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Boosting one's fertility

Last Updated 28 February 2015, 03:03 IST

NATURAL SOLUTIONS Do not despair if you’ve been facing difficulty in conceiving. There are simple, yet effective things you can do to improve your chances of bearing a child, says Dr Kaberi Banerjee

Pregnancy is indeed a happy phase for couples. And for pregnancy to occur, there must be good levels of fertility, which is the ability to conceive. However, when this is not fulfilled and there are complications related to one’s pregnancy, the journey becomes painful and fearful. 

Prolonged cycles of fertility treatments and medications make matters worse. However, one must not be disheartened as there are various natural ways which can help in increasing a couple’s fertility. Numerous studies have shown that specific changes towards lifestyle can help boost fertility, hike the chances of healthy ovulation and thus facilitate a healthy pregnancy.

Certain elements play a major role in determining fertility. For a female to be fertile, she must produce a viable egg in each menstrual cycle and the male should be able to produce potent and healthy sperms, which will fertilise the egg. Since there are many factors, which are associated with fertility, it is a little complicated and not as simplified as it may sound. Proper diet, adequate exercise and overall health are the most important factors which affect fertility.

If a woman wants to boost her fertility, one of the most important things is to have regular supervision to determine when is she most fertile. There are various ways through which one’s fertility can be monitored. Starting with checking the basal body temperature will help the female know exactly when she is ovulating. Fertility monitors available in the market can also be purchased to track the conception dates.

Diet dictatesEating right plays a great role in fertility. A balanced diet will help regulate hormones, nourish the reproductive system and help in maintaining the right weight, which can impact fertility. Women who are overweight and underweight face hassles in getting pregnant as their body fat levels impact the production of sex hormones (oestrogen and progesterone). It is equally essential to include certain vitamins and minerals in the diet, which must comprise the following:

Calcium and Vitamin D: Regular dose of these nutrients have been found to help increase levels of male fertility.

Zinc: Deficiency of zinc causes reduction in testosterone and sperm count.


Vitamin C and antioxidants: These help in preventing defects in sperms and boosting motility in them. They also reduce stress on the egg and reproductive organs of female. It should also be known that there are certain foods and chemicals that should be avoided while one is trying to get pregnant:

Caffeine: Regular consumption of caffeine found in tea, coffee, cola and chocolate causes reduction in both, male and female fertility rate.

Alcohol: Consumption of alcohol causes up to 50 percent reduction in fertility. It also reduces the sperm count and increases the abnormality in sperm production.

One can also try taking the following herbs, as they are natural fertility medications that have been used since ancient times-

Dong Quai: This is a Chinese fertility herb. It is used to solve menstrual problems. It also balances the oestrogen level in the body. 

Chaste berry: This herb helps in increasing fertility by stimulating the pituitary gland, which is responsible for producing the sex hormones. It also balances the sex hormone levels in the body.

Essential exercise Adequate amount of exercise can help in treating fertility. Mixing balanced diet and essential nutrients with exercise will help in maintaining a healthy body weight.

Extra fat in body will increase the level of oestrogen in females, causing disturbances in the fertility cycle.

Exercise helps in burning the extra body fat, which in turn allows hormones to return to normal level. However, it should be kept in mind that over exercising is also not good, as it can actually hamper fertility. One can try doing low-impact aerobic workouts like cycling, walking and swimming.
(The author is IVF & infertility specialist, Advance Fertility and Gynaecology Centre, New Delhi)

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(Published 27 February 2015, 16:32 IST)

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