9 Ways to Boost Female Fertility

Some women get pregnant easily, while others struggle for years. If you’re in the latter, we understand how frustrating and unfair it is. Women who have difficulty conceiving often get discouraged, depressed, and start to feel guilty. Don’t put all of the weight on your shoulders. Both female and male fertility plays a role in conception, so before you abandon hope, there are a few things to do. In this article, we’ll discuss a few tried and true methods on how to boost female fertility.

1. Stay Healthy

What you put into your body has a huge affect on how it functions. The same concept applies to fertility. There are certain factors that will boost female fertility and certain ones that will inhibit it. To make sure you have the highest chances of getting pregnant, stay healthy and treat your body right.

For starters, eat a diet that’s high in healthy fats, opt for protein-rich foods, and make sure you’re getting enough iron, zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin D. These foods help regulate your menstrual period, making ovulation more consistent. Add a few of these foods to your meal plan regularly to help give your body an extra boost.

You will want to steer clear of foods that have been exposed to high levels of pesticides and herbicides, which have been shown to decrease fertility and disrupt the menstrual cycle.

Talk to your doctor about adding a prenatal vitamin to your diet. This will make sure your body has all the essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals it needs to create a successful environment for pregnancy. Preconception health is an important factor in pregnancy, so get started now.

When you eat well, it’s easier to manage a healthy weight. A healthier weight means a more fertile body. According to research, when you’re overweight it is much harder to get pregnant. The more overweight you are, the less likely you will be able to conceive. The same is true for women who are underweight.

2. Limit Alcohol

Many people don’t realize how much alcohol affects your body. Aside from the intoxication aspect, alcohol has been shown to contribute to a number of health defects, diseases, and mental illnesses. In regards to fertility, alcohol alters estrogen levels and elongates the time it takes to conceive. In a study published in Fertility and Sterility, it was found that your chances of pregnancy drop by over 50% when drinking alcohol while trying to conceive.

You don’t have to completely drop this vice, as the occasional glass of wine here and there won’t have a significant impact on fertility, but limiting alcohol consumption will increases your chances of conception.

3. Quit Smoking

One vice that you need to abandon is smoking. Smoking has a horrible impact on your overall health and decreases your chance of conception. The components in cigarettes damages your eggs, interferes with fertilization, makes implantation more difficult, and causes your ovaries to age more quickly. For example, the ovaries of a 35-year-old smoker have the working capacity of a 42-year-old non-smoker. Quit now to boost your fertility.

If you need help quitting, there are thousands of online resources available to help. Talk to your doctor today to find a solution that works for you. Since smoking during pregnancy is out of the question, you might as well kick the bad habit now.

4. Track Your Cycle

One of the first things you’ll want to do when trying to conceive is to start tracking your cycle. If you’ve already been doing this, that’s great! If not, make an active effort to start tracking the first day of your period. This will help you better understand whether or not your cycle is regular. Irregular cycles aren’t necessarily a bad thing, especially if you’ve been having them consistently throughout your life, but the timing will help you understand your ovulation.

If you need some extra help keeping track of your cycle, consider downloading an app on your phone. There are plenty of great resources that will help you track your cycle, record your period symptoms, and record your mood.

5. Monitor Ovulation

Ovulation is essential to getting pregnant, as a woman’s egg is only fertile for about 12 to 24 hours after it’s released. When you track your cycle, you’ll be able to better monitor your ovulation. If your cycles are regular, ovulation will occur two weeks before you get your period. It’s a little more difficult to accurately predict if you have an irregular cycle, but it’s not impossible.

With the advancements in medical science and technology, there are now a number of home ovulation-prediction kits available to buy. Many of them work similarly to taking a pregnancy test; they just measure a different hormone.

6. Limit Caffeine

Caffeine decreases female fertility and should be monitored while trying to conceive. While caffeine in small doses is fine, larger amounts have a substantial impact on your hormone levels. Since caffeine often hides in food, make sure you pay attention to what you’re consuming and try to limit your intake to a pregnancy safe consumption of 200mg/day.

7. Evaluate Your Workplace

If you work in a job that has hazardous conditions, you need to evaluate your daily workplace habits. Certain chemicals disrupt menstrual cycles while others decrease overall fertility levels. Always take the proper precautions and if possible, avoid over exposure to harmful materials.

The consistency of your scheduling will also have an affect on your fertility so if you’re currently working in rotating shifts, talk to your supervisor about getting on a more consistent schedule.

8. Have More Sex, But Not Too Much

A lot of couples think that more sex means a higher chance of getting pregnant. That’s not always the case. Having sex regularly is critical to getting pregnant, but doing so during ovulation windows will give you the best chances of conception. Don’t over-do it and turn sex into a chore, but make sure you’re jumping at opportunities that present themselves. Here are some ways to help you spice up your sex life without leaving you mentally and physically drained.

9. Manage Your Stress

Stress takes a toll on your overall wellbeing. When you’re stressed, your body releases excess levels of cortisol and an enzyme called salivary alpha-amylase. This stress-indicator reduces fertility and makes conception harder.

To boost your fertility, manage your stress. Find something that you love that will simultaneously induce a calming mindset. Make this activity a priority and try to calm your mind at the end of every day. Going to bed anxious makes it more difficult to fall asleep, thus creating a negative-feedback cycle on your body.

When to See a Doctor About Infertility

If you and your partner have been following these tips on how to boost female fertility and are still struggling, schedule an appointment with your doctor or a fertility specialist. If you and your partner have been trying, but haven’t been able to get pregnant after six months to one year without birth control, consider getting an infertility evaluation.

Some current fertility tests available include:

• Ovulation Testing
• Ovarian Reserve Testing
• Imaging Testing
• Hysterosalpingography

If you find that your fertility levels are low, for whatever reason, there are a few things to do to help restore fertility. Talk to your doctor about your options to stimulate ovulation with fertility drugs, surgically correct problems, or get additional reproductive assistance.

While this article is more so focused on female fertility, male fertility plays an equal role in the equation. Check out this article for more information on male fertility.

Conclusion

While women aren’t solely responsible for conception, it’s still important to take added measures that will boost female fertility. To make sure you and your partner are both in good health, we recommend making healthy lifestyle changes together. Not only will this help you get pregnant, it will instill good habits for life as a new family. If you have any questions, or want to get tested for fertility, schedule an appointment with your doctor today. Don’t forget, when you do conceive, new mothers are eligible to receive a breast pump covered by their insurance provider through the Affordable Care Act. Byram Healthcare carries a wide selection of breast pumps, so you’ll be sure to find something that works for you.

If you’ve struggled with fertility and want to share your story, head over to our Facebook page today. Hearing success stories help keep struggling moms-to-be motivated and hopeful.