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Pregnancy is a matter of chance. It does
not always happen even if the egg and sperm
are in the right place at the right time,
and the length of time it takes varies from
couple to couple. Some get lucky and conceive
in the first month; others will still be
trying a year later without any luck, but
that doesn't necessarily mean there's anything
wrong. However, there are problems, which
cannot be solved by simply following the
tips outlined below. These points are meant
to guide you on conception issues and prepare
you for a healthy pregnancy. Once you have
made up your mind to have a baby, you should
work on maximizing your chances of becoming
pregnant. |
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Fertility Facts
For normal fertile
couples trying to conceive, the success
rate in any given month is about 20 percent.
• About 57 percent will conceive within
three months.
• About 75 percent will conceive within
six months.
• About 90 percent of couples within
one year.
Infertility affects men and women almost
equally.
In both sexes, fertility declines with age,
but this problem is more pronounced in women.
Fertility declines after age 50 in men.
Conversely fertility starts to decline around
age 30 in women:
• Women aged 15 to 24, 4 percent have
difficulty becoming pregnant.
• Women aged 24 to 34, 13 percent
have difficulty conceiving.
• By age 40, 34 percent of women have
conception problems.
• By age 45, 87 percent of women are
infertile.
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Sex
at the right time
Timing is everything. The best time to
make a baby is just before ovulation.
The average length of a woman's fertility
cycle is 28 days, counting Day 1 as the
first day of period and the beginning
of the next period as the last day. If
you have a regular 28-day cycle, you can
predict ovulation to occur middle of the
cycle around Day 14. Many women have different
cycle lengths, which makes calculating
the mid- point difficult..
Assuming there are no fertility problems,
it may still take several months to conceive.
Intercourse may not occur at the moment
of ovulation, but there is a four-day
window when sexual activity is likely
to result in pregnancy. Your most fertile
time is about 12 to 15 days before the
beginning of the next menstrual period.
Ovulation occurs when a mature egg is
released. The time around ovulation is
the most optimal time to have intercourse
in order to enhance the chance for pregnancy.
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Maximize your chances
Apart from timing,
you should also consider the following to
work out your 'fertile' period.
Temperature
After ovulation,
a woman's 'rest' body temperature or 'basal'
temperature rises by around 0.2°C, and
keeps at this level until menstruation begins.
To notice this rise, you need to record
your temperature every morning on a special
chart when you wake up, before going to
the bathroom, before having your morning
beverage or before starting on any other
activity. The idea is to not let your temperature
rise. When you have discovered a pattern,
you should have sex on the days just before
your temperature is due to rise. This should
be your most fertile time. Keeping temperature
charts can only estimate when your most
fertile time might be, and indicate whether
you're having intercourse near ovulation.
Cervical mucus
Mucus in the cervix
is produced continuously but its appearance
changes according to the hormone levels
throughout the monthly cycle. In the early
part of the cycle, the mucus is thick and
sticky, making it difficult for sperm to
get through. As ovulation approaches, the
mucus thins and becomes clear. This allows
easy passage of sperm through the cervix.
After ovulation, the mucus becomes thick
again. By observing your mucus pattern you
will be able to determine when the mucus
is thin and time intercourse accordingly.
More sex
The more often
you have sex (around the right time), the
more likely you are of having sex during
your fertile period. According to experts,
one of the most common causes of infertility
is infrequent sex at the appropriate time
of the cycle. Put your fears to rest - your
partner will not 'run out' of sperm. Sperm
counts are slightly lower if a man engages
in frequent sex, but since each ejaculation
contains millions of sperm this will not
affect his chances at impregnation.
Predictor Kits
You can buy over
the counter ovulation kits, which measure
the changing levels of hormones in the body
and help work out the best time for intercourse
and conception.
Male contribution
The best temperature for sperm production
is 2-3°C below the temperature of the
rest of the body. That is why the testes
are outside the body. Wearing tight pants
can raise the temperature of the testes
and lower sperm production, so wearing boxer
shorts is worth a thought. Sperm can live
up to 72 hours within the female reproductive
tract
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Your
health and your spouse's health
A healthy and active lifestyle also promotes
your chances at conceiving (more details to
this below)
•
Eat a varied diet with plenty of fresh fruits
and vegetables, protein-rich food such as
fish, poultry or pulses, and whole grains
• Avoid smoking, or cut down if you
find it impossible to give up
• Limit alcohol intake
• Take regular exercise at least thrice
a week for 20 - 30 minutes. Try walking, swimming
or cycling
• Get adequate rest and relaxation.
Avoid high stress levels
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What
are our chances?
The chances of getting pregnant in each cycle
vary according to a wide range of factors,
but perhaps the most important one is the
woman's age.
• For a woman aged 20-25, the chances
of conceiving are around 25 per cent for each
cycle (that is a one in four chance)
• For a woman aged 30-35, the chances
reduces to 15 per cent, and thereafter continues
to decline with increasing age
• It will take a couple in their
early twenties an average of five cycles to
conceive
• Women in their early thirties
will get pregnant, on average, after nine
cycles
• One in ten couples will take
more than a year to succeed in conceiving
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When
should we go to the doctor?
