How to Naturally Increase Your Fertility | For those that don’t know my story, we’ve been through the ringer with trying to increase fertility; let me save you a buck and years of your time with a few things I learned from my reproductive specialist at Texas Fertility Center about how to “naturally” increase your fertility. (Take a look at my previous posts too, if you have a minute).
- Have more sex. This is number one. The doctors say it all.the.time. Have sex on top of sex. The more you roll the dice, the more chances you have.
- Use ovulation predictor kits. The best one they recommend is the PINK one (not purple) made by Clear Blue. You can usually find the pink ones at a pharmacy rather than HEB. Track your periods on a calendar or app for tracking your ovulation and pay attention to your body’s signals, like egg-like discharge. Ironically, that means your eggs are getting ready.
- When you have a positive LH surge (aka smiley face on the ovulation test), have sex the NEXT day. And the day before and a couple days before and after all that.
- Cut back on caffeine; this is an iffy one; some doctors say don’t worry about it, others don’t let you have a sip when you are doing IVF. Also have your hubby cut back on it, too.
- Make sure your hubby is keeping his laptop off his lap, and keep his phone out of his pocket. The excess heat can affect his sperm.
- Take DHEA and CoQ10: these take about 6 weeks to three months to take effect, but have been shown to improve egg quality. Men should take CoQ10 as well. Discuss proper dosage with your doctor to avoid drug interactions.
- Take a pre-natal vitamin for yourself; daily muli-vitamin for your spouse.
- Relax, meditate, pray, connect with your spouse. Some people have success with acupuncture, some are terrified of needles. Do what makes you happy and relaxed.
- Exercise and maintain a healthy BMI; not too high or too low. In some cases you may need to gain weight. Your estrogen is stored in your fat, so my doctor told me to gain some weight at one point (years ago). Hello doughnuts!
- Many friends with PCOS swear by eating Whole 30 or KETO diet. Eliminating inflammation in the body can’t hurt.
- In some cases, you may only need a little boost of progesterone to make it happen; talk to your doctor and get some blood tests done to assess your and your spouse’s health and reproductive health.
- Get a saline sonogram. Oddly, many friends report getting pregnant soon after having one. Warning: They’re a bit painful for some.
- Keep trying. It ain’t over ’til it’s over. The best way to Naturally Increase Your Fertility is to start young, honestly. Don’t wait if you’re ready to have kids RESPONSIBLY; the average time it takes to get pregnant is one year. If it takes longer than a year before the age of 35, go to your doctor. After you’re 35, if it takes longer than 6 months, go to your doctor.
Good luck and God Bless you on your fertility journey!
Photo Credit :: Allison Turpen Photography