When you’re ready to have a child, conception can seem like a slow process. It’s important to be patient and meet with your gynecologist to make sure you’re healthy and physically prepared for pregnancy. With your doctor’s support and some simple lifestyle changes, you may be able to conceive within a year. Here are a few steps to get started.

3 Strategies for Boosting Fertility 

1. Maintain a Healthy Weight 

Both women who are overweight and those who are underweight have a harder time getting pregnant because weight affects hormone production and ovulation. Getting to a healthy weight before you start trying to conceive could help you get pregnant a lot faster. Building your strength and flexibility also helps you prepare for the physical challenges of pregnancy and delivery. Eating well and exercising daily while you’re still trying to conceive will make those habits second nature by the time you’re expecting. 

2. Eliminate Stress 

Researchers have identified a link between excessive stress and infertility, possibly due to increased cortisol levels. This hormone is tied to changes in metabolism and blood pressure, both of which can contribute to weight gain. When you’re trying to get pregnant, it can be hard to focus on virtually anything else, especially if people around you are already having babies—but doing so is essential for your mental health. Talk through your feelings with your partner and spend time on hobbies that make you feel more centered and optimistic. Develop relaxation techniques to help control your physical response to stress, so the hormones don’t interfere with your ability to get pregnant.

3. Quit Bad Habits 

Doctors advise their patients to quit smoking to improve a variety of health outcomes, and your gynecologist is no exception. The chemicals in cigarettes can inhibit women’s fertility by disrupting hormone levels and depleting egg supply. Smoking also contributes to male factor infertility by decreasing sperm counts and motility. Additionally, the sperm a male smoker produces may be misshapen and less likely to fertilize an egg successfully. While alcohol is linked to poor pregnancy outcomes, its relationship to fertility is less clear. However, decreasing consumption contributes to overall better health and is generally advised when couples try to conceive.

If you’re still concerned about your fertility, turn to the compassionate team at OBGYN Associates, Inc. With offices in Fairfield and West Chester, OH, this practice has been caring for women at all stages of life since 1940. Their gynecologists undergo continuing education and maintain a state-of-the-art facility so they can provide the highest quality care. Visit their website for information about their services, and call (513) 221-3800 to meet with a gynecologist.