Heavy lifting, or night shift job could reduce women's fertility, study shows

After reading this, women should consider the importance of their health to working during irregular hours and doing heavy duty task.
A new study has found that women with jobs that are physically demanding; that is involved heavy lifting or require working irregular hours such as evenings, nights, or rotating shifts may have decreased fertility particularly among overweight and obese women.

According to the study, those in such positions were found to have fewer viable eggs, which can potentially make it harder for a woman to conceive.

A team of scientists from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health sought to investigate whether these positions can have a direct impact on biomarkers in a woman’s body. 

They examined close to about 500 women undergoing infertility treatment between 2004 and 2015, and found that those who lifted or moved heavy objects at work had 8.8 percent fewer eggs and 14.1 percent fewer mature eggs. 

They also discovered that non-daytime schedules further negatively impact a woman’s egg reserves.

According to the researchers, the findings were most prevalent in women who were overweight or obese, or over the age of 37 years old. 

Though the researchers aren’t sure why or how jobs that require heavy lifting can negatively impact a woman’s egg reserves but do suspect that the fertility issues associated with working non-day shifts may stem from a disruption in a woman’s circadian rhythm. 

Such a disruption could affect a sizable amount of women, since 2004 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics found 12.4 percent of women working full-time operate on alternative shifts (nights, weekends, evenings).

The researchers believes that women in their reproductive years may need to consider this when trying to conceive.

Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón, a research fellow in the Department of Environmental Health and lead author of the study, in a statement said

"Our study suggests that women who are planning pregnancy should be cognizant of the potential negative impacts that non-day shift and heavy lifting could have on their reproductive health". 

The research, is published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine.