Avoid Alcohol And Drugs
This last one is really important, especially for young people. That’s because most teenagers who become pregnant have had unprotected sex when they have drunk too much or have been using drugs. Both drastically inhibit your ability to think properly and make wise decisions. Having unprotected sex may seem ok when you are out of it and caught up in the moment, but I can guarantee you it will not feel ok the next morning nor in the coming weeks when you are waiting anxiously for your next period.
Patience Is Good But Dont Wait Too Long To Get Help
If you are trying to get pregnant again, try to relax and not worry too much at least at first.
However, if you have been trying for a year and still havent conceived, talk to your Ob/Gyn or fertility specialist. And if youre over age 36, consider talking with your doctor sooner once you have tried for three or four menstrual cycles without success, Dr. Detti says.
Existing Issues With Male Fertility
While there are many issues with male fertility that can be sorted out through lifestyle changes, some are problems that men are born with. If its a natural conception, there could be issues with a lacking or inadequate sperm count, reduced sperm motility or high abnormal forms of sperm.
Most cases of abnormal semen parameters are unexplained, however in some cases it could be due to inherent defect in sperm production due to testicular damage or blockage in the outflow tract. Dr Nandi says, Some men have difficulties in erection or ejaculation.
Whether or not this is the case, its important to look after the quality of sperm when trying for baby. I would strongly advise men to avoid testosterone supplement to build muscle. This can have detrimental effect on sperm production, Dr Nandi suggests.
Any factors that can potentially increase the temperature of the scrotal area should be avoided as it can lead to DNA damage of the sperms, increase oxidative radicals. Research shows that even 1 degree centigrade rise in temperature can lead to 14% drop in sperm production. Prolonged sitting, driving, hot bath, saunas should be avoided.
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Faqs About Not Getting Pregnant
Being unable to conceive when you want to get pregnant is one of the most difficult and confusing things you can go through as a couple. If you are struggling in your TTC journey, you might still have a lot of lingering questions about what exactly is going on in your body.
In this section, well answer some of the most commonly asked questions regarding difficulties getting pregnant.
Hormones Out Of Whack
Like I mentioned earlier, the process of conception isnt a simple one. Several organs and several bodily functions have to be in harmony for this miracle to happen. All our organs are driven by hormones, and the reproductive organs are no different. The hormones that control their function are delicate, and almost any aberration can cause them to be off. Remember, hormones drive every single element of reproduction, which is why even if one hormone is more or less by a point, the whole process will fall flat on its face. One of the biggest causes of infertility is hormonal imbalance. Many women suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome, also known as PCOS, that prevents them from being able to conceive. In fact, its not just in women, but in men too, hormonal imbalances could cause infertility. So, if you are unable to get pregnant, get your hormones checked. They might just be the culprit.
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You Use The Pull Out Method
This old-school method of preventing pregnancy is a far cry from a myth. No, it’s not foolproof and it can certainly result in pregnancy, but it does significantly decrease your chances of getting pregnant. In case you need a refresher course on the pull-out method, it involves the male partner pulling out of the vagina before he ejaculates. The problem, however, is that pre-ejaculate, or precum, the bodily fluid that’s released from the penis before an actual ejaculation, very well may contain active and viable sperm. Additionally, Mark Trolice, M.D., reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist at My Fertility CARE: The IVF Center in Winter Park, Florida, explains that most men aren’t aware of when they release this precum. “Because it’s hard to predict when pre-ejaculation occurs, the withdrawal method is often fraught with peril and certainly not the most reliable method out there,” he says.
You Are Not Getting The Timing Right
There is actually a relatively short window of time each month that a woman is able to conceive. The fertile window is generally described as a six-day interval ending on the day of ovulation, with the most optimal time to have intercourse within the three days ending with ovulation, Dr. Brauer explains. So, women who are monitoring with ovulation kits and waiting for the smiley face or their temperature to change could possibly be missing the most optimal time to conceive.
If you have regular predictable periods, she recommends trying to figure out during which days each cycle you ovulate by using ovulation kits. Once you get a sense of when you ovulate each month, try timing intercourse a few days leading up to ovulation. For example, if you have a 28-day cycle and ovulate on day 14, have intercourse on days 10, 12, and 14. If you are having a hard time figuring out when you ovulate, see a reproductive endocrinologist, who can help guide you.
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Look For A Fertility Clinic
If basic fertility treatment isn’t successful, or if your test results suggest treatments that go beyond your gynecologist’s purview, they may refer you to a fertility specialist or fertility clinic. Because your fertility treatment likely won’t be covered by insurance, focus your search for a doctor or clinic on finding the best possible care that you can afford.
When you begin researching fertility clinics, make certain you’re clear on how much the initial consultation will cost. Discuss fees ahead of time if you decide to move forward with treatment. Remember to factor in travel and lost work time if you’re considering a clinic that’s not close by. Many treatments require frequent visits.
