Recently, researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health pointed out that women who work more than 40 hours per week or frequently lift heavy objects need a longer time to get pregnant.
Researchers followed 1,739 nurses who were trying to conceive for up to three years. The results showed that 16% of the nurses did not achieve pregnancy within 12 months, and 5% had not become pregnant after two years. Compared to women who worked 21-40 hours per week, women who worked more than 40 hours per week needed 20% longer to get pregnant. Women who had to move or lift at least 25 pounds (approximately 11.3 kg) daily also experienced delayed pregnancy, with their time to pregnancy being about 50% longer. Even after excluding women with irregular menstrual cycles (a factor that can impair fertility), lifting heavy objects still extended the time to pregnancy by 33%. This effect was more pronounced in women who were overweight or obese.
Therefore, the researchers call on women who wish to conceive to appropriately reduce the length and intensity of their work. In particular, couples who have undergone examinations with no issues but still find it difficult to get pregnant should consider the potential impact of strenuous work on fertility.