How Is Infertility Defined
Infertility is defined as the inability to become pregnant after one year of unprotected sex for women under 35 and six months for women 35 and older.
The vast majority of people will become pregnant within the first 12 months of trying to conceive with regular unprotected intercourse, says Cross. After six months to a year of trying depending on a womans age we recommend that a couple comes in for an infertility evaluation. At that point, its more likely that theres a problem preventing pregnancy.
Read Your Body’s Signs Of Ovulation
Here are the physical signs of ovulation to pay attention to:
- Cervical mucus: The normal vaginal discharge that changes as you progress through your cycle. It will go from nonexistent or dry to sticky, then creamy, and then wet, and then finally it will be the consistency of egg whites. That egg-white consistency means it’s fertile cervical mucus and indicates that you are about to ovulate. It’s the most sperm-friendly because they can easily swim through it up to the uterus.
- Basal body temperature: If you’re taking your temperature every day to chart your cycle using a fertility app or chart, you’ll notice that just as you ovulate, you may see a slight drop in your basal body temperature, followed by an increase.
- Cervical position: If you’re up for doing your own vaginal exam, you might note that your cervix is softer, higher and more open around the time of ovulation.
You may also experience slight pain/cramping, breast tenderness, spotting and an increased interest in sex around your ovulation window.
Hooray! Now what? If youre asking this question, this brief course is for you where well walk you through what to expect during these early weeks.
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.
Certain gravity-defying positions, such as sitting or standing during intercourse, however, may discourage sperm from traveling upstream. “It’s a matter of gravity you don’t want all the semen to run out — and semen are quick little critters,” Hillard says.
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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.
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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We Are Planning To Try For A Baby Are There Any Dietary Supplements Apart From Folic Acid That Can Help Me
Monica Moore, founder of Fertile Health, LLC
Eating a balanced diet and maintaining a healthy weight are incredibly important prior to conception. Any additional nutritional needs can be met by taking a daily prenatal vitamin that contains the necessary vitamins and minerals. In addition, it’s important to make sure that the prenatal vitamin contains DHA, which is an essential fatty acid that is critical for brain and neurological development. Babies depend on a maternal supply of DHA . If the prenatal vitamin doesn’t contain DHA, this should be added as a separate supplement to assure proper neurological health for the baby.
Day : Limit Toxin Exposure
High amounts of toxic exposure can be dangerous for a developing baby. Try to lower your exposure to common offenders by:
- avoiding synthetic fragrances
Here are a few other things you can start doing today:
- make your own household cleaners using water and vinegar
- eat organic foods
- stock up on fragrance-free laundry detergents
- toss makeup products that contain parabens, sodium laureth sulfate, and mercury
- choose fresh foods over canned, which may contain BPA
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Tracking Ovulation With Irregular Periods
If you experience irregular menstrual cycles, tracking ovulation could be helpful using several different tools.
Cycle chart
If your cycle is irregular, try tracking it on your calendar for a few reasons. You might notice a pattern, and you can share the information from your tracking efforts with your gynecologist or fertility specialist.
Cervical mucus
Your cervical mucus changes when you ovulate. Cervical mucus is minimal during the first few days after your menstrual cycle. Then, it will start to increase. As you approach ovulation, your cervical mucus will become more plentiful, clear, slippery, and sticky. A lot of people compare its consistency to egg whites.
Age Fertility And Conception
The most important factor for the chance of getting pregnant and having a healthy baby is your age. Starting at about age 32, a womans chance of conceiving starts to decline. From age 35, the fertility decline speeds up and by age 40, fertility has fallen by half.
The impact of the males age is less dramatic, but matters too. Men aged 45 and older are less fertile and some health conditions are more common in children with older fathers.
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How Long Should One Lie Down After Intercourse When Trying To Conceive
It is a common question many Australians ask when trying to get pregnant. Well, the fact is that no evidence is lying down after sex increases the odds of conception.
