How To Decrease Your Chances Of Getting Pregnant

Eat A Balanced Diet Focused On Micronutrients

Diets vary widely across populations based on specific individual factors, such as allergies, sensitivities, and cultures. As a result, there is no one-size-fits-all “fertility diet” that can solve all your problems.

That being said, the science does show that certain vitamins and minerals can support fertility in men and women . These nutrients can be found directly in whole food sources or in a quality multi or prenatal vitamin.

To improve your chances of getting pregnant, look for multivitamins or food sources that contain the following nutrients. Note that this list of food examples is not exhaustive:

• B vitamins found in citrus fruits, cow liver, beans/lentils, asparagus, egg yolk, sweet potato, broccoli, and avocado

• Zincfound in sunflower seeds, egg yolk, and oysters

• Vitamin Cfound in citrus fruits, asparagus, pineapple, sweet potatoes, and broccoli

• Calciumfound in citrus fruits, egg yolk, and high-fat dairy

• Vitamin Dfound in salmon, high-fat dairy, egg yolk, and red meat

• Ironfound in cow liver, oysters, egg yolk, and broccoli

• Seleniumfound in salmon, sunflower seeds, and oysters

• Omega 3s and 6sfound in sunflower seeds, egg yolk, cow liver, walnuts salmon, and avocado

• Coenzyme Q10 found only in supplement form

Is There A Chance Of Conceiving If You’re Currently On Birth Control

Chances are, if you’re currently using birth control, you’re not TTC but how successful your birth control method is at preventing pregnancy differs significantly based on what you’re using.

The effectiveness of birth control methods are measured in two ways:

• One way focuses on perfect use .
• The other focuses on typical use . Below, we’ll focus on this way of measuring because of its real-world relevance.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the least effective birth control method is spermicide of couples who only use this method over the course of a year, 28 out of 100 will experience an unintended pregnancy within the first year of typical use.

This number falls to 18 out of 100 over the course of a year for condoms, and further drops to 9 out of 100 for the pill, the patch, and the ring. While a 9 in 100 failure rate seems high for these hormone-based methods, it’s important to remember that this rate takes into account user error. Because women don’t always take the pill as directed or replace their patches and rings on schedule, failure rates for these methods are higher than they would be with perfect use.

The Right Time To Test

It takes a week or two after conception for your body to develop levels of HCG the hormone produced by cells that surround a growing embryo in your urine.

Other signs of pregnancy include a missed period, though there are reasons unrelated to pregnancy that can cause a missed period. Those include stress, diet and exercise.

Light bleeding or spotting is not unusual as the egg settles into the uterine lining. Contact your OB/GYN if there is more significant bleeding after a positive test.

Cramps as the egg implants in the uterine lining are not unusual. Also, your breasts may become tender or sore as blood flow increases to support the baby.

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Eat Fewer Refined Carbs

Speaking of carbs: Its not just the amount of carbs thats important, but also the type.

Refined carbs may be especially problematic. Refined carbs include sugary foods and drinks and processed grains, including white pasta, bread, and rice.

These carbs are absorbed very quickly, causing spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels. Refined carbs also have a high glycemic index . The GI tells you if a carbohydrate-dense food will raise your blood sugar significantly.

Insulin is chemically similar to ovarian hormones. These hormones help our eggs mature. Consistent elevated insulin can cause the body to produce fewer reproductive hormones because it thinks it doesnt need it. This can contribute to a lack of egg maturation and ovulation.

Given that PCOS is associated with high insulin levels, refined carbs can make it even worse.

Scan Your Medicine Cabinet

If youre regularly taking any drugs regularly, be sure to check with your doctor that those medications are safe for preconception and pregnancy. He or she may suggest switching to another thats better for expecting women.

Also get your practitioners okay to continue any vitamins or herbal supplements youre popping. Too much vitamin A, for example, can be dangerous during pregnancy.

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Getting Pregnant When Youre 35 And Up

Advantages

• When youre older, youre more likely to be financially secure.
• Older moms tend to be more established in their careers, so you may find it easier to return to work .
• Your relationship with your partner may be more stable, which benefits you and baby.
• Waiting gives you more time to travel and hit other goals on your to-do list, so theres no feeling of missing out.

