tips for couples to maximize fertility

Tips for Couples to Maximize Their Fertility

Couples seeking fertility help to start a family should know that lifestyle, diet, and health can impact the ability to conceive. The steps that they take before, during and after fertility treatments may improve their odds of getting pregnant.

The results of fertility treatments may be more positive when the couple keeps their overall health in focus. This means eating a well-balanced diet, exercising and getting quality sleep at night. The following tips also may assist with fertility preservation.

Quit Smoking
Studies suggest that smoking may have a negative effect on ovarian function and female fertility. Kicking the habit isn’t easy, but it may increase the odds of conception. Men’s fertility is also adversely impacted by smoking. Evidence suggests that there may be fertility benefits for men who give up smoking.

Avoid Alcohol
While the medical research concerning the danger associated with consuming alcohol while pregnant is well documented, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests that excessive alcohol consumption may interfere with fertility. Accordingly, it may be wise for couples who are trying to conceive to avoid alcohol.

Start Exercising
Exercise can make anyone feel healthier and experience fewer medical concerns. However, men who are trying to start a family have an additional incentive. Several studies indicate that regular exercise leads to healthier sperm with improved motility and increases in testosterone levels.

Eat a Bigger Breakfast
The old adage about breakfast being the most important meal of the day applies to women who want to optimize fertility. Making breakfast the main meal of the day may minimize the effects of polycystic ovary syndrome according to one study. Results in the research show that eating a larger breakfast led to an eight-percent reduction in insulin levels and a 50-percent reduction in testosterone levels.

Limit Trans Fats
While consuming healthy fats may provide a boost to female fertility, one study demonstrates that there may be a connection between diets that are high in trans fats and infertility.

Don’t Forget to Relax
Trying to conceive can increase stress, and research demonstrates that this may lead to hormonal changes that make getting pregnant less likely. Accordingly, it may be critical to find ways to relax when trying to conceive.

Maintain a Healthy Body Weight
Men and women are encouraged by scientific evidence to keep striving toward a healthy body weight. Research shows that this may improve male fertility as well as female fertility.

What can women and men do specifically? Here are a couple of gender specific tips:

For Her: Avoid Extreme Weight Gain or Loss
Significant weight gain or loss may affect a woman’s ovulation cycle. This means that it is sensible to strive toward a healthy BMI on a slow and steady basis.

Read more about lifestyle habits that optimize female fertility

 

Form Him: Be Mindful of Testicle Temperature
The testicles are outside the body because cooler temperatures are beneficial to sperm. This means that activities like sitting in a hot tub or sauna may be inadvisable when trying to optimize fertility. It further may make sense for men to avoid holding a laptop in their laps as this can raise scrotum temperature. Scientific studies indicate that a slight temperature increase can have a detrimental effect on sperm quality.

 

Read more tips on boosting sperm health