Some of the treatments for male infertility actually mirror the treatments for female infertility. For instance, in vitro fertilization can be used to weed out the stronger sperm, fertilize the woman’s eggs in an external environment, and then implant them. In vitro fertilization remains the best medical treatment for a couple trying to conceive when male infertility is an issue.

IUI fertilization

Intrauterine insemination, too, is sometimes used for men with poor sperm quality. By implanting “washed” sperm directly into the woman during her ovulation period, IUI has an average pregnancy success rate of between 6 and 25%. Success rates at or above the higher end of this range occur when the sperm count is between 20 to 30 million per ejaculation and are reduced significantly when the count falls below 5 to 10 million.

IUI is typically not successful in cases of:

• Low sperm count

• Low sperm motility

Clomid

In April 2009, the journal Fertility and Sterility published a study that found that men who took Clomiphene citrate (Clomid) along with vitamin E for six months showed an increase in both sperm count and motility. The men in the study had a 37% success rate of impregnating their partners versus men who took a placebo. Those in the placebo group had a 13% success rate. A study by the World Health Organization several years ago did not show a great increase in fertility in men taking Clomid vs a control group taking a placebo, so it appears that the combination of vitamin E and the Clomid hormone makes the difference.

Natural Fertility Treatments

In many cases, natural fertility treatments can be performed at home such as changes in diet, exercise routines and general health will increase a man’s sperm count and motility.

Decrease temperature of sperm

Sperm do not thrive in constant, overly warm temperatures. Therefore, a man trying to conceive should avoid hot tubs, prolonged warm temperatures and heated blankets. Also, avoid sitting with a laptop on your lap for long periods. (Purchasing a cooling fan that fits under the laptop and runs on power from the PC will protect your sperm count and your computer.)

Many medical professionals say the “boxers or briefs” choice makes little difference, but like many natural treatments, switching to boxers while TTC couldn’t hurt.

Lifestyle changes

In general, any lifestyle changes that positively impact a man’s health can also impact his sperm production. Quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, avoiding illegal drugs, keeping your weight in check, and engaging in moderate exercise can all help increase sperm production and energy levels.

Excessive bicycling – for more than three hours a week – on a narrow bicycle seat can lead to reproductive problems. Avid cyclists need not give up their habit, though, as cycling is a healthy lifestyle choice. Simply invest in a wider, cushioned seat, and stand frequently to shift your weight.

Vitamins
Certain vitamin deficiencies can lead to low sperm count and motility. For improved reproductive health, men should take vitamin supplements and eat a diet rich in the following nutrients:

• Zinc

• Vitamin E

• Vitamin C

• Vitamin B12

• Selenium

• Flaxseed oil

You may find a blend of these vitamins in natural fertility supplements designed for men.

Herbs can increase sperm production

As herbal remedies grow in popularity, more reputable companies are introducing herbal supplements. However, herbs have no FDA regulation, and you can’t always determine the potency or reliability of an herbal supplement. Do your research to insure you’re purchasing from a reputable source and you’re not just wasting your money on what are, essentially, sugar pills.

Additionally, take herbs with caution, following the manufacturer’s recommended dosage. As with any medicine or supplement, do not take more than the recommended dose. Pay close attention to your body and stop taking the supplement if you experience any unusual side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about any interactions between herbs or with any prescription drugs.

Popular herbs to improve fertility in men include:

• Ginseng or Panax Ginseng

• Astralagus

• Saw palmetto

Stress Reduction

Coping with infertility can lead to additional stress on top of life’s everyday stressors. A couple trying to conceive can learn methods to cope with stress together. If you recently experienced a major, life-changing event that causes stress, such as a death in your family, job loss, purchasing a home or moving, you may want to cut back on the TTC efforts for a while. In other words, “stop trying,” have sex regularly and only when you feel like it for fun, and wait until the emotional ordeal passes to renew your efforts.

