Page 33 - April Issue

getting ready

‘Folic Acid is recommended to
reduce a certain group of defect
called neural tube defects, which
result in conditions such as spina
bifida, should be taken at least
one month before the conception
and to continue to frist months of

pregnancy.”

Yrreeoepsduauiretlot.tadrAiutesoctwlihavikheeeaahllystetyahsytlytotoehmuy. with the absorption of certain mother, baby & child April 2011
essential minerals, such as iron,”
she says.

ALCOHOL
Alcohol abuse in women can
result in conditions, each of
which can adversely impact
fertility, points out Dr Bajirova,
“These include hypothalamic-
pituitary-ovarian dysfunction
which results in amenorrhea
(the absence of periods),
anovulation (lack of ovulation),
luteal phase defect (abnormal
development of the uterus lining)
and hyperprolactinemia or too
much of the hormone prolactin,
resulting in irregular periods,”
she says.

SOY
Soy contains chemicals called
phytoestrogens, which Dr
Bajirova elaborates can increase
menstrual cycle length, leading
to fewer menstrual cycles over
a woman’s lifetime. A high
consumption of products rich in
soy protein – such as tofu, soy
milk, tempeh, TVP and soy nuts
- can also decrease the levels of
the hormones that are vital for
a healthy reproductive system,
namely follicle-stimulating
hormone and luteinising
hormone. Women with multiple
risk factors for infertility, she says,
may be more sensitive to soy
than others.

33