| By :
Stewart Wrighter
Although, it may seem like a given, many couples find themselves asking how they can get pregnant. Infertility is a somewhat common problem, and according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine it affects as much as ten percent of the US population. If you find yourself facing such an issue, do not visit the fertility clinic just yet, you may be able to make a few simple lifestyle changes that will help improve your prospects. Infertility treatment is of course a viable option, but it may not be necessary. See a health care provider if you feel you need help deciding what is right for your situation. Woman can start turning the tables in their favor by obtaining an ovulation kit, which will determine when a woman is at her most fertile, 24-48 hours ahead of actual ovulation so she can plan accordingly. If a test is positive for ovulation, it is important to have sex both that day and the day afterward. Next, a woman should keep track of her basal body temperature. Charting the records she takes will provide her with insight into the progress of her cycle. She will be able to tell when she ovulated as well as identify potential roadblocks to becoming pregnant, such as low progesterone and luteal phase levels. Free BBT monthly cycle charts are available online. A woman should take prenatal vitamins to ensure her baby is born happy and healthy. A woman should maintain the proper daily intake of vitamin C which will stimulate strong placenta growth and be sure to take monthly doses of folate; this can decrease the odds of the baby being born with neural tube defects by 70 percent. Men can ensure that they are at the peak of their fertility by limiting their caffeine consumption. They should drink less than two cups of coffee daily though it is best to cut the substance out of the diet completely. Any man drinking a full pot of coffee each day is doing himself a disservice in more ways than one. It may sound strange, but men should keep as cool as possible and avoid exposing the scrotum to excess heat. Men should put on boxer shorts rather than briefs, and take as cool of a shower as they can stand. For optimal fertility, men should avoid saunas, steam rooms and whirlpools as well as too much exercising or cycling. Like women, men should take vitamins meant for their specific health needs. The standard multivitamin should be enough; vitamins and minerals that improve male virility include 500 mg a day of vitamin C, 400 IUS of vitamin E, B12, arginine, L-carnitine, 20 mg of zinc, 200 mcgs of selenium and coenzyme Q10. Men should also consume 400 mcgs of folic acid each day. Men should consult their doctor before they begin taking vitamins. It is a good idea for men to abstain from sex for short periods; this will increase the volume and potency of the sperm released. However, it is important to note that abstaining for too long may result in the opposite of the desired effect.
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