If you are planning to get pregnant, it’s important that you understand the basics of fertility. Knowing the right time of ovulation and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help you conceive easily.
What is Fertility?
Fertility is the natural capability of an individual to produce a baby. The process of conception is not an easy one. A woman has to go through a number of stages in order to conceive. If you are planning to have a baby, you must understand the basics of fertility to conceive without any hassles.
Fertile Period
Know the Best Days
For eggs and sperms to work efficiently to produce an offspring, the reproductive organs in both the man and woman must be healthy and working at optimum levels. You should understand your menstrual cycle and know the appropriate time you should try to conceive a baby. Your period begins on day 1 and lasts up to three to five days. On day 7, certain hormones cause eggs in the ovaries to ripen. By day 11, the lining of the uterus thickens. Between the 13th and 20th day, a mature egg is released from the ovary. This is your fertile period and the right time to conceive a baby. When the eggs mature, they can be fertilised for up to 12-24 hours after they are released from the ovary. Similarly, sperms can stay alive in a woman’s body 12-48 hours after ejaculation. Trying to conceive a baby around this time increases your chances of pregnancy. The basal body temperature (BBT) of your body goes up during ovulation and this is the best time to try for a baby.
Fertility Problems
There are a lot of reasons that can cause problems with conceiving:
- For men, it could be a low sperm count or poor quality of sperm.
- In case of women, fertility reduces with age. The chances of getting pregnant during 40s are much less than they are in 30’s.
- For women, fertility problems can also be linked with irregular ovulation and endometriosis among other conditions, which can affect a woman’s ability to conceive.
- In case you are a heavy smoker, over or underweight, it is likely to affect your chances of getting pregnant.
- If the fallopian tubes of a woman are damaged or blocked it will hinder the easy transfer of eggs and sperm.
- In case the sperm does not fuse with the egg or if the fertilised egg is unable to attach itself to the uterus, the endometrial lining breaks down and your period begins.
Fertility Tests for Women
- Go for a sperm test to check for any kind of abnormalities in sperm.
- Get your urine test done for detection of Chlamydia. This can also affect the functioning of sperms and male fertility.
With just 2-4 fertile days in a woman’s menstrual cycle, the fertile window for conceiving a baby is small. With proper health precautions and planning, you can make the most out of it.
