Family First: Newest Techniques in Boosting Natural Fertility
By: Brooke Chaplan
The desire to have a child is something most couples think about and consider. When it seems like all of your friends are announcing their good news, not having any of your own can be a disappointing and frustrating experience. Fortunately, there are many new techniques and products you can try in order to achieve a boost in your natural fertility.
Foods That Increase Fertility
In ancient times, people relied upon certain foods, called aphrodisiacs, to boost fertility. There is some science behind using certain foods for fertility. Maintaining a healthy weight with an ideal amount of body fat helps to optimize hormone levels. Foods known to boost fertility include whole milk, dried beans, nuts, and iron-rich foods such as spinach.
Menstrual Charting
While the “rhythm method” is not new, the science behind charting of ovulation and menstrual cycles is. Medical research has found that women have an “ovulation window” that occurs for the three days prior to actual ovulation. It is during the ovulation window that women are most likely to get pregnant. Women can chart their basal body temperatures, keep track of their periods, or use an ovulation predictor kit to identify the ovulation window.
Medications to Boost Fertility
The pharmaceutical industry also has some newer techniques for boosting fertility. Clomiphene citrate stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete more follicle stimulating hormone. This in turn triggers the ovaries to release an egg. First-time families can visit places like the Missouri Center for Reproductive Medicine to find out if this or other medications may help to give their fertility a boost.
Relaxation and Bedroom Techniques for Enhancing Fertility
Stress significantly interferes with the body’s ability to get pregnant or cause a pregnancy. Men and women who are under stress may have diminished fertility due to hormonal imbalances, fatigue, and other issues. Practicing meditation, yoga, or deep breathing helps to alleviate stress. In the bedroom, couples could try natural lubricants that enhance the motility of sperm. Avoid lubricants that are water-based or that contain spermicides. Intercourse intervals of about two days maximize the number and motility of sperm.
These techniques can be used by anyone seeking to conceive a child. Naturally boosting your fertility may be easier on your body than using more invasive procedures. When trying these fertility boosters, be sure to keep your physician in the loop about what you are doing health-wise.