Author: Dawn Allcot

Is it really possible to pre-determine or, more accurately, to select, the gender of your child? Several medical experts say that it is.

These are a few methods currently used for gender selection.

The Ericsson Method – This medical procedure can be pricey, but it is effective about 75% of the time when selecting a boy and about 70% to 72% of the time if the couple is trying for a girl. The use of the fertility drug Clomid increases the odds of bearing a girl if sperm bearing the X chromosome are used for insemination.

The Ericsson Method entails artificial insemination, where the sperm are first separated and those bearing the male (Y) chromosome or bearing the female (X) chromosome only are used to fertilize the eggs, depending on the patient’s choice.

PGD (Preimplantation genetic diagnosis) – PGD combines in vitro fertilization with the Ericsson Method of sperm selection, so that only embryos fertilized with sperm bearing either the X or Y chromosome, depending on the patient’s choice, get implanted into the mother. Because the embryos are first fertilized with selected sperm and then checked for gender prior to implantation, this combination yields even higher success rates than the Ericsson Method alone.

If you are using gender selection to avoid passing on gender-related genetic diseases, or if you feel you absolutely could not accept a child of the gender not of your choosing, this medical method has the most proven track record, according to many accounts.

Intercourse -Timed Gender Selection – In the 1970s, two doctors released two different books offering directions on how to conceive a baby with the gender of your choice. In 1971, Dr. Landrum Shettles and David Rorvik wrote “How to Choose the Sex of Your Baby,” and revealed that sperm with male (Y) chromosomes move faster than sperm with X (female) chromosomes but do not live as long.

To conceive a boy, have intercourse on the day of ovulation or one day after. To conceive a girl, have sex two to four days prior to ovulation.

Use any number of methods, such as:

• tracking your natural fertility signs such as: basal body temperature, your cervical mucus, and your cervical position

• using an ovulation predictor kit

• using an ovulation tracker/calculator

Shettles offers other tips for tipping the scales when it comes to conceiving a baby boy, too.

• Have sex in a position that encourages deep penetration to deposit the weaker “boy” sperm closer to the cervix

• When a woman orgasms, it changes the pH level in the vagina to be more alkaline, an environment where the Y-chromosome sperm thrive

• Create an alkaline or acidic environment for the sperm by douching with a special solution prior to intercourse

• The prospective father-to-be should drink coffee prior to intercourse

Elizabeth Whelan’s method – outlined in her mid-seventies book “Boy or Girl,” contradicts the Shettles Method. She says that biochemical changes in a woman’s body prior to ovulation make the environment more friendly to Y-chromosome sperm. To conceive a boy, she says, have sex six to four days prior to ovulation, and to have a girl, wait until two or three days prior to ovulation.

Whelan’s technique, however, has lost validity over the years, while many people still rely on the Shettles Method. The Shettles Method, when done correctly, offers a 75% success rate for both genders, making the technique as reliable as medically-assisted methods. The Whelan’s method offers only a 68% success rate for boys and 56% for girls; only 6% higher than the natural 50% odds of having a girl without doing anything prior to or during conception to influence the gender.

GenSelect Gender Selection Kit – Kits such as the Genselect Gender Selection Kit also consider the pH level of the vagina, and offer special douching solutions to create an acidic or alkaline environment, friendly to x- or y-chromosome sperm, respectively.

This kit, which touts a 96% success rate, combines intercourse timing with diet and all-natural nutriceutical supplements with douches to adjust the acidity of the vagina.

Diet – A recent study suggests that women who eat a high-calorie diet tend to conceive boys more frequently – specifically, in a sampling of 740 women, 56% of the women who ate a diet high in carbohydrates and who consumed more calories conceived a boy, compared with 45% who ate a lower calorie diet. Additionally, starting the day with a bowl of cereal increased the odds of having a boy. 59% of women who ate cereal daily had boys, compared to 43% who ate cereal less frequently than once a week.

