Conception: what to do and what to avoid

Contents

  • 1 Conception and eating habits
  • 2 Conception, smoking and alcohol
  • 3 Sedentary lifestyle: the enemy of fertility
  • 4 Conception and use of lubricants in sexual intercourse
  • 5 Conception and intercourse "aimed" at ovulation
  • 6 Monitor ovulation to identify the most fertile period
  • 7 Conception and folic acid

Although it is often believed to be the most natural thing in the world, conceiving a baby is not always easy, especially when the two partners have bad daily and eating habits. The mechanism of conception is actually not that simple, because there are many factors that can negatively affect and therefore hinder it. In these cases, conception becomes a rather long process, which can take the two partners many months before their dream of parenting comes true. As we will see later, there are some errors that can delay a pregnancy or, vice versa, factors that can facilitate it. Let's see what they are together.



Conception and eating habits

Many people think that the diet is not strictly related to fertility, but there is nothing more wrong. If you adopt a healthy lifestyle, in fact, by introducing the right nutrients and necessary food substances into the body, it is possible to facilitate conception and even anticipate the times, in the event that the two partners are healthy and have no particular problems. . 

To improve fertility it is important to keep body weight under control and increase the intake of foods rich in vitamins and proteins (yes, therefore, to natural foods such as cereals, olive oil and legumes). Healthy people undoubtedly have a better chance of conceiving in a short time, and for this it is necessary that especially the woman, when she plans a pregnancy, lose the unnecessary pounds that certainly do not help conception. In fact, it is scientifically proven that excess fat negatively affects the functionality of the ovaries, reducing the chances of conception every month.



Conception, smoking and alcohol

This is definitely the first thing to do when you want to conceive a baby: stop smoking and drinking alcohol. Science shows that these substances can negatively affect the possibility of conception, both in women and in men. In the first, in particular, smoking reduces the quantity and quality of eggs, increasing the risk of experiencing premature menopause. Women who smoke risk the cessation of menstruation 4 years earlier than non-smokers. 

Furthermore, cigarette smoke prevents the body from producing some hormones important for sexual reproduction, the so-called gonadotropins, responsible for the natural mechanism of procreation. 

Alcohol and smoking also negatively affect the quality and quantity of male spermatozoa, helping to make conception more difficult. When you want a child, you have to eliminate bad daily habits, but also to introduce a genuine and healthy diet into your diet, based in particular on the principles of the Mediterranean diet.

A sedentary lifestyle: the enemy of fertility

It may seem trivial, but a sedentary lifestyle can make conception more difficult, or at least delay it. Many scientific studies have proven that physical activity helps men and women to restore the normal function of the reproductive process, in particular the functioning of the ovaries in women, while in men it serves to keep spermatozoa of good quality, active and agile. 

Physical activity must be moderate and, if on the one hand it is necessary to carry out aerobic exercises also and especially in the period in which you are trying to have a child, it is important not to exaggerate and avoid straining the body, otherwise sport could have a negative rather than beneficial impact. To take advantage of physical activity it is sufficient to practice 20/30 minutes a day of aerobics, but alternatively it is possible to walk with a sustained meal every day, for at least 30 minutes.



Conception and use of lubricants in sexual intercourse

Many couples have a habit of using lubricants during intimacy. In reality, the substances contained within these products can hinder the mobility of spermatozoa and, consequently, make conception difficult. If you want a child it is therefore good to avoid the use of these substances.

Conception and intercourse "aimed" at ovulation

When the search for a child becomes a "wild hunt", we often forget the pleasure and serenity of living a natural couple relationship, without stress and anxiety. Couples wishing to become pregnant have a tendency to have intercourse only during the ovulation period, in the belief that targeted sexual intercourse in the most profitable period can help conception. 

While it is true that concentrating intimate relationships in the ovulatory period allows you to increase the chances of conception, on the other it is good to know that ovulation does not always occur in the same way and with the same frequency in all women. For example, it does not always occur on the 14th day after the start of menstruation, but also at different times and on totally unexpected days. It should also be remembered that spermatozoa are able to survive inside the female organism for several days, even 4/5 after complete sexual intercourse. 

These considerations allow us to affirm that conception can occur even if sexual intercourse took place in the days preceding ovulation, precisely because the spermatozoa, in optimal natural conditions, have a rather long life and die only after a few days.


Monitor ovulation to identify the most fertile period

The fertile period changes according to the woman's menstrual cycle. In most cases it occurs mid-cycle, typically around the 14th day. As already stated above, this data is only indicative, because it can happen to ovulate even on the 13th or 16th day from the beginning of the menstrual cycle. Cycles without ovulation (anovulatory) or, conversely, with a double ovulation (in the sense that the latter occurs twice) can also occur. 


To be sure of the most fertile period, therefore, and if you want to aim for intercourse within the right time window, it is advisable to pay attention to the main symptoms of ovulation.

Conception e folic acid

Doctors always recommend taking folic acid before pregnancy, especially for those couples who wish to plan one. Folic acid will then be taken throughout gestation, but it is useful to start it already during conception (we talked about it WHO).

Right doses of folic acid help the body to regain natural well-being and are essential for preventing any malformations of the fetus.

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