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Liver function connected to women’s fertility

Category: Liver Diseases

Thinking about becoming pregnant? Liver testing may be an important first step. While this may seem like an odd suggestion, a team of researchers from the University of Milan in Italy recently found that healthy liver function plays an important role in fertility.

Specifically, they showed that estrogen receptors in the liver are vital for maintaining fertility, and when these receptors are compromised, it can be extremely difficult for a woman to conceive.

Professor Adriana Maggi, who led the study, said that scientists have long known that the liver, as well as other organs, had estrogen receptors. However, it was generally believed that these receptors only played a role in metabolism. Consequently, few investigations have closely examined their function.

Yet, in studies of mice, Maggi and her team observed that the organ that had the most activity among its estrogen receptors was the liver. After studying the mice further, the team found that those with the best liver function were also most fertile.

Maggi said that healthy, balanced diets may support healthy liver function, which could in turn boost a woman’s fertility.