Getting pregnant can be a long process, Dr Rafet Gazvani, Consultant in Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine at The Hewitt Fertility Centre, Knutsford, gives his top tips to help the process move that little bit faster.
- Cut back on your alcohol intake, give up smoking and eat a well-balanced diet including lots of fruit and veg. Women should also take a daily dose of folic acid (0.4mg). A good, healthy body will increase chances of fertility.
- Womens bodys are very clever. You need to tune into your body and figure out when you are ovulating. Some women will also experience twinges or period-like pain in the abdomen. Just before ovulation, your vaginal mucus also changes in consistency to become thin and slippery. So keep up to date with when your ovulation period is and have sex a lot during that time.
- Some women seem to think that if they have been on the pill for a long time, they think getting pregnant will also take a while. However, your fertility should return to normal after you stop contraception, although how quickly depends on the particular form of contraception. For example, fertility immediately follows the removal of an intrauterine device (IUD) whereas it may take several months before the effects of an implant wear off, so it may be best to check with your doctor if you know you're about to start trying to get pregnant, to see how long they advise before anything will start happening.
- Now, it's not all about the woman, it takes two to create a baby. To promote better sperm production, you should encourage your partner to wear loose boxer shorts and trousers and take cool showers rather than hot baths. They too should cut back on the alcohol intake and smoking as these are also bad news for a healthy sperm production.
- One of the best advice Dr Gazvani gives is to stay stress free. Stress is never good at any time, when trying to get pregnant or not. But, evidence shows that couples trying to conceive reduce their lovemaking after a while because it has become associated simply with making babies! Try to make love often and avoid becoming stressed about the baby issue.
For more pregnancy and fertility advice from Dr Gazvani follow @HewittFertility. If you’re having difficulty getting pregnant, or know someone who is, The Hewitt Fertility Centre would love to help. Give your nearest centre a call today:
Knutsford 0156 563 5000
Liverpool 0151 702 4121
