How to increase female fertility and improve the chances of conception

When couples decide to become parents, they often expect their first attempt to be succussful. But you may not see two lines on a pregnancy test your next cycle, on the contrary: it's almost impossible to know how long it will take before you conceive. There are thankfully many ways for a woman to increase her fertility and her chances of becoming pregnant.

Help your chances of conceiving with good timing

In biology class you may have imagined conception as something that happens right away – the egg meets the sperm, it implants in the uterus, and in a few months you have a baby. In reality, however, a healthy woman under the age of thirty with a partner who has a normal sperm count has about a 15 percent chance of conceiving every month – so you have to time the sex correctly to ensure that the egg will even meet the sperm, namely in the days around ovulation. But that’s often not enough…

A healthy body = a healthy pregnancy

Before you start trying for a baby, you should focus on your lifestyle in a comprehensive way. Start with the most important thing – giving your body enough ‘healthy fuel’ and limiting things that are harmful to fertility, specifically cigarettes and alcohol. This unhealthy duo has a negative effect on your reproductive health, and it also affects the future health of the foetus. Your plate should be full of colourful fruits and vegetables and foods containing folic acid, vitamin D and antioxidants. These will not only help increase fertility, they will also ensure the right hormone levels and prepare the body for a successful pregnancy.

If your diet isn’t what it should be, take a supplement

Even if you try your best, it’s hard to get enough of some vitamins today. The more food is processed, the more nutrition it loses, so we don’t get enough of what we need. Today there is an ‘epidemic’ of vitamin D deficiency; this can reduce fertility and increase the risk of health problems during pregnancy. Another nutrient worth supplementing is folic acid; it is great for increasing fertility, and it also reduces the risk of heart defects and neural tube defects.

Probiotics are another supplement that is beneficial when you’re trying for a baby and during pregnancy. You can administer them vaginally or take them orally. This will increase your chances of creating optimal conditions for the conception and development of your baby.

Exercise, exercise, exercise

We know…we also have a sedentary job, and it’s hard to get enough exercise sitting in front of the computer. But in order to create the perfect ‘nest’ for your baby, you should include exercise in your life. Exercising at a healthy intensity, ideally out in the fresh air, helps your chances of becoming pregnant. Not only does exercise help keep your hormones in check, it also helps you avoid becoming overweight (obesity reduces your chances – BMI over 30), which (like extreme underweight – BMI under 19) is a major obstacle to becoming pregnant.

Focus on mental hygiene

A fact that people sadly tend to forget is that mental health and well-being are far more important to reproduction than you think. If you add the stress of becoming pregnant to your everyday worries, you won’t help your fertility much. These emotions release the stress hormone cortisol, which can disrupt communication between your brain and ovaries, resulting in irregular cycles. This is why you should focus on managing stress and engaging in activities that reduce stress.

If you feel overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to tell your doctor and get professional help with a therapist.