Infertility is the inability to conceive and carry a pregnancy to full term. It could be issues due to man or woman or complications from both partners. There are many causes of infertility including loss of menstrual cycle and imbalanced hormones. Vitamin and nutrition deficiencies can also cause failure of full term pregnancy or increase changes of baby born with defects.
For a woman to conceive, intercourse must happen around the time when an egg is released from her ovary. The egg has to be produced through ovulation at optimum levels with balanced hormones. Irregular menstrual periods, early menopause, ovulation disorder with excess of male hormones, overweight or underweight could also reduce chances of conceiving.
Can Laxative Abuse Cause Infertility?
The process of ovulation is controlled by hypothalamus of the brain and release of hormones that occurs about half way through the menstrual cycle. For woman with eating disorder and constantly abusing laxatives to purge calories, they suffer from sudden weight loss, imbalanced hormones, insufficient nutrition and imbalanced electrolytes. All these four factors contributed to infertility.
Severe weight loss and deficiencies in nutrition due to laxative abuse can cause the body to activate emergency reaction to stop menstrual cycle to supply nutrition to more vital organs in the body. Low percentage of body fat result from excessive weight loss through laxative consumption also disable body ability to produce sufficient hormones needed to stimulate ovulation.
Research shows that reduced calories intake, purging (through excessive exercise, vomiting or laxatives intake) and mood swing may cause hormonal disturbance; causing not able to maintain normal estrogens levels for ovulation. Such imbalanced estrogens can disturb normal menstrual cycles and block ovulation that results in infertility.
Usage of lubricant laxatives can cause stool to pass through large intestines quicker without giving time for intestines to absorb nutrient effectively. The contents coated in laxatives also make the absorption even harder. Prolonged use of saline and stimulant laxatives can cause electrolyte imbalance (sodium, potassium, magnesium) and result in irregular or stopped periods.
Guidelines for a successful Conceive
There are several treatments or therapies to overcome infertility and improve chances of conceiving, listed are some of them:
- Gradually increase your calories intake to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight
- Stop purging through vomiting that could lead to hydration, malnutrition or electrolytes imbalance
- Stop abusing laxatives as it may cause electrolytes imbalance and mineral deficiencies
- Seek therapy sessions to strengthen your physical and psychological health
- Share your problems with spouse, family and friends
- Consult your fertility specialist and get advice on taking fertility supplements
