Boost Your Fertility…Naturally

[WolfMyjic]

Boost Your Fertility…Naturally
By Robert L. Barbieri, MD from Bottom Line Health




There’s now as arsenal of high-tech medical tools that can help infertile couples have a baby, from ovulation-inducing drugs to in vitro fertilization (IVF)-an ingenious technique that unites egg and sperm outside the body.
But in the rush to avail themselves of what modern medicine has to offer, too many couples overlook simple, low-tech methods for conceiving a child.

Science or nature?

Any couple that has trouble conceiving should find out first if there’s a physical problem.
Tests should be performed to determine if the woman is ovulating and her fallopian tubes are open…and if the man is making sperm of sufficient quality and quantity. The tests can be performed by almost any gynecologist or urogist. There’s no need to go to a fertility clinic.
If these tests uncover a problem, high-tech fertility treatments are probably appropriate. The natural approach is unlikely to work.

Key question: How quickly do you wish to get pregnant?
IVF has been refined to the point that it is highly effective-conception typically occurs within a month or two. Altering your lifestyle takes a bit more patience-maybe a year of waiting.
A woman’s age is critical. Because female fertility declines with age, any woman over age 40 will want to begin IVF or another high-tech intervention sooner rather than later.
Even if you seek high-tech help, there’s no harm in giving science a hand. Simple fertility-enhancing lifestyle changes can significantly boost your chances of pregnancy.

Weight and Exercise

In women, too much body fat-or too little-can disrupt hormone systems critical for conception.
Maximum fertility occurs in women whose body-mass index (BMI) falls between 20 and 27*. A BMI above 27 or below 20 impairs fertility slightly-above 30 or below 17, significantly.
Moderation is essential in exercise, too. Even mild workouts can reduce progesterone levels enough to keep an embryo from implanting in the uterus.
A woman who has been trying to conceive for a year or more should stop exercising altogether for three months-even if her periods seem normal.
If you’re used to exercise as a stress reducer, try stretching.


*To compute BMI, multiply your weight in pounds by 704, then divide the resulting number by the square of you height in inches. A 65-inch woman weighting 130 pounds has a BMI of 22 (130*704)/(65*65).