Experts attribute the increase in males conceived by women who eat a healthier, heartier diet to an increase in blood sugar levels. Also, the study seems to lend credence to the old belief that a diet high in salt increases the odds of conceiving a boy. In the study sample, a higher intake of sodium, potassium and calcium seemed to favor conceiving a boy.

It’s important to note, however, that a change in diet alone only increased the odds by a mere 9% (at best) over the natural 50-50 chance of having a boy.

Many people view the ideal family as “one boy, one girl.” And parents with two children of the same gender often get the question “Are you going to try for a boy/girl?”

These ideas may help you conceive your gender of choice. But let’s be honest: When all is said and done, most people don’t really care whether they have a boy or girl, so long as the baby is healthy. Even if you are hoping against hope for one or the other, as soon as you see that wonderful baby you created, the gender probably won’t matter.

Author: Dawn Allcot

If you have been trying to get pregnant without success for more than a year, or for more than six months if you are over the age of 35, it may be time to visit a fertility specialist.

Before you see a doctor, however, make sure you have done everything in your power to get pregnant.

• Are you tracking your menstrual cycles and using some method to ensure you are having sex at or around your time of ovulation?
• Does an ovulation predictor kit show that you are ovulating normally?

If this is the case, a fertility specialist should be able to help you pin down the reason you have not been able to conceive and discuss methods that will help you conceive or make a pregnancy possible. Statistics show that 85 percent of all infertility cases are curable.

Testing for Him

The doctor first will take down your medical history. Testing typically begins with the male, because his test involves a simple semen analysis. The analysis will look for sperm count, healthy movement of the sperm, and the shape and maturity of the sperm cells to determine the quality. The semen’s consistency and volume will be analyzed – approximately one teaspoon is considered normal. The pH balance will be tested – it should be slightly alkaline to survive in the environment of the cervix.

If the test results show abnormalities, a doctor specializing in male infertility will repeat the exam two times over the next three months. Many different factors – from a fever or illness to sexually transmitted diseases – can affect sperm count. Additionally, intense physical activity – and especially bicycle riding – can reduce sperm count, as can high temperatures, such as those experienced in a hot tub. Even wearing briefs instead of boxers can create a warm environment in the testes that can lower sperm count.

If the next two exams bring abnormal results, your partner will be referred to a urologist, who will perform the following tests:

• A sperm antibody test

• Hormonal blood tests

• Testicular biopies to determine if he is sterile

• Vasography which checks for any obstructions

• Fructose test

• Bovine cervical mucus test which checks the sperm’s ability to penetrate cervical mucus from cows

• Hamster egg test which determines sperm penetration strength. This test is important, because if his sperm can’t penetrate the egg, in vitro fertilization will not be successful.

Testing for Her

If your partner’s semen analysis results are normal, or if all of the tests performed by the urologist show no problems, testing begins for you. A gynecologist specializing in reproductive endocrinology can take you through this stage of fertility testing.

The doctor will first view both of your charts and review your medical history, paying particular attention to past surgeries such as appendicitis, myomectomies or fibroid surgery, and any STDs on record. He will ask about your menstrual cycle – if you’ve ever had irregular periods, etc., and he will ask about your contraceptive history. He will then conduct interviews with both of you, either together or separately.

He will ask you both questions about previous pregnancies and their outcomes, as well as how long you’ve been trying to get pregnant. He will also ask many lifestyle questions including:

• Frequency of sex

• Do you use any recreational drugs?

• Do you smoke?

• How often do you drink alcohol?

• How healthy is your diet?

• Do you exercise regularly? How often and what activities?

• Have you experienced any stressful events recently, such as a death or new job?

It may be tempting to lie when you answer some of these questions but your honest answers will help your doctor discover the cause of your infertility and make changes that will help you get pregnant.

Your exam includes a complete physical, including an internal, when the doctor will examine your ovaries for signs of problems such as PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), endometriosis, and PID. An ultrasound may be performed to check the condition of the fallopian tubes and ovaries.

