Dr Richa Sharma & Dr Amit Basnotra
In our modern society, many women spend years working hard to avoidgetting pregnant. Once they start trying for pregnancy, however,they often have a difficult time.
This is usually due to a varietyof life’s stressors. Years of busy schedules, birth control pills,emotional stress, recreational fun, medications, and dietarychoices can have a huge impact on the health of our ovaries andeggs. The body is very wise, and in its wisdom, unhealthy eggsremain unfertilized or result in miscarriages.
Men are not exempt from lifestyle effects as well. Alcohol, ridingbicycles, smoking, poor dietary choices, tight underwear, and evenlaptop computer use are some of the many circumstances that canhave a huge impact on the health and effectiveness of sperm.
So there are many Ifs and Buts which need to be answered in the right direction.Definitely one cannot leave jobs and sit at home for planning pregnancy and as humans we cannot just detach ourselves from the world and the stress associated.What we can do is to find certain healthy ways which are pro to fertility.We cannot fight nature or biological age but certain changes in our lives may make a great difference.Lets discuss what all we can do while planning pregnancy.
Before trying to conceive, you must start preparing your body at least 3 months earlier. Here are some tips which involves lifestyle modifications:-
* Lose weight: Excessive weight means excessive fat cells. Excessive fat cell means excessive estrogen. Too much estrogen is harmful for fertility. So it is better to have ideal BMI(Body mass index) before planning pregnancy.
* Gain weight: This point is contrary to what I mentioned above as it is applicable to a different fraction of patients.Being underweight can hamper or even stop your menstrual cycle altogether. In short one need to achieve an ideal weight and then resume treatment.
* Stop smoking: Smoking has been proven several times to cause infertility problems.
* Stop taking birth control: In case of pills or patch, stop 3 months prior and in case of Depo-Provera, stop at least 9 months prior to trying to conceive.
* Consume prenatal vitamins: Taking prenatal vitamins Like folic acid,,is claimed to increase chances of pregnancy and decrease the chances of premature birth greatly.
* Try hypnotism: Hypnotizers claim that hypnosis can improve pregnancy rates noticeably.
* Do yoga: Yoga helps counter issues that deplete conception rates such as depression.
* Opt for couple’s acupuncture: Apparently, acupuncture is capable of stimulating fertility hormones and blood flow if practiced well. Though not practiced as part of allopathy but certain studies and research papers speak in favour.
* Have sex at least once a day: More sex is equal to more chances of conception.
* Counselling- Couples having difficulty in keeping contact due to stress, anxiety or any other psychological disorders, kindly don’t ignore it and don’t hesitate to consult psychologist/psychosexual counsellor at the earliest.
(The authors are Senior IVF consultant Delhi, Senior Gastroentrologist)
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