Some women get pregnant effortlessly; others spend months or
even years trying to conceive. Why? Experts concede it's still largely a
mystery. "We have hints—factors like when your mom went through menopause
and how regular your cycles are—but they don't tell us everything," says
Sarah Berga, MD, chair of ob-gyn and women's health at Wake Forest Baptist
Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. "So much of it depends on the
individual."
That said, there are ways you and
your partner could increase your chances of getting pregnant. Try these
lifestyle tweaks.
Kick
your soda addiction
Women who drink two or more
servings of any type of soda a day have about a 16% lower fertility rate than
women who don't drink any, according to a 2012 study co-authored by Lauren
Wise, ScD.
Go
to bed early
Research suggests that women
undergoing IVF treatments see the best results when they regularly clock seven
to eight hours of sleep a night.
Be
a better brusher
Gum disease can add an extra two
months to the amount of time it takes to become pregnant, 2011 Australian
research shows. Make sure you get your teeth checked before trying to conceive.
Exercise,
but not too much
Thin women who work out
vigorously five hours a week or more are 42% less likely to get pregnant than
those who don't exercise as strenuously, Wise's research suggests.
Don't
let him turn into a couch potato
Guys who watch more than 20 hours
of TV weekly have a 44% lower sperm count than those who watch almost none, a
2013 Harvard study showed.
Get
a handle on chronic anxiety
"If your stress levels
become high enough, you'll simply stop ovulating," Dr. Berga explains. Try
maintaining a stress-free life style.
Try
giving up gluten
A recent Columbia University
study suggests that 6% of women with unexplained infertility have celiac
disease. "They produce antibodies that may interfere with the development
of the placenta," says study author Peter Green, MD. After subjects went
on a gluten-free diet, they were able to conceive within a year.
Encourage
him to lose weight
Men who are overweight or obese
are more likely to have low total sperm counts and concentration, according to
a study from 2013.
...And
quit smoking
Lighting up leads to lower sperm
quality, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, which is
why it recommends quitting if trying to conceive.
...And
move his phone
Men who store phones on their belts or in their pants
pockets have lower sperm counts, according to a review published by the
Environmental Working Group, possibly due to the electromagnetic waves they
emit.
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