How to Not Waste a Another Month when Trying to Conceive

Transcription

1 How to Not Waste a Another Month when Trying to Conceive Scientifically backed data to help you get pregnant sooner - A PUBLICATION OF PRIYA RING -

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Intro 1 Statistics Behind Getting Pregnant 2 How to Find When you are Fertile 3 Optimize your Chances of Getting Pregnant 4 Don t Forget! Conclusion

3 Introduction Every Month Counts when Trying to Conceive Every month counts when you are trying to get pregnant and the goal of this Ebook is to help you make the most of your valuable time. Whether you have been trying for a couple of months or for much longer, you may be wondering if you are doing everything possible to successfully become pregnant. This Ebook will empower you to understand your body and reassure you that you are taking the right steps to increase your chances of getting pregnant.

4 CHAPTER ONE The Statistics Behind Getting Pregnant

5 The Statistics Behind Getting Pregnant How many days per month you are able to get pregnant Technically there are only 6 days a month that you are able to get pregnant, which is referred to as your fertile window. These 6 days include the 5 days before ovulation and the day of ovulation. This number, however, depends on how long your partner s sperm can live and how long your egg can live. Eggs typically live anywhere from hours and sperm typically live anywhere from 2-7 days. If his sperm lives 7 days, then you will have 8 days a month to get pregnant; but if his sperm lives 3 days, than you have 4 days a month that you are able to conceive.

6 The Statistics Behind Getting Pregnant Statistically, the chances of a woman getting pregnant during her fertile window are shown below: NOTE: Six days before you ovulate and the day after you ovulate you may have a 0% chance of getting pregnant!

7 The Statistics Behind Getting Pregnant How to Maximize your Chance of Getting Pregnant: The key to maximizing your chances of getting pregnant each month is to find your fertile window and have intercourse during that window. Having sperm waiting around to greet your egg increases your chance of getting pregnant. So be sure to have intercourse every day or every other day starting two to four days before you expect to ovulate and then the day of ovulation. During your non-fertile window days, keep sex romantic and spontaneous to prevent burnout and unnecessary stress. NOTE: Most men don t have to worry about having too much sex for sperm count: You should not limit sex unless there is a medical reason to do so ie: your partner has been diagnosed with low sperm count.

8 Optimizing Natural Fertility. Fertil Steril 2008;90:S1-6 Probability of getting pregnant by age: Age is a factor in how long it may take you to get pregnant and also a factor in how long you should try before you seek out professional help. As you get older, it is harder to get pregnant and harder to stay pregnant due to the increased risk of having miscarriage. If you are 35 or older, that does NOT mean you won t get pregnant, it just means you may need to be more patient with the process. If you are 35 or older, you should try for 6 months before seeking fertility assistance. If you re under 35, you should try for a year before seeking fertility assistance. Here is your likelihood in a year, or within 4 years: 30 years: 75% in 1 year, 91% within 4 years 35 years: 66% in 1 year, 84% within 4 years 40 years: 44% in 1 year, 64% within 4 years 2004 study by Henri Leridon, PhD, with the French Institute of Health and Medical Research

9 The Statistics Behind Getting Pregnant The takeaway from these statistics is to show you how important it is to have sex during your fertile window, and also give some idea of how long it may take you to get pregnant. If you are in your late 30s don t let the news and media to scare you into thinking it s too late. It s true that you probably don t have as many eggs as you did in your 20s (in your 20s you may have had 12 good eggs in a year and now you may have 4 good eggs). That is why it may take longer and why timing is crucial, but it doesn t mean that you have passed your biological age for having a baby.

