Mistakes That Could Be Sabotaging Conception

If you’re struggling to conceive, you’re not alone. In fact, somewhere around one in five couples is unable to conceive after a year of having unprotected sex. Fortunately, there are treatments that can help boost your fertility and allow you to have a child. First, though, make sure you’re not accidentally making these mistakes that could be sabotaging your odds of conception.

• Putting the wrong things into your body: Smoking, drinking, and doing drugs can impede your fertility, and so can too much caffeine. There’s also evidence to suggest that women struggling with fertility issues can benefit from modifying their diet to include more fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and plant-based protein, and fewer sugary, processed foods. There’s also research that shows a link between fast food consumption and delay in conception. And while fish can be a good source of protein, eating high-mercury fish can increase your risk of miscarriage and can negatively impact your baby’s brain should you be able to retain the pregnancy. While you’re watching what you eat, watch how you prepare and store food, too. Bisphenol-A, found in many common household items, can negatively affect fertility. Eat fresh food instead of packaged, store things in glass instead of plastic, choose glass containers over cans, and drink water out of glass or stainless steel bottles rather than plastic.
• Gaining or losing too much weight: You might know that obesity is one of the primary causes of infertility, but did you know that underweight women can also have trouble conceiving? A healthy BMI, between 18.5 and 24.9, is your best bet for successful conception and a healthy pregnancy.
• Using the wrong lubricant. Obviously, you’ll want to steer clear of lubricants that contain spermicide. However, there are often other ingredients that can negatively affect sperm motility. Look for a fertility-friendly lubricant designed with a pH balance that mimics your body’s natural state.
• Having sex too little or too much. When you’re trying to conceive, it’s important to know when you actually ovulate. Knowing your cycle can give you a general idea, as long as you count back 14 days from the beginning of your cycle. However, ovulation test kits can help you achieve greater accuracy. However, it’s a mistake to have sex only on the day you ovulate. Your fertility window is actually about six days; it starts four days before you ovulate and ends two days after. Should you just go ahead and have sex every day, to increase your chances of hitting the right one? No, this is also a bad idea, because the man’s sperm count will be depleted and need time to rebound. Your best bet is to determine your window of fertility and have sex every other day during that time.
• Doing too much or too little exercise. A sedentary lifestyle can keep you from conceiving as quickly as you’d like. On the other hand, women who participate in extreme exercise can disrupt their hormones and reduce their chances for conception. Your best bet is to shoot for 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week, starting slowly and increasing your pace gradually as you become comfortable with it.
• Thinking this all only applies to the would-be mom. The health of the man in the relationship matters, too. Men trying to become fathers should follow the same guidelines about smoking, drinking, drugs, and diet, and maintain a healthy weight. It’s also wise to have a check-up, to make sure you’re healthy and ready to father a child.

If you are struggling to conceive, we are ready to help. At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love making the world better by helping people grow their families. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.