Trying To Conceive?
Everything You Need To Know About Fertility
Everything You Need To Know About Fertility
Have you and your partner decided to have a baby? Maybe you’re a single woman who’s always wanted to have a child but just never met the right person. Taking the step into parenthood is exciting and scary.
While you may be one of the lucky few who fall pregnant in a matter of months, your pregnancy journey could also be a bit more complex. This article explains what fertility is, how you can improve your chances of falling pregnant, and when to see a fertility specialist. Let’s dive in.
Read the full article or Use the quick links to jump ahead.
- What is fertility?
- How long does it take to fall pregnant?
- Trying to conceive? Here’s what you need to know.
- Factors affecting fertility
- Signs of infertility
- Treating infertility
What is fertility?
Fertility is a woman’s natural ability to fall pregnant. Some women are naturally more fertile than others. For those women who struggle to fall pregnant, fertility treatment is advised.
How long does it take to fall pregnant?
It really can vary. Typically, most women will fall pregnant within the first year of trying to conceive. Some might fall pregnant within the first month. Others can take years. In fact, it’s estimated that the rate of infertility is 10% to 15%, which is why several couples struggle to fall pregnant.
If you’re under 35 and have been trying to conceive for more than a year, arrange to speak with your doctor. They will advise a series of tests to determine whether there are any medical reasons why you’ve not fallen pregnant and the next steps.
Trying to conceive? Here’s what you need to know.
To give you the best chance of falling pregnant, follow these top tips.
1. Know your menstrual cycle
Knowing your menstrual cycle can dramatically increase your chances of falling pregnant. Start by tracking your cycle from the first day of bleeding. Keep a diary and write down the length of your cycle. Most women’s menstrual cycle lasts between 26 and 35 days. Your most fertile days typically fall between days 10 and 14. Getting the timing right can improve your chances of falling pregnant quickly.
2. Understand how ovulation works
During ovulation, your reproductive system releases hormones that trigger the release of your egg and the thickening of your uterus lining. Your cervical mucus also becomes more slippery, helping the sperm travel up through the uterus towards the egg. If fertilization doesn’t happen within 24 hours of the egg releasing from the ovary, it will dissolve.
As sperm can live for up to five days, knowing when you ovulate can help you conceive more easily. An inexpensive way to track whether you are ovulating is to use a basal thermometer. The hormone progesterone kicks in during ovulation, raising your core body temperature. All you need to do is take your temperature each morning. If it’s slightly elevated, you’re probably ovulating. Alternatively, you can use an ovulation kit.
3. Track your most fertile days
Roughly 14 days from your next period is when you are most fertile. During this short window, you want to have unprotected sex every other day.
4. Take prenatal vitamins
Once you decide to have a baby, it’s vital that you begin taking a prenatal vitamin and folic acid. Growing a baby requires many vitamins and minerals, so add a multivitamin even if you eat a balanced diet. Folic acid aids in the development of your baby’s spinal cord and brain and is proven to prevent birth defects such as spina bifida. Ideally, you want to take Folic acid for at least one month before falling pregnant. Prenatal vitamins boost your calcium, and iron intake, which is really important as your baby takes much of this during development. Women have been known to lose bone density, and their teeth become brittle due to multiple pregnancies.
5. Have regular sex
If you want to fall pregnant, you need to have sex on your most fertile days. There is a small window of opportunity, and it can easily be missed if you’re not having regular sex. But while you might think having sex every day increases your odds of falling pregnant, it doesn’t. Your partner’s sperm needs time to regenerate and mature, so arrange to have sex every second day.
6. Avoid vaginal douching
Douching is the process of rinsing your vagina with ordinary soap or a hygiene soap specifically formulated to maintain a healthy vaginal ph level. The problem with douching is it can wash away the cervical mucus needed to help you get pregnant and remove necessary bacteria, leading to a yeast infection. Instead of douching, use water to wash while you’re trying to conceive.
7. Get active
Believe it or not, a sedentary lifestyle can affect your chances of falling pregnant, so get up and get active. Even if you just go for a 30-minute walk every day, adding in regular exercises improves your possibility of conceiving. But try not to add too much exercise, as this can negatively impact your fertility.
