It's an aspect of our health that most of us take for granted: Have sex,
get pregnant, right? In reality, even minor stressors can throw your
body out of whack. If you're trying to conceive, these simple health
moves can help protect your fertility.
Watch Your Weight
Aside from the other risks it poses to
your health, excess body fat can lead to an overproduction of certain
hormones that disrupt ovulation. Your cycles may be less regular, you
may ovulate less often, and you lower your chances of getting pregnant.
On the flip side, too little body fat means your body may not produce
enough hormones to ovulate each month or to sustain a pregnancy if you
do conceive. Exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight. Just don't
overdo it, says Christopher Williams, MD, a reproductive
endocrinologist at the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, and
author of The Fastest Way to Get Pregnant Naturally (Hyperion).
Women who exercise intensely (like long-distance runners or competitive
athletes) may stop ovulating or ovulate less frequently. Overexercising
also raises miscarriage risk. Talk to your doctor or midwife about your
workout routine before trying to get pregnant.
Eat Well
Staying well nourished boosts your odds of conceiving. Make sure
to include enough protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin C, because
deficiencies in these nutrients have been linked to lengthened menstrual
cycles (and therefore less frequent ovulation) and a higher risk of
early miscarriage.
Women athletes are prone to being deficient in zinc, Dr. Williams says.
"Oysters are a rich source, but it's probably easier for most women to
get zinc -- plus all other essential vitamins and minerals -- from a
daily multivitamin supplement." Also include protein-rich foods in your
diet, such as meat, fish, low-fat dairy products, eggs, and beans.
Vegetarians can get their complete amino acids by including flavorful
combinations of protein-containing foods, such as rice and beans or
stir-fry with tofu.
Kick Butt (Cigarettes, That Is)
As if you needed another reason to quit smoking: Cigarette
toxins not only damage a woman's eggs, interfering with the
fertilization and implantation process, but also cause the ovaries to
age. That means that the ovaries of a 35-year-old smoker function as if
they belong to a 42-year-old and are therefore less fertile, says Robert
Barbieri, MD, head of obstetrics and gynecology at Brigham and Women's
Hospital, in Boston, and coauthor of 6 Steps to Increased Fertility
(Simon & Schuster). "Smoking does permanent damage to your
fertility, but when you cut out cigarettes, you get some ovarian
function back."
Know Your Cycle
A normal menstrual cycle lasts about 25 to 35 days (start
counting on the first day of your period). If your cycle is noticeably
longer -- say, 42 days -- you can assume you're ovulating less often and
may want to see your ob-gyn or midwife,
says Michael Soules, MD, past president of the American Society for
Reproductive Medicine and managing partner of Seattle Reproductive
Medicine, a fertility
clinic in Seattle, Washington. When you're ready to conceive, find your
"fertile window," during which you should have intercourse regularly. A
woman's fertile days are usually the day of ovulation
and the four of five days before, not after. But don't assume that you
automatically ovulate on day 14 of your cycle: A study from the National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences found that ovulation varies
dramatically from woman to woman, occurring as early as day 6 and as
late as day 21 of a cycle. How can you determine when you're ovulating?
You can try an ovulation test kit, which checks for certain hormones in
your urine, or note daily changes in your basal body temperature and
cervical mucus.
Seek Serenity
Stress and depression may hamper your fertility. A Danish study, which followed 393 couples who were trying to get pregnant,
found that women were less likely to conceive during months when they
reported psychological distress. Experts suspect that stress, like heavy
exercise, may throw off your body's hormone production, making your
menstrual cycle less reliable. But learning to manage stress through
relaxation techniques (such as mindfulness meditation or yoga) or
support from a counselor or a group, can get your hormones back on
track, Dr. Barbieri says.
Think Before Drinking
A growing body of research has linked alcohol consumption with a decreased ability to get pregnant
(not to mention the harm it can cause to a developing fetus). Alcohol
alters estrogen levels, which may interfere with egg implantation,
although pouring an occasional glass of Pinot with your dinner is
unlikely to harm fertility.
You should also consider cutting back on caffeine while you try to
conceive and during your pregnancy. A recent study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
found that women who drank the equivalent found in two cups of coffee
were twice as likely to miscarry as those who didn't consume any. The
bottom line: If you're thinking about getting pregnant, be a teetotaler and limit your daily java fix.
Get Busy in the Bedroom
If the demands of your hectic life have dampened your sex drive,
it's a good idea to start having sex more often. Some research suggests
that women who engage in regular (at least weekly) intercourse are more
likely to have predictable menstrual cycles and normal ovulation
than women who have sporadic sex. One theory: Your husband emits sex
hormones that influence your reproductive system. Weekly sex may also
make you produce more estrogen. And there's no question that frequent
sex helps when you're actually trying to conceive.
Having sex every 36 to 48 hours in the few days before ovulation will
make the most of your fertile window, Dr. Williams says. But because
mandatory sex on certain days can become a chore, you might also try
making love every few days all month long.
Don't Douche
This can wipe out normal, protective bacteria in the vagina,
shifting the balance and putting you at risk for bacterial vaginosis, a
common but often overlooked vaginal infection. A fishy odor and grayish
discharge are often the only signs. Untreated BV has been linked to preterm labor and may be associated with higher risk of miscarriage
and infertility. See your healthcare provider if you notice any new
vaginal symptoms (itchiness, burning, unusual discharge, or sores). A
reproductive-tract infection is unlikely, but it's best to be safe when
your fertility is at stake.
Protect It with the Pill
Yes, the birth-control pill may actually enhance your fertility. "I suspect that oral contraceptives, which halt ovulation,
quiet down your reproductive system, protecting your ovaries from
aging," Dr. Barbieri says. For some women, the pill can be critical in
preserving fertility because it keeps two common conditions,
endometriosis and uterine fibroids, under control by slowing
uterine-tissue growth. (With endometriosis, uterine tissue grows outside
the uterus, causing painful cramps and often harming the fallopian
tubes or other organs. Uterine fibroids are benign growth that can make pregnancy difficult or impossible.) Once you go off birth-control pills, your cycle will return to its pre-pill pattern in about a month.
Don't Overlook His Health
The same things that harm your fertility
can do a number on your husband's reproductive health too. Cigarettes,
alcohol, a poor diet -- any of these can contribute to lower sperm
production or motility (ability to swim). Studies have also traced
chromosomal damage in sperm to cigarette smoke and heavy alcohol intake.
Getting enough nutrients every day -- particularly vitamins E and C and
the mineral selenium -- will help him produce healthy sperm. Taking a
daily multivitamin is a good step, Dr. Williams says. "It takes almost
three months for a man to make new sperm, so he needs to think ahead
too."
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