• pregnancy & baby
• parenting
• horoscopes
• health
• beauty
• food & drink
• diet & fitness
• more ivillage
  • • Travel
    • Entertainment
    • Home & Garden
    • Relationships
    • Work & Money
    • Shopping
  • • Competitions
    • Dating
    • Quizzes
    • Newsletters
    • Kalimocho.co.uk
    • Wii Fit Plus
  • 

Fertility tips

As many as one in seven couples experience difficulties conceiving and figures from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority show that more women than ever are seeking fertility treatment. Between 2006 and 2007, the number went up by 5 per cent from 34,855 to 36,648, but this isn't to say you can't always do anything to help yourself.

1. Get screened
Make sure that you've been properly screened for STDs. More than one million North American women are affected by pelvic inflammatory disease each year. The number-one cause is an untreated sexually transmitted disease.

2. Watch your weight
Women in the healthy weight range for their height find it easier to conceive spontaneously than those who are significantly under or over weight. It's not fully understood, but is thought to involve effects on hormone balance, insulin resistance and glucose control. This also applies to the father.

3. But don't crash diet
Don't go on a crash diet if you're hoping to conceive. Restrictive diets, purging, bingeing, and yo-yo dieting affect ovulation and consequently your fertility.

4. Go organic
Animals are sometimes given artificial oestrogens to boost growth and most processed foods are treated with preservatives. The more chemicals you introduce into your body, the harder your organs have to work and if you're reproductive organs are under pressure this will affect your fertility.

5. Stop the pills
If you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter drugs it's worth checking with your doctor if it is safe to continue. The group of painkillers known as NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen) can inhibit certain enzymes - this can in turn prevent the follicles in the ovaries from bursting and releasing eggs, either stopping or delaying ovulation.

6. Let the sun in
Vitamin D could boost the fertility of women with ovulation problems said the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and fertility consultant Zita West, agrees. She found that 50 per cent of women who visited her clinic were deficient in vitamin D. 'Sunshine boosts vitamin D levels, as do supplements and eating plenty of dairy products,' says West.

7. All sports are not equal
If your partner is a keen cyclist or spinning class enthusiast you might be advised to tell him to start running instead. A study at the University of California School of Medicine revealed that men who cycle more than 100 km per week put their fertility at risk. The repeated banging of the groin against the bicycle seat can damage critical arteries and nerves. Although it doesn't seem to have stopped Lance Armstrong, his girlfriend has just given birth to his fourth child.

8. Caffeine overload
Excessive consumption of caffeine is thought to affect the growth of a developing baby by constricting blood vessels. It is also being investigated as a contributor to fertility problems. It might just be safer to switch to decaf.

9. Exercise caution
You can have too much of a good thing if you're trying to conceive. Excessive amounts of exercise can lead to irregular periods and luteal problems. Luteal phase deficiencies are when the second half of your cycle isn't long enough to allow for proper implantation of the fertilised egg. The moral of the story is to stay active, but not to overdo it.

10. Be sperm friendly
Scented tampons, vaginal sprays, douches, lubricants and even saliva can upset your vaginal environment and make it harder for you to conceive.

printer friendly send to a friend