Proven Ways To Increase Fertility

June 25, 2022

It can be incredibly frustrating when you are trying to conceive and nothing seems to be happening. Unfortunately, there are a multitude of factors that can impact one's fertility, including a number of lifestyle habits. Here is a look at some of the most influential habits that can impact one's ability to conceive.

Eat A Balanced Diet

Eating a balanced diet is important whether you are trying to conceive or not. Make sure that you are getting the essential nutrients such as protein, iron, zinc and vitamin C and D in your diet. Doing so will decrease yourchance of miscarriage.

Eat Less Meat

Replace some of the meat you eat with tofu, beans, and nuts. The risk of ovulatory infertility can drop by more than 50 percent when 5% of your total calories come from vegetable protein sources.

Take Prenatal Multivitamins

Prenatal vitamins contain the essential nutrients needed for nourishing an expecting mom and baby. Folic acid can found in both prenatal vitamins and green leafy vegetables are absolutely crucial when trying to boost fertility as it provides the necessary nutrients that the mother needs while reducing the risk of birth defects.

Stay Hydrated

Make sure to stay hydrated during conception time. Cervical fluid is unable to do its job when your body is not getting enough water. It is important in helping the sperm find the egg.

Cut Back On Caffeine

Too much caffeine can interfere with conception. Cut back on caffeinated coffee, tea, and soft drinks. Consider decaf or limit yourself to one cup of caffeinated beverage a day.

Avoid Pesticides

Ingesting pesticides and using herbicides can decrease male fertility and disrupt menstrual cycles and ovarian function in women. Eating food with pesticides can lower sperm count in men. Choose organic when trying to get pregnant.

Manage Workplace Issues

Being exposed to certain chemicals in the workplace has been proven to decrease fertility. If exposed to radiation, nitrous oxide, jet fuel and industrial chemicals, use protective gear. Working rotating shifts also affects fertility. Try to work only day or night shifts for a steady schedule.

Limit Alcohol Consumption

Drinking alcohol can decrease the chances of getting pregnant by altering estrogen levels which get in the way of egg implantation. If you happen to get pregnant, alcohol consumption can harm a developing fetus.

Stop Smoking

Cigarettes damage women’s eggs inhibiting the fertilization and implantation process, while also causing ovaries to age. The ovaries of a 35-year-old smoker function like a 42-year-old’s and are therefore less fertile.

Review Your Medicine Cabinet

Certain prescription medications can make it difficult to get pregnant. If pregnant, some medications are unsafe during pregnancy. Make sure that you discuss medications you are taking with your health care provider.

Watch Your Weight

Excess body fat can lead to the overproduction of certain hormones that disrupts ovulation. Not having a healthy BMI can cause cycles less regular resulting in less frequent ovulation. This will make the chances of getting pregnant quite difficult. If you are concerned about the regularity of your menstrual cycle it is important that you speak with your heath care provider to help get things back on track.

Avoid Over-Exercising

Getting regular exercise is healthy, but excessive exercising, or doing exercises that are strenuous can cause your cycle to become less regular.

Know Your Cycle

Tracking thedays when your cycle begins and ends can tell you a lot about your potential fertility. You can roughly figure out how often and when you ovulate. Have sex during your fertile window.

Take Your Basal Body Temperature

Take your temperature at the same time every morning over a few months. Basal body temperature will rise after ovulation and stay elevated until your period, which gives vital information as to when to have sex.

Assess Cervical Mucus

Throughout your cycle, your cervical mucus changes. You have the most mucus when you are about to ovulate and the least after your period. These indicators are a great way to keep yourself informed as to when you should be trying to conceive.

Use An Ovulation Kit

If looking for a more precise method of figuring out when you are ovulating, use an over-the-counter ovulation test. Although these are not 100% accurate, if used with the above tracking methods, you will be able to confidently know when your most fertile window is.

Meet With A Health Care Provider

Whether you choose an OB-GYN or midwife for your care, speak to these pregnancy specialists to suggest lifestyle changes that you may need to make. They can also discuss fertility issues that are hereditary for you.

See The Dentist

The health of your gums and teeth may change during pregnancy. It is vital to give your mouth proper care as gum disease is linked to underweight and premature babies.

Lower Stress Levels

Stress can increase inflammation and throw off hormone production in men and women leading to difficulty in conceiving. Manage stress by reducing tension through relaxing activities, massages or mindful meditation.

Get Enough Sleep

Good quality sleep can increase the quality of egg and sperm while also control the hormones prolactin and leptin. Low prolactin levels can cause infertility, while too little leptin can cause irregular or absent periods.

Have Regular Sex

Women who have sex two or three times a week may have more predictable menstrual cycles. This could be triggered by the hormones released by the man into the woman’s reproductive system during sex.

Avoid Using Lube

Certain lubricants made for sexual use can make it difficult for sperm to reach the egg. Lubricant ingredients can kill off the sperm. Even some natural alternatives such as olive oil should be avoided.

Do Not Douche

Although intended to “clean” the vagina, douching puts you at risk for bacterial vaginosis (BV). Douching kills not only foreign bacteria but the protective bacteria too. Untreated BV can lead to miscarriage and infertility.

Watch What You Do After Sex

After sex, avoid saunas, exercising, hot tubs, or anything else that will raise your body temperature. Stretching is fine, but ideally, you want to maintain your body’s optimal temperature in its resting state.

Take Care Of His Health

The same things that harm women’s fertility also affect men’s too. Cigarettes, alcohol and poor diet can all contribute to lower sperm production. Men should ensure they have a balanced diet getting enough selenium and vitamins E and C, which help produce healthy sperm.

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