20 Tips to Help You Get Pregnant Fast
If you have no underlying medical issues which would prevent you from getting pregnant, there are certain things you can do to help you conceive:
1. Eat Healthy Foods - A healthy diet helps to promote a high sperm count in the male and regular ovulation in the female. Eat plenty of leafy green vegetables, and the bulk of your protein should be from vegetables, not meat. Avoid refined sugars and bad fat as much as possible. Both men and women should get plenty of vitamin C in their diet as well as foods rich in antioxidants
2. Avoid Stress - Stress is the leading cause in hormonal fluctuations which greatly inhibit the ability to conceive. This affects both the man as well as the women, so finding ways to keep stress levels to a minimum is of prime importance.
3. Zinc for Dads-to-Be - Infertility can be traced back to the male in almost 40% of all cases. Deficiency in zinc is proven to lower levels of both semen and testosterone.
4. Females Supplement with Soy Isoflavones - Some studies indicate that soy isoflavones work in the same way as the fertility drug Clomid. By blocking receptor cites, the brain is 'tricked' into thinking the female needs more estrogen and as a result, the body naturally starts producing more.
5. Ovulation Predictor Kit - The surest way to determine when a woman is ovulating is with an ovulation predictor kit. It is designed to detect the luteinizing hormone (LH) which is at its highest level just prior to and during ovulation.
6. Avoid Alcohol - Alcohol is proven to cause hormonal fluctuations in both men and women. In women, alcohol can disrupt the menstrual cycle and even produce menstruation without ovulation. In men, alcohol is proven to affect the mobility, quantity and quality of sperm.
7. Avoid Drugs (Both pharmaceutical and Street Drugs) - Drugs have the same affect on conceiving as alcohol in both men and women. However, chemicals in the system at time of conception are also proven to greatly increase the chance for birth defects.
8. Maintain a Healthy Weight - Maintaining weight is of utmost importance. Rapid weight loss as well as weight gain, can have negative effects on getting pregnant because of the hormonal fluctuations that accompany rapid changes in body weight.
9. Don't Douche after Sex - Douching is not advisable after sex as it can wash the sperm out before fertilization can take place. Washing outside the vaginal area is fine, but douching is a definite no-no if you are trying to get pregnant.
10. Fertility Drugs - The most well known fertility drug used to induce ovulation in women is Clomid. This is in a class of drugs known as ovulation stimulators. In other words, they cause eggs to drop into position ready to be fertilized.
11. Deeper Penetration - While it is true that sperm, even at the very outside of the vagina can result in pregnancy, deeper penetration places the sperm in a less hostile environment and they have shorter distances to swim in order to reach the egg.
12. Traditional Positions Work Best - The 'Missionary Position' is most likely to provide the best chances for the sperm to reach the egg in order to fertilize it; any position in which the woman is vertical can cause the semen to leak or run back out before the sperm have the chance to swim upstream.
13. Avoid Foreplay that Exposes Either Partner to Bacteria - There is growing evidence which points to the fact that certain sexual behaviors introduce bacteria into the vagina which attack and damage or kill sperm cells.
14. Avoid Smoke and Smoking - New studies indicate that second hand smoke affects fertility, sometimes with permanent damage. Toxins from smoking and/or exposure to second hand smoke may affect hormone levels necessary for conception.
15. Enjoy Sex - It's Not a Job - Trying too hard to get pregnant causes stress that decreases the chances of conceiving. Relax, enjoy sex and do what comes naturally. This helps to eliminate those 'stress hormones' that affect the male's sperm count and the woman's ability to produce ample estrogen.
16. Avoid Caffeine - Caffeine is also thought to affect certain hormone levels, for example, it can promote increased levels of SBHG (sex hormone binding globulin) that causes lower levels of estrogen. In order to conceive, it is imperative for the woman to maintain appropriate levels of estrogen.
17. Regulate Fat Consumption - Both too much as well as too little dietary fat affect the production of estrogen which in turn affects a woman's ability to get pregnant. The consumption of good fats such as omega 3 and 6 are encouraged.
18. Guaifenesin (Cough Expectorant) Makes It Easy on Sperm - There is some research that substantiates the contention that cough expectorants containing guaifenesin thins cervical mucous so that sperm cells have an easier time reaching the egg to fertilize it.
19. Regular Sex - While there is still a school of thought that contends that frequent ejaculations decrease sperm count, recent research indicates that regular sex improves the viability of the sperm because damaged or dead sperm are constantly replenished.
20. Don't Stand Up After Intercourse - It is important that a woman lay prone as long as possible after intercourse to significantly improve her chances of getting pregnant. Standing up too soon can cause the semen to leak out before the sperm have had a chance to reach their mark.
The state of your health and the level of stress in your life are two of the most important factors that impact your ability to get pregnant fast. If it has been determined that there are no known fertility issues, these 20 tips to help you get pregnant fast could be the missing link.