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.
Stop Smoking Recreational Drugs Alcohol
It’s best to avoid smoking, recreational drugs and alcohol while you are trying to get pregnant and throughout your pregnancy.
If you smoke or take recreational drugs then giving up will improve your chances of having a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
Drinking in pregnancy can lead to long-term harm to your baby, with the more you drink the greater the risk. If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all, to keep risks to your baby to a minimum. If your partner smokes, drinks or takes drugs then it is also important that they cut down on these substances while you are trying to get pregnant. Apart from the secondary effects on you, cigarettes, recreational drugs and alcohol can all have an adverse effect on the quality of sperm.
How To Get Pregnant If You Have Endometriosis
Endometriosis is another common reproductive condition, affecting more than one in 10 women in the United States. It occurs when tissue found in the uterus grows in other parts of the body, such as the ovaries or fallopian tubes.
Even mild endometriosis can reduce fertility, while severe endometriosis can distort a woman’s pelvic anatomy and, for example, block her fallopian tubes, according to a 2015 study in The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of India.
It is still possible for a woman with endometriosis to become pregnant, and, once pregnant, the pregnancy is expected to be no different to that of a woman without endometriosis. Medical treatment through drugs does not improve fertility, according to Endometriosis UK, an endometriosis-focused charity. These medications involve regulating a person’s hormones, and can slow the growth of endometrial tissue and prevent new pieces from developing, said the Mayo Clinic. But because these drugs are based on hormones , they actively stop a woman from getting pregnant.
Endometriosis presents differently in different women, so its treatment depends on the individual,according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
Surgery to excise the endometrial and scar tissue may improve fertility rates and help reduce pain associated with endometriosis, researchers reported in the 2015 study in TheJournal of Obstetrics and Gynecology of India.
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The Bottom Line About Fertility Diets
Whether you jump all into our recommended fertility diet or simply use this page as a guide to understanding more about what youre eating, we hope it helps your fertility journey. Food is indeed a controversial topic, but our experience and research alike have shown that there are both many foods that have been shown to help support fertility and that there are many foods you should avoid when trying to get pregnant!
Take A Pregnancy Test
The earlier you confirm the pregnancy, the sooner you can see your doctor and start prenatal care. Home pregnancy tests work by detecting levels of human chorionic gonadotropin in your urine. Levels of this hormone, produced by the placenta, continue to rise in early pregnancy.
Tests marketed as “early results” or “early response” may be more sensitive at detecting lower levels of hCG, but you’ll still get the best results if you wait until the day you expect your period. Testing too early is more likely to yield a “false negative” resultwhen the test says you’re not pregnant, but you really are. What’s happening is that your body isn’t producing enough hCG yet to be detected by the test. Waiting and testing again a few days after your missed period will give more accurate results.
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Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle
In addition to taking those prenatal vitamins, opt for a balanced diet. Youll want to plan on eating several servings of fruits and vegetables every day. You should also up your calcium intake.
Making smart choices about how you fuel and care for your body can set you up for conception and pregnancy.
Stay away from processed meats during this time. Youll find pre-packaged meats are loaded with extra sodium and preservatives.
Fresh meat and produce, on the other hand, are packed with great vitamins and health benefits. Eat fish in moderation and choose fresh whenever possible.
In addition to your healthy diet, youll want to exercise regularly. Getting fit and staying strong will help prepare your body for the stress of pregnancy and labor.
You dont have to join an aerobics class to reap the benefits. You can easily get your heart rate up and some quality health benefits from a simple walk after dinner.
Its worth mentioning a few other items youll want to give up during your journey to try to conceive. Some of them may be more difficult than others, but theyll make for a healthier pregnancy and may make conception easier.
Getting and staying healthy also means managing any existing health conditions you might have. Diabetes, high blood pressure, polycystic ovary syndrome, thyroid conditions, and autoimmune diseases can make conceiving and pregnancy difficult.
You may even be on medication thats contraindicated for pregnancy.
What If You Have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Polycystic ovarian syndrome , a hormonal disorder, is one of the most common reasons for female infertility. It affects between 6% and 12% of American women of reproductive age.
