Fertility and smoking, alcohol and drugs
Your chances of becoming pregnant can double if you quit smoking, as smoking reduces fertility in both women and men. Alcohol and drugs also reduce fertility and can be harmful to the unborn child.
Most couples who would like to conceive are expecting within a year. 30 percent of all women trying to conceive are expecting within 3 months, 70 percent are pregnant on average after six months and over 80 percent after a year. After 2 years, 90 percent are pregnant. Should you still not be pregnant after a year and you have been making love at the right times every month, it may be that one of you has reduced fertility. Sometimes it’s just bad luck and you still get pregnant spontaneously.
Fertile days
During each menstrual cycle, you have a number of days when you are fertile. These days are just before the day of your ovulation. Find out when you are fertile so that you have sex at the right times. Each month you have about a 10% chance of becoming pregnant.
- If you want to get pregnant, the best time to have sex is in the days before ovulation, your ovulation.
- Sperm cells can live in a woman’s body for several days (3-5 days), which is why it is best to have sex in the days before your ovulation.
- The egg only lives for a short time, so it is important that sperm can reach the egg in time to fertilize it.
With a regular cycle of around 28 days, ovulation is about two weeks before your period. In the period before your ovulation through the day of ovulation, it is best to have sex every other day. Therefore, if you count from day 1 of your period and you have a regular cycle of 28 days, you have sex every other day from day 9 or 10 through day 15.
The ovulation
Some women notice by their bodies that they are ovulating. For example, some women feel their ovulation by a slight cramping or pain in the lower left or right part of your abdomen. You may also feel like having extra sex then. Don’t worry if you don’t notice or feel this.
- A few days before your ovulation, mucus is produced by your cervix. It is clear and shiny and may be stringy. It looks a bit like raw egg whites.
- If you notice this change in your discharge, you are fertile.
- After your fertile days, the mucus becomes whiter and thicker again. This change lasts about three to four days.
- 12 to 24 hours before your ovulation, your body temperature rises by 0.3 to 0.5 degrees Celsius due to the hormone progesterone. Sometimes this rise can also occur a little later. The temperature then remains high and drops back to the level of the first cycle day just before your next period.
- Don’t start taking temperature readings too soon, try to check as little as possible at first and above all enjoy being together and making love during the fertile period.
- Make it cozy, also the level of excitement has a positive effect on getting pregnant.
Your cervix also changes during your cycle. The cervix is softer when you are fertile and is slightly open.
Fertility
There are many factors that affect your fertility and healthy pregnancy. What factors play a role in fertility? We are happy to tell you all about them during the childbirth consultation.
What factors play a role in fertility?
Fertility and medications
It is important to check if you are taking any medications that can reduce fertility or be harmful during your pregnancy.
Some over-the-counter medications should not be used if you want to get pregnant or are pregnant (such as ibuprofen).
Fertility and your age
Unfortunately, your fertility decreases as you age, because your supply of eggs is what you have from birth. So the eggs age as well. Keep this in mind if you want to get pregnant. So, above 30, on average, it takes a little longer to get pregnant, which is normal.
- Different studies show different figures, but a healthy 35-year-old woman still has a 55-75% chance of becoming pregnant within a year.
- Around age 38, this begins to decline rapidly.
- Get advice from a specialized obstetrician at 040verloskunde at the childbirth consultation.
This consultation is for anyone who wants to get pregnant! We have primary care midwives who specialize in preconception care - getting pregnant healthily. You can make an appointment for an individual consultation at the childbirth education.
Often you've been dealing with not getting pregnant and birth control for a long time and it's nice to get more reliable information about fertility, stopping birth control and getting pregnant. Everything tailored to your personal situation, so you need to be less insecure during this special time. You can ask all your questions and get lots of advice tailored to your needs.
- Have you started on Folic Acid yet?
- We will discuss your medical history, heredity, lifestyle and, of course, give you lots of information about getting pregnant and fertility.
Yes, we have primary care midwives who specialize in preconception care - getting pregnant healthily. You can make an appointment for an individual consultation at the childbirth clinic. This consultation is for anyone who wants to get pregnant!
Often you have been mostly concerned with not getting pregnant and birth control, so we would like to tell you more about fertility and getting pregnant. Reliable information tailored to your personal situation, so you need to be less uncertain during this special time. You can ask all your questions and get lots of advice tailored to your personal situation. We will discuss your medical history, heredity, lifestyle and, of course, give you lots of information about getting pregnant and fertility.