10 2 CHAPTER TWO How to Find When you are Fertile

11 How to Find When you are Fertile Pinpoint ovulation or your fertile window Ok, so now you know the numbers behind your chances of getting pregnant and how important it is to have sexy time during your fertile window. As a reminder, once you ovulate, your egg typically lives for hours and during this time your egg must meet with a live sperm for conception to happen. If you have intercourse during your fertile window and live sperm inside of you, your body will work like a catcher s mitt waiting for the egg. This will significantly increase your chance of getting pregnant. Ovulation typically occurs halfway through your cycle, but this varies from woman to woman, so it is best to use your own biomarkers to pinpoint your individual fertile window. Below are the steps you can take to find your fertile window and the science behind the methods: Track your cervical mucus cycle Track biological indicators such as hormones in your urine Track your temperature Use an App to help keep charting of these biomarker parameters more simple

12 Biomarkers to Find When you Ovulate Timing is Everything when Trying to Conceive CERVICAL MUCUS As your body prepares for ovulation, your cervical mucus changes. This change occurs so the sperm can live longer inside of you and travel to your fallopian tubes to reach the egg. If you are not in your fertile window, your cervical mucus may not allow for the sperm to travel. NOTE: egg white or watery cervical mucus is a good sign that you are within your fertile window. If it is thick and creamy, or not even easy to identify and assess, that may indicate that you are not in your fertile window. HORMONES Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPKs) measure hormonal changes in your urine to predict ovulation. Products you can use at home typically require either urine or saliva samples. There is a hormone in your body called the luteinizing hormone (LH) that rises one to two days before you ovulate. Urine pee sticks detect LH and some detect both LH and estrogen. LH will raise two days before you ovulate and estrogen increases a couple of days before the LH surge. To use OPKs using urine, you urinate on a LH test stick that notifies you whether or not there is a surge in the hormone or not. Saliva tests are observed under a small portable microscope. When it s time, your dried salvia may form a fern shaped pattern to indicate the you are fertile.

13 TEMPERATURE Temperature is another biomarker to indicate ovulation is about to occur or has occurred. A method referred to as the BBT Method measures your Basal Body Temperature (your temperature when you are fully at rest). This requires your taking your temperature every morning - at the same time, before rising from or moving in bed - and charting it either with an app or on paper. While vaginal temperature is the most accurate, you can use oral or ear thermometers. If you decide to try BBT, you will need a special thermometer. Once you ovulate, there is a rise in temperature indicating that you have ovulated. BBT can t predict your fertile window, but it can give you some sense of when you ovulate for the next month, and if you are ovulating at all. Learn how to do BBT Charting. There are sensors you can put in place each night before you go to bed and new ones on the market that use skin. Vaginal temperature, however, is clinically proven to be the most effective method. Click here to learn more about a new vaginal sensor to pinpoint your exact fertile window

14 APPS Apps have gotten a bad reputation recently for providing the wrong fertile window, however, there are a handful such as Natural Cycles and Glow that do work to give you an estimate. The gold stand calculation predicts a woman s fertile window which includes the day she ovulates and the five days before ovulation. To calculate your fertile window, you need to know the length of your period cycle which is from the first day of bleeding from your last period to the first day of bleeding in your next. Once you know how many days your cycle is, subtract 14 days from the end of your current cycle and that is the approximate day you ovulate. Research found that only 30% of women were fertile between days 10 and 17 (Wilcox et al 2000). Women in the study reached their fertile window earlier and others much later. This is why you should use physical biomarkers of your own body to truly pinpoint your own unique ovulation cycle.

15 3 CHAPTER THREE Optimize your Chances of Getting Pregnant

16 Optimize your Chances of Getting Pregnant Scientifically backed factors to increase your fertility There are a lot of myths out there about getting pregnant such as needing to put your legs up after sex, needing to stop consuming caffeine and that certain positions during sex matter. There are lifestyle factors, however, that have shown by clinical data to affect fertility. These include: Weight Foods Lube Stress Lifestyle Habits Sex

17 Lifestyle Factors WEIGHT Being either overweight or underweight can reduce your fertility by causing hormonal imbalances that affect ovulation. Even gaining a little weight if you are underweight, or losing a little weight, if overweight, can make a difference. One way to estimate if you are in the healthy range is to calculate your BMI. Here is an online BMI calculator. Normal weight = Overweight = Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater Being either overweight or underweight also has an affect on male sperm and therefore your partner may need to speak to their healthcare professional if they fall outside the normal range for a male BMI. It s not easy to lose weight on your own and you may want to consider getting help to start a safe diet and exercise plan.

