Dr. Aniruddha MalpaniBefore seeking medical help, remember some of the things you can do to enhance your own fertility potential.You can increase your fertility chances by paying attention to your weight diet and exercise schedule. Abstain from smoking drinking alcohol and taking drugs. In this articleFrequency of intercoursePosition and technique of intercourseIs fertility lower at present?Where to get helpTip for Self-help Before seeking medical help, remember some of the things you can do to enhance your own fertility potential. Body weight, diet and exercise. Proper diet and exercise are important for optimal reproductive function. Women who are significantly overweight or underweight can have difficulty getting pregnant. Talk with your doctor about a healthy diet. Normal exercises, including aerobics, tennis, or jogging may improve your chance of conceiving; however, excessive exercise (for example, jogging over three miles per day) can affect your ovulation. Stop smoking: Cigarette smoking has been associated with a decreased sperm count in men. Women who smoke take longer to conceive. Stop drinking alcohol: Alcohol (beer and wine as well as hard liquor) intake in men has been associated with low sperm counts. Review your medications: A number of medications, including some of those used to treat ulcer problems and high blood pressure, can influence a mans sperm count. If you are taking any medications, talk with your doctor about whether or not it can affect your fertility. Many medications taken during early pregnancy can affect the fetus. It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are attempting to become pregnant before taking prescription medications or over the counter medications, such as aspirin, antihistamines, or diet pills. Stop abusing drugs: Drugs such as marijuana and anabolic steroids decrease sperm counts. If you have used drugs, discuss this with your doctor. This is confidential information. Both partners should stop using any illicit drugs if they want a healthy baby. Limit your caffeine: Limit you intake of tea, soft drinks and coffee. Frequency of intercourse The simple rule is - as often as you like; but the more often you have sex, the better your chances. Thus, for couples who have sex only on weekends (often the price they pay for a heavy work schedule) the chance of having sex on the fertile pre-ovulatory day is only one-third that of couples who have sex every other day - which means they may take three times as long to conceive. Timing of intercourse. Unlike animals, who know when to have sex in order to conceive (because the female is in "heat" or estrus when she ovulates), most couples have no idea when the woman ovulates. Timing intercourse during the "fertile period" is important and can be easily learnt. However, some couples are so anxious about having sex at exactly the right time that they may abstain for a whole week prior to the "ovulatory day " - and often the doctor is the culprit in this over-rigorous scheduling of sex. This over attention can be counterproductive (because of the anxiety and stress it generates) and is not advisable. Position and technique of intercourse Pigs are very efficient at conserving semen - the boar literally screws his penis into the cervix of the vagina, obtaining a tight lock prior to ejaculation, to ensure that no semen leaks out. Humans do not have such well-designed mechanisms of technique - and perhaps this is because they are really not necessary. Most doctors advise a male superior position; and also advise that the woman remain lying down for at least 5 minutes after sex; and not wash or douche afterwards. A number of products used for lubrication during intercourse, such as petroleum jelly or vaginal cream, have been shown to affect sperm quality. Therefore, these products should be avoided if you are trying to get pregnant (a suitable alternative is raw egg white). Is fertility lower at present? Has the fertility of couples declined in modern times? Possibly. The reasons for this include: The increasing age of women at the time of marriage and childbearing The increased incidence of sexually transmitted diseases or STDs which damage the reproductive tract in both men and women Decreasing sperm counts in men which is a worldwide phenomenon. An interesting observation made recently, has been that mens sperm counts worldwide have been falling in the last few decades. Whether this is due to environmental pollution; or to the stresses of modern day life remains unclear. Where to get help Most couples consult their family physician who will refer them to an obstetrician - gynecologist when infertility is a concern. This first visit should include both partners. The physician will usually outline the possible causes of infertility, and provide an evaluation plan. The first step should be to achieve an accurate diagnosis to try to find out why pregnancy isnt occurring. Once a diagnosis has been determined, the couple and physician should talk again about a treatment plan. For difficult problems, referral to an infertility specialist may be suggested.
