Bringing a new life into the world is a wonderful journey, but in the new normal, it's essential to adapt to changes that might affect your conception journey. Understanding how fertility works (learning about your menstrual cycle and fertile window) and making informed decisions can increase your chances of getting pregnant.
In this article, we'll explore some key factors and tips on how to conceive in the new normal.
How to Get Pregnant
As a healthy 30-something woman, you may have about a 20 per cent chance of getting pregnant each month. But by the time you turn 40, your chance drops to only 5 per cent in a given month. So, getting pregnant is not as simple as having sex. By 45, fertility has declined so much that getting pregnant naturally is unlikely for most women. The struggle doesn’t end here.
There are some other complications of conceiving late too. As a woman ages, the risk of having a baby with missing, damaged, or extra chromosomes increases as well.
Yes, it can get quite stressful. However, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including good food habits, getting adequate sleep, and going for regular check-ups can help you plan your pregnancy journey better.
If you are anxious and trying to conceive, the tips that we provide to you today will help you plan better.
Learn About Your Fertile Window
Your fertile window refers to the time during your menstrual cycle when you are most likely to conceive. It typically occurs around 12 to 14 days before the start of your next period. This is when ovulation takes place, and an egg is released from one of your ovaries. The egg remains viable for about 24 hours, during which fertilization can occur if you have sexual intercourse.
When is the best time to have sex
Being in your fertile window means that you are at the peak of your fertility for that cycle. If you're trying to conceive, having sex during this time gives you the best chance of getting pregnant. Your fertile window includes the five days leading up to ovulation and the day of ovulation itself.
It's essential to keep track of your menstrual cycle and recognise the signs of ovulation to identify your fertile days accurately.
Can I Get Pregnant on the Fertile Window?
Yes, you can get pregnant during your fertile window. When you have sex during this time and sperm meets the released egg in the fallopian tube, fertilisation occurs. The fertilised egg then travels to the uterus and implants, leading to pregnancy.
How to Calculate Your Fertile Window
So for instance, if your average menstrual cycle is 28 days, and you ovulate around day 14, you are most fertile days are days 12, 13 and 14. Having sex during this time can increase your chances of natural conception.
If let's say your average menstrual cycle is 35 days, ovulation will happen around day 21 and you will be most fertile on the 19th, 20th and 21st day of the month. If you track these days you increase your chances of getting pregnant.
How About For Girls with Irregular Menstrual Cycles
If your cycles are regular, you will ovulate around two weeks before your period. This means your fertile window will be seven days before your expected ovulation. On the other hand, if you have irregular menses, it can be difficult to predict when you will ovulate and when your fertile window will be.
To make your job easier, you can use an ovulation predictor kit. The kit comprises test strips that detect luteinizing hormone (LH). It surges right before ovulation. Once you have a positive result, you should have sex that day and for the next few days.
During these days there are also some other changes which can take place in your body, for instance, changes in the cervical mucus. This is another factor to bear in mind.
Learn About Signs of Ovulation
Aside from tracking your fertile window, it also helps to pay attention to some signs that you are indeed, fertile. Here are some symptoms that you can watch out for:
Changes in Cervical Mucus
Noticeable changes in cervical mucus can indicate fertility. During your ovulation phase, a rise in oestrogen causes your discharge to become thin and slippery. Once you start seeing these changes, you should begin having sex every day or every other day until ovulation.
A study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility found that women who checked their cervical mucus consistently were 2.3 times more likely to get pregnant over a six-month period.
Once you start to ovulate, you will notice that your cervical mucus will become thick and sticky.
There are plenty of apps on both androids and iOS to help track your dates better. But, there is always room for inaccuracies. In a 2016-study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology, scientists analysed 50 popular fertility-tracking websites and apps with a hypothetical woman and found that the results varied wildly. There were many mistakenly tagging days outside of the fertility window.
So, remember, that there will be always room for error. If you are lucky, you may get pregnant at the first chance, if not, then you need to keep trying.
Basal Body Temperature (BBT) Shift
Tracking your basal body temperature can reveal a slight rise in temperature after ovulation, indicating your fertile window has passed. This shift is caused by the hormone progesterone released after ovulation.
Ovulation Pain or Mittelschmerz
Some women experience mild pelvic pain or twinges, known as mittelschmerz, during ovulation. This can be a sign that an egg has been released from the ovary.
Make Some Lifestyle Changes to Increase Your Chances of Conception
The other crucial factor is a healthy and fit body. You need to prepare your body and adjust your lifestyle to maximise your chances of conception and improve your fertility. As you consider starting a family, here are some lifestyle changes that can help improve your odds of getting pregnant:
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Avoid alcohol
Once you have decided to become a mum, it is best to strictly avoid or limit the intake of alcohol as it reduces fertility. You need to avoid alcoholic drinks if your period is late. There are some studies that suggest that drinking a moderate amount of alcohol daily can significantly increase the risk of fertility.
