So you’ve decided to start a family—congratulations! For some couples, pregnancy occurs easily and with very little planning. But for others, it takes a bit more time and planning. If you fall into the latter camp, rest assured that you’re not alone. The UK National Health Services (NHS) cites that, on average, it takes 20% of trying to conceive (TTC) couples more than one year to get pregnant [1].

The good news is that your probability of conceiving substantially increases the more months that you try. A study of 340 German couples found that the probability of conceiving in the first month of trying was only 38%. By month 12, though, the probability was 92% [2].

The TTC journey is not always a straightforward path as you contend with factors and influences outside of your control. Happily, your lifestyle can play a big role in increasing your chances of conceiving, and help you regain control over your TTC journey. If you’re a healthy couple, evidence suggests that improving your stress, sleep, exercise, sex life, and diet can tip the odds of pregnancy in your favour.

But first, if you’re TTC, it’s important that you understand how the female menstrual cycle works. With conception, timing is everything.

The menstrual cycle and the fertile window

A common misconception about the menstrual cycle is that women can get pregnant at any time in their cycle. In reality, there are only about five days a month during which a woman can get pregnant.

You see conception generally occurs within five days of ovulation [3]. This is called the ‘fertile window’ and usually happens on days 10-15 of the average 28-day menstrual cycle. If fertilisation occurs at this time, the egg will travel from the fallopian tube to the uterus, and attach to the uterine wall. If fertilisation does not occur, the egg dissolves and the woman gets her period. From there, the cycle begins again. We describe this process in greater detail in our phases of the menstrual cycle post.

It’s important to remember that menstrual cycle lengths can range from 21-40 days long, meaning that ovulation does not necessarily occur on day 15. Cycles can also be irregular or anovulatory (when ovulation does not occur in a cycle) for several months if a woman has recently come off hormonal birth control. We recommend women track their menstrual cycle for at least three months to find their fertile window if they’ve recently stopped using birth control. This can be done on a paper calendar or an app.

Common signs of ovulation

Mother Nature gave couples who are trying to conceive a few signs for when it’s time to get it on [4]. When ovulation is around the corner, women may notice:

• Mild cramps
• Cervical mucus that resembles the white of a raw egg
• Breast tenderness
• Increased sex drive
• Change in basal body temperature
• Increased energy

Tracking these ovulation symptoms ensures you are having sex when it matters most for conception.

Factors that affect fertility

The ones you can’t control

The most uncontrollable factor that significantly impacts fertility is age. Research on women’s fertility shows that their chances of getting pregnant decrease with age. A healthy 30-year-old woman has about a 20% chance of getting pregnant each month, but after age 40 her chances decrease to 5% per month [5].

Men’s fertility also decreases as they age but at a slower rate, with many men able to reproduce into their 60s. This is because a man produces sperm throughout his entire life. However, around age 60 a man’s sperm may develop an abnormal shape or other genetic defects that prevent it from fertilising an egg.

Sometimes, fertility-related disorders may also make conception more difficult. This includes:

• Poly-cystic ovary disease
• Endometriosis
• Irregular menstrual cycles
• Uterine fibroids
• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• Structural anomalies of the uterus or cervix

The ones you can control

Lower stress in a stressed out world

We know this is probably the thousandth time you’ve heard this and it seems like an impossible request, but if you’re TTC, try to reduce stress as much as possible. Sadly, our modern world normalises – even celebrates – a high-stress life. But prolonged stress is a known factor affecting fertility.

In men, studies have shown that stress can impact sperm density and total sperm counts [6]. In women, high levels of alpha-amylase (a substance secreted during stress response) have been linked to a prolonged time to pregnancy [7].

8 easy ways to reduce stress in everyday life:

• Yoga, even in short bursts
• Take frequent breaks away from your desk throughout the workday
• Do gentle exercise, like walking
• Reserve one day a weekend for relaxing
• Spend time with friends and family regularly
• Meditate
• Reduce time spent on social media
• Spend time outside, preferably in greenery

Make sleep a priority

Did you know that sleep plays a huge role in hormone production and regulation8? This includes both the female and male sex hormones, like estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone.

Studies have shown that consistent sleep deprivation can cause the body to produce more stress hormones. This can lead to an imbalance in reproductive hormones, irregular ovulation, and a decrease in overall health, ultimately, making conception more difficult [8].

While certain things that impact our sleep are out of our control, there are solutions to make your sleep as productive as possible:

• Use blackout shades or curtains to make the bedroom dark
• Keep the bedroom temperature as cool as possible, ideally around 20 degrees celsius
• Reduce or eliminate screen time two hours before bed
• Go to bed and wake up around the same time every day
• Drink a cup of chamomile tea before bed
• Use only candlelight or other soft, warm-toned lighting in the house after dark

Exercise regularly and moderately

The key to exercising when you’re TTC is to not overdo it. While obesity has been shown to make conception more difficult, so has exercising too much for both men and women who are already at healthy weights [9, 10, 11]. There are no perfect explanations for why this is, but there are a few theories.

