Getting pregnant can be difficult for 25% of couples. To increase chances, monitor menstrual cycle, have regular sex in the right positions, maintain a balanced diet, reduce alcohol and caffeine, exercise moderately, and seek medical advice if unsuccessful after a year.
Starting a family is an important decision in your life. The journey through pregnancy and raising a child is truly an exciting time for you and your partner. Keep in mind, however, that getting pregnant isn’t as easy as it might seem. In fact, 25% of couples have trouble conceiving. If you fall into this group, there are a number of things you can do to increase your chances, including making sure you try at the right time, have sex regularly, and eat right and get enough exercise.
Check your timing
Pregnancy depends on a couple’s fertility, and a woman is most fertile during ovulation, when her ovaries release a viable egg. Although the chances of conceiving are highest during ovulation, the fertile window actually begins four to five days before and continues until two days after. It is possible that you and your partner have sex outside of your fertile window.
To avoid wrong timing, start by closely monitoring your menstrual cycle. If you have an average menstrual cycle of 28 days, your ovulation will likely occur on day 14. Therefore, your fertile window runs from day 11 to day 16, and days 13, 14, and 15 give you the highest chance of getting pregnant. Since sperm can live in the body for four to five days, have intercourse just before ovulation to maximize your chances.
Have sex regularly, the right way
Regular intercourse is important when attempting to conceive. This is because long periods of abstinence increase the number of old sperm cells in the semen, decreasing its ability to fertilize the egg. Having sex every two to three days refreshes the sperm, resulting in better sperm quality. However, simply having sex on a regular basis may not be enough. Also consider your positions during intercourse.
Pregnancy is more likely when sperm is deposited as close to the cervix as possible, and certain positions are more conducive to aiding this goal. The missionary position and entry from behind are best, as they allow for deeper penetration, promoting ejaculation closer to the cervix. Avoid positions that cause semen to leak out of your body. These include female upper positions, standing or sitting.
After intercourse, lie on your back with your hips raised at a 30-degree angle for about 20 minutes. This prevents sperm from leaking out. It also relaxes the vaginal and cervical muscles, facilitating the flow of cervical mucus and consequently helping the sperm to reach the egg.
Change your diet
Being overweight or underweight affects your ability to get pregnant. Also, the type of food and drink you consume has an effect on your reproductive system. Therefore, maintain a balanced diet by eating in moderation, including foods and/or beverages with nutrients such as vitamins C and D, antioxidants, calcium, zinc, and folic acid.
Reduce or eliminate alcohol and caffeine from your diet. Research shows that consuming any amount of alcohol reduces the chances of pregnancy by 50%. Drinking just one cup of coffee a day has the same effect on your fertility.
Xenoestrogens in food should also be minimized. These are female hormones that are used in pesticides and other environmental chemicals. If ingested, xenoestrogens can cause a hormonal imbalance in the body and make pregnancy more difficult.
Get enough exercise
Low-impact exercises like aerobics, cycling, walking and swimming help maintain a healthy body weight while improving fertility. An ideal body weight keeps your hormones in balance, promoting pregnancy. Exercising too much can be just as harmful as not exercising at all, however, and exercising too hard and for too long each day drains your body of much-needed energy.
The stress of trying to conceive also takes a toll on your chances of getting pregnant. Don’t worry unnecessarily if you haven’t gotten pregnant after a try or two. It usually takes six months to a year for most couples. If you’ve been trying for more than a year without any success, see your doctor or a fertility specialist to discuss possible fertility problems in you, your partner, or both.
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