According to the Mayo Clinic, advanced age is one of the leading causes of both male and female infertility. In fact, it reports that after age 32, a woman's chance of getting pregnant begins to decline. The likelihood of a woman over 40 having medical problems--many of which can interfere with getting pregnant--is also greater. The Mayo Clinic also reports that men over 40 are less fertile than their younger counterparts. Fertility specialists, however, can increase the odds of getting pregnant over 40.
Step 1
Document your basal body temperature. Your basal body temperature is your core temperature in the morning, before you get out of bed. It goes up when you ovulate and goes back down when you start your period. Keeping track of your temperature can tell you what your average menstrual cycle length is as well as when your most fertile days fall in your cycle.
Step 2
Have intercourse during your fertile days. It may sound obvious, but many women don't know that their most fertile days are those just before ovulation. If you ovulate on your 14th cycle day (with day 1 being the first full day of your period), begin having intercourse around day 10. You are more likely to get pregnant during this time than any other time in your cycle.
Step 3
Cut down on your vices, such as alcohol, tobacco and caffeine, while you are trying to get pregnant. Smoking and drinking too much alcohol or caffeine can decrease your ability to conceive, and can also cause a miscarriage after conception. According to the Mayo Clinic, smoking can also interfere with certain types of fertility treatments. Cut out your smoking habit, reduce your alcohol intake and switch to decaf. This can increase your odds of getting pregnant, especially over age 40.
Step 4
See a fertility specialist. Most couples should see a fertility specialist if they have not been able to get pregnant after trying for a year. However, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine recommends that women over 35 see a specialist earlier than this. A fertility specialist will check you for medical conditions that may interfere with getting pregnant (such as thyroid problems or abnormal growths in the uterus). He may also ask to see your basal body temperature chart, to find out more about your menstrual cycle.
Step 5
Try fertility enhancing drugs. The Mayo Clinic reports this is the mainstay treatment for women who have problems with ovulation or follicle production (follicles release mature eggs during ovulation). Different fertility drugs can be used to stimulate follicle growth and to induce ovulation. They may be used in combination with one another to increase your chances of getting pregnant over age 40.
Step 6
Consider assistive reproductive technologies. Intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) may increase your odds of getting pregnant over age 40. IUI is often combined with fertility-enhancing drugs, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, and involves injecting sperm directly into the uterus at the optimal time for conception. IVF involves implanting fertilized eggs directly into the uterus. Both have a slight edge over regular intercourse.
Things You'll Need
- Basal body thermometer
- Menstrual cycle chart
- Fertility enhancing drugs
- Assistive reproductive technologies
