夜班可能损害女性的生育能力

Women should 'stick to the day job' if they want to have children after a study found those who work nightshift have fewer eggs.

一项研究发现，上夜班的女性卵子数量更少。想要生育子女的女性应该“坚持上白班”。

Researchers at Harvard University followed 500 women who were seeking fertility treatment at Massachusetts General Hospital and found those who worked unsociable hours, or whose jobs involved heavy lifting, were less fertile.

The findings were based on the number of eggs produced by women when their ovaries were stimulated during IVF.

Women who worked day shift produced an average of 11.2 eggs per session compared with 8.7 percent for nightshift workers, a decrease of 28 percent.

Likewise women whose jobs involved heavy lifting had 14 percent fewer eggs.

"Our study suggests that women who are planning pregnancy should be aware of the potential negative impacts that non-day shift and heavy lifting could have on their reproductive health," said lead author Dr Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón.

The researchers believe that nightshift may disrupt circadian rhythm and prevent eggs from developing or maturing.