If you think that you may be at risk of fertility problems, there are a few things that you can do to increase your chance of conception.
To increase your chances of conceiving, having intercourse as close as possible to ovulation will certainly help. Some other ways to boost your fertility are
- Frequent sex boosts your chances of conceiving. Have a happy sex life. It’s important to have sex often throughout the month.
- Timing: The fertile window is the six-days that end on the day of ovulation. Pregnancy is most likely to occur with intercourse within the three days before ovulation. Keep track of ovulation with the calendar method (ovulation occurs around 14 days before the menstrual period is due) or by using an ovulation predictor kit.
- Keep your weight under control: Keeping a healthy weight can help you conceive. Being underweight or overweight can delay the time it takes a woman to conceive.
- Control your intake of coffee and alcohol. Drinking too much coffee or too much alcohol can impair a woman’s fertility: Moderation is the key-1-2 cups of coffee would be fine. So also, more than two alcoholic drinks a day should be avoided when trying to get pregnant. You should not have alcohol at all once you are pregnant. Drinking while pregnant increases the risk of serious birth defects
- Quit smoking: Smoking can impair both a woman’s and a man’s fertility. Smoking affects how receptive the uterus is to the egg. In men, smoking can reduce sperm production and damage DNA. Smoking while pregnant increases the risk of miscarriage.
- See Your Doctor: A preconception appointment with your doctor is an important first step in preparing for pregnancy. Eight out of 10 couples in which the woman is under 35 will conceive naturally after one year of having regular unprotected sex. If you’ve been trying for a year or more and have not become pregnant, see your Doctor. If the woman is over 35, or you’ve had problems before, such as an ectopic pregnancy, a miscarriage or surgery that may have affected your fertility, seek help sooner. A large number of women who have had miscarriages go on to have a subsequent normal pregnancy and birth.
