GETTING PREGNANT: EASY WAYS TO ENCOURAGE FERTILITY
- Dr. S.R. AMEERKHAN BABU., M.D.(Hom)Gen.med.
If you’re having trouble getting pregnant but you're not quite ready for fertility treatments, there are things you can try on your own. For some couples, getting pregnant is quick and easy. For others, things may not go exactly as planned. Sometimes, problems are linked to specific physiological issues such as blocked fallopian tubes in the woman or low or no sperm count in the man -- problems that can be helped by fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or insemination. For many others, however, reasons behind their infertility are much harder to define. And what if you aren't anticipating a problem but just want to give your fertility a boost? Some of these low-tech methods can work for you as well. Just keep in mind that the American Society for Reproductive Medicine says if you don't get pregnant after 12 months of regular unprotected intercourse -- or six months if you are a woman over 35 -- it's time to seek help from a fertility specialist.
Fertility Booster No. 1: Eat Healthfully:
Among the most common causes of unexplained infertility in women is "ovulatory dysfunction" -- an umbrella term encompassing problems with ovulation. Though a number of factors can be responsible, many doctors now believe diet is key. In a study of some 17,000 women conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, researchers were able to define a group of "fertility foods" able to improve conception odds.
It is often said that you are what you eat. The food that we consume can make us fit and also assist us in overcoming lot of medical problems including infertility. So if you are planning to get pregnant and if you are unable to conceive, it is most probably your diet which is to be blamed. Rather than drowning your tears and sorrows into that ice cream tub or by digging into that rich chocolate dessert it would be better if you take care of your diet which can increase your fertility. The simplest reason why the right food selection can help you aid in fertility is that it can make you lose excess weight and regulate your hormonal levels which will help you in becoming pregnant quickly.
Below are Top best fertility foods that can help you become pregnant and make you hold the baby that you had been wanting badly:
· Staying hydrated by consuming a lot of water will not only help in proper functioning of all your reproductive organs but will also provide natural fluid for the sperms to reach the cervix. So drink filtered or spring water and increase your fertility levels.
· Green leafy vegetables especially spinach is loaded with antioxidants, iron and folic acid all needed to maintain the good health of your reproductive organs. Folic acid present in spinach not only assists you in getting pregnant by generating viable eggs but also prevents defects in newborns.
· Include a healthy dose of orange and yellow vegetable in your daily diet as they are good sources of antioxidants and beta carotene. Beta carotene helps in correcting hormonal imbalance and also eliminates the chance of miscarriage.
· Suffering from endometriosis or uterine fibroids then gorge on broccoli, cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables. These vegetables contain phyto-nutrients which help in regulating estrogens metabolism.
· If your problem is irregular menstrual cycles then sweet potatoes, carrots and peas are must haves. These vegetables contain beta carotene which helps in regulating menstrual flow thereby increasing your fertility.
· Enjoy a daily serving of fruits rich in Vitamin C such as blueberries, papaya, oranges, kiwi and strawberries which offer lot of nutritional benefits to women that are planning to conceive.
· Dairy products and lean animal proteins such as fish are rich sources of amino acid that helps in generating fertility hormones FSH and LH. So include them in your diet and see your dream of getting pregnant realized soon.
· Reach out for whole grain bread and tortillas instead of bakery products made of fine flour as they are rich sources of iron and vitamin B needed for enhancing fertility hormones.
· You need to eat right fats if you wish to get pregnant. So a handful of nuts like almonds or walnuts which are great sources of omega 3 fatty acid should be included in your diet.
· Lastly consume vegetable proteins in moderations especially tofu and other soy products which will help you in attaining ideal pre pregnancy weight and will therefore help you in getting pregnant.
The food that your gorge on have a big impact on how quickly you can conceive. So have a meal rich in fruits, vegetables, dairy products, vegetable proteins which are good sources of Vitamin C, Beta carotene, antioxidants, folic acid and iron that can help you in getting pregnant quickly.
Many researchers believes diet made a difference because the majority of women experiencing ovulatory dysfunction were also suffering from undiagnosed or subclinical PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), a condition related to insulin resistance that also affects ovulation. And finally, "You should not depend on it alone -- make it just one part of your overall efforts to conceive."
Fertility Booster No. 2: Weight Control
Whether or not you eat the so-called "fertility foods," maintaining a healthy weight is another way to enhance your fertility. Studies show that having either a very low or very high BMI (body mass index) disrupts ovulation and may also affect production of key reproductive hormones. For many women -- particularly those who are overweight -- problems are traced to ovulatory dysfunction, often caused by PCOS. That said, a recent Dutch study of some 3,000 women found excess weight could also interfere with fertility even if a woman is ovulating normally. Reporting in the journal Human Reproduction, researchers documented a 4% decrease in conception odds for every point in BMI above 30. For women whose BMI was higher than 35, there was up to a 43% overall decrease in the ability to conceive. The good news: Losing those extra pounds may preclude the need for pricey fertility treatments. Another research says that, being too thin can also keep you from conceiving. "Women who are extremely lean often have a problem getting pregnant because they are not able to sustain a regular menstrual cycle -- for these women, it is more beneficial to gain weight.
