Prachi Gupta is a single girl who doesn’t mind staying back in office till late in the night occasionally to finish her work. She is all of 28, and marriage seems to be the last thing on her mind. Left with no choice, she goes about living a stressful lifestyle knowing the medical complications that come along with it. Ask her if she is worried about the same, she says that her professional life keeps her busy and therefore she can't afford to be bogged down by such issues. Well, she is not the only one.

Most women in their late 20s are today faced with a similar situation; if you are leading a lifestyle sans exercise, romance and of course sex, then you might be interested in this research, which explains that erratic and late work shifts can raise a woman’s risk of menstrual and fertility problems. The study has also found that late shifts may increase the chances of a miscarriage.
According to Dr Kiran Coelho, Head of the Department, OBGYN at Lilavati Hospital and Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai says, “These days, couples have no time for sex! After a busy day in office, they are usually not in the mood or don’t have the energy to have intercourse. This coupled with a sedentary lifestyle and weight problems decrease their chances of conceiving a baby.”

The real cause may lie in the fact that erratic and long hours at work disrupt the body clock affecting the biological functions of a woman’s body. Priya Dugad, an event manager who has to work late in the night as her job demands it, says, “Yes I do feel threatened considering the fact that I wish to get married in a couple of years' time. There are occasions when I don’t find the time to eat, and also have to travel excessively for work. But, marriage and kids are not something I am looking for right now." The 25-year-old admits that she finds it extremely stressful to go about organising events very late in the night.

Prachi, a banking professional on the other hand says, “I am not in a hurry to get married and have kids. Career is extremely important for me at the moment, but when the time comes, I will give it a thought and have a chat with my doctor.” Regular check-ups or talking to your gynaecologist from time to time is what you can do to keep yourself on track about such complications.

Want to know how irregular work patterns can cause infertility in women? Here's everything you need to know about stress-related infertility.

Cause

Work stress made worse by additional hours and late night shifts is the primary cause of infertility issues in women. After all, going back home to making babies after a challenging day at work seems to be the last thing on any woman's mind!

Symptoms

According to the findings, irregular shifts mean a 33 per cent higher rate of menstrual problems. The study has revealed that women who worked in varied shifts were unable to conceive within 12 months when compared with those who had regular hours. Not just that; those working late nights were more likely to suffer miscarriage, it said.

Coping

Dr Kiran Coelho says, “A change of lifestyle is a must if women want to get pregnant and start a family. Although it may seem difficult initially, it goes without saying that working women must find time to exercise, de-stress and keep their body weight in check to avoid fertility problems.”

Find time to do yoga and exercise.

Keep your body weight in control.
Track your fertility chart or ovulation calendar.
De-stress and find ways to relax your body and mind.
Eat a nutritious meal, and on time.
Give your body and mind some rest and sleep for at least eight hours.

Source : idiva