Disadvantages

• It can be more difficult to get pregnant.
• If you have trouble conceiving, you may need in vitro fertilization or other fertility treatments, which can be expensive.
• Pregnancy at an older age increases the risk for ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, preterm birth, stillbirth, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and birth defects.
• Older women are more likely to need a C-section.
• You might not have as much energy as younger parents, making keeping up with a baby or active child more challenging.
• Health issues like diabetes and hypertension are more likely as youre older. These can affect your chances of getting pregnant.

Women who are older than 35 and have been trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant for six months should see a specialist. Women who are over 40 and trying to conceive should see a specialist immediately.

Chances Of Getting Pregnant Around Period And Ovulation

For women who are trying to conceive as well as those who want to delay getting pregnant for later, tracking their menstrual cycles is essential. Knowing when in a cycle a woman’s most fertile days fall can help a woman time having intercourse more precisely and drastically increase their likelihood of getting pregnant.

Continue reading to learn when in the cycle you are most likely to conceive, including your chances of getting pregnant before or on ovulation day getting pregnant on period and right after period and getting pregnant after ovulation and before period so that you can aim for the most fertile days for faster and better results.

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When Planning To Get Pregnant

1. Know your menstrual cycle

After stopping contraception, your menstrual cycle may take time to regulate. Learn about your cycle, so you can track it and identify your most fertile time. Women who are overweight, underweight, who exercise excessively or are experiencing high levels of stress are less likely to ovulate regularly and this can make conception more difficult.

2. Work out when you are most fertile

The best time to have sex is the day before or the day of ovulation – this is when you’re most fertile. Most women ovulate about 2 weeks before their period. If your cycle tends to be longer, you will ovulate later than day 14. Read more on how to find out when you are the most fertile.

3. Recognise the signs of ovulation.

Signs of ovulation include changes to the vaginal discharge, which becomes more like a sticky mucus. Around the time of ovulation most women will have a slightly higher body temperature, so taking your temperature first thing in the morning can help you to track your ovulation. Other ways to track ovulation include over-the-counter kits to test âluteinising hormoneâ and Apps with fertility calendars.

4. Find your healthy weight.

5. Maintain a balanced diet.

A balanced diet is really important for nutrition. If this is a struggle, supplement your diet with a pregnancy multivitamin. Some people may also benefit from specialist advice from a dietitian. There are also some dietary changes you can make to help optimise your fertility.

What Are The Chances Of Getting Pregnant During Your Cycle Can You Get Pregnant After Ovulation Or While You’re On Your Period

If you get your period regularly and don’t have any conditions that influence ovulation, you’ll ovulate around the middle of your cycle in about 92% to 96% of cycles in the remaining 4%-6% of cycles, ovulation never occurs .

In a cycle where ovulation occurs,recent estimates suggest the chances of conception are between 3% seven days before ovulation and 42% the day before ovulation. Estimates from other studies suggest peak chances of conception are a bit lower closer to 38% according to some, or 20% according to others. Differences in study methodology and the demographics of the women who are in their sample may in part explain the variation in estimates among studies.

Because sperm can live up to five days in the female reproductive tract, it *is* completely possible to get pregnant if you have sex on the days leading up to ovulation and not on the day of ovulation itself, if those five days overlaps at all with the 24 hours that an egg can be fertilized. Having sex on the days leading up to ovulation, even though ovulation has not yet occurred, makes it likely that there will be some sperm waiting around for the egg once it’s released. That being said, chances of conception get higher the closer you get to ovulation.

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Best Apps For Tracking Your Fertile Window

When it comes to tracking your menstrual cycle and your fertile window you can go as high-tech or low-tech as you want. Whether you want a basic calendar or an app that syncs with all your devices, choose something you know you can use consistently.

There are hundreds of apps to help identify your fertile window, but only about 20 that research has considered to be reliable and easy to use. Its important to choose an app that is based on accurate scientific data. The app that I recommend to my patients is the Glow App. Its available on the iTunes App Store and on the Google Play Store. There are both free and paid versions. You can even join online communities with people who are trying to conceive .

Healthy Body Healthy Pregnancy

Before trying to get pregnant, you should try to be as healthy as possible. In fact, most doctors will recommend that you make an appointment with your obstetrician before youre pregnant.

At this preconception visit, youll talk about existing health problems and get screened for genetic diseases. You can also address other health concerns you might have.

Your doctor might recommend that you make lifestyle changes before you get pregnant. These might include:

• getting to a healthy weight
• improving diet/exercise habits

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We’ve Tried Everything What’s Next

While living a healthy lifestyle will improve your general health and fertility prospects, it does not slow the effects of ageing, nor does it address all underlying causes of infertility.