There is no single test to identify PCOS, but a doctor will determine if a woman fulfills two of the following three criteria,the CDC said:
- Irregular periods or no periods, caused from lack of ovulation
- Higher than normal levels of male hormones that may result in excess hair on the face and body, acne or thinning scalp hair
- Multiple small cysts on the ovaries
It is not clear why some women develop this syndrome, although it is often diagnosed when they struggle to get pregnant.
There is a strong link between PCOS-related infertility and weight. About 40% to 60% of women with PCOS are overweight or obese, and healthy eating and exercise have been shown to improve reproductive problems in women with PCOS, according to a 2019 article in the journal Therapeutic Advcances in Reproductive Health. A number of prescribed medications may also induce ovulation and regulate insulin levels, such asletrozole and metformin. High levels of insulin push thepituitary gland to release large amounts of hormones thatdisrupt ovulation.
Doctors recommend in-vitro fertilization if other interventions have not worked, or as a primary treatment if monitoring, cost and accessibility are not issues.
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Start Taking Prenatal Vitamins
Its never too early to start taking prenatal vitamins. Among other important nutrients, they contain folic acid, which numerous studies have found to be critically important for baby at every stage of developmentplus, it helps promote ovulation, encourages fertilization and supports early embryo survival, says Audrey Gaskins, ScD, an instructor of nutrition and dietetics at Harvard Medical School. Your ob-gyn can prescribe a prenatal vitamin or offer recommendations for some good over-the-counter options. Foods like strawberries, spinach, beans and orange juice are also naturally high in folate.
Foods To Eat To Increase Fertility
Can eating certain foods really boost your fertility? The answer is yes. Its important to remember that there is no magic diet that will result in pregnancy, but food and lifestyle choices do have a significant impact on the reproductive health of both women and men. The foods you eat, along with other factors like lifestyle and stress levels, can boost fertility through their impact on your gut, blood flow, hormone levels and overall health.
Laurel Fertility Care offers a holistic approach that includes many natural adjustments like diet and lifestyle changes before moving on to advanced treatment. Here are 10 foods to incorporate into your diet to boost your fertility.
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Foods To Eat To Get Pregnant Fast
Following a fertility diet is an excellent way aspiring mothers can obtain essential pre-pregnancy vitamins and minerals.
Although no one food has been recognized for dramatically increasing the chances of getting pregnant, certain food choices can definitely benefit women in achieving pregnancy sooner and easier, especially those with ovulation problems due to polycystic ovary syndrome , obesity, or other conditions associated with reduced fertility.
Keep on reading to find out what to eat to get pregnant faster so that you can have a good head start to your fertility planning and be that much closer to a wholesome motherhood
Have Sex Every Other Day During The Fertile Window
The “fertile window” spans a six-day interval the five days prior to ovulation and the day of it, according to theAmerican Society for Reproductive Medicine. Every month, a woman is most fertile on these days.
Many women are turning to new technology tools, such as fertility-tracking apps and websites, to help them keep tabs on when they may be more likely to conceive, but a 2020 review in the journalBMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health suggests that there is limited independent research on their accuracy. In a study published in 2016 in the journalObstetrics & Gynecology, scientists analyzed 50 popular fertility-tracking websites and apps with a hypothetical woman, and found that the results varied wildly, with many mistakenly tagging days outside of the fertility window, Live Science reported.
When a woman has identified that fertility window, should they have sex every day? Research has shown that there hasn’t been a big difference in pregnancy rates between couples who had sex every day during the “fertile window” compared with couples who did it every other day , Pavone said. “And having sex every other day might be easier for a couple to pull off,” she added.
Related: Trying to conceive: 10 tips for men
- Glow Ovulation, Period Tracker
- Fertility Friend FF App
- Clue: Health & Period Tracker
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Top 15 Tips For What To Eat To Help You Get Pregnant
1. Go Decaf
Okay so this one might be hard for some of you to swallow, but research suggests that caffeine may interfere with the natural contractions that help carry a womens egg to her womb. It also appears that drinking two or more caffeinated drinks may increase the risk of miscarriage. If youre a heavy caffeine consumer, you might as well start to wean yourself off now by choosing half-caf or decaf more often.
2. Be the DD
Again, more bad news for us ladies that want babies. One study found that women who consumed more than 2 drinks a day reduced their chances of conception by 18%. Ugh, apparently youre going to be ordering virgin mimosas for more than those precious 9 months.