Additionally, blood work will be done or scheduled to check reproductive and thyroid hormone levels and to test for STDs.

A visit to a fertility specialist can be a stressful experience, but knowing what to expect and being prepared can help alleviate some of your concerns, as well as make your visit go smoothly.

How can you prepare?

• Bring a list of questions you and your partner want to ask

• Be prepared with your families’ medical histories and your own medical histories

• Be prepared with information about your menstrual cycle, including ovulation dates from charting your cycle for at least three months.

Author: Dawn Allcot

One way to increase your odds of conceiving quickly is to make sure you are having sex during the most fertile part of your cycle — the days just before, during and after ovulation.

Because sperm can live in the body for up to five days, but an unfertilized egg dies after 24 hours, you increase the odds of having sperm and egg meet by having sex just prior to ovulation. But how do you know when you are ovulating?

If your periods are very regular, and come consistently anywhere from 21 to 35 days apart, you can also use our ovulation calculator to predict when you are fertile.

But by tracking the physical signs of fertility, you will get more exact results, even if your cycle varies slightly each month. You can track your fertility by charting your Basal Body Temperature (BBT), Cervical Fluid, and Cervical Position.

Basal Body Temperature
BBT is the temperature of your body before any activity—your body’s baseline temperature. Your BBT rises slightly on the day of ovulation and remains elevated until just before your next period starts. To track your BBT, take your temperature orally with a BBT thermometer (they sell for about $10 at any drug store) every morning before you get out of bed and chart the results. A BBT thermometer only registers temperatures between 96 to 100 degrees F. and can detect very slight changes in your temperature. Most women have a BBT of 96 to 98 degrees normally before ovulation and 97 to 99 after ovulation.

Cervical Fluid
Cervical fluid, sometimes called cervical mucus, is produced by the lining of a woman’s cervical canal and varies in consistency, color, and amount based on where you are in your monthly cycle.

As you get closer to your time of ovulation, your cervical mucus will change in order to better permit the transfer of sperm into your cervix.

To get a good sample of your cervical mucus at any time, place your fingers (make sure they are clean) inside your vagina. When you pull your fingers out, examine the sample you’ve obtained, noting its consistency and color.
Immediately after menstruation, you will have several “dry days,” where there is very little fluid at all.  What is there may be white or opaque and thick and sticky. As you approach mid-cycle, you will note more moistness, and the fluid will be thin, and possibly cloudy. If you hold some between your fingers, it will be slightly stretchy.
In the few days just before ovulation, which is when you are most fertile, your cervical fluid will be copious, thin and transparent. It will be very stretchy, almost the consistency of egg whites.

Just as your cervical fluid changes throughout your cycle, so does the position of your cervix in order to facilitate the transportation of the sperm and fertilization of the egg during your fertile time. Monitoring the position of your cervix is another way to track your ovulation times. Using these three methods combined will give you the most accurate results.

Begin by checking your cervical position at the end of your period, and check it daily until you reach your time of ovulation. You should do this at the same time each day, and in the same position each time. You can check your cervical position while sitting on the toilet, or it may be easier to place on foot on the toilet and keep one on the floor. Move your middle finger all the way up into your vagina until you hit your cervix, which will feel like a rounded cylinder.

At the beginning of your cycle, your cervix will be low and easier to reach. During ovulation, it will rise to a higher position, and may even be difficult to reach with your middle finger. It will drop back down to a place where it is easier to touch after you ovulate.

Author: Dawn Allcot

When a couple is trying to conceive, thoughts of ovulation dates, cervical mucus (isn’t that a romantic term?), and pre-natal vitamins often over-ride the most fun aspect of making a baby: having regular sex!

Couples can—and do—conceive in any position imaginable. There is no medical evidence to support the fact that certain sexual positions encourage conception. With millions of sperm approaching the cervix after every ejaculation, barring any medical problems the most tenacious one will eventually reach the egg regardless of whether or not you are “helping it out” by lying down, standing on your head or propping your hips up on a pillow.