Factors affecting fertility
- Age – As you age, you become less fertile. From 35 onwards, it can become more difficult to get pregnant, especially if this is your first baby. Speak to your doctor if you’re 35 and under and have been trying to conceive for more than a year without success.
- Weight – Obesity or being significantly underweight can affect your chances of getting pregnant. If you’re overweight and are trying to get pregnant, losing between five and 10% of your weight can improve your chances of conceiving.
- Reproductive health – Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, infections, endometriosis, hormonal imbalances, blocked fallopian tubes, pelvic adhesions can hinder your chances of falling pregnant naturally. Many of these conditions are treatable. Sometimes changing your diet can positively impact your reproductive health. Men with low levels of testosterone or issues with their prostate gland, the testes, and seminal vesicles can struggle with infertility. Most couples are caught unaware that they have reproductive problems.
- High-stress lifestyle – Stress and poor sleep habits can impact your ability to fall pregnant. If you work in a high-stress environment, consider adding yoga or meditation to your day.
- Alcohol and smoking – If you’re trying to get pregnant, it’s advised that you and your partner quit smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages. You want to give your baby the best start in life, so clean up your system.
- Chronic diseases – while they may seem unrelated, chronic conditions such as periodontal disease, an overactive thyroid, and diabetes, and their treatments can impact your ability to fall pregnant.
- Caffeine – Too much caffeine can impact your ability to fall pregnant so try to limit your caffeine intake to no more than one cup a day.
4 Signs of infertility
- You’ve been consistently having unprotected sexual intercourse for more than a year without conceiving.
- You’ve miscarried more than once within the first trimester.
- Your menstrual cycle is irregular, with unusually light or heavy bleeding and painful cramps.
- You experience pain or pelvic pain during intercourse.
Treating infertility
Treating infertility can be costly and often involves uncomfortable procedures, so before your gynaecologist recommends a fertility specialist, they’ll ask a series of questions.
For example, you and your partner’s age, how long you’ve been trying to have a baby, how often you have intercourse, whether you use lubricants during sex, lifestyle habits, what medications you’re on if you’ve ever been treated for a sexually transmissible disease when you started menstruating, what is your cycle like, if you’ve been pregnant before, etc.
Based on your answers, they might advise a series of tests. These include but are not limited to
- A blood test checking hormone levels to determine if you’re ovulating
- A hysterosalpingography to check the health of your uterus and fallopian tubes. This test will pick up if there are any blockages or other oddities.
- A test to see how many eggs you have, it’s called ovarian reserve testing.
- Other hormone tests to check the level of ovulatory and pituitary hormones.
- A pelvic ultrasound which checks for diseases of the ovaries or uterus.
Your doctor will also advise that your partner get tested as male infertility is not uncommon. The purpose of the exam is to determine whether your partner produces enough healthy sperm and can effectively ejaculate the sperm into the vagina.
Once these tests are complete, your doctor will advise the next steps. It could involve lifestyle changes, medication, and surgery.
Please understand that treating infertility can take years. There will be many ups and downs, which can take a toll on your relationship and emotions. Be sure to surround yourself with friends and family that support you through this journey. Speak to other couples who have struggled with infertility. Having a close circle with who you can be open and honest is very important.
Decide upfront how much you’re willing to invest in infertility treatment. And discuss other options available to you, such as donor eggs, donor sperm, enlisting the help of a gestational carrier, adoption, or choosing not to have children. Having these conversations before you begin treatment is vital.
Take next step on your journey to parenthood
If you routinely suffer from joint pain, speak to your doctor. You could have early onset arthritis. Rather than living with the pain, get assessed. Book an appointment today. You can reach us on +264 64 218 911 or email hello@welwitschiahospital.com or find a doctor here.
Welwitschia Hospital is one of Namibia’s leading private hospitals. We are ready to assist you.
If you have further questions you can book an appointment with one of Specialist Obstetrician & Gynaecologists here.
Already pregnant? Check out our list of pregnancy dos and don’ts here. Or consider joining Welwitschia Hospital’s Dear Baby Programme. Click the link to find out more.
Welwitschia Hospital is one of Namibia’s leading private hospitals. We are ready to assist you.
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- Pregnancy Do’s and Don’ts, the Facts
- Preparing for birth during COVID-19
- Your Baby’s Immunization Schedule (for Namibia)
- 7 Fatal Childhood Vaccination Myths Debunked
Sources:
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