Get Pregnant in Your 30’s
“How to Maximize Your Fertility if You are in Your 30’s”
You have to be realistic and understand that the older you get the harder it is to get pregnant. In your 30’s, you have a 10 to 15 percent chance of getting pregnant each month and on average, it will take 7 to 12 months to conceive. However, there are still things you can do to maximize your chances of conception.
Douches and Vaginal Sprays - A No-No
Douches and Vaginal Sprays can create a hostile environment for sperm by changing the normal pH balance in the vagina. They can also wash away the cervical mucus that enables the sperm to travel to the egg.
Coffee Reduction
The verdict is still out on the effect caffeine has on conception and pregnancy. There have been a few studies linking high levels of caffeine and infertility or miscarriage. However, most have found that low to moderate consumption (less than 300 mg a day, the equivalent of about three cups of coffee or brewed tea a day) doesn’t appear to reduce a woman’s chances of getting pregnant, nor does it cause birth defects.
Have Sex at the Right Time
It is best to have the sperm in place before the egg arrives and not wait until you ovulate to have sex. Therefore, the best thing to do to increase your chance of conception is to have sex every other day for five or six days before you ovulate. Of course, you need to know your cycle and when you are ovulating to make this happen.
No Worries, Be Happy
Stress releases hormones that impact the hypothalamus gland which signals the body to produce estrogen and progesterone. High levels of stress can disrupt the process of producing those hormones and cause menstruation to stop or make your cycles longer than average. You may not even ovulate at all. So, make sure you reduce stress if you are trying to get pregnant and seek help to reduce stress if you aren’t having success on your own.
How Many Healthy Eggs are still in your Basket
The doctor will order a blood test on day two or three of your cycle to measure estradiol, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH, which triggers ovulation), and a newer marker, inhibin B, a hormone that controls FSH secretion. If your FSH is low and your inhibin B is high, then your ovary is healthy in the sense of reproduction.
When to Seek Help
If you’re in your late thirties and haven’t conceived in six months, consider seeing a fertility specialist. Other causes of fertility problems in this decade, besides endometriosis and PCOS, include adhesions and scar tissue from previous gynecologic surgery that can prevent implantation or block the fallopian tubes. The tissue can be removed via laparoscopy, minimally invasive surgery through a tiny incision near your navel. After treatment, women with mild to moderate adhesions have full-term pregnancy rates of 70 to 80 percent, according to the ASRM. Those with severe adhesions have rates of 20 to 40 percent.
