If you've been having difficulties getting pregnant, you must already know that there are a multitude of reasons why this is so. Biological, environmental, and psychological factors all play a role in a man or a woman's fertility, and it would take an entire volume of books to thoroughly deal with the topic. But if you don't want to jump into expensive and invasive fertility treatments just yet, you can't simply sit down and wait for the right time because as you age, you move farther away from the "ideal" time to make a baby.
That said, it's never too early to look into the natural ways of boosting your fertility. Many of these have not been scientifically proven to unequivocally result in pregnancy, yet hundreds of studies have been made linking them to an overall improvement of health, which, by way of logic, is really what we should be aiming for in the first place.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle
Women should make the environment where a fetus would develop for approximately 9 months as healthy and welcoming as possible. Men, likewise, should take care of the health to ensure that they will be producing viable sperm. No matter how much you spend on modern technology involving fertility, if you won't stick to healthy practices, then the road to getting pregnant and having a healthy baby will only be longer and rougher.
Avoid harmful substances. If you're a smoker or a drinker, now is the best time to quit. There have been a considerable number of studies showing that smokers are more likely to be infertile than nonsmokers, all other controllable factors being the same. If your partner smokes, even if you are a nonsmoker, you'll still get its ill effects, being a passive smoker.
Alcohol has also been found to produce adverse effects on conception and pregnancy. Binge drinking is especially prohibited if you are aiming to get pregnant. Low levels of alcohol, such as the occasional glass of wine, has never been shown to cause any adverse effects, but doctors advise that you err on the side of caution and avoid alcohol completely.
The use of prescription drugs should always be taken up with your prescription if you're planning on conceiving. There are certain maintenance drugs that can still be taken during pregnancy – such as thyroxine which is prescribed for thyroid disorders – which are safe even for pregnant women.
On the other hand, there are drugs that can reduce a person's fertility and worse, cause harm to a developing fetus. Non-prescription drugs are especially dangerous, as they have been proven to cause congenital abnormalities in babies. Regular cocaine use, for instance, can adversely affect the production of sperm and the male hormone testosterone, resulting in a decrease in libido.
Marijuana affects a woman's menstrual cycle and ovulation, often shortening the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. When this happens, the chances of the fertilized egg being implanted on the uterine wall become smaller.
Regular heroin use affects the brain and causes it to inhibit the hormone dopamine. When this happens, the amount of prolactin increases and the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle is reduced fom about 12 days to only 10 days, making conception more difficult to time.
Have a healthy diet. To keep your organs, tissues, and cells in peak condition, always have a balanced diet and keep off foods rich in preservatives. If possible, go organic. You don't have to turn vegetarian. If you are, make sure you're getting enough nutrients, as vegetarianism narrows one's diet.
Look into other protein sources like tofu and cook similar dishes in different ways by using different spices. If you're planning to conceive, you might want to take supplements for Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, zinc, and calcium. If you've always been a coffee drinker, you need not abruptly stop the habit if it makes you more testy, because one or two cups won't really do harm.
Vitamins A, C, and E have been found to play important roles in sperm morphology and motility. Fatty acids, sourced from canola or soya bean oil, linseed and pumpkin seeds, and oily fish such as trout, salmon, and tuna, are needed to ensure the development and proper functioning of tissues in the major organs. A deficiency in fatty acids results in reduced fertility.
Exercise. There is no doubt that exercise, when done in moderation, can boost your fertility and help you conceive. First, you will be able to shed unwanted pounds, making you more resistant to illnesses.
Second, it increases your endorphins and consequently increases libido. Third, if you and your partner have decided to undergo medical procedures to treat infertility, exercising would help you tolerate the drugs better and help you cope with the rigors of the various procedures.
Alternative treatments
Aromatherapy. The use of essential oils in aromatherapy is said to reduce stress and symptoms of anxiety. Since stress has been indirectly correlated with infertility, there's no harm in trying this safe and inexpensive treatment.
Acupuncture. This treatment – which involves sticking fine needles into certain points of your body – is not really cheap, but aside from giving you better chances of conceiving (as it is said to remove blockages and correct the flow of energy, or "qi" in your body), acupuncture could relieve you of various other ailments as well.
Acupressure. Similar to the way acupuncture works, this method involves applying pressure on meridian points to stimulate one's qi. A fertility expert would be able to work on the points connected to the important male and female organs to encourage conception.
There are certainly other alternative treatments for fertility, like the use of fertility herbs, hypnotherapy, or homeopathy, but it is still best to consult your doctor about them before trying them out.
