Soy Benefits Women Receiving Infertility Treatment, Consumption Linked to Better IVF Results

Amidst conflicting reports about soy's real effect on women's fertility, new study suggests that soybeans are actually helpful in fighting off harmful chemicals found in in-vitro fertilization treatment.

The new findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Medical News Today reported a diet program that includes soy may protect a woman who is currently undergoing treatments for infertility. The procedure of the treatment brings harmful chemicals called Bisphenol A (BPA) that could be dangerous for the health. This chemical is the same as those found in plastic food containers, can linings and water bottles. BPA is also said to mimic estrogen, which is linked to reproductive health conditions.

There have been several studies conducted to show how soy has an effect on fertility, as reported in Baby Hopes, which cited several published sources. There are sources showing doubts on the benefits of soy, but more studies suggest that the protein source can help fight BPA-related fertility issues based on mouse studies.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 96 percent of the people in the U.S. have BPA in their body.

For the latest study, researchers looked into 239 women, aged between 18 and 45, who have gone through the process of in-vitro fertilization at least once from 2007 to 2012. The women were asked to answer questions with regard to their eating habits. They found out that 176 of the participants consumed soybeans. Their urine was then analyzed to measure their BPA levels.

According to the researchers, in the group that does not eat soy foods, those women who have increased BPA levels had lower success rates of implantation, resulting in fewer pregnancies. These women also have fewer live births compared to those who have soy-rich diet.

On the other hand, in women who regularly observe soy-rich diet, BPA levels did not have any effect on the in vitro fertilization results.

Senior author Dr. Russ Hauser told Medical News Today that, although women who are trying to conceive are advised to avoid being exposed to BPA as much as possible, the results of the study suggest that diet may play an important role in reducing the risk of BPA exposure.

First author Dr. Jorge Chavarro told WebMD that the latest study of BPA and soy in humans appear to be consistent with the studies conducted on mice, which found that soy foods can protect women from BPA-related fertility issues.

"Additional research could help identify other diet and lifestyle changes that may modify the effects of not only BPA exposure, but also exposure to other chemicals," Chavarro added.