However, laying down after sexual intercourse is not bad either. It wont harm you. Consider laying down for at least 15 minutes. Some say it helps prevent sperm from getting out of the cervix.
Inquire About Your Familys Medical History
One of the important things to do before getting pregnant is looking into your family’s medical history. Talk to your parents and other family members about possible genetic diseases or chronic illnesses that have appeared in your ancestry. Speak to the women in your family and ask how they conceived, if they experienced any fertility issues, and what their pregnancies were like. If possible, talk to the father’s family as well. Some genetic diseases can be discovered through testing, so if you or your partner are at risk, get tested before conceiving so you can be fully informed in regard to planning your family.
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Day 1: Quit Tobacco Alcohol And Drugs
Smoking, using drugs, and drinking alcohol can harm an unborn baby in a number of ways. Smoking exposes your baby to harmful chemicals, restricts blood flow, and may even cause preterm labor.
Drinking puts baby at risk of fetal alcohol syndrome . Using drugs is not only illegal, but it also may cause birth defects, miscarriage, or stillbirth.
What Support Will I Need If I Have A Child
Whether youre a single parent or parenting with someone else, a child needs nonstop care and attention. Having a partner and/or family members to share the work of parenting makes the job a lot easier. Most parents need help, especially when it comes to money and time. The kind of support parents often need includes help with running errands, getting clothes and baby supplies , babysitting, and just having someone to talk with.
Parenting with a partner is usually easier than parenting alone, but it can put some serious stress on even the best relationships. Raising a child on your own has unique benefits and challenges. Either way, being realistic about your day-to-day life and the support youll need is important when youre thinking about raising a child.
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Get Rid Of Your Contraception
While it may seem obvious that you need to stop using birth control if you want to get pregnant, quitting birth control isnt always as simple as leaving the condoms in the drawer.
If youre on the pill, you may not ovulate for several weeks after you stop taking it, and women who stop receiving hormonal birth control injections may not resume ovulation for many months.
Either way, its a good idea to wait until youve had two regular menstrual cycles before you try to conceive, so you can establish a more accurate due date.
If youre thinking about having a baby, come in and see us here at Womens Health Center in Wichita, Kansas. Well help you every way we can!
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What Is A Pre
A pre-pregnancy 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.
If you can, get your pre-pregnancy checkup with the health care provider you want to take care of you when you do get pregnant. You can get a pre-pregnancy checkup any time. Get one even if youve already had a baby. Your health may have changed since you were last pregnant.
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Diet Exercise And Conception
There is no special diet that improves the odds of conception, but a healthy range of foods that includes lots of fresh fruits, vegetables and lean meats is recommended.
Vitamins and minerals are essential for the body to function. Read more about the benefits of vitamins and minerals for fertility and pregnancy health, including folic acid, iodine, vitamin D, zinc and selenium supplements.
Regular exercise also improves fertility. Australian and international guidelines recommend you do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity such as brisk walking, gardening or dancing on most but preferably all days of the week. If possible, do some vigorous activity such as running, fast cycling or fast swimming every week as well.
For men and women who are overweight or obese, exercise can help to prevent further weight gain or achieve a modest weight loss that improves general health and fertility. As part of weight management, international guidelines recommend that overweight or obese adults perform 225300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week .
Schedule Your First Prenatal Appointment
Your first prenatal appointment may involve confirming the pregnancy with an early ultrasound or blood work and going over your medical history and medications to set your pregnancy off on a healthy start.
A healthcare professional will also calculate your due date and provide lots of information about what to expect during pregnancy.
Be sure to ask your pregnancy care professional lots of questions. Feel free to write some down ahead of your visit. Your prenatal appointments are your opportunity to ask any and all questions to better help you care for yourself during pregnancy.
You should let your doctor or midwife know if youre experiencing any symptoms such as bleeding, cramping, or pain.