Having difficulty conceiving can also be caused by ovulation disorders, blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, premature menopause, thyroid problems, sperm defects and sexually transmitted infections, among other things.

After 12 months of trying to conceive , you should make an appointment with your GP.

“They will do some preliminary tests, like a semen analysis, and take a reproductive history, and there might be clues in there about your fertility,” Dr Hammarberg says.

“At some point, if things don’t happen, you will eventually be referred on to a fertility specialist.”

Dr Hammarberg says it’s important that both partners optimise their health before trying to conceive.

“Studies show if partners do it together, they’re twice as likely to succeed,” she says.

“Whatever needs to be done in terms of optimising health, it should be equally recommended to male and female partners.”

Access Australia is a national infertility network that offers information, support and referral to people experiencing infertility problems.

Pregnancy Chances During Ovulation: High

As aforementioned, fertilization of the egg by the sperm can only happen on ovulation, which lasts for 12 to 24 hours. So, a woman’s chances of getting pregnant during ovulation are very high.

However, couples are advised against having sex only on the day of ovulation. It is because it takes time for the sperm to get through the reproductive tract to reach and penetrate the egg. With ovulation lasting only a limited time, it is easy to miss the opportunity within a given menstrual cycle.

Instead, studies have shown that partners have the highest odds of conceiving if they have sex every day or every other day during the fertile window and on the ovulation day. This way, there are plenty of sperm already present in the tract and awaiting egg release, which greatly increases the likelihood of successful conception.

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Start Tracking Your Menstrual Cycle

Each new menstrual cycle is marked by the first day of your period. And tracking your cycle along with any daily symptoms youre experiencing can be incredibly helpful. Why?

Tracking your cycle helps you get to know your body better, including how long your cycle is. The length of your cycle is what determines your fertile window, which well get to in the next section.

Tracking the symptoms you experience such as changes in sex drive, mood or cervical mucus can help you identify patterns throughout your cycle, including what you typically experience leading up to your most fertile days.

How do you get started? When your next period arrives, start tracking since that is Day 1 of your cycle. You can keep a journal and write things down, or you can use mobile apps such as Fertility Friend and Clue.

You’re On Birth Control

Birth controlwhether it’s the pill, patch, ring, implant, IUD, or the shot greatly decreases your chances of conception. These methods work in various ways for example, IUDs block sperm from reaching the egg, while hormonal contraception prevent the recruitment of a mature egg, explains Dr. Brauer. Even if you’re committed to taking your birth control, you still have to use it correctly and consistently.

Also, if you rely on contraceptive pills, take note: Some pill packs contain four to seven days of sugar pills without any hormones. In rare ocassions, this may be long enough to allow for recruitment of a mature egg. “This is often referred to as ‘escape ovulation’ and is one reason for oral hormonal contraception failure,” says Dr. Brauer. Missing doses of hormonal contraception could also increase the chances of accidental pregnancy.

How hard is it to get pregnant on birth control? If you’re on birth control and following all instructions, then your chances of getting pregnant are generally less than 1 percent. The effectiveness decreases with “typical use” .

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Natural Ways To Boost Fertility

up to 15 percent of couples. The road to parenthood can sometimes be a huge challenge, but know youre not alone in those challenges.

Luckily, there are a few natural ways to increase your fertility. In fact, food choices and lifestyle changes can help boost fertility.

Here are 16 natural ways to boost fertility and get pregnant faster.

Natural Ways To Increase Your Fertility

Not everyone needs or wants medical intervention to get pregnant. There are natural things you can do to increase your chances of getting pregnant each month.

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How To Boost Fertility

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , an estimated 35% of infertility cases are caused by a mix of factors involving both partners. So, if you are having difficulty getting pregnant or you just want to increase your chances of getting pregnant faster, here are some steps that you and your partner can take.

How Alcohol Affects A Womans Menstrual Cycle

For normal menstruation cycles to take place, a womans body needs to have a proper balance in the amount of estrogen and progesterone produced.

Heavy drinking for longer periods interferes with the normal menstruation cycle and reproductive functions by disrupting the hormone levels. This causes a change in the normal balance of the production of estrogen and progesterone, while this happens, a woman experiences changes during her menstruation among them, Irregular Periods, missed periods, and a failure to ovulate, which in turn play a huge part in conceiving.

A healthy conception only happens with success in ovulation and a disruption of these things can prove difficult to conceive.

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