Are You Exercising?

When it comes to exercise, and its impact on fertility, it seems that moderation is the key.  Excessive exercise can have an impact on ovulation, thereby making it more difficult to get pregnant.  On the other hand, too little exercise is not good either, as some exercise is essential to maintain overall good health, a requirement for optimum fertility.  So, the best advice is to start an exercise program well before trying to conceive, and do it in moderation.

technorati tags:fertility, pregnant, conceive, exercise

New Product Hits The Market

A new product has been released to help couples who do not have known fertility problems to get pregnant faster.  It's a device you use at home to basically bring sperm closer to the cervix which should give them a better chance to reach the uterus, and ultimately fertilize and egg.  Read more....

http://www.soonews.ca/viewarticle.php?id=7371

The Conception Cap

SooNews Wire -- SooNews.ca -- Monday, July 3, 2006, 4:15PM

CNW -- Health Canada (Sante Canada) has approved a new method of helping women with fertility challenges to conceive.

Called the Conception Kit(TM), it is safe, effective and affordable, and is used in the privacy of the home.

technorati tags:conception, fertility, pregnant, conceive

Are You Laughing Enough?

Now this is an interesting article which showed how laughter improved the conception rates among women undergoing fertility treatment.  Perhaps this technique would lend itself to others trying to conceive naturally, as we so often hear that it's necessary to reduce stress to improve likelihood of pregnancy.  What better way than some "clowning around?"

http://news.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id=905772006

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, clowns

Alternative Medicine

This is an interesting article about how Chinese Medicine, with its unique approach might be able to aid in improving fertility.  Given the current interest in alternative therapies, it's a useful look at how this approach contrasts with that of Western medicine....


A Chinese cure for infertility - Daily News & Analysis

A Chinese cure for infertility Daily News & Analysis,?India?- Jul 14, 2006 ... practitioner Angela Wong, “they were very low in spirits: not at all the right frame of mind for two people planning parenthood.” Infertility, she says, is ...

technorati tags:fertility, pregnant, chinese, medicine, conception

Soy Anyone?

Do you love tofu?.....soy burgers?............well, a study found that eating soy based products might have a negative effect on the ability to conceive.  It's ok for one partner, just not the other.  Read on to find out more....

http://www.drarthister.com/?p=94

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, conceive, soy

Don't Get Pregnant While Dieting

Further to the previous post discussing the importance of a healthy weight when trying to conceive, it is equally important to STOP dieting once you are actively trying to get pregnant. You cannot wait until after you find out you are pregnant to stop the diet, because by then, the diet has had a negative impact on the developing embryo which is approximately 2 weeks old by the time you take a pregnancy test.

Dieting Women Who Get Pregnant Put Their Babies at Risk, Says Expert
If you’re hoping to get pregnant but are trying to lose some weight, make sure you finish your diet before you start trying to conceive, recommends a New Zealand fetal development expert. The reason, dieting can cause harm to a developing fetus. “How the baby is looked after from the moment of conception, when it’s just one egg, to birth [and] in the neonatal period can affect its destiny for the rest of its life,” says Professor Peter Gluckman, director of the Liggins Institute at Auckland University. Gluckman believes that dieting, even if it is stopped once a woman learns of her pregnancy, increases the likelihood a woman will have a smaller baby, which could lead to health problems, such as obesity, later on. In particular, dieting sends specific nutritional signals to your body. During early pregnancy, these signals lead to certain “genetic switches” being turned on or off, which will affect a child for the rest of his life. Gluckman suggested that women follow a balanced diet and maintain a healthy weight in order to have the best pregnancy outcomes.
Source: NZHerald.co.uk

technorati tags:pregnant, diet, fertility

Get Weight Under Control

It is generally believed that it is easier to get pregnant if you are at a healthy weight.  Studies have shown that women who are overweight (body mass index-BMI-above 30) or underweight (body mass index -BMI-under 20) have more difficulty getting pregnant.  So if you fall into one of these categories, it's a good idea to get yourself into a healthy range before you start trying.  And if you're already having some difficulty getting pregnant, have your body mass index assessed and try to get to a healthier weight--it could make the difference in achieving a pregnancy.

technorati tags:pregnant, conception, fertility, weight

Fantastic News!

