If you’re planning on getting pregnant, right now is a good time to stop and take check of where things are at with your body and your health. It’s also helpful to be aware of how much your lifestyle influences or affects your fertility chances.
Here are some tips from Repromed, a leading Auckland-based fertility clinic, for giving yourself the best shot at conceiving naturally – whether in a partnership or doing it solo.
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1. Diet
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Healthy, whole foods can have a significant impact on your chances of conceiving – and maintaining a balanced weight will make you feel great along the way. Eat the rainbow for egg-happy and sperm-boosting antioxidants such as berries, green leafy vegetables, and carrots; be sure to get plenty of good fats from avocados, olive oil, and salmon; and round out your diet with lean protein and whole grains.
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2. Coffee
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Caffeine is a drug, and can reduce your body’s ability to absorb iron, a key mineral for healthy conception. You can still enjoy coffee in small quantities, but we would recommend trying to stick to one per day.
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3. Alcohol
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We all know that alcohol during pregnancy isn’t recommended, but studies show its effects are significant, before conception as well as afterwards – damaging both sperm and egg. Replace your wine with sparkling mineral water spiked with fruit to help make reducing your intake a little easier.
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4. Smoking
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If you’re a smoker, now is the time to quit. Smoking harms both egg and sperm, wreaks havoc on your hormones, and damages DNA. Your chances of conception will go up by 40 percent once you’ve kicked the habit, and your body will thank you. And so will your family’s health, long term.
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5. Exercise
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Keeping your heart rate up will boost your overall wellbeing, and keep your body strong and healthy. If you are new to exercise, choose lower-impact activities that keep you moving without triggering a stress response. Think yoga, pilates, and brisk walking.
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6. Stress
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Be kind to yourself: stress saps our bodies’ resources and can have a serious impact on fertility. Mindfulness is a helpful tool to pull you back to the present when it all feels a bit much – apps like Headspace provide short, guided meditations and are a great place to start.
Good To Know
It’s an unfortunate truth that egg levels decline with age. For the average female, the optimal time to have a baby is until the early 30’s. Egg quality in women dramatically drops after the age of 35 years and after this, it may be more difficult to fall pregnant.
Making relatively simple changes in your everyday life may increase your chances of getting pregnant naturally.
Flip through to our competition page to be in with a chance to win a fertility health check worth $295 with Repromed
Repromed provide personalised fertility care for all. Based in Remuera Auckland, phone 0800 483 105 to book a free 15-minute phone consultation with a fertility doctor or visit repromed.co.nz to learn more.
