Long hours tied to infertility

In a study reported by the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine, women who work long hours can take up to 20% longer to conceive.

1,739 women of an average age of 33, all of whom were actively trying to conceive, participated in a 2010-2014 Nurses’ Health Study. Questionnaire’s surveyed women on a variety of measures, including the type and number of hours worked. Compared with women who worked 21-40 hours each week, those who worked more than 40 hours weekly took around 20% longer to get pregnant, according to the results.

A second correlation was found with women who lifted heavy weights or loads daily, and heavy lifting seemed to postpone time to conception by as much as 50%.

While the study can’t outline all the ways long work hours and heavy strain could impact fertility, the advice to take it easy, keep stress at a minimum, and aim for a balanced lifestyle seems key in generally aiding conception among working nurses.

Reference:

Whiteman, H. (2015, August 17). “Working long hours, heavy lifting may lead to problems getting pregnant.” Medical News Today. Retrieved from
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/298219.php.