One is that over-exercising leads to changes in the female reproductive hormones that impact ovulation12. Another is that over-exercising changes appetite and may lead to under-eating in women. Not eating enough to replace the calories spent during exercise can interfere with ovulation [12].

If you’re TTC, try swapping some of your high-intensity runs or workout classes for these exercises:

• Walking
• Easy to moderate hiking
• Yoga & stretching
• Dancing (even if you’re really bad at it)
• Household activities, like gardening

Low-impact at-home workout (here is one of our favourite routines)

Have sex regularly

Shocker, right? If you’re TTC, plan to  have sex regularly, with the word regularly being the operative word. The thing is, planning your entire sex life around the fertile window can add a huge amount of stress and even burnout to the conception process. This is no good for baby-making!

The NHS recommends all TTC couples have sex two to three times a week regardless of the menstrual cycle phase [13]. This can make the conception process feel more natural and hopefully more fun too. To give your chances of conception an even greater boost after sex, use the FERTI·LILY Conception Cup. You’ll give sperm the greatest bet of survival post-ejaculation while also keeping them close to the cervix. This increases the likelihood that the lucky one sperm swims to the egg and fertilises it.

Here are some tips to make having sex a more regular thing:

• Schedule a regular date night with your partner, even if you don’t go anywhere
• Flirt with your partner every day by leaving love notes in their briefcase or purse, or complimenting each other
• Establish a “no work/social media/TV/other distraction” time each day after a certain time
• Experiment in the bedroom and try new positions or toys to make it more exciting

Eat a balanced diet focused on micronutrients

Diets vary widely across populations based on specific individual factors, such as allergies, sensitivities, and cultures. As a result, there is no one-size-fits-all “fertility diet” that can solve all your problems.

That being said, the science does show that certain vitamins and minerals can support fertility in men and women [14]. These nutrients can be found directly in whole food sources or in a quality multi or prenatal vitamin.

To improve your chances of getting pregnant, look for multivitamins or food sources that contain the following nutrients. Note that this list of food examples is not exhaustive:

• B vitamins (B6, B12, B3, B9/folate)—found in citrus fruits, cow liver, beans/lentils, asparagus, egg yolk, sweet potato, broccoli, and avocado
• Zinc—found in sunflower seeds, egg yolk, and oysters
• Vitamin C—found in citrus fruits, asparagus, pineapple, sweet potatoes, and broccoli
• Calcium—found in citrus fruits, egg yolk, and high-fat dairy
• Vitamin D—found in salmon, high-fat dairy, egg yolk, and red meat
• Iron—found in cow liver, oysters, egg yolk, and broccoli
• Selenium—found in salmon, sunflower seeds, and oysters
• Omega 3s and 6s—found in sunflower seeds, egg yolk, cow liver, walnuts salmon, and avocado
• Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)—found only in supplement form

Moving forward

Wherever you are in your TTC journey, you can give your chances of conceiving and overall health a boost by reducing stress, prioritizing sleep, exercising regularly but moderately, having sex regularly, and eating a balanced diet. 

For even a little more help making your little miracle, try the FERTI·LILY Conception Cup. No doctors, hormones, or invasive procedures.

Citations

1 The National Health Services. (2018). How can I increase my chances of getting pregnant?, accessed 24 August 2020.

2 Gnoth, C. (2003). Time to pregnancy: results of the German prospective study and impact on the management of infertility. Human Reproduction. 18(9):1959-1966. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deg366.

3 Stanford, J. Revisiting the fertile window. Fertility and Sterility. 2015;3(5):1152-1153. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.02.015

4 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Optimizing natural fertility: a committee opinion. Fertility and Sterility. 2017;107(1):52-58. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.09.029

5 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. n.d. Waiting To Have A Baby?, accessed 24 August 2020.

6 Li Y, Lin H, Li Y, Cao J. Association between socio-psycho-behavioral factors and male semen quality: Systematic review and meta-analyses. Fertility and Sterility. 2010;95:116–123. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2010.06.031

7 National Institutes of Health. (2010). NIH study indicates stress may delay women getting pregnant, accessed 24 August 2020.

8 Goldstein CA, Smith YR. Sleep, Circadian Rhythms, and Fertility. Current Sleep Medicine Reports. 2016;2(4):206-217. doi:10.1007/s40675-016-0057-9

9 National Health Services. (2009). Exercise linked to fertility, accessed 24 August 2020.

10 Gudmundsdottir SL, Flanders WD, Augestad LB. Physical activity and fertility in women: the North-Trøndelag Health Study. Human Reproduction. 2009;24(12):3196-204. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dep337

11 Ilacqua A, Izzo G, Emerenziani GP, Baldari C, Aversa A. Lifestyle and fertility: the influence of stress and quality of life on male fertility. Reproductive Biology Endocrinology. 2018;16(1):115. doi:10.1186/s12958-018-0436-9

12 Hakimi O, Cameron LC. Effect of Exercise on Ovulation: A Systematic Review. Sports Medicine. 2017;47(8):1555-1567. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0669-8 

13 National Health Services. (2018). Trying to get pregnant, accessed 24 August 2020.

14 Gurevich R. (2020) 15 Fertility Foods to Boost Fertility Chances, accessed 24 August 2020.