Ready to Conceive? What to Know Before You Start Trying

Miércoles, 24 Febrero 2016 04:14

If you want to have a baby, there are things you need to know–beyond the birds-and-bees basics–that can help enhance your fertility. We talked to our experts for advice on getting to that positive pregnancy test sooner:

Know Your Cycle

As you learned in biology class, the best time to conceive is right around ovulation. But do you know when you’re ovulating? “As soon as you start thinking about trying to get pregnant, it’s important to become more aware of your cycle,” says Bernadette Donovan, a One Medical Group nurse practitioner in San Francisco specializing in women’s health. Ovulation normally happens mid-cycle, but since menstrual cycles can vary tremendously from person to person, it pays to keep track of yours for several months–noting when you start your period, how long it lasts and when you are ovulating (you should notice an increase in cervical mucus around ovulation). “Your most fertile days include the two or three before and after actual ovulation,” says Donovan, so plan to have intercourse several times during that time window.

Stop Smoking

You shouldn’t smoke once you’re pregnant (it can have serious negative consequences for the fetus), so it pays to quit now. As a bonus, ditching the cigarettes may actually help you get pregnant. “There is a direct connection between smoking and reduced fertility,” says Donovan. Cigarette smoke can damage the eggs and contribute to premature aging of your ovaries, and since DNA abnormalities are a leading cause of miscarriage, smoking can affect both your ability to get and to stay pregnant.

Watch Your Weight

Being either overweight or underweight can affect your hormones, throwing off your menstrual cycle and your fertility. “Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a metabolic condition linked to being overweight, and women who suffer from PCOS may stop ovulating,” says Donovan. Likewise, women who are underweight may lose their menstrual cycles altogether or may have irregular ovulation, making it more difficult to know when they are most fertile.

Reduce Stress

Sometimes the stress of trying to have a baby can be part of what makes it difficult to conceive. Stress causes the release of the hormone cortisol, which affects many of the body’s systems and can interfere with the normal balance of other hormones. “It can be especially hard for high-achieving women who are used to having control over when things happen,” says Donovan. “Having trouble with fertility and not having control over when you get pregnant is quite a jolt.” But being told to “just relax” can add to your stress levels. Don’t make “relaxing” just another entry on your to-do list, but try to take positive steps toward reducing the amount of stress in your daily life. Getting enough sleep, eating well, and exercising regularly can help–as can more traditional stress reduction techniques like meditation, deep breathing, yoga, massage, or acupuncture. “The key is to bring balance and peace to your life,” says Donovan. “You want your body to be a nice, peaceful environment in order to encourage pregnancy.”

Don’t Delay

Even though many women are having babies in their late 30s and early 40s, fertility clearly declines with age. In this respect, biology has not evolved as quickly as modern-day society; cultural norms may be shifting pregnancy ages later, but a woman’s quantity and quality of eggs declines significantly in her 30s.

Last modified on Jueves, 25 Febrero 2016 06:36

95773 comments

  • Comment Link Royal Miércoles, 27 Septiembre 2023 13:48 posted by Royal

    Amazing blog! Is your theme custom made or did
    you download it from somewhere? A theme like yours
    with a few simple adjustements would really make my blog shine.

    Please let me know where you got your design. Bless you

  • Comment Link 789bet Miércoles, 27 Septiembre 2023 13:30 posted by 789bet

    You're so interesting! I don't suppose I've truly read through something like this before.
    So good to find another person with a few original thoughts on this issue.
    Seriously.. many thanks for starting this up. This site is something that is required on the internet, someone
    with some originality!

  • Comment Link winning303 slot Miércoles, 27 Septiembre 2023 13:30 posted by winning303 slot

    I have learn several excellent stuff here. Definitely value
    bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how much effort you set to create the sort of fantastic
    informative web site.

  • Comment Link Anton Miércoles, 27 Septiembre 2023 13:27 posted by Anton

    hello!,I like your writing so so much! proportion we be in contact
    more about your post on AOL? I need an expert in this area to resolve
    my problem. May be that's you! Looking forward to peer you.

  • Comment Link Joaquinboaxet Miércoles, 27 Septiembre 2023 13:25 posted by Joaquinboaxet

    zyprexa online-apotheke kaufen

  • Comment Link Cortez Miércoles, 27 Septiembre 2023 13:18 posted by Cortez

    Hi, i think that i saw you visited my website thus i came
    to “return the favor”.I am attempting to find things
    to improve my site!I suppose its ok to use some of your ideas!!

  • Comment Link Cenforce 100mg Miércoles, 27 Septiembre 2023 13:18 posted by Cenforce 100mg

    Good article. I'm facing many of these issues as well..

  • Comment Link Janessa Miércoles, 27 Septiembre 2023 13:13 posted by Janessa

    Excellent web site. A lot of helpful info here. I'm sending it to a few buddies ans
    also sharing in delicious. And certainly, thank you for
    your effort!

  • Comment Link Mackenzie Miércoles, 27 Septiembre 2023 13:07 posted by Mackenzie

    It is perfect time to make some plans for the longer term and it's time to be happy.
    I have learn this put up and if I may just I want to recommend you few attention-grabbing things or tips.
    Maybe you can write next articles relating to this article.
    I want to read more issues about it!

  • Comment Link www.bamalba.xyz Miércoles, 27 Septiembre 2023 12:47 posted by www.bamalba.xyz

    If you feel you are eligible for closed school discharge,
    download or open/print an application.

Leave a comment

Make sure you enter all the required information, indicated by an asterisk (*). HTML code is not allowed.