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.
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You’re Freaking Out About Conception
You probably have at least one friend who, upon conceiving, said, “It happened right when I stopped worrying about it.” It’s annoying to hear, especially when you’re not getting pregnant yourselfbut it’s often true. Stress can be a major party crasher in the baby-making process. When you have an elevated level of cortisol, a stress hormone, it can negatively affect ovulation and fertility.
“Calm down, relax, let it happen,” Dr. Curtis says. “Stop trying to plan pregnancy so much.” Instead, he suggests reminding yourself that pregnancy is a miracle that actually happens very often. “I tell my patients who are actively trying to simply stop ‘trying’ so hard, and that’s usually when they will conceive.”
Why Cant I Get Pregnant
When youre ready to start a family and youre not getting pregnant, it can be frustrating and overwhelming. Especially if youve tried the conventional methods to maximize your chances: having frequent intercourse during your fertile window, tracking your temperature every morning and using tools like ovulation tracker apps and predictor kits.
You may start to wonder is this a medical problem or do I simply need to be more patient? Youre not alone. One in 8 couples struggles to conceive. Chantel Cross, M.D., a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist with the Johns Hopkins Fertility Center at the Johns Hopkins Health Care & Surgery Center Green Spring Station in Lutherville, Maryland, explains what factors might be affecting your ability to get pregnant and when you might consider infertility treatment.
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Getting Pregnant Treatment Options
Following your initial consultation and testing, you will then work with the clinic to decide which treatment is most appropriate for you. A lifestyle assessment and weight management strategy might also be implemented. Possible treatment options include:
Ovulation Induction
Ovulation induction is one of the simplest and least invasive fertility treatments. It involves taking medication to induce ovulation by encouraging eggs to develop in the ovaries and be released, increasing the chance of getting pregnant through timed intercourse or artificial insemination. Ovulation induction is most suitable for women who are producing low levels of hormones for ovulation, or who are not ovulating at all but have normal fallopian tubes, and the male partner does not have any fertility problems.
IUI or IVF treatment
Intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization are two commonly used methods of fertility treatment.
Artificial insemination or intrauterine insemination involves inserting a maleâs semen through the cervix and into the uterus, close to the time of ovulation. It is a simpler, less invasive form of fertility treatment.
In Vitro Fertilisation or IVF is a process where a womanâs eggs are fertilised with a manâs sperm outside of the body, and once they are fertilised, they are then transplanted into the womanâs body. Close to one in 30 babies in Australia are conceived with IVF. You can read more about IVF here.
Freezing embryos
S Every Couple Should Take
Rachel Gurevich is a fertility advocate, author, and recipient of The Hope Award for Achievement, from Resolve: The National Infertility Association. She is a professional member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and has been writing about womens health since 2001. Rachel uses her own experiences with infertility to write compassionate, practical, and supportive articles.
Leyla Bilali, RN is a registered nurse, fertility nurse, and fertility consultant in the New York City area.
The inability to get pregnant if you’ve been trying for some time can be heartbreaking. But there are steps you can, and should, take. Sometimes the cause of infertility is easy to diagnose and can be treated.
If you’re under 35 and have been trying to conceive for a year, or if you’re over 35 and have been trying for six months, it’s time to get help. If you’ve had two or more miscarriages back-to-back, you should see a professional. The same goes if you’re having any worrisome symptoms or have risk factors for infertility, even if you haven’t been trying for a baby for an entire year.
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The Pain Of Infertility
It happens when you toss another negative pregnancy test in the trash can and sit on your bathroom floor and cry.
It happens when you lay in your bed at night, and your husband holds you as you stare into the darkness, while silent tears fall into your pillow.
It happens when you sit at a baby shower and hear all the Oohs and Aahs over every little, tiny gift, and wonder if you will ever have any little, tiny gifts of your own to open?
It happens when you look in the mirror at your flat stomach, and put your hand over it, and pray for life to grow. And try to imagine what it would look like, what it would feel like, if it did?
It happens when people come up to you and say, Hey! Isnt it abouttime you two started having kids? And you smile. To hide your pain.
It happens when you see teenagers pushing strollers past your house. And when the minivan full of children opens its doors. And when a friend says they had another oopsies pregnancy. And you wonder: Why is this so easy for everyone else? Except us?
I know these things, because I felt them all I lived them all. I thought it would be so easy for us to conceive on the first try. But it wasnt. It would take two years before ever getting pregnant. Two years that would feel so much longer that. Two years that would wear on our hope. And wear on our souls.
How Is Male Infertility Treated
Treatments for male infertility include:
- Medications: Medications can raise testosterone or other hormone levels. There are also drugs for erectile dysfunction.
