Unable To Get Pregnant? Tips That Can Help You!

Sometimes getting pregnant is not a very easy task, and may end up taking a long time. But once you’ve decided to start a family of your own, it becomes harder to wait for it to happen. Here are 5 things you can do increase your chances of getting pregnant.

1. Fertile Period & timed intercourse
A woman's fertility is maximum around the time of ovulation which usually happens about 2 weeks prior to the expected date of the next period. In women who have a regular cycle of 28 to 30 days, this ovulation may happen at around the 14th to 16 th day of the menstrual cycle and hence the 11th to 18th day may be the most fertile period in such women. However, in many women the periods may be irregular and unpredictable with the ovulation date varying accordingly. For such couples, it is better to have regular intercourse every 2nd or 3rd day of the month to maximise the chances of conception. Besides, the pregnancy rate in a single cycle is only about 15% - 20 % in a given month. Hence the chances of pregnancy increase cumulatively over subsequent months and there are about 80-84% chances of pregnancy in a couple over a span of one year provided all the other factors governing the male & female fertility are normal. Thus it is advisable to try unprotected regular intercourse to maximise the chances of conception before initiating any investigation for fertility treatment in a young & healthy couple.

2. Keeping track of the ovulation period
Even though regular sex throughout the month is advised, it is certainly more fruitful to know your cycle. You can only get pregnant when the sperm meets the egg, and the egg is only released around the 14th day in your cycle. This egg lives only for a day or two, so you have a limited window when you can actually get pregnant. Typically this window is approximately of 6 days, so it’s best to have sex in this period. But it’s important not get obsessive and put too much pressure to have sex on these days as the stress can reduce sperm quality. So be mindful of it and still enjoy the activity rather than being obsessive. There are several free apps that you can download to help you track your cycle.

3. Ensuring the sperm health
Cutting down on coffee, cigarettes and alcohol and maintaining an ideal weight as well as increasing the consumption of folic acid are necessary steps to ensure healthy and fertile sperm quality. Alcohol reduces sperm production, smoking causes low sperm count and slow-moving sperm, while being overweight can affect a man’s libido and performance. The same goes for caffeine or drinks that contain a high amount of soda. Besides, prolonged exposure to heat on the testicular area should also be avoided to ensure that the man’s sperm is healthy. So avoid keeping laptops on your lap, saunas and jacuzzis, hot baths, steam rooms, long drives or wearing tight underwear.

4. Try de-stressing
Psychological preparedness is as important as physical preparedness to maximise your chances of getting pregnant. These days couples lead very hectic and stressful lifestyles in which trying to get pregnant can only add to their stress levels. Increased stress lowers egg passage in women. Besides, trying too hard to get pregnant and the stress that it creates is the reason behind 30% of all infertility problems. In such cases, destressing by exercising, yoga, meditation or acupuncture is a good idea.

5. Don’t put off having a baby for too long
Women are at their peak fertile period in their early twenties, but these days many women opt for starting a family at a later age. Having a baby post the age of 30 can pose problems as fertility levels tend to drop. Post the age of 31 fertility in women drops by 3% per year and continues at the same rate till 35. After the age of 35 the rate of decline accelerates.