How Much Physical Activity Do You Need Each Day
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults get 2½ hours a week of moderate-intensity activity, like fast walking, and strength-training 2 days a week. These recommendations change depending on the intensity of your workouts. And you dont have to do all 2½ hours at once. Do a little bit each day to break it up throughout the week.
If youre already physically active, keep it up! If youre starting or re-starting exercise, take it slowly. Talk to your provider before you start any physical activity if:
- You have heart disease or are at risk for heart disease.
- Youve had a stroke or are at risk for having a stroke.
- You have diabetes or are at risk for having diabetes.
- Youre obese. If you’re obese, you have an excess amount of body fat and your body mass index is 30 or higher. BMI is a measure of body fat based on your height and weight.
- It can help you find out if you need to gain or lose weight..
- Youve had surgery or you have an injury or disability.
- Youve had eye surgery or laser treatment on your eyes, or you have a bleeding or detached retina. The retina is the nerve tissue that lines the back of the eye.
Physical activity can help reduce your risk of having certain health conditions that can cause problems for you and your baby during pregnancy, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart conditions. It also can help you manage stress, sleep better and quit smoking.
Do Fertility Drugs Work
Fertility enhancing pills are medications that cause the body to release hormones that initiate and control the process of ovulation. Ovulation is the egg releasing process from the ovaries. The success rate depends on the drug itself.
For example, the success rate of Clomid
About 80 percent of women who take clomiphene ovulate in the first three months of treatment. Of them, 30 to 40 percent conceive by their third treatment cycle.
Most non-prescription pills are based on clomiphene .
How You Get Pregnant With Twins: 5 Factors That Increase The Odds Of Getting Pregnant With Twins
Twins have fascinated the world for ages. They are even present in various myths and religions around the globe. Identical twins are also important in science, especially because they can answer many questions scientists have about nature vs. nurture. Here are the overall odds of getting pregnant with twins, plus factors that could increase the likelihood.
Recommended Reading: Is It Possible To Get Pregnant Without Ovulating
Best Fertility Support Drink: Premama Fertility Supplement For Women
Courtesy of Amazon
Designed to support the female productive system, this supplement includes myo-inositol and folic acid, which have been shown to improve ovulatory function. Its flavor-free, easy to take, and gentle on your stomach. Users will appreciate that the supplement comes in 28 small, discreet individual packets that blend easily with water, beverages, or soft food.
We Are Planning To Try For A Baby Are There Any Dietary Supplements That My Partner Should Be Taking
Monica Moore, founder of Fertile Health, LLC
We always recommend that our patients obtain their nutrients from food, whenever possible, instead of relying on supplements. Although some studies have shown that men’s sperm parameters might be improved by supplementing with a combination of certain minerals and anti-oxidants, whether or not this improvement translates into increased pregnancy rates is unclear in the literature at this point. What is known, though, is that lifestyle changes, such as maintaining a healthy weight, stopping smoking or any recreational drugs, and minimizing alcohol intake can improve the quality of sperm.
Also Check: How To Tell If She’s Pregnant
Cut Down Your Caffeine Intake And Cut Out Other Vices
Theres a whole host of studies showing that too much caffeine and alcohol can derail your campaign to conceive. So if you really want to get pregnant soon, limit your caffeine intake to about 200 milligrams per day which is the equivalent of about two cups of coffee.
But cut out alcohol altogether it can do a number on both female and male fertility. And though it probably goes without saying, nix nicotine now if you havent already. It can cause major cell damage to your eggs and increase the chances of miscarriage once you do get pregnant.
How Can You Tell If Youre Ovulating
After you stop taking birth control, youll probably be wondering at what point your fertility has started to return. One way to figure this out is by tracking your signs of ovulation. Ovulation typically occurs around 2 weeks after your period, though your periods might not be regular right after you stop birth control.
- Increased cervical mucus, which may look clear and slippery
- Pelvic and abdominal pain
- Spotting or light bleeding
- Changes in mood
If you are looking for more definitive proof that you are ovulating, you may want to track your basal body temperature, says Dr. Purdie. This is a temperature taken first thing in the morning before you get up, she says. There will be a rise in basal body temperature around the time of ovulation. Another option is to get an ovulation predictor kit, which will usually turn positive the day before you ovulate, Dr. Purdie explains.
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Stay Fit And Maintain A Healthy Body Weight
Pregnancy puts a lot of strain on your body so getting fit before pregnancy will help you after you conceive. If you’re fit before you get pregnant, it will be easier for you to stay active when you are pregnant. Exercise can help to improve your mood and energy levels. It, also reduces stress, which is a good thing when it comes to conceiving. Being a healthy body weight can help you to get pregnant, so the best thing is to try and achieve as ideal a weight as possible before trying to get pregnant. Your doctor will be able to give you information about a healthy weight for you.
