Natural Fertility

While many factors that affect fertility may be out of your control, such as age or genetics, there are several natural methods you can use to increase your chances of conceiving.

Understand and Track Your Menstrual Cycle

Understanding your menstrual cycle and therefore your fertile window is key to natural conception. The fertile window is defined as the 6 day interval leading up to, and including ovulation. Studies show that sperm can live inside the female reproductive tract for up to five days, but the egg is only viable for 12 to 24 hours after ovulation. This is why your peak fertility is 2 days prior to ovulation and likelihood of pregnancy is highest if intercourse occurs before ovulation.

Tracking ovulation

• Basal Body Temperature (BBT): Measuring your BBT daily can help you identify the slight rise in temperature that occurs after ovulation.
• Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPKs): These kits detect the surge in luteinizing hormone (LH) that happens just before ovulation.
• Cervical Mucus Monitoring: Just before ovulation, cervical mucus becomes clear, stretchy, and slippery, resembling raw egg whites.

Frequency of intercourse: frequent intercourse every 1-2 days during the fertile window is ideal. Couples do not need to limit the frequency of intercourse but alternatively can achieve similar results if having sex less frequently (every 2-3 days).

Lifestyle factors that improve fertility

Follow a Fertility-Friendly Diet

Eating a balanced diet rich in key nutrients can improve both male and female fertility. A Mediterranean style diet has often been reported to be beneficial for reproductive health.

• Increase Antioxidants: Both foods rich in antioxidants like vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, in addition to supplementation with CoQ10 (ubiquinol) help protect eggs and sperm from oxidative stress.
• Healthy Fats: Omega-3 fatty acids from sources like fatty fish (salmon, sardines), chia seeds, and flaxseeds can reduce inflammation and support reproductive health.
• Limit Refined Carbohydrates and Sugars: Diets high in refined carbs and sugars can lead to insulin resistance, which may affect ovulation. Focus on whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
• Plant-Based Proteins: Swap some animal protein for plant-based sources like beans, lentils, and nuts to improve ovulatory health.
• Folate: Folate supports cell division and fetal development. It’s an incredibly important micronutrient for spine and brain development and for prevention of neural tube defects.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Being at a healthy weight can significantly improve your chances of conceiving naturally. Presence of excess body fat can result in irregular periods or anovulation (lack of ovulation), while being underweight can also suppress ovulation (through different mechanisms).

Exercise Moderately

A consistent exercise routine with a combination of strength training and cardio can improve fertility by helping maintain a healthy weight, reducing insulin resistance and improving metabolic parameters that can impact fertility. However, it’s important to avoid excessive strenuous exercises, which can disrupt ovulation, resulting in infertility.

Limit Toxins and Environmental Exposures

Unfortunately environmental toxins and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are present everywhere in everyday life and have a significant impact on fertility. While they can’t be completely avoided, it’s a matter of reducing exposure wherever possible. Here are a few example of toxins to avoid and where they can be found:

• Bisphenol A (BPA): Found in plastics and caned foods, BPA can mimic estrogen in the body, potentially affecting endocrine functions. Opt for BPA-free products and avoid plastic containers and foods or beverages that are packaged in plastic containers.
• Choose Organic Foods or locally farmed produce: Eating organic can reduce your exposure to pesticides, which are known EDCs that can have a significant impact on fertility.
• Reduce Exposure to Endocrine Disruptors: Limit contact with chemicals in household cleaning products, cosmetics, and personal care products that contain phthalates and parabens, which can interfere with hormone function.

Alcohol and Smoking

Technically speaking, there is no safe amount of alcohol that has been demonstrated to confer any benefits towards conception. While complete abstinence prior to conception is not necessary, limiting intake is important since frequent consumption can be detrimental to egg and sperm quality.

Smoking cigarettes has been shown to reduce ovarian reserve, egg quality and can even lead to earlier onset of menopause. Smoking can also affect sperm count, motility and morphology. This is why complete cessation is recommended.

When to Seek Help

For most couples, conception happens within 12 months of trying naturally. If you’re under 35 and have been trying for over a year without success—or over 35 and have been trying for six months—it’s a good idea to begin and evaluation.

Want to learn more? Contact us at 310-943-5820 or email BH_Reception@havingbabies.com or fill out a form today to schedule a consultation!