- Results from a recent study suggest that
moderate exposure to solar radiation during autumn and spring may help
improve ovarian reserve in women ages 30–40.
- It’s too soon to determine the effects
of solar radiation on fertility outcomes, particularly in younger age
groups.
- Research is ongoing about which factors
affect female fertility and how women can modify these factors.
Many
people face fertility challenges, particularly those who are over 35.
Researchers
are exploring various potential causes of infertility,
such as environmental factors, and whether modifying these factors could have
any affect on fertility outcomes.
A
recent study published in Steroids examined how exposure to solar radiation
influences female fertility. Researchers examined levels of a specific hormone
called anti-Müllerian
hormone (AMH) and how levels of this hormone varied during
different times of the year.
The
results were significant for women over 30 who experienced higher levels of AMH
in the spring and autumn when there were moderate levels of solar radiation
intensity.
However,
researchers did not observe this effect in women under 30, indicating that
solar radiation may affect female fertility more with age. More research is
required to understand these factors and the potential clinical implications.
Sun exposure boosts
female fertility
Researchers
looked at how sun exposure influenced fertility among women of younger and
older maternal age. This study was conducted in Israel and included 2,235 women
mainly between 20 and 40 years old.
Researchers
wanted to better understand the relationship between solar radiation exposure
and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), an indicator of female fertility.
“When
evaluating the fertility status of a patient, often, an anti mullerian hormone
level is obtained. This level correlates to ovarian
reserve. Studies have revealed that AMH declines with age, and
therefore also does fertility,” non-study author Dr. Kelli V. Burroughs, a national media women’s health
medical expert and department chair of OB-GYN at Memorial Hermann Sugar Land in
Texas, explained to Medical News Today.
However,
researchers of the current study note that AMH doesn’t necessarily reflect the
quality of oocytes.
The
study authors looked at participant data for 4 years. Researchers measured
solar radiation in the central district of Israel using data from the Israeli
Meteorological Service website.
Researchers
found that AMH levels declined with age, so they divided participants into two
groups: aged 20-29 years and 30-40 years. For women in the 20–29-year category,
researchers did not find an association between AMH levels and the seasons or
solar radiation intensity.
However,
the results differed for women in the 30–40 year group. Researchers found that
AMH levels increased for these women in the spring and autumn when there were
moderate solar radiation intensity levels compared to the winter months when
there were low solar radiation intensity levels.
The levels of AMH during
months of moderate solar radiation exposure were overall higher than months
that had high or low-intensity solar radiation levels.
They
also found that participants in the 30–40-year group who had AMH levels
collected during the summer months had much higher AMH levels than participants
who had AMH levels collected during the winter months.
Researchers
further divided participants into 30–35-year and 36-40-year groups. In the
30–35-year group, they did not find a significant correlation between solar
radiation intensity or season and AMH levels. In the 36–40 group, they
discovered that AMH levels were higher in the months of moderate solar
intensity and higher in the summer compared to winter.
The results indicate that
exposure to moderate solar radiation may be helpful for women in their 30s who
are trying to get pregnant.
Dr.
Burroughs noted the following:
“This study is interesting because it suggests for
women between ages 30-40 there is a possible seasonal influence on the AMH
driven by the amount of sunlight or UV exposure. The mechanism behind the
correlation of AMH and seasonal UV light exposure is unknown, but the study
revealed higher levels of AMH with moderate UV exposure during spring and fall.
It was also noted that low and high levels of UV exposure had the opposite
effect on AMH levels.”
Factors that influence
female fertility
Fertility
is complex and affected by many components. Sometimes, it’s possible to modify certain factors that may contribute to
infertility.
For example, both obesity and being underweight can increase the risk of infertility. Smoking or heavy drinking can decrease fertility. Certain health conditions can also impact female fertility, such as:
- thyroid
disease
- endometriosis
- autoimmune
disorders
- polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Non-study author Dr. Kecia Gaither, MPH,
double board-certified OB-GYN and maternal-fetal medicine specialist and
director of Perinatal Services/Maternal Fetal Medicine at NYC Health in New
York, told MNT:
“There
are many factors which impact fertility — drugs, stress, female factors (endometriosis, fibroids,
polyps, hormonal
imbalances, PCOS etc) [and] male factors (i.e., low sperm counts).
It’s important to note the environmental aspect — (i.e., plain sunlight
exposure) as a factor correlating with positive reproductive health [or]
outcomes.”
One non-modifiable factor
that affects female fertility is advanced maternal age as the chances of
successful conception begin to decline after 35.
Dr.
Burroughs noted the following:
“More women than ever are delaying childbirth until
their 30s and 40s for a variety of reasons including education, employment obligations,
career-goals and increase[d] access to contraception. The result of delayed
childbearing until the 3rd or 4th decade in life can impact fertility, because
as a woman ages the ovarian reserve or number of eggs starts to decline. After
the age of 35, a woman is considered advanced maternal age (AMA). This
terminology reflects the correlation between age and declining fertility
status.”
More research on the
effects of sunlight on fertility needed
This
study does have limitations. First, it doesn’t establish any causal
relationship between the observed components.
Researchers
also acknowledge that the lack of any significant association between AMH and
seasons and participants between 20–29 years could be because of the difference
in sample size between this group and the older group.
Researchers
also acknowledge that they did not analyze luteinizing hormone (LH) and
follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) hormone levels in women aged 26–30, and
this could have impacted their findings in this area.
Researchers also note the
possibility of confounding related to things like skin tone and cultural
distinctions. Other factors like lifestyle and personal choices of participants
could have also impacted the results.
The
research also focused on one area of the world, so the results could be
different if conducted in other countries. Researchers did not take into
account the origin of participants in their analysis. Finally, researchers did
not have access to certain clinical information, like reproductive history.
As
research continues, study authors note that the potential benefits should be
balanced with the possible risks of sun exposure, such as cancer or skin
damage.
No comments:
Post a Comment