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

89667 comments

  • Comment Link dg Lunes, 27 Marzo 2023 05:52 posted by dg

    %%

  • Comment Link 인스타그램 마케팅 Lunes, 27 Marzo 2023 05:22 posted by 인스타그램 마케팅

    Hey there just wanted to give you a quick heads up and let you know a few of the pictures aren't loading properly.
    I'm not sure why but I think its a linking issue.
    I've tried it in two different browsers and both show the same results.

  • Comment Link 유튜브 마케팅 Lunes, 27 Marzo 2023 05:21 posted by 유튜브 마케팅

    Can you tell us more about this? I'd want to find out some additional information.

  • Comment Link 구글 상위노출 Lunes, 27 Marzo 2023 05:17 posted by 구글 상위노출

    This is a good tip especially to those fresh to the blogosphere.
    Short but very precise info… Appreciate your sharing this one.
    A must read article!

  • Comment Link 인스타그램 마케팅 Lunes, 27 Marzo 2023 05:03 posted by 인스타그램 마케팅

    Its like you read my mind! You seem to grasp a lot approximately this, like
    you wrote the guide in it or something. I think
    that you can do with some p.c. to drive the message home a bit, however other than that, that is wonderful
    blog. A fantastic read. I'll certainly be back.

  • Comment Link 인스타그램 마케팅 Lunes, 27 Marzo 2023 04:46 posted by 인스타그램 마케팅

    It's an amazing article for all the web visitors; they will obtain benefit from it I am sure.

  • Comment Link 구글 상위노출 Lunes, 27 Marzo 2023 04:33 posted by 구글 상위노출

    Hi there mates, its fantastic post regarding educationand
    entirely explained, keep it up all the time.

  • Comment Link 인스타그램 마케팅 Lunes, 27 Marzo 2023 04:17 posted by 인스타그램 마케팅

    Why viewers still use to read news papers when in this technological globe everything is accessible on net?

  • Comment Link Как пробудить в себе интерес к жизни Lunes, 27 Marzo 2023 03:13 posted by Как пробудить в себе интерес к жизни

    И по сей день действуют запреты, сформированные во
    времена, когда человек находился в первобытном состоянии.
    Они до сих пор являются одной из причин сопротивления
    некоторых индивидов культуре.
    И чем дальше уходит развитие человеческой культуры, тем больше становится этих запретов.
    Есть вероятность, что желания, которые на сегодняшний день остаются вполне
    приемлемыми, со временем попадут под
    такой же запрет, как, скажем, каннибализм.
    Как пробудить в себе интерес к жизни

  • Comment Link thai women for marriage Lunes, 27 Marzo 2023 03:03 posted by thai women for marriage

    This article will help the internet viewers for creating new weblog or even a blog from
    start to end.
    I'm Fahfii Panday - slim Thailand lady

    My best quote - "don't be fooled by lovely ladies when you are dating in Om Noi, Thailand"

Leave a comment

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