It seems simple things are what counts when it comes to boosting fertility. In the following article, you will find expert advice to help you understand what may be wrong in what you do.
For some, fertility and conception are aspects that pose no problem. For others, however, assisted reproductive techniques are the only hope of having a child.
Between these extremes there is a growing number of couples who are in a waiting period. Some of them do not feel ready to turn to medical technology, while other couples could not find the cause of infertility even calling for the latest technology. For this latter group of people, doctors are seeking to discover factors of everyday life that could make a difference.
Sometimes everything looks good in terms of treatment, yet some women do not get pregnant – so doctors started looking for other factors that could play a significant role.
Doctors believe that one of the most important external factors are smoking. While most people are aware that smoking and pregnancy does not go together, yet experts say that very few people seem to realize the negative impact of smoking on fertility.
Experts believe that smoking leads to male infertility, as well as that of the woman and has a negative impact on conception rates.
A study published in the journal “Fertility and Sterility” showed that smokers have a spermatozoon number with 17% less. Recently, a Polish study showed that smoking dramatically lowers spermatozoon count and affect sperm quality. For women, experts believe that smoking not only decreases the chance of getting pregnant, but also affects the length of time in which women become pregnant.
Also, experts believe that smokers will increase fertility treatments, requiring higher doses of drugs than non-smokers. Not only active smoking counts, in a recent study doctors showed that passive smoking reduces conception rates for women who resort to modern technology to assist reproduction.
The good news is that giving up cigarettes, can get women pregnant more easily and in a shorter time. Also, researchers found that men who quit smoking experienced an increase in the number of viable spermatozoon for up to 800%.
Reducing stress levels, increase fertility:
Although the link between stress and fertility is unclear yet, many doctors say that stress plays an important role in fertility. There are large data sets to prove an unequivocal link, but a growing number of small sample studies show that stress reduction methods have a positive effect over fertility, and doctors believe it is only a matter of time before someone put all data together to prove once and for all the impact that stress have on the reproductive system.
In an American study, women who used assisted reproductive techniques were applied to a feet relaxing massage before embryo transfer, and the authors believe that the results are encouraging.
Stress experts from Harvard University showed in a study that more women undergoing procedures to reduce stress caused by infertility, remained pregnant easier, this effect can be put on properties like relaxation techniques.
Nutrition and fertility:
While very few people think there may be a link between diet and fertility, recent studies show that infertility sufferers lack important nutrients from food.
American experts from Harvard University found that 79% of infertile couples had a poorer diet in antioxidants (fruits and vegetables) than other people. This finding takes on even greater importance in light of recent research showing that vitamins C and E play important roles in male fertility. An American study shows that after a week that were given 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C, the number of viable spermatozoon increased by approximately 140%.
Recently, a study showed that substances with antioxidative properties like vitamin E and selenium, are important in improving the ability of sperm to “swim” – a necessary skill for sperm to reach the woman egg in the process of fertilization.
Experts believe that there is an interesting link between fertility and fish consumption. Studies have shown that both couples with fertility problems and men with abnormal sperm and blood parameters were having high levels of mercury, the same people had a diet rich in fish. If you have fertility problems would be wise to try to eat less seafood, said experts.
Since obesity is considered a leading cause of infertility in women, experts say that by eating a diet with fewer calories can lead to an increase in fertility.
If you have polycystic ovarian syndrome, a simple weight loss of only 5% can significantly improve the chance of proper ovulation and getting pregnant, said experts in the field. In polycystic ovarian syndrome is meet loss or absence of ovulation, increased androgen levels and insulin resistance to the action of cells. Many people suffering from this disorder suffer from obesity at the same time, or are overweight.
Natural remedies for infertility:
Although folklore abounds in natural infertility remedies, science only lately entered the garden of mother nature. In fact, only in the last two years a number of credible studies have failed to show that certain food constituents or certain plants can provide an improvement in fertility both in men and in women.
A group of German researchers have shown that some herbal remedies can work for men. They have shown that sperm quality and function improved with the use of dietary supplements containing combinations of zinc and folic acid, an antioxidant carotenoid called Astacarox.
Furthermore, researchers have shown that in men with fertility problems who took a daily dose of 66 milligrams of zinc and 5 milligrams of folic acid for about six months, the number of viable spermatozoon grew by 74%.
Most recent studies have shown that both L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine improves sperm quality for those with fertility problems.
In terms of fertility in women, in a small sample study, doctors have shown favorable effects were recorded for food supplements based on folic acid, vitamins E, B6 and B12, iron, magnesium, zinc, L-arginine, selenium and green tea.
Research related to women with fertility problems and age between 24 and 46 years found that those women who took such nutritional supplements twice a day for three months, have seen an increase in body temperature at mid-cycle time – which is an indicator of ovulation, while for the control group, made up of women who did not took supplements, these increases were not recorded. Women who took the food supplement became pregnant in the first five months, while for women who missed supplements were necessary up to nine months.