Ways to Achieve Pregnancy and to Maintain a Good Fertility

Pre-conception counseling (also called pre-conceptual counseling) is based on the medical theory that all women of child-bearing years should be pre-screened for health and risk potentials before attempting to become pregnant.

Physicians and baby experts recommend that a woman visit her physician as soon as the woman is contemplating having a child, and optimally around 3 to 6 months before actual attempts are made to conceive. This time frame allows a woman to better prepare her body for successful conception (fertilization) and pregnancy, and allows her to reduce any health risks which are within her control. Ostetricians at Srushti have developed comprehensive check-lists and assessments for the woman who is planning to become pregnant.

For a woman, the Pre-Conception Counseling Assessment and Screening is intended to assess normal health of a child-bearing woman, while at the same time identifying:

• Existing or emerging illness and disease which may have gone undetected before, and

• Existing risks for the woman who may become pregnant, and

• Existing risks which may affect a fetus if the woman does become pregnant.

Are you ready for a baby? Being proactive may increase your chances of getting pregnant.

From eating well to exercising, to just sexual positions and just plain resting,below are some of the best practices you can do when you're trying to conceive.

Know your peak fertility days :

A woman's fertile period during her menstrual cycle, on average, lasts about seven days: seven days before ovulation (the release of the egg), the day of ovulation, and the day after ovulation. Your most fertile period starts about 4 or 5 days before ovulation, and ends about 24 hours following the release of the egg. Because the sperm can live in a woman's body for 5 days or so, a woman's fertile period is actually longer than the 24 hour live-span of the ovum.

To increase your chances of conceiving and becoming pregnant, predicting the days of peak fertility - and more specifically predicting the date of ovulation - is key. After this, chances of conception decrease quickly, as the egg has a short life-span of about 24 hours.

Ovulation is the period of peak fertility. Ovulation and pregnancy go hand in hand and the fertilization of the egg following ovulation leads to pregnancy. Therefore, awareness of your fertility cycle is the first step on the path to pregnancy. Every woman's cycle is unique (some cycles are short, some are long) and fertility awareness begins with monitoring your menstrual cycle and being attentive to ovulation symptoms.

Fertility Awareness: Tracking Your Fertile Time

Fertility awareness (FA) refers to a set of practices used to determine the fertile and infertile phases of a woman's menstrual cycle. Fertility awareness methods may be used to avoid pregnancy, to achieve pregnancy, or as a way to monitor gynecological health.

Fertility Charting and Ovulation Prediction

Fertility charting allows you to predict ovulation, pinpoint your most fertile time in your cycle, and increase your chances of becoming pregnant. Looking at several physiological variables, a woman can learn to identify the days when she will most likely ovulate - the best time to conceive a baby.

Typically, a woman is fertile for only a handful of days during each menstrual cycle. And because the unfertilized egg has a short life-span of just one day, timing intercourse is central to successful conception. For many couples, 'guesswork' is not enough when it comes to timing, and fertility charting allows us to understand our own fertility patterns - and then to predict our 'prime time' for conception.

For couples confronted with challenges in conceiving a child, fertility charting is a powerful tool. Many physicians strongly advocate fertility charting as it is completely safe, natural, and does not rely on drugs or invasive medical procedures. In addition, women come to better understand their own bodies and cycles - and predicting ovulation is no longer a mystery.

To chart fertility, all you need is a 'calendar' or fertility chart, a basal thermometer, and a little patience to learn the techniques of 'listening' to your body. Once you learn the methods below, you can combine them in building a comprehensive Fertility Chart.

The Three Methods of Fertility Charting

Fertility charting requires that you understand the basic dynamic of your Menstrual Cycle. Once you understand these patterns and changes, you can begin to anticipate ovulation through fertility charting - the combination of three distinct predictive methods:

1. The Basal Body Temperature (BBT) Method

2. The Cervical Mucus Method

3. The Calendar Method

To optimize results in ovulation prediction, fertility charting should combine the temperature method (BBT), the cervical mucus method, and the calendar method. Here, we can learn to identify our most fertile phases by observing changes in our basal body temperature, by observing the increase and changes in cervical fluid (as well as the position of the cervix), and by grasping general fertility patterns through maintaining a fertility calendar. The only tools you need are pen, a fertility chart (downloadable here for free) and a basal thermometer. You can find a digital basal thermometer designed for BBT charting here.

Basal Body Temperature: The BBT method requires you to monitor your temperature every morning. Body temperature changes are due to the increase of progesterone in your system. At the onset of ovulation, your body temperature will rise between 0.4°F and 0.8°F. The physiological purpose of the temperature increase is to create a warmer, more fertile environment for the fertilized egg. This temperature increase will last from ovulation until your next period. 

