As more and more women are putting off starting their family until after their career has been established more and more women are also finding they are experiencing difficulty with fertility. There are several natural methods of fertility treatment in order to improve your chances of conceiving. Here are a few things that you can do in order to achieve pregnancy.
One of the most important factors in your fertility is smoking. Most people are aware of the fact that smoking and pregnancy don’t mix and that smoking will 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. Unfortunately, it may not be just a matter of quitting smoking as 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 fertility. Although the link is less clear physicians are convinced that it does exist. There is no direct data showing an obvious link but more and more smaller studies will indicate stress relief will have 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 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 a group of Harvard researchers found that 79% of the infertile couples in the study had a lower than average intake of foods which were high in anti-oxidants. In another study published in 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 suffers from polycystic ovary disease will also find that losing a little as 5% of body weight he can encourage accurate ovulation and therefore pregnancy. Many women who suffer from polycystic ovary disease are obese or overweight and researchers know that by cutting down on calories and engaging in weight loss 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 in chocolate, will reduce both male and female fertility levels. Xenoestrogens found in chemicals and pesticides can disturb the balance of hormones 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.
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.
Whatever the causes of infertility it can only help to take better 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.
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