1. Adjust your weight
How much you weigh is not unimportant in the issue of pregnancy. If your body mass index is less than 19 - you should think about adding a little more weight. Weight or improper use of a diet can lead to hormonal imbalance, as well as to amenorrhea. In the case of a reduced body weight, you may have problems with ovulation and, ultimately, difficulty in conceiving. If your body mass index is significantly higher than 25, then before you plan to become pregnant, you should think about the right diet and exercise. Women who are overweight or obese often suffer from a violation of ovulation. This is due to improper metabolism of hormones. Estrogens are formed in the adipose tissue and bones of a woman who may have an elevated hormone in the blood. Increasing the production of estrogen adversely affects the course of the cycle and suppresses ovulation. Overweight and obesity often coexist with a disease - a syndrome of polycystic ovaries.
2. Consider your age
This does not mean that if you are over 35, you must forget about pregnancy. On the contrary! You must accept yourself at your age, and not demand from the body of the impossible. Every woman, if she is healthy and has a normal cycle, can become pregnant and give birth to a child at any age. But for each age there are their own characteristics, their needs and approaches to the issues of conception. Take into account your age and act according to this. Dr. Gillian Lockwood, author of "Fertility for Dummies", points out that the most "fertile" age is between 20 and 30 years old. It is worth remembering that each of us is born with a finite number of immature ovules or follicles in the ovaries. However, only a small fraction of them mature. This is the so-called "ovarian reserve". A newborn girl in the body contains from 1 to 2 million follicular oocytes. An adult woman has about 400 thousand of them. After 35 years, there is a clear reduction in the number of "working" eggs. When you are at the age when the chances of fertilization decrease from year to year, you just have to take this into account and do it right. It is better, if you will be helped by a specialist - will conduct a survey, prescribe a therapy, follow the progress of the cycle. Sometimes after 35 years of pregnancy without the intervention of doctors is extremely difficult.
3. Correctly calculate the time of your ovulation
One of the most popular, but most effective ways to get pregnant is to calculate the time for ovulation and adjust to it. The main thing is to determine the length and number of fertile days. It is important, in particular, to observe your body. Here are some signs of ovulation can multiply the probability of pregnancy:
- Change in body temperature. When ovulation, it usually rises to 37 0 C and lasts for several days.
- Change the consistency and color of selections. When ovulation, the secretions resemble raw egg white without color and odor. This means that the most favorable days for conception have come.
- Swelling of mammary glands. Many women feel pain in the chest during ovulation. Nipples are especially sensitive.
- Drawing pains in the lower abdomen. Sometimes even bleeding may occur. This is the result of rupture of the follicle during ovulation. The pain is not strong and passes through a day or two. It is not rare that women do not feel this symptom at all.
4. Get rid of bad habits
If you are really serious about motherhood - you will not become during attempts to become pregnant and smoke and abuse alcohol. Keep in mind that if you have had bad habits before, then between them and your pregnancy must pass at least a year. Only in this way you can confidently assert that you are ready to give birth to a healthy child. Alcohol and nicotine suppress the reproductive function (both in women and men). Perhaps that's why you can not get pregnant.
5. Eliminate diseases
Hormonal disorders are disorders that lead to the absence of ovulation or defective ovulation, when "empty" follicles are produced. It is treated with hormone-based drugs. But appoint this treatment should only the doctor after the appropriate diagnosis.
Hyperprolactinemia is a high concentration of prolactin in the blood. Prolactin is a hormone that is produced by the pituitary gland. Its high level may indicate a tumor of the pituitary or thyroid. Physiologically, the role of this hormone is in the production and secretion of milk in pregnant and lactating women. In non-pregnant women, a high level of prolactin can lead to inhibition of ovulation. Prolactin also inhibits the secretion of progesterone in women and reduces their reproductive performance.
The syndrome of polycystic ovaries - is the excessive production of male hormones (androgens, testosterone) in the ovaries. This disorder can be caused by an increased level of insulin, which leads to an increase in the synthesis of androgens in the ovaries. Increased levels of male hormones in the ovaries contribute to the death of the follicle and the formation of cysts. Over time, the ovaries increase in diameter and contain numerous cysts on the periphery. Hence the name of the disease is polycystic ovary syndrome. There are also problems in the form of rare menstruation or secondary amenorrhea.