However, certain positions do keep semen from leaking out of your vagina and also keep sperm in your cervix longer. They might even encourage the flow of sperm into your fallopian tubes. If you are trying to conceive, why not give gravity a helping hand?

Old Wives’ Tales say that standing on your head or lying with your legs up over your head immediately following intercourse will help the sperm travel up your body. This hasn’t been medically proven, but it couldn’t hurt, either. Then again, if you are not physically agile enough to successfully execute the maneuver, it could hurt.

Lying down for 15 minutes after sex offers the same benefit of keeping more sperm in your body. Besides, why jump up right after sex? If anything, it’s a good excuse to cuddle for 15 minutes and bask in the afterglow.

Additionally, intercourse with a pillow beneath your hips will tilt your cervix in such a way that it might “help” the sperm travel to their destination.

Keeping gravity in mind, positions that could make it harder to get pregnant include:

• Standing

• Sitting

• Any position with the woman on top

These positions cause semen to leak out of the vagina, meaning that less sperm will embark on the journey up to the egg.

Ultimately, timing has a lot more to do with getting pregnant than position does, but trying out new positions under the guise of “helping the sperm reach the egg” might keep baby-making sex interesting if it begins to feel like a chore.

Another Old Wives’ Tale says that if the woman has an orgasm during sex – particularly after or while her partner ejaculates — she is more likely to conceive. Uterine contractions that take place during an orgasm help “push” the sperm toward the fallopian tubes.

In reality, painless uterine contractions occur involuntarily all the time, and are more pronounced during ovulation, so your body is already giving the sperm some help. Again, having an orgasm in hopes of conception can’t hurt. In fact, striving to achieve orgasm every time you make love is a worthwhile endeavor, whether or not it results in pregnancy.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different positions, strive for orgasm, and help those little swimmers by staying horizontal after sex, but remember that timing is far more important than position when trying to conceive.

Author: Dawn Allcot

Congratulations! You’re entering an important and exciting time in your life as you try to conceive! Are you concerned about getting pregnant? Don’t worry; even if it doesn’t happen right away, the odds are in your favor that you’ll be selecting a layette set and painting the nursery soon enough. Statistics show:

• 25 percent of all couples become pregnant in their first month of trying

• 60 percent become pregnant within six months

• 75 percent become pregnant within nine months

• 80 percent of all TTC couples will be pregnant within a year

If you’ve been trying for 12 months (or six months if you are over the age of 35), you may want to consult a fertility specialist, just to make sure there is no problem. You can learn more about going to see a fertility doctor in this article.

Since 90 percent of all couples will achieve success within 18 months, odds are in your favor that there is no problem and you just need to be patient and keep trying. While you’re trying to conceive, this section will help you with tips, tricks and information about your health, nutrition, and your cycle, and how to recognize pregnancy when it happens!

Here are some articles that you may find informational:

Before Trying to Conceive

• Nutrition and Trying to Conceive

• Birth Control and Trying to Conceive

Trying to Conceive

• Natural Fertility Signs

• Ovulation

• Ovulation Predictor Kits

• Ovulation Calculator

• Sperm-Friendly Intimate Moisturizer

• Best Sexual Positions To Get Pregnant

• Predetermining The Sex of Your Child

Fertility Issues

• Causes for Infertility

• Going To See The Doctor

• Diagnostic Procedures

Success?

• Signs of Pregnancy

• Home Pregnancy Test Sensitivity

• HPT Frequently Asked Questions

• Calculate Your Due Date

• Already Pregnant? – Check out Babies Online’s Pregnancy Section!

See all of the TTC articles here.

Author: Dawn Allcot

Ovulation occurs when a woman’s ripened egg, or ovum, is released from one of two ovaries, making the journey down the respective fallopian tube and into the uterus. By this time, the uterus lining has thickened to prepare to protect the egg if it becomes fertilized and turns into an embryo. If the egg is not fertilized, it is absorbed into the uterine lining and then expelled along with the lining during menstruation.

