Focus On Your Overall Health
Make lifestyle changes to get as healthy as possible and put yourself in the best position to be pregnant. If you dont have regular periods, diet, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle can help your body to get in a better alignment.
You can actually meet with your OB-GYN before attempting to get pregnant to talk about any existing health problems and get screened for any genetic problems. Some suggestions for ways you can change your lifestyle include:
- working toward or maintaining a healthy weight
- avoiding caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, and drugs
- finding ways to manage or decrease stress
Having Too Little Sex
You have to have sexspecifically around the time of ovulation, which is when a person releases an eggin order to conceive. However, it’s important to do it more throughout your cycle, not just when you’re most likely to get pregnant. Having sex sends a signal to your body that it should be ready for conception. The immune system then shifts from one focused on battling illness to one primed for reproduction, a December 2015 study published in Fertility and Sterility suggested.
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.
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How Does Age Affect A Woman’s Ability To Have Children
Many women are waiting until their 30s and 40s to have children. In fact, about 20 percent of women in the United States now have their first child after age 35. So age is a growing cause of fertility problems. About one-third of couples in which the woman is over 35 have fertility problems.
Aging decreases a woman’s chances of having a baby in the following ways:
- Her ovaries become less able to release eggs
- She has a smaller number of eggs left
- Her eggs are not as healthy
- She is more likely to have health conditions that can cause fertility problems
- She is more likely to have a miscarriage
Chlamydia Cdc Fact Sheet
Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease that can be easily cured. If left untreated, chlamydia can make it difficult for a woman to get pregnant.
Basic Fact Sheet | Detailed Version
Basic fact sheets are presented in plain language for individuals with general questions about sexually transmitted diseases. The content here can be syndicated .
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What Is Preventing Me From Getting Pregnant
- Being overweight, obese or underweight can affect a womans fertility.
- Obesity can lower fertility in men.
- You have a greater chance of getting pregnant and having a healthy baby if you are close to a healthy weight.
- A small weight loss can improve fertility and pregnancy health.
- Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly improves your chances of getting pregnant and having a healthy baby.
You’re Over 44 Years Old
Thanks to that good-old biological clock, a person’s chances of getting pregnant wane over time. According to ACOG, people with ovaries are born with some one to two million eggs. By puberty, that number drops to 300,000 to 500,000, and 25,000 by your late 30s. By menopause, there are only around 1,000 eggs remaining. This means that the chances of becoming pregnant in your mid-40s are pretty slim, though not impossible.
“As we get closer to 40, the ticking of our biological clock becomes louder, and by 44, it can be deafening,” Dr. Ross says. Between 40 and 45 years of age, fertility decreases by as much as 95%.
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How Hard Is It To Get Pregnant While On Your Period
It is possible to get pregnant by having sex on your period, but the chances are extremely low. The exact risk depends upon the length of your cycle. Though length can vary from cycle to cycle, you can estimate when you are typically most fertile by tracking your cycle.
Weight Loss To Restart Ovulation
Many people with PCOS struggle with obesity. This is because PCOS negatively affects how the body processes insulin, which can, in turn, cause weight gain.
One of the main reasons people with PCOS cant conceive is they dont ovulate, or they dont ovulate regularly. People with PCOS who are also overweight are more likely to experience more severe anovulation, going months between periods.
Studies have found that losing some weight may bring back ovulation. According to the research, losing 5% to 10% of current weight may be enough to jump-start menstrual cycles.
Unfortunately, theres not much evidence that losing weight alone will help you conceive. You may still need fertility drugs. But people who lose weight have a greater chance of success with fertility treatments.
Losing weight isnt easy for anybody, and it may be even more difficult for those with PCOS. Also, not everyone with PCOS is overweight. If that’s your situation, weight loss isn’t a solution to help with fertility.
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When Should You Seek Help For Infertility
Women under the age of 35 who arent pregnant after one year of trying should see a healthcare provider. You should seek help sooner if youre older than 35. A womans chances of getting pregnant decrease with age. A 30-year-old woman is half as fertile as a 20-year-old woman.
Regardless of gender, you should seek help early if you have a risk factor that affects fertility.
What Medicines Are Used To Treat Infertility In Women
Some common medicines used to treat infertility in women include:
- Clomiphene citrate : This medicine causes ovulation by acting on the pituitary gland. It is often used in women who have polycystic ovary syndrome or other problems with ovulation. This medicine is taken by mouth.