A recent study showed evidence that women who couldn't conceive for a year were just as successful as women undergoing fertility treatments.  How?  They received advice on how to get pregnant.  They learned about what to do, what not to do, etc.  And their pregnancy rates were just as good as those undergoing fertility treatments....Imagine that!!

Infertility advice 'is better cure' - Telegraph.co.uk

Infertility advice 'is better cure' Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - 40 minutes ago By Nic Fleming, Medical Correspondent. A commonly used, expensive fertility technique may be no more effective than simple advice ...

technorati tags:fertility, pregnancy, pregnant, conceive

Avoid These

There are several things you should never do if you are trying to get pregnant. I'm going to touch on one or two of them here. The first one to avoid is douching.
Limited research shows that douching might make it harder for a woman to get pregnant. In women trying to get pregnant, those who douched more than once a week took the most time to get pregnant. Studies also show that douching can increase a woman's chance of ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy is when the fertilized egg attaches to the inside of the fallopian tube instead of the uterus. An ectopic pregnancy can be life-threatening if not treated properly, and it can also make it harder for a woman to get pregnant in the future.
Another thing you should never do is use lubricant before sex. Research has shown that vaginal lubricants are toxic to sperm and interfere with the role of cervical mucus, which transports the sperm into the uterus. Foreplay is a much better choice than any commercially bought product.

Go To Sleep!!

Are you aware that sleep and sunlight can affect your ability to conceive?  It turns out that proper amounts of sleep and adequate time spent in daylight are necessary for optimum fertility.

http://womenshealth.about.com/od/pregnancyrelatedissues/a/sleepsunlight_2.htm

technorati tags:sunlight, sleep, fertility, pregnant, pregnancy

Is It Too Late?

This is an interesting article, indicating many people have the wrong idea about when fertility starts to decline.  It's a lot younger than you would think....

Poll: Most People Unaware of the Age When Fertility Begins to ... - Yahoo! News (press release)

Poll: Most People Unaware of the Age When Fertility Begins to ... Yahoo! News (press release) - 2 hours ago ... Endocrinology Associates of Charlotte by IntegraMed America finds that most poll respondents mistakenly believe that a decline in fertility starts later in ...

technorati tags:fertility, babies, pregnant

Is The Answer In Food Choices?

Hmm...Another new approach, but unfortunately this isn't tested, so there's no evidence if it really works. Maintaining a proper weight is definitely important when trying to achieve pregnancy, but eliminating certain foods that might be keeping you from getting pregnant??? I would have to be a little skeptical about this, but anything is worth trying as long as it's not harmful in any way.

MIRACLE BABY? - The Voice

The Voice

MIRACLE BABY? The Voice, UK - 14 hours ago ... She told us: “My husband and I are so excited. I was desperate to get pregnant, but it felt as though nothing would work. The ...

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, diet, baby

Vitamin A

There seems to be a lot of confusion on whether or not it's safe to take vitamin A when trying to get pregnant and in early pregnancy. To clarify, vitamin A is supplied to the body in two forms, retinol and beta carotene. Research has shown an increased likelihood of birth defects if too much Vitamin A (more than 10,000iu) is consumed in early pregnancy (before you may even know you are pregnant).

However normal fetal development requires sufficient vitamin A intake. What to do? Make sure you're taking vitamin A in its beta carotene form. There are no limits to the amount of beta carotene you can take and it won't do any harm to the pregnancy. That includes eating carrots, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes.

technorati tags:pregnant, vitamin, vitamin+A

My Story

I guess this should really have been my very first post, but I got a little carried away introducing some interesting articles, etc. that I came across and thought you might find useful.  So, here's my story....I have always wanted to have children but didn't get married until the age of 35, so already my chances of having a healthy baby were compromised due to age as soon as we decided to start trying (I was 36 by that time).  Now of course, like everyone else, I knew HOW to get pregnant--I mean, we all know the basics, right ; )  But I'm the kind of person that is a bit of a research fanatic (my friends would definitely agree), so I decided that since I was a bit on the older side, it would be important to learn if there were any ways to try to speed up the process. There had to be things to do (and not do) to increase the likelihood and speed of getting pregnant.  I didn't want to just "wing it" and find myself a year later still not pregnant and feeling like I could have used that time more wisely by learning the very best ways to do it.  And I was right!  I learned so many ways to increase the chance of getting pregnant both by doing certain things and not doing others.  I plan on sharing much of that on this blog, and pointing you to any interesting current news which might help you to achieve your goal.  I'll share more next time....I'd love to hear your stories, feel free to comment below.

