Whether you are ready to be a mum right now,
or have babies filed under ‘one day’, it is never the wrong time to think
about your fertility. Our expert plans will prime your body, whatever rung of
the broody ladder you are on
There comes a time fir most of us when we
make the shift from actively trying not to get prenant to, well, thinking about
it at least. Even if little people are hazy figures on a far- off horion,
before long we are doing the relationship maths, picturing ourselves with a
bump and not reaching for the remote when One Born Every Minute comes on. It is
good to do your research, right?
But while we are quick to daydream about
names and nursery décor- even years in advance- we tend to take the very fact
that we will conceive for granted. ‘Many women prepare for the financial and
social implications of having a baby years before trying, but neglect the most
important thing- their body,’ says Dr Marilyn Glenville (marilynglenville.com),
author of Getting Pregnant Faster (Kyle Cathie, $16.75)
Whether
you are ready to be a mum right now, or have babies filed under ‘one day’, it
is never the wrong time to think about your fertility. Our expert plans will
prime your body, whatever rung of the broody ladder you are on
If you wait until you are ready to conceive
to start priming your body, you can end up disappointed when things do not
happen as quickly as you would like. Just as you work towards building a home
for a baby, you need to do the same for your body- even if parenthood is five
years away on the life plan, there are things you and your partner can do now.
You can not have failed to notice the
newspaper headlines reminding you that fertility drops steadily as you age, and
that one in seven couples in the UK struggles to conceive. ‘There is no denying
your chances of conceiving in your late 20s are greater than in your late 30s,’
says Michael Dooley, consultant gynaecologist at The Poundbury Clinic and
author of Fit for Fertility (Hodder Mobius, $16.75). ‘However, if you start
looking after your body now, you are less likely to face complications later,
whatever your age.’
So, whether you are thinking about starting
a family in five years or five weeks, it is never too early- or late- to boost
your fertility. Here is how:
You want to get pregnant … five year from now
Rubber up
Preserve your future fertility by insisting
on condoms now. ‘The number of chlamydia cases has more than doubled in the
past decade’, says Michael. ‘If leftt unchecked, this STI can lead to pelvic
inflammatory disease, which can seriously affect your chances of conceiving.’
Chlamydia has no symptoms, so if you want to put your mind at rest, visit
freetest.me.uk for a free home- testing kiy.
Speak to your mum
‘If your mum has a history of endometriosis
or struggled to get prenant for any reason, you may, too,’ warns Michael, ‘so
it is worth seeing your GP for a check- up. It may reassure you or it may make
you rethinl your plans. Either way, it is best to deal with these things in
good time.’
Stub it out
Smoking is not just bad news during
pregnancy … ‘The chemicals in cigarette smoke age your ovaries significantly
and damage cell DNA,’ warns Dr Glenville. ‘In fact, there is evidence that
women who smoke go through the menopause sooner, too.’ All the more reason to
log onto smokefree.nhs.uk and order a free quit kit now.
Lay off the pinot
‘Alcohol
blocks the absortion of important nutrients such as zinc,’
Do not wait until you are trying for a baby
to cut back on your units. ‘Alcohol blocks the absortion of important nutrients
such as zinc,’ explains Dr Glenville. ‘It is also a duiretic, so it encourages
your body to excrete other important nutrients, which could affect the quality
of your eggs.’ One study published in the British Medical Journal found women
who drank fewer than five units a week were twice as likely to get pregnant
within six months as those who drank more. Sobering thought, eh?
He should be … Getting to grips with
his manhood
‘whether or not he is ready to have kids,
your partner should regularly examine his testicles for lumps,’ explains
Michael. ‘This is not just good practice for picking up testcular cancer (which
occurs mainly in men under 35), but also varicoceles- swellings of the blood
vessels that can affect the quality of his sperm and lower his fertility.’
Direct him to thefamilygp.com for a helpful video from DR Chris Steele- or
offer to give them a once over yourself …
Do it now!
Got a smartphone? Download Period Tracker
($2.27, iTunes) and record your dates, symptoms and moods. ‘Getting to know
your cycle can definitely help when it comes to thinking about getting
pregnants,’ says Micael. ‘If your periods are irregular, you can take action
now rather than getting a nasty surprise in a few years’ time.’
