When a couple decides it is the right time to try to conceive a baby, many want the process to go as quickly as possible. Although no one can predict when a couple will conceive, many lifestyle modifications can increase the chances of it happening sooner rather than later. If these lifestyle modifications do not seem to help, couples should discuss fertility intervention treatments with their doctor.
Step 1
Start a fertility-friendly diet. The Harvard School of Public Health conducted a survey in 2007, which concluded that women on a certain diet improved their fertility. This diet included reduced intake of sugar and trans fats, getting protein from plant-based sources instead of animals, eating more fiber and consuming more high-fat dairy products. Men who eat foods containing antioxidants, such as fruits and vegetables, may improve the health of their sperm, notes MayoClinic.com.
Step 2
Get physically fit. Women who exercise regularly, take a multivitamin which includes folic acid, and have a lower body-mass index may be more fertile than others, notes the Harvard School of Public Health's 2007 study. Men who exercise, watch their weight and take a multivitamin may also have higher-quality sperm, explains MayoClinic.com.
Step 3
Avoid smoking, alcohol, drugs, toxins and stress. These things may impair the fertility of both men and women.
Step 4
Learn to pinpoint ovulation. Although the American Pregnancy Association notes that many women's ovulation happens between days 11 and 21 of their menstrual cycle, some women ovulate earlier or later than this. Charting a woman's daily basal body temperature and monitoring her cervical fluid, cervical position and other ovulation symptoms can help a couple predict when ovulation is approaching. Using over-the-counter ovulation predictor kits or fertility monitors can also help couples learn when a woman is about to ovulate and when she is at her most fertile.
Step 5
Time intercourse appropriately. Couples should have sexual intercourse a couple of days prior to--and the day of--ovulation to increase the likelihood of conception.
Step 6
Talk to a doctor. Couples who are under the age of 35 should discuss fertility intervention strategies with a doctor after one year of unsuccessfully trying to conceive. Couples who are over the age of 35 may want to consider seeking help after six months of trying, suggests the March of Dimes website.
Tips and Warnings
- Both men and women should consider getting a preconception check-up before trying to conceive a baby.
- Couples trying to conceive should always talk to a doctor if they have any questions or concerns about their fertility.
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