As more and more women are putting off starting their family until after their career has been established more women are also finding they are experiencing difficulty with fertility. These issues also affect men because sperm count is affected by medical conditions, smoking and nutrition. There are several natural ways which may improve fertility.
One of the most important factors in your fertility is smoking. Most people are aware of that smoking will negatively affect the health of your baby but it will also negatively impact fertility as well. Smoking, nicotine and the chemicals involved will dramatically reduce both male and female fertility and conception rates. In one study published in the Journal Fertility and Sterility sperm counts were 17% lower individuals who smoked than those who didn’t. Another Polish study showed dramatically lowered sperm counts and an increased time of conception in women who smoked.
Unfortunately, it is not only from smoking your own cigarettes. In a study published in Human Reproduction researchers found that second hand smoke also reduces pregnancy rates. The good news is that by reducing your exposure you’ll actually get pregnant faster and easier.
Researchers have also identified another link between stress and infertility. Although the link is less clear, physicians are convinced that it does exist. There is no direct data showing an obvious link but smaller studies indicate stress reduction has an effect on fertility. There are numerous case studies of women who have given up the stress of attempting to conceive and gone on to adopt a child, only to become pregnant during the middle of the adoption proceedings or within six months after the adoption was completed.
Nutrition is another factor in fertility that affects rates of conception. In a study published in OBGYN News, a group of Harvard researchers found that 79% of the infertile couples had a lower than average intake of foods which were high in antioxidants. Both vitamin C and D appear to play a role in male fertility. In another study published in the Anal of the New York Academy of Medicine researchers found that one week after a daily dose of vitamin C sperm counts rose by almost 140%.
Women who suffer from polycystic ovary disease will also find that losing as little as 5% of body weight can encourage accurate ovulation and therefore pregnancy. Many women who suffer from polycystic ovarian disease are obese or overweight and researchers know that by cutting down on calories and losing weight they can improve their fertility.
Foods that should be avoided if you’re having trouble becoming pregnant are alcohol, caffeine and xenoestrogens. Alcohol can reduce fertility by as much as 50% and decrease sperm counts. Caffeine, found in coffee, tea and chocolate, will reduce both male and female fertility levels. Xenoestrogens found in chemicals and pesticides can disturb the balance of hormones because they mimic the effect of estrogen and are often the cause of fertility issues.
Another factor that contributes to fertility is sleep. Experts believe that the hormone leptin, which is required for appetite and weight regulation, also plays an important role in fertility. When a woman does not get enough sleep these levels will decrease and cause irregular ovulation. Chronic sleep deprivation will make the entire system irregular.
Women who are trying to conceive will also find it helpful to keep a fertility chart. Although in a perfect world a woman will ovulate on day 14 of their cycle, the reality is that every woman ovulates at different times. There are however specific physical signs that indicates that a woman has a populated and therefore can become pregnant. Taking a basal body temperature and observing cervical mucus are good methods of understanding fertility signs and factors that should be recorded on a fertility chart.
Men have specific fertility issues also. Some things they can do to increase their chance of contributing enough energetic sperm are to take a multivitamin, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, reduce their stress, get regular exercise and watch their weight. Some of the same factors which contribute to infertility in women will also contribute to a lower sperm count or a poor health of sperm in men.
Acupuncture is another method, which is somewhat non-invasive, that has been shown to increase fertility in both men and women.
Whatever the causes of infertility it can only help physicians and medications to take care of overall health, nutrition, sleep, stress and decrease exposure to toxins such as alcohol and smoking to improve the rate of fertility and the success of conception.
References
(1) http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/when-youre-not-expecting/201008/new-research
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