If you’re planning for a family now or in the future, understanding the fundamental aspects about your fertility will empower you and your partner to make important decisions with ease. Let us help you make your pregnancy journey smoother. Here, we share 5 things you should know about your fertility.
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The basics of fertility
Fertility simply refers to your body’s ability to bear children. Understanding your own fertility can help you to make important decisions about family planning, such as when to get pregnant, how easy it would be to conceive, if you may require fertility investigations and even if you need to think about preserving your fertility.
Typically, your fertility levels depend on biological factors such as your age, health, and your overall lifestyle. Simply put, young, healthy people usually find it easier to have children. As you become older, this typically becomes more difficult. Leading an active lifestyle is suggested by doctors to prevent any complications later down the line.
Understanding your menstrual cycle
Understanding your menstrual cycle is the first step towards achieving good fertility. This natural process is essential in your road to parenthood. Your menstrual cycle is divided into three distinct stages:
Follicular phase: At the beginning of your cycle, your body prepares eggs for possible fertilisation.
Ovulatory phase: In the middle of your cycle, an egg is released and can be fertilised by sperm, indicating your conceivable window.
Luteal phase: Following ovulation, your body prepares for a possible pregnancy, and if conception does not occur, your cycle begins again.
It is important to track your cycle and recognise these phases. Identifying your fertile window (around ovulation) means that you can improve your chances by trying to conceive around this time. Knowing your body’s signs provides you with important details that can make your road to parenthood more informed and enjoyable.
Age and fertility go hand in hand
Age has a significant effect on fertility, impacting both men and women. Our reproductive abilities, just like our health, tend to decline with time.
For women, the biological clock comes into play, which impacts the amount and quality of eggs produced, making conception more difficult. Men, too, see a reduction in sperm quality and motility as they age. This shows us the significance of keeping our biological clock in mind while preparing for parenthood.
If you’re thinking of postponing your pregnancy, keep these considerations in mind. While pursuing your business and personal objectives is obviously important, it is also critical to realise the possible reproductive issues that come with ageing. If you want to delay establishing a family, you may want to look into services like egg or sperm freezing. These services give you a better chance of getting pregnant at a later stage in life, thus giving you more time to make well-informed judgments aligning with your life goals.
What influences your fertility?
When it comes to your fertility, a variety of factors can play a role. Your nutrition and exercise regimen have a big influence on your reproductive health, thus, a healthy diet and remaining physically active can help.
Unsurprisingly, stress, smoking and drinking can become unwanted roadblocks on this journey. Additionally, medical problems such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) can have an impact on women’s fertility. These diseases are known to interfere with ovulation and can cause complications during the implantation process.
When to get professional help?
Wondering what’s the right time to get professional help? How to identify if you have poor fertility? Symptoms such as irregular period cycles, multiple miscarriages, and unsuccessful attempts to get pregnant naturally can all indicate a decline in fertility.
The good news is that assistance is available. If pregnancy does not occur as soon as you had expected, consulting with a fertility doctor becomes essential. They are your companions on this trip, ready to offer support, and provide treatment methods customised to your specific situation.
Your fertility clinic may suggest you undergo a fertility test so they can have a deeper understanding of your reproductive system and any problems. They may also suggest other tests to see if you have any underlying issues like hormone abnormalities or reproductive diseases. Treatments such as fertility medicines, intrauterine insemination (IUI), or in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) may be suggested depending on your diagnosis. These treatments can help forge a path to successful pregnancy.
Your fertility in your control
We believe that pregnancy is a journey which requires care and patience. With the right support and guidance, conceiving a child becomes easy and your pregnancy journey can be smooth. Knowing about things like your menstrual cycle, best age for conception, factors affecting fertility, when to seek professional guidance, and treatment options can all help in achieving your dream of starting a family. Remember, you are not alone in this, and help is available.
