Smoking, pre-eclampsia during pregnancy may cause fertility issues

New Delhi, Mar 30 (ANI): A new study done on rats suggests low oxygen levels in the womb might lead to fertility problems later in life. The research done at the University of Cambridge found that if developing fetuses are exposed to chronic hypoxia (low oxygen levels), it might lead to early aging of ovaries and a decrease in the egg count. Hypoxia may arise out of several factors, including smoking, pre-eclampsia, maternal obesity, and living at high altitudes. This condition is known to have long term effects on the offspring's health. No matter the research was done on rats, Dr. Aiken said that it is possible that these findings could be translated to humans, since, other studies looking at hypoxia during pregnancy taking in account conditions like heart disease have shown to be relevant in humans.