HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR EGG QUALITY AND FERTILITY

When it comes to getting pregnant, there are many ways to boost your fertility beyond having intercourse during ovulation. Weight control, eating habits, and avoiding harmful chemicals are just a few of the ways you can boost your egg quality and ultimately your fertility.

WEIGHT CONTROL

Your weight prior to conception is often overlooked but acts as a vital factor in fertility. Being overweight and even underweight can postpone the time it takes for a woman to conceive. For instance, studies show that women who were overweight pre-pregnancy, took two times as long to get pregnant in comparison to their healthier counterparts. Underweight women have an even more difficult time getting pregnant: women with a BMI less than 19 took four times longer to conceive.

PROPER EATING HABITS

Excess amounts of alcohol or caffeine can hinder a woman’s ability to conceive. Research demonstrates that drinking more than five cups of coffee a day is connected to lower levels of fertility. However, studies also say that as long as you have less than 250 milligrams of caffeine a day, you should be okay. Although there is no solid evidence that proves that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol negatively affects fertility, you will need to remove alcohol from your diet once you are pregnant.

USE THE RIGHT LUBRICANTS

It may come as a surprise to some that certain lubricants will decrease fertility. When attempting to get pregnant, do not use lubricants that contain spermicidal agents. Water-based lubricants like KY jelly might deter sperm mobility by 60%-100%.

AVOID EXPOSURE TO HARMFUL PRODUCTS

Exposure to certain chemicals may have a negative effect on a woman’s fertility. More recent attention has been devoted to the effects of chemicals on a women’s reproductive health. Scientists are starting to discover, even tiny exposures to certain chemicals could throw reproductive systems off balance. More than 70,000 synthetic or naturally occurring chemicals are in commercial use today, yet only a fraction have been adequately examined for toxicity and for interactive effects. Even small exposures can be biologically significant. Substances of Concern are Metals (e.g., lead, mercury, and cadmium); Industrial chemicals, including solvents (e.g., toluene, benzene, perchloroethylene, and trichloroethylene); Pesticides; and Endocrine disrupting substances (e.g., dioxin, PCBs, some pesticides, alkylphenols, phthalates).