What Can Help You Get Pregnant?

If you are having a bit of a difficult time getting pregnant, do not rush to the doctor yet. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cites that most experts tend to use the 12-month time frame as an indicator of being infertile. In other words, you will be considered infertile if you have been trying to get pregnant for 12 months without success. The time frame goes down to 6 months if you are over the age of 35. If you have not reached these time markers and do not wish to seek medical assistance, there are certain things you can do to increase your chance of getting pregnant.

Most people are well aware that cigarettes and pregnancy does not mix. But, studies have shown that cigarette smoke can decrease fertility in both men and women and has a negative impact on fertility. For example, in a study in "Fertility and Sterility" showed that sperm counts in smokers were 17 percent lower than in nonsmokers. A Polish study showed that smoking also affected the sperm's shape and movement and smokers not only have a higher rate of infertility, they generally take a lot longer to conceive. Margareta D. Pisarska, MD, co-director of Center for Reproductive Medicine at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and editor-in-chief of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine News states that "We also know that smokers undergoing fertility treatments usually require much higher doses of fertility medication than nonsmokers."

Smoke from your own cigarettes is not the only kind of smoke that harms your chances of a successful conception but it is also being around smokers. A study published in "Human Reproduction" cites that secondhand smoke decreased the pregnancy rates in women undergoing fertility treatments. It is not enough that you quit smoking, which you will have to do anyway when you get pregnant, but you will have to limit your exposure to secondhand smoke as well.

Stress can also be a major factor in your chances of getting pregnant. There is no study that definitively shows the link between fertility and stress but medical experts agree that some link does exist. Smaller research and studies are being done that shows stress-reduction techniques do have an effect on fertility and fertility expert says Allen Morgan, MD, director of Shore Institute for Reproductive Medicine in Lakewood, N.J. Morgan believes that "it's only a matter of time before someone puts all the pieces together and sees the overall impact of stress on the reproductive system."

Though a direct link has not been proven, these early studies and trials do show promise. In fact, a Harvard University stress expert shares that a number of women undergoing stress-related therapy to help deal with infertility issues actually got pregnant simply by learning how to relax.

These methods are not a guaranteed way that you will get pregnant but, these methods are something you will want to do anyway and any natural methods that increases the chances of conception is a good thing at this point. Remember, before seeking medical assistance for potential fertility problems, you will want to be as healthy as possible so quitting smoking and having less stress in your life definitely increases those chances.

Getting pregnant is possible and many women have successfully brought a baby into this world. Keep an open mind and keep yourself as healthy as possible. To learn more about curing infertility in women, please take a moment to read this article and please visit pregnancyover40.tumblr.com for more information. Good luck and don't lose hope.