What Are The Side Effects Of The Vaccine For Pregnant People
Preliminary data on about 35,000 pregnant people who were vaccinated and volunteered information through the V-safe program shows that pregnant people have the same vaccine side effects as nonpregnant people — temporary injection pain in the arm, fatigue, headache, muscle aches and fever.
However, it’s important to note that fever from any cause has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, and the CDC recommends pregnant people who experience fever after vaccination take acetaminophen to lower their body temperature.
Get A Preconception Checkup
Before you officially start trying, get a checkup. Ask your doctor aboutprenatal vitaminsthat havefolic acid, which helps protect against some birth defects, such asspina bifida. Folic acid works during the early stages of pregnancy, so that’s why it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough folic acid even before you get pregnant.
“Do this the cycle before you start trying,” says Paula Hillard, MD, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford University. “If you have any underlying medical problems, they need to be under control before you can safely become pregnant.”
Prescriptions To Induce Ovulation
If your test results show that you arent ovulating, your doctor may prescribe a medication to give your ovaries a boost. Clomid and Letrozole work by making the body think your estrogen is low. This makes the ovaries ramp up production of follicles that lead to ovulation.
Clomid has been used for many years without known adverse long-term effects. Common short-term side effects are hot flashes, nausea, bloating, mood swings, and headaches.
Letrozole is a newer medication used to induce ovulation. It is not FDA approved for this, but has been documented as safe and effective. We often recommend this instead of Clomid. Your OBGYN will work with you to prescribe the best medication for your situation.
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Getting The Timing Right
The best way to increase your odds of getting pregnant quickly is to make sure that youre having sex at the right time in your cycle.
If you have regular cycles, you will ovulate around two weeks before your period. This means your fertile window will be the seven days before your expected ovulation.
If you have irregular cycles, it can be a little more difficult to predict when you will ovulate and when your fertile window will be.
There are a number of techniques that you can use to more precisely pinpoint your ovulation and fertile window.
Ways To Increase Your Chance Of Conceiving Twins
1. Folate Studies have shown women who have folate have a 40% increase in twin pregnancies, although this appears to be more particularly aimed at women whove had IVF..
2. Cassava This African tuber is believed to cause hyperovulation and increase the chance of multiples. Cassanovum is the one I chose to purchase after researching the many brands available. Its made using the most potent part of the plant, contains folate and has a variety of other herbs to help with pregnancy..
3. Dairy Studies have shown women who consume a lot of dairy are more likely to conceive twins. This is believed to be due to Insulin-like Growth Factor in cows and possibly some of the hormones they have administered to them. .
4. Age Older women produce higher amounts of FSH which increases the chance of dropping multiple eggs. However fertility rates also go down as women age, so waiting too long can also lower the chances of falling pregnant at all..
5. Hyperovulation When two or more eggs drop during ovulation. This can happen due to genetics, menopause, age, taking cassava and a range of other hormonal reasons..
6. In The Family If the womans side of the family has twins in it , her chance of conceiving twins is higher..
7. Weight Women who are tall and of medium or high weight ranges have a higher chance of conceiving twins..
8. Breastfeeding If youre breastfeeding when you fall pregnant, the likelihood of twins is higher. .
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How Can You Track Ovulation
Many women follow the textbook rule that ovulation occurs 14 days after the first day of their periodbut the reality is that cycle lengths vary, and ovulation doesn’t always occur at the same time each month, says Machelle Seibel, M.D., Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
Some women think they can detect ovulation symptoms. “If you’re in tune with your body, you may notice that you have an increased clear egg-white-like vaginal discharge a few days before ovulation,” says Yvonne Bohn, M.D., OB-GYN and co-author of The Mommy Docs Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy and Birth. But many women miss this, and some mistakenly think their normal discharge is a sign of ovulation.
Instead of guessing, Dr. Seibel says that using an ovulation predictor kit can give a more accurate answer. Charting your basal body temperature or tracking your menstrual cycle can also help identify ovulation for the best days to get pregnant.
Do I Need A Booster If I’m Fully Vaccinated And Pregnant
Boosters are authorized for all adults in the US, including pregnant people . You may get a shot at least six months after your second Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or at least two months after your Johnson & Johnson shot, according to CDC guidance. You can get any COVID-19 vaccine available in the US as a booster if you prefer to switch brands for any reason.