- Human menopausal gonadotropin or hMG : This medicine is often used for women who don’t ovulate due to problems with their pituitary gland. hMG acts directly on the ovaries to stimulate ovulation. It is an injected medicine.
- follicle-stimulating hormone or FSH : FSH works much like hMG. It causes the ovaries to begin the process of ovulation. These medicines are usually injected.
- Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog: These medicines are often used for women who don’t ovulate regularly each month. Women who ovulate before the egg is ready can also use these medicines. Gn-RH analogs act on the pituitary gland to change when the body ovulates. These medicines are usually injected or given with a nasal spray.
- Metformin : Doctors use this medicine for women who have insulin resistance and/or PCOS. This drug helps lower the high levels of male hormones in women with these conditions. This helps the body to ovulate. Sometimes clomiphene citrate or FSH is combined with metformin. This medicine is usually taken by mouth.
- Bromocriptine : This medicine is used for women with ovulation problems due to high levels of prolactin. Prolactin is a hormone that causes milk production.
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Dont Smoke Drink Alcohol Or Abuse Street Or Prescription Drugs All Of These Can Harm Your Baby When You Do Get Pregnant
What is preconception health?
Preconception health is your health before pregnancy. Being healthy before pregnancy can help improve your chances of getting pregnant. It also can help prevent pregnancy complications when you do get pregnant. Good preconception health includes getting a preconception checkup and talking to your health care provider about health conditions that can affect your pregnancy. It also includes taking folic acid to help prevent birth defects and making changes in your life that may affect the health of your baby when you do get pregnant.
If youre thinking about getting pregnant, start focusing on your health at least 3 months before you start trying to get pregnant. If you have health conditions that may affect a pregnancy, you may need longer to get your body ready to have a baby.
What is a preconception checkup?
A preconception checkup is a medical checkup you get before pregnancy. It helps your health care provider make sure youre healthy and that your body is ready for pregnancy. The checkup helps your provider treat and sometimes prevent health conditions that may affect your pregnancy. For example, your provider checks to make sure your vaccinations are up to date and gives you any you need before pregnancy.
What is your family health history and why is it important before you get pregnant?
Your family health history can help your provider:
What is folic acid?
Does your weight before you get pregnant affect your pregnancy?
More information
How Is Female Infertility Treated
Once your healthcare provider has diagnosed female infertility and pinpointed the cause, there are a variety of treatment options. The cause of the infertility guides the type of treatment. For example, structural problems may be treated through surgery, while hormonal medications can be used for other issues .
Many patients will require artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization .
Adoption and gestational surrogacy may also be options for women with infertility who wish to start a family.
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Causes Of Infertility That No One Talks About
Infertility is a part of life for 1 in every 8 couples in the United States. Most people know that risk factors like age and tobacco use can make having a baby difficult, yet, there are young, tobacco-free families who struggle to get pregnant in every community. Because knowledge is critical in safeguarding your reproductive health, here are five causes of infertility you may never have heard of.
What Will My Doctor Ask During An Appointment To Diagnose Female Infertility
Your healthcare provider will need to know about your menstrual periods, any past pregnancies, miscarriages, pelvic pain, unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge. You may also be asked about any past pelvic infections or sexually transmitted infections . Some questions may include:
- Have you had any previous pregnancies or miscarriages?
- Is your menstrual cycle normal and regular or painful and irregular?
- Do you have heavy bleeding or abnormal discharge?
- Do you have any pelvic pain?
- Have you had any abdominal surgeries in the past?
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Why Can’t I Get Pregnant 11 Possible Reasons
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. She works in house at a reputable private clinic in New York City while also seeing her own clients through her concierge fertility consulting and nursing services business.
If you’ve been trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant, you may be wondering, “Why can’t I get pregnant?” You could be worrying that you never will. However, there are many possible reasons why you aren’t conceiving and many possible solutions.
You may have ovulation irregularities, structural problems in the reproductive system, low sperm count, or an underlying medical problem. Or you simply haven’t tried long enough.
While infertility can have symptoms like irregular periods or severe menstrual cramps, most causes of infertility are silent. Male infertility, for example, rarely has symptoms. Here are 11 possible reasons you haven’t conceived yet.
