Getting pregnant
Health and Diet are two important factors you can influence in helping with conceiving.
You and your partners health
Family history
Does high blood pressure, diabetes, having twins etc run in the family?
Your health
- Have you had German Measles, if not you may want to talk to your doctor about vaccination, getting German Measles early in a pregnancy can cause serious birth defects.
- Your weight is important to your health. If you are under weight, this may make getting pregnant more difficult, if your over weight, dieting when pregnant is not a good idea, as the baby needs all its vitamins, proteins and minerals from you.
- Do you drink alcohol, smoke or take recreational drugs. Smoking or passive smoking leads to excessive carbon monoxide which can lead to respiratory illness later in the child and increases the chance of a miscarriage. You should not smoke during pregnancy. Any unprescribed drugs are a no no. The level of alcohol consumption in the first trimester as this is when the fetus is most vulnerable as alcohol passes freely through the placenta to the baby. However, a few drinks early in the pregnancy will no more likely affect the baby’s development, and this is unlikely as a lot of women go off alcohol at the onset of pregnancy. So keep any drinking of alcohol to a minimum.
- Caffeine. Caffeine in excess, 5 or 6 cups a day, has been suggested as increasing the risk of stillbirth, miscarriage or premature labor. Although its impact on your health is still an area of contention.
- Do you regularly do any aerobic exercise such as swimming, walking, etc. Exercise is good for your health and getting pregnant, as long as its not putting excessive stress on your body. We wouldn’t recommend taking up any new forms of exercise that will put a strain on your body, if in doubt check with your Doctor.
Your Partners Health
Sperm quantity and quality varies among men and can be affected by a variety of things. Some of these things can be influenced, others that can’t.
While you may not be able to control all the factors that may improve your chances of getting pregnant, there are steps your partner can take to make sure his sperm are top performers.
Factors for Healthy Sperm.
- Avoid wearing Tight Trousers or underwear. These will overheat the man’s testicles. The scrotum needs to be at least 4 degrees cooler than the body temperature.
- Folic acid with zinc sulphate has been shown to increase sperm counts by over 70%.
- Hot tubs. Frequent use of a hot tub will cause a lower sperm count,
- Drugs can negatively affect the sperm count. You should consult your Doctor.
- Environmental toxins. Radiation, some pesticides, mercury or some estrogens can be detrimental to sperm health. The extent of environmental toxins is a subject of ongoing debate.
Diet
Diet is very important when trying to understand how to get pregnant. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) suggest a well balanced diet can speed up conception.
A well balanced diet should include
- At least four servings of fruit and vegetables
- Four or more slices of wholemeal or whole-grain bread or four ounces of cereal
- Four glasses of low fat milk or the equivalent in other diary
- Three ounces of meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts and dried beans or peas
If you have any suggestions or recipes you would like to give to other women trying to conceive or who are pregnant you email them to us. We look forward to reading your suggestions and comments on diet.