By Cecelia Helyer, Grow Naturopathy
If you are trying to get pregnant, there are lifestyle changes that can improve your fertility and help avoid IVF.
If you feel like your biological clock is ticking or you are struggling with fertility, it’s understandable that you might be considering IVF. Before you go down that route, there are many things you can do to improve your chances of pregnancy. If you do need IVF, the same changes will increase your chances of success.
Timing is everything
For one of your eggs to be fertilised, you need to be ovulating somewhat regularly and having sex at the right time. For a heterosexual couple, there is a combined fertile window of 6-7 days each month. This includes the 24-48 hour lifespan of the mature egg that is released and the 5-day lifespan of sperm in the female reproductive tract.
To help you understand when ovulation is likely to happen, you can use a fertility awareness method. This involves tracking signs and symptoms such as your resting body temperature and the consistency of your cervical mucus. You can learn more about the approach and how to use it to fall pregnant faster through Grow Naturopathy’s fertility awareness course.
Healthy habits for fertility
All of the things that improve your general health will help with your fertility too. Lifestyle changes can even enhance DNA quality in eggs and sperm, increasing the odds of a successful pregnancy.
Healthy habits for fertility include:
- exercising regularly
- maintaining a healthy weight
- eating regularly with a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables
- sleeping well
- reducing stress
- drinking little or no alcohol
- not smoking or vaping.
It can be easier said than done to adopt these habits, particularly if you have underlying health conditions that affect your energy. The best approach is to make changes gradually.
If you’re struggling to do this on your own, Grow Naturopathy can work with you to develop a treatment plan that helps you achieve your fertility and health goals.
Watch out for signs of hormone imbalance
Across your menstrual cycle there is a symphony of hormones rising and falling in response to each other, each facilitating different parts of the reproductive process. Hormone imbalances are often linked with issues such as acne, period pain, or weight gain. The same imbalances can lead to fertility issues too.
Other signs of hormone imbalances include:
- short menstrual cycles (less than 26 days)
- spotting before your period
- periods that start light then get heavier
- changes in vaginal discharge/cervical mucus
- breast tenderness.
An example of a hormone that needs to be at a healthy level for fertility is progesterone. Low progesterone can cause short menstrual cycles. This can mean that a fertilised egg doesn’t have enough time to implant in your uterus. Underlying causes of low progesterone can vary, but are often linked to your general health and lifestyle. Possible contributing issues include high stress, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), thyroid issues, and being either underweight or overweight.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of a hormone imbalance, you should seek advice from your GP or a naturopath.