Causes Of Irregular Cycles
Irregular cycles may point to a subtle hormonal imbalance. You may still be ovulating every month, but your ovulation day may vary. If you’re ovulating, you may be able to get pregnant without the help of fertility drugs. Here are some possible causes of irregular cycles that are also infertility risk factors.
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How Hard Is It To Get Pregnant While Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding disrupts a person’s hormones and can effectively suppress ovulation. However, the absence of periods after giving birth is temporary, and menstruation can resume even when a person is still breastfeeding. According to the World Health Organization , with consistent and correct use, fewer than 1 out of 100 people will become pregnant relying on LAM during their baby’s first 6 months. But with typical use, that number increases to 2 out of 100.
Things That Could Be Preventing You From Getting Pregnant
You spent years maybe decades trying to prevent pregnancy. But then when you finally started trying to conceive, it wasnt as easy as you thought. Now what? To start with, you arent alone. More than six million women in the US are affected by infertility. If youre one of the many, you have options such as assisted reproductive technology . But thats not all: Making some lifestyle changes may increase your chances of conception, whether youre using ART or not. Unless the doctor has given you a definitive answer, check out what naturopathic physician Jennifer Mercier, PhD suggests could be the top reasons youre having trouble getting pregnant right now.
1. Stress: Whether you have work-related issues, are dealing with family drama, or are just anxious about trying to conceive, none of it is helping you to get pregnant. A 2016 study from the University of Louisville found that women who experienced more stress during their ovulation window had a 40 percent lower chance of conceiving. And this is far from the only piece of research backing up the stress/conception connection. To combat the tension that may be sabotaging your would-be pregnancy, Dr. Mercier recommends that people who are trying to conceive find a workable outlet that they enjoy. This could include yoga, meditation, or just about anything else that alleviates stress.
Tweet us your best tips for beating the TTC stress @BritandCo!
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What Is Unexplained Infertility
Unexplained fertility is when no reason has been found for a persons fertility problems. In this case you should not be offered any fertility drugs taken by mouth as this does not improve the chances of conceiving naturally. Unexplained fertility is more likely if you are over 36 than if you are under.
If you have been trying to conceive naturally for more than two years you may be offered IVF.
Keep These Things In Mind While Using Natural Contraceptives
There are certain things you should keep in mind when you use any of the above home remedies:
- If youre looking for an effective way to avoid pregnancy and are considering any one of the above methods on a long-term basis, consult a gynaecologist.
- Many of the herbs and foods listed above are neither 100% effective nor 100% free from side effects. Some carry risks that may prove harmful in the long run.
- If you experience any abnormal health effects after taking the remedy, stop taking it.
- Make sure you eat healthily while taking any birth control measures.
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the home remedies to prevent unwanted pregnancy are not as effective as condoms, contraceptive pills or other medical contraceptive devices. Practising safe sex is always the best option. Consult your doctor so that you can proceed without anxiety or fear. After all, its always better to be safe than sorry.
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Reduce Your Caffeine Intake
Research shows that consuming too much caffeine while you are trying to conceive can increase the risk of miscarriage. The research shows that this applies to both women and men. Too much caffeine in pregnancy has also been shown to be harmful to the developing baby.
If youre planning to conceive, you and your partner should consider limiting your caffeine intake to 200mg a day.
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Age Is A Major Factor For Women
Youve probably heard the phrase your biological clock is ticking. This phrase refers to your fertile window. Women cant conceive after their menstrual cycles stop, usually sometime in your 40s or 50s. Men produce sperm throughout their lives, but women are born with a set number of eggs that decreases as you age.
At birth you have about two million eggs but naturally lose hundreds of thousands of them by the time you reach puberty, says Cross. Your body continues to lose eggs no matter what you do. And the rate at which women lose eggs accelerates around the age of 37.
The quality of eggs stored in the ovaries also declines over time. The eggs youre born with are naturally paused in the process of dividing their DNA, Cross explains. They complete that process, or ripen, when you ovulate them 20 to 40 years later. The longer eggs are stuck in the mid-division stage, the more likely that process will go wrong creating eggs with the wrong number of chromosomes. That results in not becoming pregnant, experiencing miscarriages or having babies with genetic syndromes due to chromosomal abnormalities.
The bottom line: The quality and number of eggs a woman has decreases throughout her lifetime and egg loss accelerates around the age of 37, which makes it more difficult to become pregnant.
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