Simple ways to improve your chances at pregnancy.
There are many potential lifestyle changes to optimize your fertility when trying to become pregnant. The advice available online can be overwhelming, so it’s best to focus on evidence-based changes. Those struggling to get pregnant are often stunned by how simple some of the lifestyle changes can be. But in our complex physiological systems, simple changes can go a long way.
Overall Lifestyle Changes to Optimize Fertility
It’s no secret that your fertility is linked to your overall health. So lifestyle changes to optimize your overall health are also likely to optimize fertility. Eating nutritious food and getting enough sleep are hugely important, as is managing stress and keeping to a schedule of moderate exercise. Scheduling a pre-conception visit with your doctor to go over routine bloodwork and talk about your current lifestyle choices can be helpful to figure out how to optimize your lifestyle before having a baby. You can also connect with a fertility specialist to evaluate your fertility.
Skipping Substances Helps to Optimize Fertility
Smoking, drinking, drugs, and even coffee have been proven to affect fertility in both men and women. One of the first recommended lifestyle changes to optimize fertility is cutting out alcohol, cigarettes, and drug use. Certain prescription drugs can also affect fertility, so you may need to talk to your doctor if you’re taking any prescriptions. Cutting back on coffee can also make a difference. Caffeine has long been proven to affect many systems in our bodies, and it’s recommended that you drink no more than two cups a day while trying to conceive.
Awareness of Environmental Toxins When Trying to Get Pregnant
There are toxins and chemicals all around us that affect our bodies. They are in the air and in many of the items we use day-to-day. Many of these can be hard to avoid; however, it’s helpful to avoid them in small ways wherever you can. Switching to natural cleaning products in your home and avoiding other environmental exposures might seem small, but sometimes even the smallest of changes can make a difference for our bodies.
Healthy Weight Without Strenuous Exercise Optimizes Fertility
Maintaining a healthy weight can be very helpful when trying to conceive. Being under- or overweight doesn’t make it impossible to get pregnant, but it may make it more challenging. If you are concerned that your weight may be affecting your fertility, talk to your doctor before making any big changes.
Get Enough Sleep When You’re Trying to Conceive
One of the biggest lifestyle changes to optimize fertility is getting enough sleep. Seven hours of sleep a night is generally recommended as the minimum to maintain overall health. Studies suggest that keeping atypical hours or working night shifts can impact overall health and hormone production. Of course, it’s not always possible to change your entire life and job in pursuit of fertility but try to identify areas where you can make changes and prioritize rest.
Protect From STIs When Trying to Optimize Fertility
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia and gonorrhea are easily treated with medication; however, infections that go on for a long time without being treated can greatly affect your fertility. These STIs often have no symptoms in women, so they can remain undetected for a long time unless you test for them. Sexually active people of all genders should get tested regularly, especially if they have multiple partners or have unprotected sex. Early detection is the best way to quickly treat STIs and prevent any further complications stemming from them that could lead to infertility.
The Challenge of Creating Healthy Lifestyle Changes to Optimize Fertility
There is an enormous amount of information out there about fertility and it can sometimes become very overwhelming to navigate, particularly when you feel like you’re doing everything right but you’re still not getting pregnant. At PNWF we specialize in compassionate fertility care with a holistic approach. Schedule your initial consultation today to speak with a fertility specialist when you’re ready to get started.