If an egg is fertilized by a sperm, it implants into the uterus and pregnancy begins! Some women experience implantation bleeding: light bleeding that occurs when the egg implants. This often happens 6 to 12 days after fertilization, sometimes right around the time a woman would be expecting her next menstrual period, and is nothing to be concerned about.

Women are born with 1 to 2 million follicles, or immature eggs, in the ovaries. By puberty, only about 400,000 remain. With each menstrual cycle, approximately 1,000 follicles are lost, with only one maturing into an egg.

In healthy women, both ovaries can release eggs, but they do not alternate consistently, with the right ovary releasing an egg one month and the left releasing an egg the next month. Even healthy women can occasionally have cycles in which they don’t ovulate, and they will still get their period on schedule. This can be caused by stress, rapid weight loss or gain, illness, change in diet or exercise routine, or medications.

Having sex a few days before, during and directly after ovulation is the best way to try to conceive. Because you can ovulate without a menstrual period, or have a menstrual period without ovulating, calculating from period to period is not always reliable, but it is one easy and free method. There are several different methods that can be used to predict when you are ovulating and to determine your next ovulation date.

• Ovulation Calculator

• Natural methods to track your fertility, which include charting your basal body temperature, cervical mucus and cervical position

• Over-the-counter or prescription ovulation predictor kit.

Finally, some women can actually feel themselves ovulate. They will experience a sharp pain on one side of their abdomen, or experience a feeling similar to menstrual cramps. This is called “mittleschmerz,” literally translated from German to mean “middle pain.” For some, this pain is fleeting, for others it can last a few hours.

Using one or any combination of these methods will help you predict your time of ovulation.

Author: Dawn Allcot

Trying to conceive? If you’re not already eating a nutritious diet and exercising regularly, now is the best time to change your diet, and possibly even your lifestyle, to help insure not only a successful conception but a healthy pregnancy. By learning more about nutrition and developing good habits now, you’ll be in a good position to instill healthy eating habits in your child, too.

Pre-conception Doctor’s Appointment
You may even want to visit your doctor before you conceive. He or she can advise you on a healthy diet, evaluate your overall health, and let you know if you should lose or gain weight before you begin trying to conceive. You can find out your ideal healthy weight by calculating your BMI (body mass index). Being overweight can decrease your chances of conception by as much as 29 percent.

Eliminate Fast Food
For many people, step one toward a healthier diet is to eliminate fast food from your weekly menu. Pricey, fried, loaded with trans fats, and mostly devoid of nutrients, fast food offers few benefits beyond convenience. If you find yourself at a fast food restaurant, order a salad with grilled chicken on top, and use dressing sparingly. This is a lifestyle change that will benefit your unborn baby and your infant. Some of the benefits of breastfeeding are negated if you eat fast food more than once or twice a week while breastfeeding.

Eat a Balanced Diet
A balanced diet consists of plenty of whole grains, at least five servings of fruits and vegetables, at least three servings of non-fat or low-fat dairy products, and small portions of lean proteins, such as chicken and fish. Don’t forget the healthy fats, too, such as those found in olive oil (and other nut and seed oils) and foods like avocado.

You can find out more about the USDA Food Pyramid and smart food choices at www.mypyramid.gov.

Pregnant women and those TTC need more folic acid (otherwise known as Folate or vitamin B9) in their diets and should be sure they are getting enough calcium and Vitamin D. Taking in no less than 400 mcg of folic acid per day can reduce the risk of serious neural tube birth defects such as spinal bifida. You can get folic acid from sources such as dark leafy vegetables like spinach, citrus fruits, and fortified breads and cereals.