Don't throw in the towel yet. Most GPs will
advise you not to worry if you have been
having regular sexual intercourse without
contraception for at least a year. After
a year without success investigation is
necessary. Further if any of the following
apply to you and your partner, you could
ask your GP to arrange sperm and ovulation
checks after six months of trying with no
outcome:
• You are over 30 and feel that 'time
is running out'
• You suspect that you might be having
problems with ovulation (perhaps because
of very long or irregular cycles)
• If either of you has had a sexually
transmitted disease
• If you have had abdominal or pelvic
surgery |
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Pre-pregnancy checklist
Planning for a baby can take up to a year
in normal situations. On your part you have
to ensure your body is prepared for this
demanding change. In a nutshell ask yourself
these questions:
Alcohol: Are you drinking
in moderation or going overboard?
Drugs and medication: Are
you only taking drugs that have been prescribed
by your doctor who is aware of your plans
to conceive?
Work environment: Have you checked
on the safety issues at work? Is changing
jobs conducive while trying to conceive?
Contraceptives: Are you using any
form of contraception?
Stress: Do you know infertility
is caused by high stress levels? Are you
doing your part by eliminating the many
stresses in your life as you possibly can?
Your GP: Do you feel you
share a good relationship with your doctor?
Are you aware that a poor relationship can
impact on your health?
Vitamins and minerals: Are
you taking a folic acid supplement?
Rubella: Has your GP checked your
immunity to German measles?
Exercise: Are you keeping fit with
regular, gentle exercises?
Smoking: Have you made attempts
to quit, or at least cut down?
Diet: Are you following
a sensible diet, which includes fruits,
vegetables, cereals and protein? Are you
limiting junk food?
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Healthy lifestyle
and Habits
Diet
• Your food intake becomes all the
more important when trying to have a baby.
Eating a variety of healthy meals and snacks
becomes a must.
• Aim for at least five portions a
day of fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen,
dried or in juice form)
• Incorporate plenty of starchy foods
such as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes
into your diet
• Include protein foods such as lean
meat and chicken, fish, eggs and pulses
(beans and lentils). These foods will also
supply you with iron (see below)
• Try eating fish at least twice a
week including some oily fish. But don't
have more than two portions of oily fish
a week.
• Dairy foods such as milk, cheese
and yogurt contain calcium an integral part
of your diet
• Cut down on fatty and sugary foods
such as cakes and biscuits. This will help
keep your weight in check.
• Healthy snacking is important. Examples
you might want to consider are sandwiches
filled with chicken, cottage cheese or egg;
low-fat yogurts; vegetable and bean soups
or fruit including fresh, canned in juice
or dried fruit such as raisins or apricots.
• Pregnant women can become deficient
in iron so make sure build up your iron
stores with iron rich foods. Have vitamin
C rich foods such as cut fruit or vegetables,
or a glass of fresh fruit juice, with any
iron-rich meals to help in iron absorption.
Good sources of iron are red meat, pulses,
dried fruits, whole-wheat bread, green vegetables,
fortified breakfast cereals.
Vitamins - Folic
Acid
Before conceiving you should start on 400
microgram (mcg) of folic acid supplement
per day. This vitamin is mandatory from
the time you stop using contraception until
the 12th week of pregnancy. This vitamin
helps prevent neural tube defects such as
spina bifida. If you plan on taking a multivitamin
ensure the folic acid contained is 400mcg.
Check to ensure vitamin A or fish liver
oils is not present in your supplement.
(Ask your doctor to recommend a suitable
multivitamin). Additionally you can also
consume folate the natural form of folic
acid found in green vegetables, brown rice
and fortified bread and breakfast cereals.
Vitamins
- Vitamin A
Make sure you consume vitamin A in moderation.
Foods rich in vitamin A such as liver and
liver products, supplements containing vitamin
A or fish liver oils (which contain high
levels of vitamin A) should not be taken
in excess. Some vitamin A is required but
too much during pregnancy could harm your
unborn baby. Ask your doctor if you would
like more information. If you are a fan
of tuna fish limit your diet to four medium-size
cans of tuna a week. The levels of mercury
found in this fish can harm a fetus developing
nervous system.
Alcohol
You should limit your intake to no more
than 1 or 2 units of alcohol twice a week
at the most. (A unit is half a pint of standard
strength beer. A glass of wine is about
2 units while alcopops is about 1.5 units)
Smoking
You and / or your partner should quit it
altogether. Its as simple as that!
Caffeine
Caffeinated beverages (tea, coffee and colas)is
not linked to fertility problems. However,
pregnant women should limit their intake
of caffeine because more than 300 mg of
caffeine per day has been linked to miscarriage
and low birth weight. When trying to conceive
you could start to wean yourself from caffeine
so you get used to a lower intake before
you become pregnant.
FYI,
300 mg of caffeine is roughly equivalent
to:
• 3 mugs of instant coffee (100mg
each)
• 4 cups of instant coffee (75mg each)
• 3 cups of brewed coffee (100mg each)
• 6 cups of tea (50mg each)
• 8 cans of cola (up to 40mg each)
• 4 cans of 'energy' drink (up to
80mg each)
• 8 (50g) bars of plain chocolate
(up to 50mg each). Caffeine in milk chocolate
is about half that of plain chocolate.
More information
For more information on planning a pregnancy,
speak to your health care provider.
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