Wanting to Have a Baby 5 Ways to Increase Your Fertility

Having a baby isn’t as easy for every woman. Some women begin trying to have a baby and within a month or two she’s announcing that she’s expecting a baby. Others might not be as lucky and struggle to conceive after multiple cycles. Fertility issues can impact your ability to get pregnant. Before pursuing infertility treatments, consider these five ways to increase your chances of conceiving.

Control your Weight
Being overweight or underweight can impact your ability to get pregnant. Being at a healthy weight for your height and frame can significantly boost your chances of conceiving. Women who were overweight or obese by body mass index (BMI) took twice as long to conceive, while women underweight by BMI took four times as long to conceive. Take a multivitamin daily if you’re concerned about not getting enough vitamins and minerals, especially folic acid. Eat your fruits and vegetables daily and start adding good fats to your diet in the form of omega-3s found in fish, which are crucial to brain development. Avoid eating too many salty foods and trans fats to benefit your health and boost your chances of conceiving.

Slow Down or Stop Drinking Alcohol and Caffeine
Alcohol consumption affects estrogen levels in the body, which can make it more difficult for an embryo to implant in the uterus. Alcohol has the potential to harm a developing fetus if you do get pregnant. Alcohol can also cause you not to have a period or not to ovulate, which is obviously necessary for conception. Caffeine is something else to limit. Stick to a maximum of two cups of coffee per day, around 200mg, if you want to improve your chances of conception.

Quit Smoking
Smoking is bad for your health, but it also affects the ability to conceive and can cause menopause to set in sooner than it normally would. The chances of an ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage are higher for women who smoke than those who don’t. Smoking can also impact sperm quality and quantity, so if your partner smokes there’s no time better than now for you to both work to kick the habit together.

Know your Cycle
Your normal cycle lasts anywhere from 21 to 35 days, with some women having shorter or longer cycles. Track when you get your period and how long it lasts every month. Your fertile days are most likely in the middle of your cycle length. If you have a 32-day cycle you can assume that you’re most fertile on day 16. Ovulation testing kits can be purchased over-the-counter for a more precise determination of when you’re most likely to conceive. You might also notice natural signs of ovulating such as a thick discharge or body temperature changes.

Have Intercourse at the Right Times
Sperm is resilient and can live for up to five days in the uterus, meaning they are immediately available to fertilize the egg as soon as it is released from the fallopian tubes. Don’t have intercourse every night because you’ll likely begin to think of it as more of a chore than an intimate situation with your partner. Mark on a calendar the days you do in case you need to receive services or a consultation from a clinic like the Idaho Center for Reproductive Medicine if you’re unable to conceive naturally.

Don’t feel too discouraged if you aren’t getting pregnant as quickly as you thought. Take measures to improve your overall health and maximize the chances of conceiving. You’ll be the next one to announce that you have a little one on your way.