The Good and Bad of Fish: DHA and Mercury
Studies show that DHA, an Omega-3 fatty acid, is important in the development of the brains of fetuses as well as infants and toddlers. DHA can be found in foods such as flax, pumpkin seeds and avocado, but one of the best sources of DHA is coldwater fish, including tuna and salmon.

Unfortunately, fish also contain levels of mercury, which has been linked to nervous system disorders. So, what’s a woman who’s TTC, pregnant or breastfeeding to do? Eat fish shown to have the lowest levels of mercury in moderation by following the EPA guidelines for fish consumption in pregnant and lactating women.

As a general guideline, stay away from tuna steaks, swordfish, and shark, which are high in mercury and limit consumption of low-mercury level fish, including salmon, shrimp, chunk light tuna (not albacore) to 12 oz. per week.

Get the balance of your DHA by taking a pre-natal multivitamin enhanced with DHA or taking a separate DHA supplement.

Pre-natal Vitamins
Most people’s diets don’t contain enough Vitamin D, folic acid, or DHA, along with many other essential nutrients. Even if you eat a balanced diet, it can be challenging to get sufficient quantities of these vitamins and nutrients every day. Your doctor may prescribe a pre-natal vitamin during your pre-conception check-up, but you’ll probably find prescription pre-natals don’t differ much from over-the-counter supplements.
Pre-natal vitamins should contain:

• Vitamin A

• Vitamin C

• Vitamin D

• Vitamin E

• Thiamin

• Riboflavin

• Niacin

• Vitamin B6

• Folic Acid

• Vitamin B12

• Calcium

• Iron

• Zinc

Take pre-natal vitamins with a meal or a glass of milk, as they may cause nausea on an empty stomach. If your pre-natals are causing constipation or an upset stomach, you may want to experiment with different brands. Again, it is better to start your vitamins while you are TTC, so that you know that any side effects are caused by the vitamins and not by pregnancy.

Exercise
Most doctors will tell you that it’s safe to continue almost any exercise program you were doing with proficiency before you conceived during your pregnancy. This includes bicycling, scuba diving, aerobics, yoga, tennis, weight training and countless other sports and activities. After you get pregnant, however, is not the time to learn a new sport or skill, which is why it’s a good idea to begin an exercise program you love while you are TTC. If you were not exercising regularly before you conceived—or did not have time to grow proficient in your chosen activities before you conceived–stick with walking and swimming, or even water aerobics if swimming is too taxing on your body, during pregnancy.

Author: Dawn Allcot

For many women, the very first step in their journey to try to conceive is to stop using birth control. If you’re using condoms, spermicides, a diaphragm or any other form of hormone-free birth control, you can—and it is safe to—get pregnant as soon as you stop.

If you use any hormone-based birth control methods, which offer protection from pregnancy by preventing ovulation, you should talk to your doctor before you begin trying to conceive.

Here is an explanation of what it takes to conceive after using many common forms of birth control.

Oral Contraceptives (The Pill) – Most oral contraceptives (and there are many on the market!) contain estrogen and progesterone to prevent ovulation. Some women can get pregnant right away after going off the Pill. For others, it may take as long as three months for their menstrual cycle to return to normal. Fertility rates for former Pill users are about the same as the national average; 90 percent of all women get pregnant within one year of coming off the Pill. Most doctors recommend waiting one or two cycles before trying to conceive after you come off the Pill, because of a very small risk of birth defects if the hormones are still in your system.

According to NuvaRing, there is no need to wait one cycle before TTC with this hormone-based, insert-able ring. A clinical study indicated that most women’s cycles return to normal quickly, with ovulation occurring within 13 to 28 days after the ring is removed.

Mirena and other IUDs – This intrauterine contraceptive (IUC) is estrogen-free and, as with any IUD, you can begin trying to conceive immediately after its removal. Your fertility should return fairly quickly.

Permanent Birth Control

Tubal Ligation (Tubes Tied) – This is the most “permanent” of any birth control method for women and is not easily reversed. Chances of a successful reversal range from 20 to 70 percent, depending on the type of tubal ligation and the health of your fallopian tubes.