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Take Vitamins And Folic Acid
Take a vitamin and mineral supplement that includes at least 0.4 milligrams of folic acid.
- Folic acid reduces the risk of birth defects, especially problems with the baby’s spine.
- Start taking a vitamin with folic acid before you want to get pregnant.
- Avoid high doses of any vitamin, especially vitamins A, D, E, and K. These vitamins can cause birth defects if you take more than the normal recommended daily amounts. Regular pregnancy prenatal vitamins do not have excessively high doses of any vitamin.
Are There Any Foods I Should Avoid When Trying For A Baby
Monica Moore, founder of Fertile Health, LLC
Some foods are not recommended when attempting pregnancy because they can contain Listeria, a bacteria that can cause an infection that can be harmful to the baby. Any cheese product containing unpasteurized milk can be a vehicle for listeria, as can prepared salads that you might find in a supermarket. Also, raw foods can contain bacteria or parasites that are also harmful and should not be ingested. Women should also avoid fish that are high in mercury, like tuna and swordfish. Any raw fruits and vegetables should be thoroughly washed as well.
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Day 1: Gather Family Medical History
Your babys health will also be influenced by genetic factors that have roots in your family tree. Before you get pregnant, you may want to ask your parents or other relatives if there are any genetic conditions that run in your bloodline. The same goes for your partner.
Uncover something? You can make an appointment with a genetic counselor to discuss your concerns and get further testing.
Stop Using Birth Control
Obviously, if you want to get pregnant, you need to stop using birth control. What you may not know is that you may need time for your fertility to return. It depends on what kind of birth control you were using.
With most forms of birth control, your fertility will return the next cycle after you stop using it. There may be a few bumpy months while your cycle regulates itself, but its also possible to get pregnant in your first official fertile month.
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Steer Clear Of Toxins
On a similar note, your list of things to do before getting pregnant should include eliminating toxins. Drugs, alcohol, and smoking are clearly harmful to your baby, but there are others you might not know about, such as vitamin A, found in over-the-counter skin care products. Pesticides and other chemicals can also be dangerous, as can unpasteurized dairy products. Do your research, and consult with a medical professional if you have concerns.
Understand Your Menstrual Cycle
Your fertile window is likely five to six days long, typically in the middle of your cycle.
On average, those with a 28-day cycle will ovulate on day 14. But charting your cycle is key to identifying your unique fertile days. In fact, just basing your conception attempts on a calendar can risk you missing your actual fertile daysyour body will often show you that you are ovulating through specific signs of ovulation.
Ready to learn more? Here’s how to find your most fertile days.
Once an egg is released from your ovary, it will survive for 12 to 24 hours. That means that it must meet the sperm within that window in order for it to become fertilized. The good news is that healthy sperm survives in your body for up to five days.
This is why knowing when you ovulate is so important.
Say you ovulate on Wednesday at midnight. Having sex or insemination anytime on Wednesday means that the sperm is potentially going to meet the egg during that 12- to 24-hour window. But if you had sex or insemination on Tuesday , the sperm may still be alive and waiting for the egg when it’s released. So if you are anticipating ovulation within a few days, having sex or insemination ahead of time will increase the chances of having living sperm ready and waiting to fertilize your egg.
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Take A Prenatal Vitamin
Pavone recommends that women who are attempting to conceive start taking a prenatal vitamin even before becoming pregnant. This way, a woman can find one that’s more agreeable to her system and stay on it during pregnancy, she said.
Another possibility is to take a daily multivitamin, as long as it contains at least 400 micrograms per day offolic acid, a B vitamin that’s important for preventing birth defects in a baby’s brain and spine, Pavone said.
TheCenters for Disease Control and Prevention urges women to take 400 mcg of folic acid every day for at least one month before getting pregnant, to help prevent birth defects.
Getting a head start on folic acid supplementation is a good idea because the neural tube develops into the brain and spine three tofour weeks after conception occurs, before many women may realize they’re expecting.