3. Love the Lycopene
Lycopene is a specific antioxidant that early research suggests may help male sperm motility issues! Haas and Shaw recommend loading up on tomatoes like in this Veggie Shakshuka, but you can also grab some guava, watermelon and pink grapefruit.
4. Up that Vitamin D
Research suggests that those with sufficient vitamin D levels had higher rates of pregnancy compared with those whose levels were lagging . In addition to fortified dairy and alternatives, Haas and Shaw recommend trying UV-exposed mushrooms. Try subbing your meat for mushrooms in these vegan sloppy joes!
5. Antioxidants to the Rescue
6. Fill Up on Full Fat Dairy
7. Fermented Foods FTW
8. Go Slow
9. Pulse Power
10. Pass the Choline
11. Fork over the Folate
12. Pass the Myo-Inositol
13. Up the Omega 3
Filling The Nutrient Gap Of Your Fertility Diet With Supplements
It can be extremely difficult to ensure your body is getting all of the vitamins and minerals that are essential to reproduction through diet alone. Fertility supplements are comprised of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients known to help support fertility health. They are great for supporting a healthy diet and helping to improve fertility outcomes.
When choosing supplements, be sure to look for products that contain a vast array of ingredients known to support fertility health. Many nutrients work well together and provide enhanced results when taken in conjunction with one another.
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Foods To Avoid When Trying To Get Pregnant
When discussing the scientific basis for eating fertility diet focused on high fat low carbohydrate intake we certainly mentioned lots of substances or foods to avoid when trying to get pregnant, but its an important enough topic that it deserves its own section. While so much of what we try to do in life is focused on what we should add or do to improve things, the truth is that its often what we choose to eliminate that has the greatest impact. Here we will cover categories, nutrients, and foods to avoid when trying to get pregnant.
Sugar and Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates have been associated with the increase we are witnessing in obesity and other chronic conditions. In addition to causing inflammation, large amounts of carbs can also affect reproductive hormone levels. Sugars and carbohydrates play a direct role in determining blood sugar and insulin levels. If insulin or blood sugar levels get too high, reproductive hormone levels can be thrown off, which can cause anovulation and directly affect female fertility. Any food high in sugar can easily join the list of foods to avoid when trying to get pregnant. Foods that are high in sugar and carbs include fruits, bread, rice, potatoes, and sugary sweets like candy.
Soy and other Phytoestrogen Rich Foods
High Fiber
Alcohol
While you could argue alcohol isnt really a food, you also could argue it is. Either way, were putting it on our list of foods to avoid when trying to get pregnant.
Fertility Diet: What To Eat When Trying To Get Pregnant
If you’re trying to get pregnant, is your diet packed with foods that increase fertility? Unlike other factors that you can’t controlsuch as age and geneticseating certain foods and avoiding others can help improve your ovulatory function, according to a study from Harvard Medical School. “Eating as if you’re already pregnant can actually help prime your body for conception,” says Sarah Krieger, R.D., a nutritionist based in St. Petersburg, Florida. Here’s how to deliciously dine your way to a happy, healthy pregnancy by following a fertility diet.
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Top 10 Healthy Foods To Boost Your Fertility
Some women have a harder time getting pregnant than others. If you have been trying to conceive for long without much success, then you may want to consider consuming some of the foods given below. These foods have the potential to correct/manage hormonal imbalances in the body and provide essential nutrients that could help boost fertility.
Here are some of the top fertility-boosting foods that you can eat while trying to get pregnant:
Increasing Your Sperm Count
Tip: In addition to cutting out unhealthy snacks like chips and sweets, especially avoid processed meats like bacon. Processed meats may lower your sperm count more than other unhealthy foods.
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Increases Art Success Rates
If youre currently undergoing IVF or trying other assisted reproductive technology , yoga may increase the chances that youll get pregnant. A 2018 study explains that yoga helps to boost both mens and womens physiological and psychological states.
Researchers examined 87 previous studies of couples engaging in ART and yoga practice. They determined that the breathing, meditation, and poses may ease stress, depression, and anxiety and reduce pain levels all things that seem to make achieving pregnancy more likely.
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.
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