5 Ways To Boost Your Chances Of Pregnancy

06/18/2015

Written by: Dr Zeenobiyah McGowan Ph.D.

Getting pregnant is probably the one thing that is taken for granted more than anything else. Have unprotected sex and you will get pregnant, right? It’s not always that simple. There are many things that can impact your fertility, and even healthy, fertile couples in their 20s can take months of trying before they are able to see a big fat positive on a pregnancy test. But fortunately, there are some things you can do to boost your chances of getting pregnant.

1. Have sex when you are ovulating

If you do not know when you are ovulating, there are a few things you can do. You may opt to have sex every two to three days during your cycle. If you do this, you will surely be hitting your fertile window, and you will not have had to stress about it at all. But if you want to be sure, you may opt to track ovulation (this is a popular choice for women who are trying to conceive). You may track ovulation by charting your BBT (basal body temperature), using an over-the-counter OPK (ovulation prediction kit) or tracking your cervical mucus. All methods can be effective.

Phil Druce, from fertility tracking website OvulationCalendar.com says, “You have won half the battle if you can get the timing right by predicting when ovulation will occur. There are only up to six days during the cycle that a woman is fertile, ovulation day and the five days before.”

2. Do not have too much sex

You may be tempted to have sex regularly when you are approaching your fertile window, but try to avoid this temptation. Experts actually recommend that you only have sex every two to three days during this time to optimize the amount of sperm your partner can deliver. There is no need to abstain from sex outside of your fertile window. In fact, doing so may hurt your chances of conceiving in that cycle due to degenerating sperm.

3. Avoid smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol in excess

These bad habits are bad for more than just your heart and lungs. They are also bad for your chances of conceiving. If you are a heavy smoker or drinker, it is a good time to get help. Both of these things are likely keeping you from getting pregnant. If possible, quit three months before you start trying to make a baby. This will give you the best chances of conceiving.

4. Eat well and maintain a healthy weight

A healthy diet filled with a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables and small quantities of lean protein can improve your chances of conceiving because you will be more likely to be getting all of the essential nutrients your body needs for your reproductive system to function at its best. These include calcium, folic acid and zinc among others. Also, if you are overweight, a healthy diet may help you get back down to an ideal weight for conception, which means having a BMI (body mass index) between 18.5 and 24.9.

5. Go for a pre-conception check-up

If there are any problems that need to be addressed, it is best to do so before you start trying to conceive. For example, you may have a symptomless STD, which could go unnoticed unless you have a routine STD screening. Certain untreated sexually transmitted infections can cause infertility.

Author: Dr Zeenobiyah McGowan Ph.D., an expert on women’s health and helping couples conceive naturally. Dr McGowan is a mother of one beautiful girl. She founded Impact Humanity, a charity which helps under privileged children get the basic necessities like food and education in Kenya.