Before seeking medical help, remember some of the things you can do to enhance your own fertility potential.You can increase your fertility chances by paying attention to your weight diet and exercise schedule. Abstain from smoking drinking alcohol and taking drugs.Tip for Self-help
Before seeking medical help, remember some of the things you can do to enhance your own fertility potential.
Body weight, diet and exercise. Proper diet and exercise are important for optimal reproductive function. Women who are significantly overweight or underweight can have difficulty getting pregnant. Talk with your doctor about a healthy diet. Normal exercises, including aerobics, tennis, or jogging may improve your chance of conceiving; however, excessive exercise (for example, jogging over three miles per day) can affect your ovulation.
Stop smoking: Cigarette smoking has been associated with a decreased sperm count in men. Women who smoke take longer to conceive.
Stop drinking alcohol: Alcohol (beer and wine as well as hard liquor) intake in men has been associated with low sperm counts.
Review your medications: A number of medications, including some of those used to treat ulcer problems and high blood pressure, can influence a man's sperm count. If you are taking any medications, talk with your doctor about whether or not it can affect your fertility.
Many medications taken during early pregnancy can affect the fetus. It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are attempting to become pregnant before taking prescription medications or over the counter medications, such as aspirin, antihistamines, or diet pills.
Stop abusing drugs: Drugs such as marijuana and anabolic steroids decrease sperm counts. If you have used drugs, discuss this with your doctor. This is confidential information. Both partners should stop using any illicit drugs if they want a healthy baby.
Limit your caffeine: Limit you intake of tea, soft drinks and coffee.
Frequency of intercourse
The simple rule is - as often as you like; but the more often you have sex, the better your chances. Thus, for couples who have sex only on weekends (often the price they pay for a heavy work schedule) the chance of having sex on the fertile pre-ovulatory day is only one-third that of couples who have sex every other day - which means they may take three times as long to conceive.
Timing of intercourse. Unlike animals, who know when to have sex in order to conceive (because the female is in "heat" or estrus when she ovulates), most couples have no idea when the woman ovulates. Timing intercourse during the "fertile period" is important and can be easily learnt. However, some couples are so anxious about having sex at exactly the right time that they may abstain for a whole week prior to the "ovulatory day " - and often the doctor is the culprit in this over-rigorous scheduling of sex. This over attention can be counterproductive (because of the anxiety and stress it generates) and is not advisable.
Position and technique of intercourse
Pigs are very efficient at conserving semen - the boar literally screws his penis into the cervix of the vagina, obtaining a tight lock prior to ejaculation, to ensure that no semen leaks out. Humans do not have such well-designed mechanisms of technique - and perhaps this is because they are really not necessary. Most doctors advise a male superior position; and also advise that the woman remain lying down for at least 5 minutes after sex; and not wash or douche afterwards. A number of products used for lubrication during intercourse, such as petroleum jelly or vaginal cream, have been shown to affect sperm quality. Therefore, these products should be avoided if you are trying to get pregnant (a suitable alternative is raw egg white).
Is fertility lower at present?
Has the fertility of couples declined in modern times? Possibly. The reasons for this include:
- The increasing age of women at the time of marriage and childbearing
- The increased incidence of sexually transmitted diseases or STDs which damage the reproductive tract in both men and women
- Decreasing sperm counts in men which is a worldwide phenomenon. An interesting observation made recently, has been that men's sperm counts worldwide have been falling in the last few decades. Whether this is due to environmental pollution; or to the stresses of modern day life remains unclear.
Where to get help
Most couples consult their family physician who will refer them to an obstetrician - gynecologist when infertility is a concern. This first visit should include both partners. The physician will usually outline the possible causes of infertility, and provide an evaluation plan. The first step should be to achieve an accurate diagnosis to try to find out why pregnancy isn't occurring. Once a diagnosis has been determined, the couple and physician should talk again about a treatment plan.
For difficult problems, referral to an infertility specialist may be suggested.
