According the reports by National Statistics Bureau , people have been increasingly delaying childbearing until later life, resulting in rising the number of infertility cases. The main reason of delaying chlid bearing would be the increasing importance of a career and the rising costs of child rearing.
It is a proven fact that as the body ages, getting pregnant can be more challenging as compare to people in their teens and twenties. Many women considering pregnancy in their 40s will then look to IVF treatment as their last resort. In my opinion before jumping to IVF treatment; there are lifestyle choices that every woman needs to consider to improve her fertility and likelihood of having a healthy baby.
1. Get sexually active
Have sex at least every other day during your fertile window. Understanding your own menstrual cycle (which you can do here) is probably one of the most important things you can do, studies show you're most likely to get pregnant if you have sex within a day or so of ovulation. Ovulation usually happens about 14 days after the first day of your last period.
2. Eat good
Include nuts, vegetables and pulses in your diet for healthy fibre and limit sugar content. Being overweight can seriously affect your chances of conceiving so, maintaining a healthy weight, and and cutting out the processed foods should assist both your chances of conceiving and the potential health of the foetus.
3. Give yourself a pre natal vitamin boost
Vitamin D and Folic acid are both recommended by the NHS to encourage the healthy development of the foetus and in particular its neural pathways.
4. Be aware of changes in your body
If you notice symptoms like sudden weight gain or
loss and mood changes, sensitivity to cold/hot, skin dryness, palpitations and fatigue. It might be of thyroid. Do not ignore them as undiagnosed thyroid disorder can affect your chances of conceiving
5. Stop consuming alcohol
Lots of us understand that it's vital to cut out alcohol when pregnant - however it is less well known that alcohol can really impede your ability to conceive. Recent research from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine has found that drinking three glasses of wine a week has a detrimental effect on pregnancy success for both men and women.
6. Cut out the smoking
Cutting smoking from your daily habits may seem like a no brainer, but recent studies have shown further light upon the damage tobacco causes to birth rates in general. For those women looking to conceive later in life, it's worth noting that those who smoke will reach menopause on average two years earlier than non-smokers.
7. Avoid arduous exercise
While moderate exercise is useful in reducing fat – strenuous or excessive exercise can cause real problems with your menstrual cycle – a US study of ballet dancers found that the strenuous physical exercise was the cause of the deterioration of their menstrual cycle. This may be an extreme example, but as part of a concerted effort to conceive every woman needs to be aware of these deciding factors on their bodies.
If you've been trying for a child for more than a year without success, you should seek medical advice from your GP – after all, that's what we're here for.
