are not
Anabolic steroids, which men sometimes take to improve their performance in sports
particularly harmful such
as cannabis, may have an
impact on both male and
and boost muscle, may lead to serious fertility problems. They can cause the testicles to shut
female fertility.
down completely, and the effects are not always reversible.
Eating disorders can lead to fertility problems. Women who are anorexic often find Weight problems can
that their periods stop, and this can have a lasting impact even if a woman is able to maintain affect your fertility if you
a normal weight in the future. Bulimia is linked with polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition are very overweight or
which affects the way women’s ovaries work. underweight. Obesity is
linked to ovulation problems
Your age is a key factor in your fertility. Both male and female fertility decline with age,
for women and with lower
sperm counts for men.
but for women this is particularly acute; by the time a woman reaches the age of 35 her Being very underweight is
fertility goes into a fairly sharp decline. Fertility treatment cannot reverse the biological not good for your fertility
clock and is less effective in older women. either; women need some
body fat in order to
Although you may feel now that starting a family is something you won’t want to produce eggs normally.
consider for some years ahead, being aware of the lifestyle factors that may have an
impact on your future is important. Making sure that you keep fit and healthy will not
only help to protect your fertility for the future, but will also improve your happiness
and well-being now.
Infertility Network Scotland is a branch of Infertility Network UK
Charity Registered in Scotland No. SC039511
Telephone: 01294 279162 Email: gwendaburns@infertilitynetworkscotland.com
www.infertilitynetworkscotland.com