A tubal ligation reversal is major surgery, where the surgeon rejoins the remaining sections of the fallopian tubes. If both fallopian tubes are at least four inches long and are equal in diameter, the chances of a successful reversal are higher. IVF, or in vitro fertilization, is another option for women who want to get pregnant after having their tubes tied.

Vasectomy – The success rate of a vasectomy reversal for your partner is even lower than tubal ligation reversal. You’ll only want to consider permanent forms of birth control if you both feel fairly certain you do not want to conceive any more children.

Author: Dawn Allcot

Tick, tick, tick. Is that your biological clock ticking? Are you over the age of 35 and trying to conceive a baby?

Some things that were very easy in our 20’s – losing those last 10 pounds, pulling an all-nighter and being bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for work at 9 AM, conceiving a baby – suddenly become difficult as we get older.

Why is it more challenging to conceive after 35, and even more so at or after the age of 40?

Women are born with as many eggs as we will ever have. As we age, we may have cycles where an egg is not released. These begin around the age of 35 and grow more frequent over time. The quality of existing eggs also declines, creating additional challenges. The chance of miscarriage in a woman over 35 is 20% to 35%.

Other factors that can lead to decreased fertility in “older” women are:

• Decreased cervical fluid which helps transport sperm through the cervix

• Increased chance of surgery, which created scar tissue around the cervix or fallopian tubes

• Endometriosis (which is a leading cause of infertility in women of any childbearing age)

• Heart disease, diabetes and other health problems that become more prevalent with age

It’s important to note that fertility declines gradually as we get older. It’s not like a switch flips on our 35th birthday and suddenly our odds of conceiving drop. For instance, all other factors being equal, a healthy 35-year-old woman has a better chance of conceiving than a healthy 40-year-old. This may sound depressing, but it’s actually good news. If you are over 35 and deciding on when to start trying for a child, the time is now! In fact, the March of Dimes Web site reports that 1 in 5 women has her first child over the age of 35. Women are waiting longer to begin their families, and this offers many benefits.

Women over 35 are:

• More financially stable, in general

• More established in their careers, so a break for maternity leave may not be as much of a setback

• Have done a lot more, so won’t feel as if they are “missing out” or “giving anything up” to have kids

Whether you are minutes away from menopause or years, there are things you can do to increase your odds of conception.

Be patient – While most couples conceive within 6 months, it can take a healthy couple over the age of 35 as long as one or two years to conceive. If you’ve been trying for six months with no luck, however, you may want to visit a fertility specialist for an assessment.

Have a preconception doctor’s visit – While this typically isn’t necessary in a woman under 35, a general health assessment from a professional can get you on the right track with a healthy diet and exercise program and the knowledge that there are no obvious obstacles to fertility.

Be healthy – Make sure your weight and BMI are within the healthy range, and give up bad habits such as smoking and drinking. A healthy diet can lead to an easier pregnancy for anyone, and especially for women over 35.

Track your fertility – Use any number of available methods to track your fertility so that you will know when – and if – you are ovulating. Be vigilant about having intercourse prior to and during your time of ovulation to increase your odds of conceiving during any cycle.

Take prenatal vitamins – Again, this is good advice for any woman trying to conceive, but can especially increase the odds of a rapid conception and a healthy pregnancy for a woman over 35. It is especially important to get enough folic acid, which decreases the risks of certain genetic disorders. For more tips on prenatal nutrition and exercise, read the article “Nutrition and Trying to Conceive.”

Also be aware that a pregnancy over the age of 35 carries increased risks of:

• Miscarriage

• Down’s syndrome and other genetic disorders

• premature delivery

• Twins

• Delivery by c-section

However, tests and screening can provide peace of mind that your baby is healthy, while a healthy lifestyle and positive outlook increases the odds that your pregnancy will go smoothly.

Author: Dawn Allcot