Maximising Fertility
One in every four couples suffers from some degree of infertility. For some, this means having fewer children than they want; for most, it means no children at all. And even for couples who are fertile, getting pregnant is not the easy matter that it is commonly thought to be. The average length of time taken to get pregnant is six months, although eighteen months is not uncommon. But unless fertility tests show otherwise, failure to conceive within eighteen months does not necessarily mean that you are completely infertile.
While it’s well known that a woman’s fertility decreases with age, did you know that a man’s does too? A couple’s chances of conceiving within six months of trying decrease by 2 per cent for every year the man is over twenty-four, regardless of how young his partner is. And if she’s in her thirties, then she’ll take twice as long to conceive as a woman in her twenties.
Yet, despite these statistics, research has shown that if both partners are in good health and receiving optimum levels of all the right nutrients, the effect of their age on their chances of conceiving and having a successful pregnancy can be reduced. Fertility and the speed of conception depend on many factors, some psychological, some physical and some nutritional. Conception rate is very high during holiday periods, for example, since stress – a major factor in infertility – is reduced. Knowing how to time intercourse to coincide with ovulation (the release of the female egg to be fertilised by the sperm) greatly increases the chances of conception. Also, your nutrition and especially your vitamin status play a crucial role.
Vitamins for Fertility
The male partner is responsible in about a third of infertility cases. (It should be stressed that infertility has nothing to do with sexual virility, which is usually not affected.) The usual test for infertility in a man involves a sperm count – the higher the sperm count, the greater the fertility. One study has shown that extra vitamin CWhat it does: Strengthens immune system – fights infections. Makes collagen, keeping bones, skin and joints firm and strong. Antioxidant, detoxifying pollutants and protecting against… increased sperm count as well as sperm mobility.(1) Likewise, vitamin EWhat it does: Acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage, including against cancer. Helps body use oxygen, preventing blood clots, thrombosis, atherosclerosis. Improves wound… or essential fatThere are many different types of fats; polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, hydrogenated, saturated and trans fat. The body requires good fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated) in order to… deficiency has been found to induce sterility in both sexes by causing damage to the reproductive tissues. Unfortunately, however, simply taking vitamin E will not reverse the condition if you are sterile.
Pre-Conceptual Care
The best odds for a healthy offspring are achieved when both partners prepare for pregnancy. It takes three months for sperm to mature, while the egg or ovum takes a month. If, during these pre-conceptual months, each partner pursues optimum nutrition, minimises his or her intake of anti¬nutrients, especially alcohol, and stays healthy, the chances of a healthy conception are high, especially if the couple abstains from sex during the non-fertile phases of the month.
One in three conceptions are spontaneously aborted during the first three months of pregnancy. This risk is reduced when both partners are optimally nourished and healthy. A common cause of miscarriage is a lack of progesteroneProgesterone is one of the main female sex hormones…., which is needed to maintain the pregnancy in the early weeks. This can be a result of oestrogenOestrogen is one of the main female sex hormones…. dominance. HomocysteineHomocysteine is an amino acid found in the blood. Elevated levels of homocysteine have been associated with narrowing and hardening of the...
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