Modifiable risk factors for impaired fertility in women: what nurse practitioners need to know.
OBJECTIVE
To provide an overview of impaired fertility in childbearing-aged women, to review the current research on modifiable lifestyle risk factors implicated in its development, and to suggest strategies for nurse practitioners (NPs) to assist women in behavioral changes that will allow them to protect their fertility.


METHODS
Original research articles and comprehensive review articles identified through Medline, CINAHL, and OVID databases.


CONCLUSIONS
Research has shown that advancing age, a history of a sexually transmitted infection and/or pelvic inflammatory disease, extremes of body weight, and tobacco and caffeine use are potentially modifiable risk factors in the development of impaired fertility.


CONCLUSIONS
NPs must be aware of the link between these behaviors and the development of impaired fertility in order to assist women in preserving their fertility. Individual counseling, education, and community-wide education strategies are discussed.
Kelly-Weeder
Susan
S
Boston College, William F. Connell School of Nursing, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, USA. kellywee@bc.edu
O'Connor
Alane
A
D002110:Caffeine / Q000009:adverse effects; D003376:Counseling; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008019:Life Style; D008423:Maternal Age; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D000292:Pelvic Inflammatory Disease / Q000150:complications; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018456:Reproductive Medicine; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000150:complications; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013851:Thinness / Q000150:complications
D002110:Caffeine