Is 2023 the year you’ll conceive and carry your healthy bundle of joy?
You can do all kinds of things to boost your fertility chances. Because our bodies are holistic entities – all parts connected to each other – multiple minor “improvements” can add up to a healthier, overall system – more likely to conceive and carry a healthy, full-term baby.
7 Ways to Increase Your Fertility Chances
Here are 7 of the most important things you can do to prime your body for fertility.
1. Visit your OB/GYN annually (and be honest!)
One of the best things you can do to optimize reproductive health – and boost your fertility chances – is to observe your well-woman exam every year. Top that off with complete honesty, and you’re off to a great start. Let your GYN know about any irregular periods, pelvic pain or discomfort, your sexual history (any STDs that might have created scar tissue?), etc. This helps us identify things that might affect your future fertility.
2. Consider focusing on an anti-inflammatory diet
Endometriosis and PCOS are two of the leading causes of female infertility. Inflammation involves both, so the more you can do to reduce inflammation, the better. Fortunately, an anti-inflammatory diet has been shown to reduce inflammation without any medications required, and it’s a healthy diet to boot.
3. Keep aiming for – and maintaining – that target weight
Everyone knows excess weight – particularly when you get into the obese range – is a precursor for ailments such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. However, it’s also a precursor for infertility. The more you can do to maintain a healthy BMI between 19 and 25, the better. Anything above or below that range can make it harder for you to conceive.
4. Live a clean lifestyle
This is a broad recommendation – but one that covers a wide range. Eating well – check! Exercise – check! Do you smoke? Do you drink? Do you consume recreational marijuana or other drugs? These things should go by the wayside when trying to conceive. Also, many conventional household cleaners and products have chemicals that negatively impact fertility. You’ll eliminate these toxins from your environment by focusing on earth-friendly products for cleaning, health and beauty care, etc.
5. Don’t ignore irregular periods
Irregular periods are not normal. Period. If you skip periods, have heavy periods, spot in between periods, or don’t have periods, mention it to your general physician or OB/GYN as soon as possible so they can determine the issue.
6. Time intercourse correctly
Many couples mistakenly believe they must wait until they ovulate to have intercourse. In fact, your window of opportunity is much smaller by this point since the egg only “lives” for about 12- to 24 hours. Sperm, however, live much longer – an average of three or more days – so having sex for the days leading up to ovulation – as well as the day of, increases conception chances. For further information, read Timing Matters: How to Increase Your Odds of Conception.
7. Get a referral for a fertility specialist
If you’re under 35 and have tried for 12 months without success, or over 38 and have tried for six months without pregnancy success, it’s time to get a referral to a fertility specialist. At this point, an infertility factor is probably at work.
Are you looking for the right OB/GYN to facilitate your fertility health and future? Visit us here at Women’s Health Associates.