-Beth

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, baby

The Pregnancy Trend

I find it amazing that so many people are interested in the pregnancies of major celebrities.  Having a baby is definitely not something to be done because everyone else is doing it, be it friends or celebrities.  Many celebrities are going through their own difficulties in getting pregnant, as is occasionally cited in the media.  How they resolved those problems would be much more meaningful reading material, in my opinion, rather than just admiring all the pregnant bellies as if it's an accessory.  Comments?


Q&A: How Did It Get Trendy to Be Pregnant? - Newsweek

Q&A: How Did It Get Trendy to Be Pregnant? Newsweek?- 5 hours ago ... Excerpts: NEWSWEEK: It seems like pregnancy is almost hip right now. Julia Beck: It is definitely hip to be pregnant right now. ...

technorati tags:pregnant, conceive, fertility, celebrities, belly

Are You Healthy?

This is a helpful article that discusses some very basic but often overlooked information. Often, we decide it's time to get pregnant and then go at it the old-fashioned way in hopes of getting pregnant as soon as possible--especially for us older moms :) But in truth, it's actually critical that you don't get pregnant as soon as the idea pops into your head, because you need to get your body ready first. Read more......


Get healthy, then get pregnant - Los Angeles Times

Get healthy, then get pregnant Los Angeles Times,?CA?- Jun 5, 2006 ... Many problems can be avoided by simply ensuring that women and couples are in better health before they get pregnant and have established healthier lifestyles ...

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Older Mom To Be?

As women further their careers, and put off having children, they find that when they finally do settle down to the business of getting pregnant, it requires a bit of planning, armed with lots of information, to improve their chances.  While we all generally know "how to make a baby" in the general sense, there are things you can do (and things not to do) to greatly improve your chances.  Most women over 30 or 35, want this information so the process will be easier and faster.  Here's an interesting look at one such method to help....

She wants to get pregnant ASAP - SunHerald.com

She wants to get pregnant ASAP SunHerald.com, MS - 4 hours ago ... I am aware of the risk of late age pregnancy and I would like to get pregnant as soon as possible. ... Women who want to get pregnant also can use the SDM. ...

technorati tags:pregnant, conceive, older, mom

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Hey, Some Good News About Birth Control Pills

Oral Contraceptives Do Not Impair Future Fertility - Medscape (subscription)

Well, this is something that I'm sure everyone here is glad to hear.  I know I've often wondered is using the pill could in some way effect the chances of getting pregnant later.  Thankfully, it seems to have no ill effects.  Phew....

Oral Contraceptives Do Not Impair Future Fertility Medscape (subscription) - 9 hours ago NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jul 04 - The use of oral contraceptives does not impair future fertility, according to a report in the June Fertility and Sterility. ..

technorati tags:pregnant, birth, control, pill, contraceptives

Is Feng Shui The Answer?

Getting Pregnant with Feng Shui -- Myth, Miracles or Reality?

Have you ever thought of using Feng Shui to improve the changes to get pregnant naturally? If you have endured so many tests and spent thousands of dollars then do explore the possibility with Feng Shui.

Now, there are many, many things you can do to improve your chance of pregnancy, and scientists discover new things every day, but this one is definitely offbeat. I am always open to learning new things, and what seems unusual today, may become mainstream down the road. I say, whatever works!

technorati tags:pregnancy, pregnant, feng, shui

It's A Boy!!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4529152.stm

Just found this really interesting article which points to research claiming you're more likely to have a boy if it takes you more than a year to get pregnant.  So, if you're hoping for a boy, no need to rush things quite so much...

The gender of your baby may be affected by conditions in the cervix

The longer a woman takes to get pregnant, the more likely she is to have a boy, scientists suggest.

Dutch researchers analysed data for 5,283 women who gave birth to single babies between 2001 and 2003.

Among the 498 women who took longer than a year to get pregnant, the chance of having a boy was almost 58%, the British Medical Journal study found.