Heavy lifting at work will affect female fertility

The type of work and working hours reduce the fertility of women
Some women have problems getting pregnant. The reasons for this are certainly diverse. Researchers have now found that some women's occupations can reduce fertility. If women regularly need to lift or move heavy things while they work, it's detrimental to their fertility. This is especially true for overweight and obese women.

The scientists of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found in an investigation that fertility is reduced when women often have to lift heavy objects while working. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Occupational and Environmental Medicine".

Many women want to get pregnant. Some sufferers, however, experience difficulties and it turns out that they are infertile. This could be due to the work of these women. (Image: RioPatuca Images / fotolia.com)

What factors at work affect the fertility of women?
It has certainly been known to most people for a long time that women are advised not to use heavy weight during pregnancy. However, the current study has shown that women should not generally lift heavy to avoid their fertility. Even work in the evenings or at night or generally rotating layers can have a negative effect on fertility, the scientists report.

Women should know the effects of heavy lifting at work
The underlying cause of the observed effect is not yet known, say the authors of the study. However, when women are planning to become pregnant, they should be aware of the potential negative effects of heavy lifting at work, says author Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón.

Current study examines biomarkers in women
Recent studies have already shown a potential association between physically demanding workplaces or shift work and reduced fertility. However, the current study looked at direct biomarkers (such as hormone levels) for fertility in the body. So should possible mechanisms of change are found, explain the scientists.

Study examines more than 470 women
The research team examined more than 470 women with fertility treatments. Then the physicians compared the physical demands and schedules of the jobs with four so-called biomarker genes, say the experts. These biomarkers included, for example, the number of antral follicles, levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, estrogen levels, and the number of mature eggs that can develop into healthy embryos.

Obesity, obesity and old age also affect fertility
The heavier the lifting or moving of objects at work was, the lower the number of detected antral follicles and mature eggs in the affected women. When women regularly had to raise or move heavy things, they had 8.8 percent less total eggs and 14.1 percent less mature eggs, the researchers say. "These occupational exposures affect the production and quality of eggs," says author Audrey Gaskins of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. If the women were overweight, obese or over 37 years old, the reduction of mature eggs was even higher.

Obesity affects ability to cope with occurring stress
We also saw the same association in a very different cohort, the doctor says about another recent study by her team. This also examined the link between obesity and reduced fertility. We speculate that this effect may be due to a so-called disturbed stress response system, explains the expert. Obesity affects the body's ability to cope with stress.

Further research is needed
When women work at night or in rotating layers, this also reduces the number of mature eggs. However, no association has been found between these aspects of women's work and their levels of follicle-stimulating hormone or estrogen, the researchers explain. Further research must now clarify whether these effects on fertility can be reduced or avoided. It needs to be examined whether changing the activities or the schedule at work will cause fertility to change, explains author Gaskins. This would clarify whether the effect is either short term or long term. If such a change in work leads to an improvement, physicians could make recommendations and create new guidelines. (As)