Diseases of the luteal phase is a defect in the yellow body, which produces too little progesterone. Progesterone in the second phase of the cycle is responsible for the proper preparation of the endometrium for implantation of the embryo. If the yellow body produces insufficient progesterone, the uterus is not ready to receive the embryo and an early miscarriage occurs.
Diseases of the thyroid gland . Insufficient or excessive secretion of thyroid hormones causes systemic hormonal disorders, including very often the disappearance of ovulation.
Anatomic causes - among them are, among others: uterine underdevelopment, uterine septum, birth defects in the formation of uterine tubes (obstruction).
Endometriosis - includes the implantation of a part of the uterus (endometrium) to the abdominal wall. During the menstrual period, the endometrium completely exfoliates and passes through the fallopian tubes and circulatory system. In a healthy woman, it should be immediately destroyed, however, due to immunological disorders, the endometrium enters the bloodstream. As a result, there are scars, cysts and adhesions.
Diseases of the immune system - a woman produces antibodies against a partner's sperm, and her body destroys them. It also happens that a woman is allergic to certain tissues, which subsequently form the placenta. The female body reacts in a way that blocks the formation of the placenta, which in turn feeds the embryo. As a result, pregnancy is interrupted.
Dysfunction of the ovaries . Some women are talking about premature (before 35 years) depletion of primary follicles. This may be due to antitumor therapy, immune damage to the ovaries, genetic disorders.
Inflammation of the pelvic organs - can affect the reproductive organs: uterine tubes, ovaries, uterus and cervix, vagina. Inflammation can lead to spikes that prevent pregnancy. The consequence of such infections can be overgrown uterine tubes or cervix, which prevents the egg from meeting with the partner's sperm. This can also lead to the formation of adhesions in the uterine cavity that interfere with embryo implantation. If the spikes were created on the surface of the ovary - ovulation is impossible, because the egg can not pass through a thick layer of adhesion. A common cause of inflammation of the genital tract and adhesions are microorganisms, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Myoma - can affect the endometrium, which makes it difficult for implantation of the embryo. Myoma can also block the fallopian tubes, change the position of the cervix, which makes it impossible to get sperm to the egg.
The effect of some drugs on fertility - some drugs can cause temporary or permanent infertility. Antidepressants, hormones, analgesics, aspirin - all this can cause reversible temporary infertility. Usually it disappears after the drug is discontinued. Radiation therapy and antitumor drugs irreversibly destroy the follicles in the ovaries, causing permanent infertility.
6. Watch for food
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have long proven that the diet affects fertility. What should I avoid? First of all, fast food, french fries and hamburgers. It is necessary to take a multivitamin - this significantly increases the chances of becoming pregnant. Your diet should consist mainly of avocado, lettuce, almonds, sweet potatoes, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and strawberries. It is worth thinking about giving up coffee. If you can not give it up altogether, then at least do not drink more than two cups a day.
7. Exercise regularly
Exercises regulate the level of hormones and relieve stress. You should not overwork - get the opposite effect. Norm - no more than 15 hours a week, otherwise you can hurt yourself. Intensive warm-up is the key to successful training. It is very important! The optimal "dose" of exercise - no more than half an hour a day. It is best to do aerobics, it is also useful to swim and run in the morning.
8. Take a test for sexually transmitted diseases
Some diseases are asymptomatic. You may be sick, but without doing regular examinations, you will never find out. Therefore, it is very important to do tests for chlamydia, for example. If it is not treated, it can lead to infertility. Another disease that is responsible for fertility is gonorrhea.
9. Try to relieve stress
High levels of stress affect the fertility of women. Scientists from Oxford University have shown that women who do not get pregnant have higher levels of stress hormone (cortisol) than women who manage to quickly become mothers. Stress makes the likelihood of fertilization lower by 12%. Doctors advise instead of constant thoughts about problems with pregnancy to devote oneself to rest and relax.
10. Do not act like a man.
An American anthropologist, Professor Elizabeth Kashden published a study that proves that too active and busy women are changing their hormone levels. Stress at work and the fight for equality with men contribute to the reduction of estrogen. In return, the level of testosterone and hormones that contain stress, rivalry and intersexuality is increasing. If you can not get pregnant - the people's councils prefer the advice of specialists: slow down the movement and remove the leg from the gas.