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Quit smoking
You need to stop smoking immediately to increase the chances of getting pregnant. Women have a 40 per cent lower chance of getting pregnant if they smoke, according to a report published by the British Medical Association (BMA).
The effect of smoking on men is also equally damaging as it decreases sperm count and increases sperm abnormalities in men. Therefore, tell your man why he also needs to quit smoking as well.
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Exercising regularly
One of the major changes in your lifestyle is to inculcate daily exercises.
Engaging in regular physical activity can improve blood flow to the reproductive organs and help regulate hormones, which are crucial for healthy fertility in both men and women. Exercise also plays a role in maintaining a healthy body weight, and being at a healthy weight is associated with better fertility outcomes.
However, do remember to maintain a balance because excessive amounts of exercise can lead to fertility problems such as irregular periods and anovulatory cycles (cycles where ovulation does not occur).
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Take supplements
Before you conceive, visit your doctor to start with supplements. Taking a supplement with the consultation of the doctor before conception is helpful and prepares your body for conception.
Prenatal supplements can provide you with 400mcg of folic acid and other nutrients such as l-arginine vitamin D and vitamin B12, which help support the nutritional requirements of women who try to conceive.
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Maintain a healthy sex life
Truth be told, you may need to have sex often, at least three times a week. Yes, you read that right! The more you try, the higher the chances of you getting pregnant.
However, at the end of the day don’t just make this about a routine, and try to enjoy it just as much as with some role-playing or toys or even sensual massages. Because the fact is that the more relaxed you are, the more your body will emit happy hormones and the higher your chances of conception.
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Work on reducing stress
By the way, did you know that several studies have found links between women’s levels of day-to-day stress and lowered chances of pregnancy?
For instance, women whose saliva had high levels of alpha-amylase, an enzyme that marks stress, took 29 per cent longer to get pregnant compared to those who had less. So the ideal way to increase your chances of getting pregnant is by reducing your stress levels.
Opt for a spa massage, a relaxing weekend getaway, a staycation, or some chill time with your friends (or your beau), whatever your idea of relaxation may be.
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Focus on your diet
As you try to conceive, a healthy and wholesome diet needs to be your friend. Stop junk food intake and focus on a clean diet, especially now when post-pandemic, immunity-boosting is the need of the hour. Here are some foods that are a must when you are trying to conceive.
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- Leafy greens such as broccoli, fortified breakfast cereals, citrus fruits and pulses provide folic acid and make your body strong.
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- To boost your immunity, fish, whole grain bread, asparagus, spinach and watercress will provide zinc.
- If you are looking for iron, then breakfast cereals, lentils, soybeans, dried fruit and leafy greens like spinach will have an adequate amount of it.
- Consuming mono-unsaturated fat – found in peanuts, almonds and cashews may help in conception as well.
Don't Believe These Fertility Myths
Planning a baby can be quite a task, especially with suggestions and advice pouring in from all corners. It is important to filter through what works or doesn’t work for you. For your convenience, we have tried to address a few popular myths around fertility that will also help you with conceiving in the new normal.
Myth-1: Having sex daily will increase the chance of pregnancy
Couples who are trying to conceive are encouraged to have intercourse regularly to increase their chances of conception. However, having sex daily is likely to leave you exhausted and stress isn’t good for conception anyway. So perhaps it is an experiment for another time as you need strength and good health to be able to conceive.
Myth-2: A woman can get pregnant any time of the month
As we have discussed earlier, this is not the case. The fact is a woman can only get pregnant on a few days during her menstrual cycle, ergo her fertile window.
Because eggs and sperm only live for a short time. While the sperm can survive for around five days, our eggs can only be fertilised for around 24 hours (one day) after being released from the ovary. And they need to come together at the right time for fertilisation to happen to create an embryo.
So if you're really keen on conceiving, it helps to know about your menstrual cycle and all these things.
Myth-3: No need for supplements, get the nutrients from your diet
It is not true. Women are advised to take a supplement containing 400mcg of folic acid daily while trying to conceive and for the first three months of pregnancy. It is not possible to eat a perfect diet all the time, so your body will have many missing nutrients.
Taking a supplement specifically designed for conception or pregnancy can help to ensure that there are plenty of all the vitamins and minerals.
Myth-4: You can't get pregnant on your period
It is possible to get pregnant if a woman has sex during their period, according to the Cleveland Clinic. You are less likely to get pregnant during menstruation, but it is still possible.
Seek Help From Experts
The truth is there’s so much to learn about fertility and still many unknowns. If you plan on becoming pregnant, consult your doctor for medical advice.
If you've been trying to conceive without success, consider fertility screening to identify any potential issues early on. Consulting an obstetrician and gynaecologist together as a couple can help investigate possible reasons and determine the best course of action.
On a final note, stay positive, be kind to yourself, and trust in the process. Your journey to parenthood is unique, and with the right knowledge and support, you're on your way to welcoming a new life into this world. You got this, girl!
Updates from Camille Eusebio
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