Read more: How to choose a booster: What to know about mixing coronavirus vaccines
The CDC guidance for the general adult population leaves the decision on whether to boost up to the individual. However, pregnant people were actually eligible for boosters before the general public because pregnancy, or being recently pregnant, makes someone more susceptible to severe COVID-19. The ACOG, which gives guidance to pregnant individuals and their providers, recommends boosters for people who are fully vaccinated and pregnant or up to six weeks postpartum. The SMFM also recommends boosters for pregnant individuals at least six months after their second shot .
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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.
Don’t Drastically Increase Your Exercise Routine
While maintaining a healthy weight is important for fertility, there is such a thing as having too little body fat when it comes to getting pregnant.
Moderate exercise is good, but intense training could affect your BMI and body fat, says Masterson. If you dont have enough fat, your body thinks youre in a fight-or-flight stage and will prevent you from ovulating and conceiving since thats not a good time to have a baby.
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What Is Your Family Health History And Why Is It Important Before You Get Pregnant
Your family health history is a record of any health conditions and treatments that you, your partner and everyone in your families have had. Its a good idea to start putting your family history together before you get pregnant so you can share it with your provider at your checkup. Use the March of Dimes Family Health History Form to gather information.
Your family health history can help your provider:
- Identify health conditions that run in your or your partners family or ethnic group. An ethnic group is a group of people, often from the same country, who share language or culture. Certain genetic conditions, such as sickle cell disease and Tay-Sachs disease, are more common in people from certain ethnic groups. For example, people who are Ashkenazi Jews are more likely than others to have Tay-Sachs and other genetic conditions.
- Find the cause of a condition you had in a past pregnancy. Your provider may use tests like blood tests or ultrasound to help find the cause of the condition. Getting treatment can lower the chances of you having the same complication in your next pregnancy.
- Treat health conditions before pregnancy. Some chronic health conditions can lead to pregnancy problems and, sometimes, birth defects. Getting treatment before pregnancy for conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, lupus and PKU can improve your chances of having a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
I Want To Be Pregnant In The Future Will The Covid
The fear people have regarding their fertility and vaccination isn’t exclusive to the COVID-19 vaccine. The specific fear about infertility and COVID-19 vaccines stems from a now-debunked post on Facebook that claimed the vaccine would make pregnant people’s bodies attack a protein needed for placenta formation in early pregnancy, because, it asserted, the spike protein in the COVID-19 vaccine is “similar.” Experts have disproved this, saying that not only do the two proteins have “almost nothing in common,” but even if they did, infection with COVID-19 would have the same outcome. There is no research to suggest people who have had COVID-19 will have a more difficult time getting pregnant, and many have since the beginning of the pandemic. If you’d like more information about COVID-19 vaccines and pregnancy, Dr. Danielle Jones, an OB-GYN who is also known as “Mama Doctor Jones” on TikTok, shared this video on YouTube debunking myths about COVID-19 vaccines and infertility, miscarriage and pregnancy.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
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Record Menstrual Cycle Frequency
A woman who wants to have a baby should monitor whether the first days of her periods tend to occur the same number of days apart every month, which is considered regular. Conversely, her periods may be irregular, meaning her cycle lengths vary from month to month. By tracking this information on a calendar, a woman can better predict when she might be ovulating, which is the time every month when her ovaries will release an egg. There are also some apps that can help with the tracking, such as GlowOvulation period tracker .
A woman’s egg is fertile for only 12 to 24 hours after its release, according to the American Pregnancy Association. However, a man’s sperm can survive in a woman’s body for up to five days.
Swap Out Your Partners Tight Underwear
Time to make the switch to boxers and trade your partners favorite skinny jeans for a less restrictive pair. Tight underwear and pants can have a negative effect on a mans sperm count and quality a study found that men who wear more forgiving options have higher sperm concentration and count than those who prefer bottoms that leave little to the imagination.