18 Lifestyle Factors FOODs While there are a lot of mid-wives tales on foods to eat and not to eat for fertility, you should eat a healthy diet to maintain a proper weight for both a healthier pregnancy and the long term benefits for your baby. Too much sugar is bad news regardless, and should be limited. There is growing evidence that a diet high in sugar leading to insulin resistance can interfere with a healthy ovulation cycle. Check out this guide by BBC for a balanced diet for women. WATCH OUT FOR THE WRONG KIND OF LUBE If you use lube, make sure it s not the kind that decreases sperm mobility. Lubricants that have certain oils and glycerine are known to hinder the sperm. There are specific brands of lube made for trying to conceive, such as Pre-Seed Lube, that are fertility friendly. REDUCE STRESS Stress releases several hormones that may actually suppress ovulation and affect the hypothalamus which helps to control and regulate ovulation. Stress can also affect your partner as well and reduce his sperm quantity. Find what reduces stress best for you and your schedule such as meditating, taking daily walks and working less hours. One quick way to reduce stress hormones is deep breathing. Try this: Count 7-10 seconds as you inhale and 5 seconds as you exhale three times. You will get your parasympathetic nervous system going and slow down your heart rate.

19 Lifestyle Factors CAFFEINE: If you are a coffee drinker, don t stress, you can still have coffee. Just don t overdo it and stick to having no more than one to two cups a day. ALCOHOL: What about alcohol? Studies show that moderate drinking is OK, but that having two or more glasses a day can significantly reduce your fertility. Some doctors may tell you that having 1-2 glasses a week is fine and others may suggest that you avoid alcohol completely - talk to your healthcare provider for their best assessment. SMOKING: Smoking, on the other hand, has a major impact on fertility. Men that smoke may have reduced sperm count and damaged DNA. Women that smoke reduce how receptive their uterus is to the egg. Not to mention that women who smoke also have increased probability of having a miscarriage.

20 Lifestyle Factors HAVE SEX OFTEN: Have as much intercourse as possible during your fertile days. Try not to get too obsessed with charts and certain positions, and keep it fun and romantic. There is no need to skip out on sex or have sex every other day unless your partner has been diagnosed with low sperm count. Try having sex everyday 2-3 days before ovulation and on the other days, keep sex spontaneous and when in the mood. Read here about a personal story on keeping intimacy less stressful while trying to conceive.

21 4 CHAPTER FOUR Don t Forget!

22 Don t Forget! Get your partner checked out too if trying for several months DON T FORGET ABOUT YOUR MAN Importantly, infertility is not always caused by the woman. In fact, it surprises most people to learn that infertility is equally caused by the woman in onethird of cases and the man in one-third of cases. Otherwise, infertility is caused by combined issues or unexplained infertility (cause is not known). If you have been timing your fertile window and have been trying for several months, have your partner get his sperm checked. YOU ARE NOT ALONE It may seem as if friends or family members get pregnant at the drop of a hat, but don t forget that there are many other couples out also trying to conceive. Try not to let this journey take over your life, and don t worry about asking your doctor too many questions - that is what they are there for. You can also join mommy groups and fertility chat forums to ask questions and join a community of other women trying to conceive. Here are some popular chat forums to check out: Netmums Made For Mums Count Down to Pregnancy Baby and Bump

23 Timing is the key to fertility Trying to get pregnant does not need to be difficult or tedious. Sometimes its just a matter of timing and knowing when to have intercourse. -Don Aptekar, MD, FACOG

24 Conclusion In order to not miss your chance of getting pregnant, you will want to have sex every day during your fertile window. To find your fertile window, use your own physiological biomarkers to pinpoint exactly when you are most fertile. This is a great time to make healthy lifestyle changes if you have not already such as eating, exercising and reducing stress to not only boost your fertility but also to have a healthier pregnancy and baby. Last, don t forget about your partner- he also needs to take steps to be healthy, and if you have passed several months of trying, he needs to get checked as well. Good luck in your journey to becoming a parent!

25 Don t Miss your Fertile Window A new effortless vaginal sensor that you insert once a month that messages your phone when you are most fertile is coming soon. Click below to learn more and sign up for the pre-order list. LEARN MORE HERE

26 Share this Link Share this Ebook with friends