What is Estrogen and How Does it Affect My Fertility?

Estrogen is commonly acknowledged as the “female” hormone, as it is responsible for all the changes that take place in a woman’s body during menstruation, reproduction, lactation, and menopause. Estrogen, alongside progesterone and testosterone, is one of the main factors driving a woman’s fertility. Low estrogen levels, or estrogen deficiency, can reduce fertility amongst other negative side effects.

How Will a Low Level of Estrogen Affect My Fertility?

The hormones estrogen, progesterone and testosterone control your fertility. A low level of estrogen will therefore reduce your fertility. If you are struggling to conceive, it could be that you have estrogen deficiency. Consult your doctor for a diagnosis.

However, fertility comes to a natural end during menopause. Estrogen plays a key role in menopause, which is the moment when a woman makes the transition from being reproductive, to non-reproductive. This is when she stops being fertile. In the years leading to menopause, levels of estrogen fluctuate against levels of progesterone and testosterone, reducing fertility. After menopause, estrogen levels fall, menstruation stops, and the woman is no longer fertile.

What Are Other Effects of Low Estrogen Levels?

During Perimenopause and Menopause

Perimenopause is the time which precedes menopause, during which levels of estrogen can vary immensely. The fluctuations in estrogen levels during these years can cause:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Loss of libido
• Vaginal dryness
• Headaches
• Mood swings

These are completely normal symptoms of menopause caused by fluctuating levels of estrogen. They can be treated by many possible lifestyle, natural and medical remedies. These symptoms are easy to combat, but if you are particularly concerned or distressed by your estrogenic menopausal symptoms, then consult your doctor.

Premenopause and postmenopause

Pre- and post-menopause, low levels of estrogen are associated with a number of physical and emotional side-effects. These include:

• Artherosclerosis
• Headaches
• Vaginal Infections
• Rapid heartbeat
• Joint Pain
• Bloating
• Anxiety

If you are suffering one of these symptoms, test your estrogen levels and consult a doctor to explore possible treatments.

Estrogen deficiency can have a detrimental impact on your fertility, as well as having other negative side effects. For this reason, it is important to monitor the level of estrogen in your body. Your estrogen level will change during different times of your life, and will vary from woman to woman. You can keep track of your estrogen levels through routine tests and checks, and there are many natural and medical remedies for low estrogen levels. Check out the following link to find out more about testing and treating your low estrogen levels.