Learning how to increase fertility in women isn’t as complicated as it sounds. For most people, it involves learning about what lifestyle changes they can make to help their body and hormones be healthier overall.
Conception can be difficult to discuss, and many people find it uncomfortable to mention that they may be having trouble. However, the process of getting pregnant shouldn’t be surrounded by stigma, and the healthcare experts at Healthy Directions are here to give you more insight.
Is It Actually Hard To Get Pregnant?
If you’ve been dealing with fertility issues, you may feel like you’re the only one in the world who is struggling with it. However, that is far from the truth.
In reality, unless you are going through in-vitro fertilization (IVF), getting pregnant naturally is often based on luck. Your chances of conceiving are related to several factors, such as:
- Age
- Hormone levels
- The health of both your egg and your partner’s (or donor’s) sperm
- Ovulatory cycle
- Any health-related conditions either of you may be dealing with, such as problems with the uterus or fallopian tubes.
While some people get pregnant quickly, far more take at least six months to conceive. To be considered true infertility, you must have been actively trying to get pregnant for more than one year without a successful pregnancy.
How Can I Increase My Chances of Getting Pregnant?
How to increase fertility in women always starts with a thorough tracking of the menstrual cycle. Tracking your cycle can help you identify if you may be dealing with irregular cycles, which impact the times that you are ovulating.
Generally speaking, most people ovulate about two weeks before their period starts. However, this window of time isn’t actually when you are at your most fertile. If you’re trying to get pregnant, you are most likely to be successful during the week before ovulation.
Track Your Cycle
To track your cycles, you can go as low tech or high tech as you want. Just tracking your periods on a calendar can be helpful, but so can investing in ovulation kits and basal body temperature thermometers.
Some people even go as far as checking their own cervical mucus.
Use Quality Lubrication
Another common mistake that people make while trying to conceive is using the wrong lubrication. Many commercial lubricants may decrease sperm motility or even be viable, acting similarly to a lower sperm count. While it’s best to avoid lubrication during this process, if you find it necessary, you should invest in a lubricant meant to help aid in conception.
Make Healthy Lifestyle Changes
There are also a few lifestyle changes that you can make to help increase the likelihood of pregnancy. Unfortunately, people with a higher body mass index (BMI) may have a higher risk of infertility than someone who is not overweight.
Losing even a few pounds can help. Try making just a few changes, like eating more vegetable protein instead of animal protein, switching from high-fat dairy to low-fat dairy, and getting more fiber in your diet.
And finally, one of the best things you can do to help increase your fertility and boost your overall health is to stop smoking. Smoking can negatively impact both male and female fertility and cause severe and non-reversible health issues. While it may not be easy to stop smoking, it is worth it.
What Foods Increase Fertility In Women?
While no one food determines how to increase fertility in women, research has shown links between specific vitamins and nutrients and the improvement of certain fertility markers. Two, in particular, have potential.
For one, foods high in folic acid can be beneficial for fertility and during pregnancy. Folic acid is one of the most critical vitamins for helping to decrease the risk of specific congenital disabilities and neural tube defects.
Many early losses are related to genetic issues that have not yet become noticeable, so helping to increase the likelihood of a healthy pregnancy naturally reduces those risks.
In addition to taking supplements that contain folic acid, you should also try to increase your intake of leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, eggs, whole grains, and legumes (beans, lentils, etc.).
The other nutrient that may play a role in helping with fertility is omega-3 fatty acids. While the links haven’t been as conclusively proven or researched as folic acid, foods like walnuts, flaxseed, and fatty fish like mackerel, salmon, and herring are great for your overall health as well.
What Should I Avoid While Attempting Conception?
Developing a plan for increasing fertility in women isn’t just about what you should be doing. There are also a few factors that can decrease the likelihood that you may conceive.
One of the most challenging factors to avoid for most people is caffeine. So many of us wake up and immediately reach for that first cup of coffee in the morning. For some, caffeine has become a regular part of their lives, that they will go through withdrawal if they don’t drink it every day.
The good news is that you don’t have to stop drinking caffeine entirely if you’re not ready. Try to limit your consumption to a cup or two if possible. Restricting your caffeine intake now will also help you get a head start on getting back once you are pregnant.
The same goes for alcohol. While you don’t have to stop drinking alcohol completely when trying to conceive, limiting your consumption to one to two drinks just a few times a week is a good idea.
Both caffeine and alcohol consumption increase the likelihood that you’ll deal with sleep disturbances as well, which may also impact your ability to conceive. Lack of quality sleep can have other health repercussions as well,
You should also do your best to decrease your stress level while you are trying to get pregnant. While researchers aren’t sure exactly how this can impact the possibility of a successful pregnancy, chronic stress is bad for your body in general. Try meditation or yoga to help lower stress levels and increase mindfulness.
To Summarize
Getting pregnant is often just as much about luck as it is about any factors you can control. However, when you know the best ways to prepare your body for pregnancy and what you should avoid during the process, you may increase the likelihood of conception.
Many different factors can impact your chances of conceiving, including health conditions affecting your reproductive organs. If you have questions or concerns about your reproductive health, you should consult your doctor for professional guidance.
We’re here for you.
Sources:
Cervical Mucus Monitoring | Time to Conceive | UNC (unc.edu)