You probably know that your age, your overall health, and certain gynecological conditions can affect how easy it is for you to get pregnant. But did you know that lifestyle factors play a role, too?
If you’re trying to conceive and it’s taking longer than you expected, your everyday lifestyle habits might be interfering. The good news is that simple changes to your daily routines could dramatically improve your fertility without requiring medical treatment.
Our team at OB-GYN Associates of Marietta specializes in fertility evaluations and treatment, and we believe understanding how lifestyle habits affect fertility is the first step to improving your chances of getting pregnant. Here are six common habits to watch for.
Stress raises cortisol and other hormone levels, disrupting your reproductive hormone balance. High stress impairs ovulation, reduces egg quality, and, in men, decreases sperm production.
Chronic stress prevents your body from prioritizing reproduction because it’s in a state of perceived threat, but implementing stress reduction techniques can improve your fertility naturally.
Try meditation, deep breathing, yoga, time in nature, or creative pursuits. Even 15 minutes of intentional stress management daily can improve hormonal balance and fertility.
Your body regulates hormone levels — including reproductive hormones — while you sleep. Lack of sleep disrupts luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone, which are critical for ovulation, and you need 7-9 hours of quality sleep nightly for optimal fertility.
To get more, better sleep, strive to maintain consistent sleep and wake times, keep your bedroom dark and cool, and avoid screens before bed. Stress management can also make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Both eggs and sperm require specific nutrients to develop properly. Deficiencies in folate, iron, zinc, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids can impair fertility in both men and women.
Improving your diet can boost fertility, and we recommend eating a balanced diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. It’s also a good idea to consider taking prenatal vitamins even before conception, because they provide nutrients that support fertility.
It’s easy to assume that you only need to stop drinking alcohol after you get pregnant, but the truth is that even moderate alcohol consumption affects your fertility.
Alcohol impairs egg development, reduces ovulation, and decreases sperm quality. If you’re trying to conceive, you may consider eliminating alcohol. Men should minimize consumption too, because more than about two drinks daily reduces male fertility.
Smoking dramatically reduces fertility in both men and women. It damages eggs, reduces egg quality, impairs ovulation, increases the risk of miscarriage in women, and significantly reduces sperm quality in men. If you or your partner smoke, quitting is one of the most effective steps you can take to improve fertility and your overall health.
Being either overweight or underweight can affect your fertility, as can significant weight changes in a short amount of time. Excess weight increases inflammation and disrupts hormone production, while insufficient body fat impairs ovulation because your body doesn’t have enough resources for reproduction.
If you’re trying to optimize your fertility, aim for a healthy weight appropriate for your height. Even a 5-10 pound change in either direction can improve your chances of conceiving naturally.
If any of the above habits apply to you or your partner, consider making changes. Even small adjustments in one or two areas can improve your fertility within 2-3 months, which is the time it takes for eggs to develop and sperm to mature.
At OB-GYN Associates of Marietta, we help you optimize your fertility through lifestyle counseling and medical evaluation. We can assess whether underlying conditions like irregular ovulation, endometriosis, or other issues are affecting your ability to conceive, and we’re here to help you make sustainable lifestyle changes.
If it’s taking you longer to get pregnant than you thought it would, don’t assume you need extensive fertility treatment without first looking at your lifestyle. Contact OB-GYN Associates of Marietta to discuss your fertility concerns and determine whether lifestyle changes, medical treatment, or referral to a fertility specialist is right for you.