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Stop Taking Birth Control
If you’re popping birth control pills, pass on your prescription a few months before you start trying to conceive, suggests Christopher Williams, M.D., a reproductive endocrinologist in private practice in Charlottesville, Virginia, and author of The Fastest Way to Get Pregnant Naturally. The same advice goes for other forms of hormonal birth control too.
“After you’ve been using birth control for a while, it may take your body a few cycles to start ovulating regularly and be primed for pregnancy,” Dr. Williams says. This gives you time to track your cycle and figure out when you ovulate, which is key for timing your baby-making.
But remember: Once you stop using birth control, it’s possible to get pregnant at any time!
Strive For A Healthy Body Weight
A woman’s weight can also impact the chances of conceiving: Being overweight or underweight may reduce those odds. Research has shown that a woman who is overweight can take twice as long to become pregnant as a woman whose body-mass index is considered normal weight, Pavone said. A woman who is underweight might take four times as long to conceive, she said.
Having too much body fat produces excess estrogen, which can interfere with ovulation, according to the Cleveland Clinic. A 2017 study suggested that couples in the study in which both partners were very obese, with BMIs of at least 35, took from 55% to 59% longer to become pregnant, compared with couples who were not obese, the researchers reported in the journal Human Reproduction.
In a study published in 2020 in the journal PLOS One, researchers looked at data from more than 50,000 couples in China trying to conceive over the course of a year they found that women’s ability to conceive within a given timeframe decreased as their BMI increased.
Male obesity, which can disrupt the male endocrine system as well as sperm viability and concentration, can also affect a couple’s ability to become pregnant, scientists reported in 2020 in the journal Andrologia.
Women who are underweight, with a BMI less than 18, might not be getting regular periods or could stop ovulating, which also hinders their ability to become pregnant, according to the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority.
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Schedule An Appointment With Your Doctor
Since youre ready to conceive, visiting your doctor is one of the most important things you can do. Your doctor can give you advice on nutrition, lifestyle and overall health that can help you get pregnant more quickly and easily. Plus, beginning pre-natal vitamins before conception can help your body prepare to house a developing baby and help you sustain a healthy pregnancy.
And last, but not least, always remember… you and your partner got this. Here are some other resources to help:
Begin Basic Fertility Testing
Fertility testing includes blood work for the woman and a semen analysis for the man. Depending on your symptoms, testing also may include a hysterosalpingogram , vaginal ultrasound, or diagnostic laparoscopy. Your doctor will also likely perform a basic pelvic exam and Pap smear, and some test for certain sexually transmitted infections or diseases.
Basic fertility tests may or may not lead to a diagnosis. Up to 30% of couples never find out why they can’t conceive, in which case they are diagnosed with unexplained infertility.
It’s normal to feel anxious and worried as you go through fertility testing. Seek support from friends, family, or a therapist. An in-person support group or an online fertility forum also can provide emotional support.
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How Else Can You Increase The Chances Of Getting Pregnant
Often, when couples are trying to conceive, they focus so intensely on their reproductive health, they neglect their overall health. Life becomes all about cervical mucus, sperm count, and doing the deed. But it’s important to pay attention to your health in general because issues like weight, smoking, stress, and medications can affect fertility too, Dr. Chen says. Before trying to conceive, it’s a good idea for both you and your guy to have a medical checkup to discuss any issues that may affect fertility or pregnancy.
Learn When Ovulation Happens
Its a good idea to understand the basics of how ovulation works so you can monitor your body for signs and symptoms. Its a common misconception that ovulation always occurs on the 14th day after your period starts, but that only happens if your menstrual cycle is consistent and 28 days long. Every womans cycle is different. The average cycle is anywhere from 24 to 35 days, and it doesnt vary by more than three to four days on any given month, Levens says. Depending on how long your cycle is, ovulation can actually happen between 11 to 21 days after the first day of your last period . But while the timing of ovulation depends on the womans unique cycle, all healthy women will get their periods 12 to 14 days after ovulation.
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When To Start Taking Prenatal Vitamins
The best time to start taking prenatal vitamins is before conception. Folic acid is especially important. You should begin taking a folic acid supplement at least 1 month before you try to get pregnant to prevent birth defects.
Some doctors recommend that all women who could have a baby take prenatal vitamins, even if they dont plan a pregnancy.
