Help Getting Pregnant; Ten Things to Improve Your Chances of Conception

Some people can get pregnant at the drop of a hat, while others can find themselves trying for years before having a successful pregnancy. If you are one of the latter, don’t despair. Approximately half of all couples get pregnant within six months. The other half still have a good chance of conceiving, it just takes them a bit longer. There are things you can do to help increase your chances of conception and sometimes you may need a little help getting pregnant. This is nothing to be ashamed of and you’d be among  millions of people who have done the same. But for now let’s see how you can give yourself the best chance possible.

Things you can do

• Get a health check. A check-up at your local doctor’s surgery is a wise idea. Inform him of your wishes to get pregnant and ask him to check any medications you are taking for possible fertility hindrances. Also it is a good idea to have a sexual health check at your local GUM clinic (Genitourinary Medicine).
• Eliminate unhealthy habits. This means both partners should stop smoking, don’t drink alcohol (linked to birth defects) or caffeinated drinks and definitely don’t do non-pharmaceutical drugs. Even some pharmaceutical pain killers and herbal remedies can lower your chances so be careful there too. Did you know that drinking coffee every day can reduce your chances of conception by up to 50%? Avoid eating too much sugar.
• Eat healthy food. Get your “five a day”. Plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, making sure to have a variety of colours and types. Cut out chocolate. I know that one is a huge sacrifice, but it is worth it. Avoid saturated fats. That doesn’t mean all fats, just the unhealthy ones. You should make sure to still have some essential fatty acids in your diet, such as virgin olive oil, fish oils and nut oils.
• Familiarise yourself with your cycles and use an ovulation predictor so that you can have sex when you are most fertile. Avoid having too much sex because this can reduce the amount of sperm released (sperm production may be unable to keep up with demand). Once every couple of days is enough, you don’t need to have thrice daily marathon sessions!
• Start taking Folic acid supplements.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Not too skinny, but not too overweight either. Try to reach your recommended BMI.
• Don’t stress. Stress and depression will not help you get pregnant and can affect your hormones adversely.
• Take light exercise daily, but don’t overdo it (trying to be super-fit has been linked to fertility problems). Taking up Chi Kung, Yoga or Tai Chi can help both your mental and physical health. I personally recommend Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung as it has worked extremely well for me.
• Drink plenty of clean, ideally filtered, healthy water. Don’t desalinate yourself, just the recommended 8-12 8 oz glasses per day. Very hot climates may change this figure, in which case use common sense. You can add some fruit juice to your glass of water to make it a little more palatable if you wish.
• Seek help from a fertility specialist if you are having trouble conceiving. Joining a reputable fertility program, like Pregnancy Miracle or similar will undoubtedly help you get more informed and boost your odds.

Seeking help getting pregnant is not a last resort, but IVF or surrogacy, along with the costly bills associated with them, can often be avoided. It worked for me and it may be possible for you too. So please don’t give up. There is help available. As shown there are plenty of things you can do to maximize your chances of conception. Give it your best shot, relax and enjoy all the bedroom fun that making a baby can bring!