Keep To A Healthy Weight
If you’re overweight, you may have problems getting pregnant and fertility treatment is less likely to work.
Being overweight or obese also raises the risk of some pregnancy problems, such as high blood pressure, deep vein thrombosis,miscarriage and gestational diabetes.
Before you get pregnant you can use the BMI healthy weight calculator to find out your BMI. But this may not be accurate once you’re pregnant, so consult your midwife or doctor.
Having a healthy diet and doing moderate exercise are advised in pregnancy, and it’s important not to gain too much weight.
You can keep to a healthy weight by having a balanced diet and doing regular exercise.
Recommended Reading: Is It Possible To Get Pregnant While On The Implant
How Often To Have Sexual Intercourse
To give yourselves the best chance of success, try to have sex every two to three days. If you are under psychological stress, it can affect your relationship and is likely to reduce your sex drive.
If this means you do not have sex as often as usual, this may also affect you or your partners chances of getting pregnant.
Best Tracking App: Clue App
Courtesy of HelloClue
This free-to-download app is a user-friendly comprehensive tool. Besides just tracking monthly periods, it also has the ability to track cravings, moods, energy levels, spotting, discharge, and more.
Using this data, the app provides you with cycle patterns and fertile windows, projecting forward to the next three months. For an additional fee, a paid version provides some extras including email updates and reminders.
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Cassanovum Original Root Extract & Folic Acid Capsules
Also known as folate, folic acid has great fertility benefits. Folic helps the body produce new cells. It plays a major role in the conception and also prevents the baby from suffering any tubal or brain-related congenital disabilities.
Folate is available as an antenatal vitamin but can also be taken by women who would love to boost their fertility with an OTC fertility drug or medication.
Other options that may need prescription include:
Taking St John’s Wort
St John’s Wort is a herbal supplement often used to treat mild depression.
But it has been linked to making some forms of medication and the Pill less effective, according to WebMD.
The UK Medicinal Products and Healthcare Regulatory Agency has previously warned women taking hormonal contraceptives to avoid the supplement.
Andrew Weil, founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, told WebMD:
“If you are taking any prescription drug and are interested in trying a course of St. John’s wort for mild to moderate depression, first discuss possible interactions with your doctor or pharmacist.”
Also Check: What Is The Very First Signs Of Pregnancy
Optimize Vaginal Health Use A Sperm
Vaginal dryness is more common than we may think. In a study across 11 countries involving over 6,500 women, up to 18% of women aged 1834 years reported always or usually experiencing vaginal dryness. This can be worse when trying to conceive as there is a tendency to have lots of baby-making sex. Some of the most commonly available lubricants can be harmful to sperm so be sure to use a sperm-friendly lubricant.If you have any abnormal vaginal discharge, it is worth speaking to your doctor. Common vaginal infections, such as bacterial vaginosis or thrush, can be treated easily and make trying for a baby easier.
Get Your Partner Involved
- Stay fit and healthy Your partner should try to be as active as possible, reduce alcohol, stop smoking and eat a healthy diet.
- Use sperm-friendly lubricantMake sure any lubricant you use isn’t ‘spermicidal’ or toxic to sperm. You can buy ‘sperm-friendly’ lubricants that are specially formulated.
- Keep testes coolYour partner should wear loose underwear and avoid hot baths. Consistent or prolonged ‘heating’ of the testes can reduce sperm quality.
Read Also: How Do You Test For Pregnancy
You’re Taking Other Medications
Certain antibiotics can stop the Pill from working.
The two main types that do this are called rifampicin and rifabutin and are used to treat illnesses like tuberculosis and meningitis.
These antibiotics are rare, so it probably isn’t something to panic about.
But other forms of antibiotics and medication that are commonly used are also thought to disrupt the contraceptive.
Medications for epilepsy and HIV can also affect how the Pill works.
It is not known by how much but if you are in doubt, make sure you use another form of contraception when you are taking medication.
And it is a good idea to discuss it with your GP when you are given a prescription.
How Long Does It Take To Get Pregnant After Stopping Birth Control
Getting pregnant after birth control pills can occur right away or it may take awhile. Thats why understanding how your body works can help set realistic expectations about whats going to happen.
Heres some information about different contraceptives and how they affect a womans body if youre wondering how long does it take to get pregnant after birth control.
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Does Your Weight Before You Get Pregnant Affect Your Pregnancy
Yes. Youre more likely to have health problems during pregnancy if youre overweight or underweight . These problems include:
- Premature birth. This is birth that happens too early, before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Babies born prematurely may have more health problems at birth and later in life than babies born later.