- Surgery: Some men need surgery to open blockages in the tubes that store and carry sperm. Varicocele surgery can make sperm healthier and can improve the odds of conception.
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Running To The Bathroom After Sex
Many women rush to the bathroom after making love to clean up. It is essential to stay in bed for some time after sex to ensure that the sperm gets a chance to reach the egg and fertilize it. If you get up and rush, as soon as you are done with the act, you are letting gravity drag the sperm down and the rest of it is washed away when you clean up. And, this could be one of the natural reasons for not getting pregnant.
What next?
Focus on relaxing and lying in bed for a while after sex so that you can improve your chances of conception and pregnancy .
How Long Should Women Try To Get Pregnant Before Calling Their Doctors
Most experts suggest at least one year. Women 35 or older should see their doctors after six months of trying. A woman’s chances of having a baby decrease rapidly every year after the age of 30.
Some health problems also increase the risk of infertility. So, women should talk to their doctors if they have:
- Irregular periods or no menstrual periods
- Very painful periods
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- More than one miscarriage
It is a good idea for any woman to talk to a doctor before trying to get pregnant. Doctors can help you get your body ready for a healthy baby. They can also answer questions on fertility and give tips on conceiving.
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Blockage Of The Fallopian Tubes
Dr Nandi says that in connection with ovulation, blockage of the Fallopian tubes, which could be due to pelvic inflammatory disease, previous chlamydia infection or previous abdominal surgery, is another main issued faced by those struggling to get pregnant.
If your fallopian tubes have become blocked or scarred through these incidences, then surgery might be required to break up the scar tissue in the fallopian tubes, making it easier for eggs to pass through.
However, the success of this is very much dependent on the damage to the fallopian tubes and, following surgery, there can be some complications including an ectopic pregnancy so its always important to fully understand the risks before undertaking any fertility procedures.
Guys Youre Letting Your Laptop Sit On Your Lap Too Long
This one might sound like an old wives tale, but theres scientific truth to it. High temperatures can damage sperm. In fact, keeping things cool down there is part of the reason the testes are located outside the body. Dr. Werthman recommends protecting your sperm from harmful heat by keeping your laptop off your lap , staying out of the hot tub, and avoiding long hot baths.
A less obvious action that exposes the sperm to extra heat is sitting. Staying in one position for a long time, such as at a desk working, raises the scrotal temperature, he says. This can be compounded by sitting with a laptop on your lap, which only produces more heat, so keep the computer on a desk and get up every so often to move around and cool things off. Next, check out the early pregnancy symptoms you might miss.
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The Odds Are In Your Favor
First of all, rest assured that the odds are definitely with you. About 85 percent of all couples will get pregnant within a year, but it’s also wise to have some realistic expectations. The average time it takes to conceive, for instance, is about six months, and women under 35 should wait until they’ve tried for a year before they consider calling their doctor or a fertility specialist with concerns, says Dr. Stillman.
For older women, the picture changes. Not only could it take longer to conceive, but there are fewer chances of succeeding.
“Women 35 and older who think things aren’t quite right, maybe their menstrual cycle is off, should bring that to someone’s attention fairly quickly — within three months if they’re not pregnant yet,” says Dr. Michael Zinaman, director of reproductive endocrinology at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago. “If things seem absolutely fine, then they should contact someone after six months.”
The problem is that many women nowadays who are postponing children until later in life for a variety of reasons often don’t realize until it’s too late about the reduced odds, says Dr. A.F. Haney, chairman of the division of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Duke University Medical Center.
Can’t Get Pregnant The Shocking Truth About Fertility
By | Submitted On September 20, 2009
Did you know that drinking alcohol or caffeine in excess can reduce male sperm count by up to 50% and also affect the quality of a female egg by similar amounts? Or that having excess fat on the body causes females to produce too much estrogen which disturbs the ovulation cycle? These are simple issues which may be the reason why you can’t get pregnant.
I am going to describe how you can improve your fertility and recommend some natural herbal treatment which will boost your fertility. I have found a ground breaking book on the subject which I suggest investing in I will discuss this later.
Fertility isn’t a concept where by you are either fertile or infertile. There are degrees of fertility. You will find that healthier women will find it easier to conceive. Even things like stress may be the reason why you can’t get pregnant. Stress disrupt hormone regulation which in turn makes egg release irregular.
Here are some basic steps you can take:
“I Can’t Get Pregnant!” – Eat better
Zinc, calcium, vitamins C and D have been shown to be directly related to the quality of egg and sperm released. So eating plenty of dairy and fruit and vegetables is essential.
“I Can’t Get Pregnant!” – Exercise
Exercise is a great way to relieve stress and shed off the extra fat on your body. It also helps balance hormone secretion in the body. I highly recommend starting some sort of exercise regime if you don’t do any at the moment.
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