The Cervical Mucus Method: By examining changes in your cervical mucus - as well as the increase and decrease of mucus present - you can predict your fertility patterns and the general onset of ovulation. Observation must take place from the beginning of your cycle through ovulation. During menstruation, the presence of cervical fluid will be decreased. Prior to ovulation, cervical mucus will increase and become clear and slippery - indicating fertility.  

The Calendar Method: The calendar method allows you to chart your fertility and recognize general patterns in fertile and infertile phases. The calendar method involves keeping a written record and helps you predict ovulation by understanding the history of your menstrual cycles.  

Can Fertility Awareness help me achieve pregnancy?

A recent study has shown that random acts of intercourse achieve a 24% pregnancy rate per cycle. That study also found that timed intercourse increased pregnancy rates to 31%-68%.Studies of cervical-mucus methods of fertility awareness have found pregnancy rates of 67%-81% in the first cycle if intercourse occurred on the Peak Day of the mucus sign.

The best definition of "timed intercourse" is making sure that you are having intercourse each month at a time when pregnancy is possible. This does not mean you have to use ovulation predictor tests.

Pregnancy is possible each month starting about five days before ovulation and ending the day after ovulation. If you have consistent, regular menstrual cycles, you can estimate the time of ovulation and focus your intercourse at the time. If your cycles are irregular, an ovulation kit may be useful to determine the time of ovulation. Measurement of basal body temperatures (BBT) is not an effective way to predict ovulation because a woman's body temperature rises only after ovulation when the fertile period is ending.

If you are younger, under the age of 37, and have attempted pregnancy in this way for a year, then it is time to see a fertility specialist.

Does Lifestyle Changes Affect My Fertility ?

Although there are no proven dietary or nutritional remedies for infertility, a hale and healthy lifestyle is very important. There are many cases were ovulatory problems were reversible by changing behavioural patterns. Here are few tips to successfully maintain a healthy lifestyle:

• Maintaining a healthy weight is a key to fertility success. Women who are either over-weight or underweight are at risk for fertility failure, including a lower chance for achieving success with fertility procedures.

• Quit smoking. Smoking equally affects and increases the risk of infertility in both men and women.

• Avoid excessive exercise if it causes menstrual irregularity. However, reasonable and regular exercise is essential for good health.

• Try to avoid or at least limit your caffeine and alcohol intake.

• Please avoid any unnecessary medications, if you have doubt, please consult your physician.

Dealing with Stress

During any fertility treatment process, you would experience a roller coaster of emotions. There are almost no certain ways to predict which couples will eventually conceive. Some couples with a lot of problems will overcome great odds, while on the other side; seemingly fertile couples fail to conceive.

Recent advances and of the newly available treatments are remarkable, but a live birth for a couple is never guaranteed. The emotional load on the couple is sizeable, and some planning will be definitely helpful.

Decide in advance how many and what kind of procedures will be emotionally and financially suitable and attempt to settle on a final limit. Fertility treatments are expensive. Unfortunately, a successful pregnancy often depends on repeated attempts for most of the couples. But few are lucky to get their dream come true on their first attempt.

Prepare for multiple births as a possible outcome for successful pregnancy (especially if assisted reproductive technologies are used). A pregnancy that results in a multiple birth introduces new complexities and emotional problems. Determine alternatives (adoption, donor sperm or egg, or having no children) as early as possible in the fertility process. This can reduce your worry during treatments and feelings of frustration in case conception does not occur.

How To Manage The Stress Of Infertility?

The Benefits of Yoga

Much has been written about the benefits of exercise for reproductive health and infertility. Recently, the benefits of yoga in particular have been highlighted. Yoga teachers claim that it gives people a ability to focus on themselves and their health rather than focusing only on their problems. Yoga has an importance on well-being and many infertility sufferers report feeling stronger and more secure and confident with their body after yoga. Followers of yoga often find that it motivates them to improve their lifestyle and diet as well. These factors, combined with a reduction of stress can help to increase the chances of conception.

Regular diet, moderate exercise and a healthy mind and body are key to improve your fertility as well as your overall health. Before losing hope it is always better to observe your lifestyle more closely and make some small changes for better chances of bringing a child into this world. A strong and positive mental attitude can cause miracles. Allowing positive forces to play a role and getting rid of all doubts and unnecessary deterrents, some of the most insurmountable and incurable diseases have been cured.

We at Srushti, respect every woman’s dream to mother a baby.

“A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug”.