Fertility Booster No. 3: Reduce Stress
Although links between stress and infertility have been long debated, evidence continues to mount that the two are intertwined. In studies conducted at Harvard's Mind-Body Institute, women who underwent stress reduction therapy saw dramatic increases in their ability to get pregnant. In fact, even women who were already undergoing fertility treatments had more successful outcomes when stress was kept under control.
More recently, research linked stress to a condition known as functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA). Affecting some 5% of women in their reproductive years, it causes irregular or absent menstrual cycles. What can you do to reduce fertility-related stresses? Experts say anything that makes you feel relaxed can help -- be it listening to music, doing yoga, getting regular massages, writing in a journal, reading, gardening -- even chatting on the phone with friends. You can also think outside the box for some unique ways to reduce stress. One recent study published in the journal Psychological Science found the simple act of holding hands with your spouse can drop stress levels dramatically. Or you might try renting a stack of romantic comedy videos. If you're tempted to handle your stress by smoking or drinking alcohol, experts say don't. Numerous studies have shown that smoking contributes to both male and female infertility and can even impair the outcome of fertility treatments. Excessive alcohol consumption can impair ovulation in women and sperm production in men.
Fertility Booster No. 4: Ovulation
While being intimate during the "right time of the month" won't do anything to increase your fertility, it can increase your chances of getting pregnant -- simply by ensuring you and your partner connect during the time conception is possible.
Timing is key, because "an egg only lives for 24 to 36 hours." But sperm can live in the lower portion of a woman's reproductive tract a lot longer -- often up to five days. So to increase your chances of conceiving you should be intimate with your partner beginning three to four days prior to ovulation, and continuing up to 24 hours after ovulation.
But how do you know when you're about to ovulate? Experts say there are several methods you can use to approximate.
1. Chart your basal body temperature (BBT): Your BBT, which is the lowest temperature your body reaches during the day, is affected by the hormones that influence ovulation. Just prior to egg release, your BBT drops about a half degree, then rises again after you ovulate. So by carefully monitoring and keeping track of your daily temperature for one or two months, Pollack says you will begin to see a pattern take shape. If you have intercourse during the days when your temperature drops, then there is a good chance you will be within your fertility window.
2. Chart your cervical mucus: Corresponding to changes in body temperature are changes in cervical mucus. Just prior to ovulation, the mucus will seem more copious, thinner, and more clear than on other days. You might even be able to pull it apart so that it looks somewhat like rubber cement -- a phenomenon known as "spinbarket." By checking your cervical mucus daily and coordinating its consistency with your BBT, you can further nail down your most fertile time.
3. Use an ovulation predictor kit (OPK): These over-the-counter kits, costing from $20 to $75 a month, check for the hormonal changes found in urine prior to ovulation. Some use a color-sensitive dipstick while newer OPKs have digital readouts that may be easier to interpret. OPKs can alert you to ovulation up to two days in advance. Once the OPK is positive, Pollack says, you would "have intercourse that day and every day for three days to help increase your chances of conception." Another device that may predict fertility is the "ferning" microscope, which can be used to detect changes in saliva that precede ovulation. However, experts say this approach may not be as reliable as an OPK.
Fertility Booster No. 5: Conception Kits and Other Tests
A kit that helps predict ovulation may tell you when it's the best time to have intercourse, but most did little else to foster fertility -- until now.
A new kit developed by Conceivex not only offers ovulation prediction, but it also contains a small latex-free cervical cap to actually help you conceive. The idea here is to concentrate an ejaculate into the cap and insert it into a woman's body directly at the opening of the cervix. In a kind of do-it-yourself mini-insemination, it does away with the need for sperm to swim through a sometimes chemically "hostile" vaginal canal, placing them instead right at the palace gates. Experts recommended the kit, says it's most useful for women with previous cervical issues or for men with low sperm volume or performance anxiety. Though Conceivex won't repair any defects, it is a way around them. It's also an important aid for men with sperm concentration problems. Although Conceivex requires a prescription, it can be purchased online after completing a questionnaire reviewed by their medical doctors.
A second new kit is called Fertell. While the female version is simply an ovulation predictor kit, the male version is an at-home test able to measure sperm motility --the ability of sperm to reach a woman's fallopian tubes. It does not require a prescription. Other do-it-yourself sperm motility tests are available. "There is no harm in trying these kits, or any of the other methods to encourage fertility. But if you don't get pregnant within the suggested time frame, then don't wait -- see a fertility specialist".
