If you’re trying for a baby, there’s more you can do beyond the bedroom to boost your chances of conceiving. Fertility is tied closely to the health of both partners, with some of our bad habits reducing the possibility of becoming pregnant.
A small investment into your personal wellbeing can go a long way to boost your fertility. From supplements, improved habits, and understanding your body, we look at three ways that you can help you get that baby bump in no time.
Supplementary science
It takes two to tango. And when attempting to boost your chances of fertilisation, both parties can benefit from a health supplement boost. Coenzyme Q10 is an antioxidant that your body produces naturally. Your body uses it for cell regeneration and maintenance.
Fortunately, CoQ10 helps to boost fertility in both men and women. Unfortunately, levels of CoQ10 are at their highest when we are 20 years old. As the average age for giving birth is now 30.7 years for women and 33.6 years in men, the majority of people are not producing an adequate level of this beneficial compound.
For fertility, CoQ10 has specific benefits. In women, it improves egg quality and its efficiency in producing energy. In men, the compound improves the quality of sperm. It improves sperm motility, density, and morphology.
As an antioxidant, CoQ10 helps to prevent free radicals from damaging developing sperm and eggs. If both women and men take the supplement, high-quality eggs can be complemented with good moving, high counted, and strongly-shaped sperm.
Healthy help
Fertility is linked closely to our personal health. Ensuring that we keep ourselves in a fit and fighting condition gives us even more chances to boost our fertility. There are two key factors in play when considering health and fertility:
Weight
If you have too much or too little weight, your periods may become irregular or they may stop completely. This is because weight can affect your body’s hormone balance.
The NHS says that a healthy body weight should produce a body mass index (BMI) between 20 and 25. If this is below 19 and above 30, your chances of conceiving are reduced.
For men, a BMI over 30 is likely to reduce your chances of fertility.
Drinking and smoking
Drinking alcohol can have a detrimental effect on both men and women trying to conceive. It’s not known exactly why it reduces fertility in women, however, evidence suggests that even drinking lightly can reduce your chances of becoming pregnant. Because of this, the best course of action is to not drink at all.
For men, alcohol intake should be reduced to help improve sperm quality. Men should drink no more than 14 units a week, and this should be spread out. For context, a bottle of wine contains ten units.
Smoking and passive smoking also reduces fertility in women. Smoking should be reduced in men to help with general health and fitness.
Know your timings
Understanding your menstrual cycle will boost your chances of conceiving by recognising the best day to have intercourse. Pregnancy is most likely when you have sex within one day of ovulation.
This is usually 14 days after your last period starts. But some calculators and calendars can track your cycle and give an indication of when is best to have intercourse.
While eggs only live between 12 and 24 hours after they have been released, sperm can survive in the body for up to a week. The best course of action is therefore to have sex every two or three days throughout the month. Unsurprisingly, the more times you attempt to conceive, the more likely you are to become pregnant.
If you are struggling to conceive after this, seeking advice from your GP is recommended. Good health and a supplement boost can do a lot for fertility. If you want to become pregnant, following some simple health advice can go a long way.
