Things to do to increase your chances of getting pregnant naturally

The article is professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Nguyen Thi Man - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec International Hospital Da Nang.

Conception is a natural but also very complex and miraculous process of the body. The chance of getting pregnant is usually stable with each menstrual cycle, but is highest in the first month of unprotected sex.

About 80% of couples will get pregnant after 6 months of regular sex. This chance halves at the age of nearly 40 compared with women in their twenties. Each month, hormones from the pituitary gland stimulate the ovaries to produce eggs. When an egg matures and is released, it travels from the ovary through a fallopian tube to the uterus. On this journey, the egg is easily fertilized if it meets a sperm. If you want to conceive, the time before ovulation is the most appropriate. To judge the signs of ovulation, you need:
Regularly check the calendar: for several months, you should use the calendar to mark the start of your menstrual cycle - the first day of each cycle. Ovulation usually occurs on the 14th day of the menstrual cycle, although the exact time can vary from woman to woman or even from month to month. Tracking for several months, building a chart can help you predict your ovulation period.

Watch for changes in your cervical mucus: before you ovulate, you'll notice a markedly increased and slippery vaginal discharge. This discharge has a clear white color similar to raw egg white. After ovulation, the odds of conception are lower, the discharge becomes cloudy and thickens or disappears altogether. Monitor basal body temperature: ovulation can cause a slight increase in body temperature (body temperature at rest). To check your body temperature, use a thermometer to measure your body temperature. Take your temperature every morning before getting out of bed (after sleeping for at least 4 hours). Body temperature at this time is the lowest and is called the basal body temperature. Record the results on grid paper or in a spreadsheet. During a typical 28-day cycle, the average temperature is about 36.5°C. Just before ovulation the temperature can drop to 36.2°C then rise again to 37.0°C until you get your period. You'll be most fertile two to three days before your basal body temperature rises. The temperature will increase very little, usually less than 0.5°C. Try an ovulation predictor: without a doctor's prescription, use this urine test to monitor the rise of hormones before ovulation. Ovulation predictors can give you an approximate date of ovulation or provide a pre-ovulatory indication. For the most accurate results, carefully read the instructions for use printed on the product label.

2.1. Health, physical The first thing both husband and wife need to be able to have a natural pregnancy is good overall health. Control your weight properly, don't be overweight or underweight, both have negative effects on reproductive health.
Maintain a reasonable exercise regimen, at least 3-4 times per week. Do not use anything that can negatively affect health, eliminate habits affecting reproductive health in particular. The following should be reduced or eliminated: smoking, drinking alcohol, drinking caffeine (including coffee and caffeinated drinks), toxic chemicals.
Both of you should also talk to your doctor or pharmacist when using certain medications, some of which can affect sex and reproduction, and negatively affect pregnancy.

2.2. Choosing a healthy lifestyle A healthy lifestyle improves conception in women with ovulatory disorders. In addition, the couple should maintain a reasonable weight, including a daily routine of moderate physical activity, eating a healthy diet. Drinking milk, eating fruit, meat and protein in reasonable amounts will also help improve your health and increase your chances of becoming a mother. Try adding two or three servings of dairy to your daily diet, but you need to balance them with a variety of other fruits, vegetables, lean meats or fish, the aim is to get the benefits from all groups. different foods. Such good habits keep you and your baby healthy throughout your pregnancy.
Caffeine, processed foods are things that can be harmful to reproduction. Men should avoid soy products, studies show an association between reduced sperm quality and high intake of soy products.
2.3. Use of vitamins Women planning to become pregnant are advised to take folic acid supplements (at least 400 mcg daily) to reduce the risk of neural tube defects in the fetus. Folic acid plays an important role in a child's development. A daily vitamin or folic acid supplement for several months before becoming pregnant can significantly reduce your baby's risk of spina bifida and other neural tube defects.
2.4. Using herbs There are no reports of specific studies to increase fertility naturally.
However, natural ingredients from plants or some components of plants (roots, stems, flowers, branches and seeds) to regulate the menstrual cycle, improve egg quality, sperm quality and improve sperm quality. general reproductive health.
Herbs can be used in many forms such as extracts, capsules, tablets or ointments. Although herbs are a form of natural medicine that is supposed to be "benign", they can actually contain some ingredients that have potent medicinal properties and can cause unwanted effects. Therefore, you should consult your doctor before using it instead of using it on your own or listening to advice from acquaintances.
2.5. Periodic health examination

If you've been trying to get pregnant for a long time and still haven't, it's time to see your doctor. They can give you a general health assessment and do tests to check for any problems with your or your partner's fertility.
You should also talk about the difficulties of trying to conceive and your doctor can advise you on lifestyle choices and ways to boost your chances of conceiving. Planning to have more children is possible if you and your husband have no health problems
Finally, always remember, people who are mentally comfortable will help conception much more smoothly than people who are always stressed and feel pressured about this issue. Stay optimistic and take good care of your health to receive good news soon.
To maximize fertility and ensure a healthy pregnancy, before planning a pregnancy, both husband and wife should have a reproductive health checkup 3-5 months before becoming pregnant. You will be examined for fertility, sexual health, screening for sexually transmitted diseases, and screening for genetic diseases. In particular, this examination process will be able to detect early causes that can lead to infertility and infertility so that early intervention measures can be taken. Doctors will also advise on the best time to give birth and measures to be able to give birth to healthy and intelligent children.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital is implementing basic and advanced pre-marital reproductive health packages. This examination package will help you know your health status, promptly treat and prevent the risk of diseases if any, supplement the necessary nutrients, create the best conditions for the fetus to develop right away. From the time of pregnancy, it helps to identify risk factors related to genetics, especially in cases where the parents are suffering from obstetric and gynecological diseases, chronic diseases, have been pregnant or gave birth to a child with the disease. birth defects. In particular, Vinmec has Vinmec Fertility Support Center, the leading modern center in Vietnam, built and applied a treatment process that combines comprehensive examination, combining both male and female obstetrics and gynecology to provide the optimal solution for each customer case. The medical team are highly qualified and experienced experts, capable of synchronously and comprehensively deploying the most advanced assisted reproductive techniques today.
Vinmec Stem Cell and Gene Technology Research Institute is located next to Vinmec Fertility Center, convenient for consulting and diagnosing genetic diseases. After performing the necessary screening tests for both men and women, the doctors will analyze the results and give advice tailored to each case. All customer information is kept confidential, ensuring privacy.
If you have a need for a pre-marital health check-up at Vinmec, please book an appointment directly at the website for service.