- Birth defects. These are health conditions that are present at birth. They change the shape or function of one or more parts of the body. Birth defects can cause problems in overall health, how the body develops or how the body works.
- Diabetes. Diabetes is when you have too much sugar in your blood. Too much blood sugar can damage organs in your body, including blood vessels, nerves, eyes and kidneys. Diabetes can cause problems during pregnancy.
- High blood pressure . High blood pressure is when the force of blood against the walls of your blood vessels is too high. High blood pressure can cause problems during pregnancy.
Talk to your provider about the right weight for you. Your provider may check your body mass index . BMI is a measure of body fat based on your height and weight. It can help you find out if you need to gain or lose weight. To find out your BMI, go to cdc.gov/bmi. Your BMI before pregnancy helps your provider figure out the right amount of weight for you to gain during pregnancy.
Don’t Worry About The Best Positions For Getting Pregnant
Myths abound about the best positions for getting pregnant, but they are just that — myths. There is really no scientific evidence saying that the missionary position is better than the woman being on top when it comes to maximizing your chances of making a baby.
“Very rarely, a woman’s cervix is in an unusual position where certain positions can make a difference,” Goldfarb tells WebMD.
Read Also: How Do You Know How Far Along Pregnancy
Follow Your Baby’s Amazing Development
BabyCenter’s editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you’re seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 2020. Treating Infertility. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/treating-infertility
American Society for Reproductive Medicine. 2012. Optimizing Male Fertility. https://www.reproductivefacts.org/news-and-publications/patient-fact-sheets-and-booklets/documents/fact-sheets-and-info-booklets/optimizing-male-fertility/
Better Health Channel . 2021. Age and fertility. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/age-and-fertility
Morris G, Mavrelos D, et al. Paternal age over 50 years decreases assisted reproductive technology success: A single UK center retrospective analysis. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica. 2021 Oct 100:1858 1867. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34405396/
Leridon Henri. 2004. Can assisted reproduction technology compensate for the natural decline in fertility with age? A model assessment. Human Reproduction 19:1548-1553. https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/19/7/1548/2356634
Can You Test For Neural Tube Defects In Your Baby
There are two tests available for the detection of NTDs in the second trimester of pregnancy:
- A blood test that measures the level of a protein called alpha fetoprotein or AFP in the mothers blood. This test is usually performed between 16 and 18 weeks of pregnancy.
- A detailed ultrasound examination of the babys head and spine. This is usually done between 17 and 20 weeks of pregnancy.
These tests are not harmful to the baby and will detect the majority of babies with NTDs.
Read Also: Does Birth Control Keep You From Getting Pregnant
Have Sex Before You Ovulate
Sperm can survive in your reproductive tract for up to five days under the right conditions, but an egg only lasts for 12 to 24 hours after it’s released. Having sex before you ovulate boosts the chances that there’ll be sperm around to greet the egg once it leaves the ovary.
If you’re using OPKs, experts say that you’ll want to have sex soon after getting a positive result, and then again for the next few days to take advantage of that pre-ovulation window.
If you’re tracking your cervical mucus, time baby-making sex with when you start to see fertile-quality mucusâthat raw egg white consistency.
If you’re less inclined to meticulously track fetility signs, you can start having sex at least a few times per week as soon as your period ends . Getting busy regulalry after your period helps ensure you won’t miss your most fertile time, especially if your cycle length varies from month to month.
How Successful Are Fertility Drugs
The success of oral drugs varies, depending on your age and whats causing the ovulation problems. Typically, says Dr. Groll, in older patients who have less than a 1 percent chance of conception, oral drugs raise the odds by 10 percent Combined with artificial insemination, the likelihood of conception rises to 20 percent.
If you want to improve your odds and reduce the risks from treatments, Dr. Groll emphasizes the importance of starting off right with a precise analysis of the fertility problems, under the expert and watchful care of a fertility specialist.
Its important to be evaluated and monitored by a fertility specialist, he says. If you have an appropriate and accurate diagnosis, and you treat any underlying factors, fertility treatment is more likely to be safe and effective, and you maximize the chance of conception.
Read Also: How Do Pregnancy Pills Work
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Before you toss your birth control and break out the scented candles, you should see your family physician for a preconception checkup. As a rule of thumb, if you are thinking about having a baby, you need to see your doctor about six months before you start trying, says Tejal Patel, the physician director of the Maternity Centre of Hamilton. Six months before you even want to start trying may sound terribly pro-active, but its important to make sure everything is in working order.
Read Also: What Are The Dos And Don Ts During Pregnancy
