Exercise your way to fertility

Have you ever ask the question : "Is exercise okay while trying to conceive?"

Hope the following helps to provide you the answer:

• Does your partner like to spend hours on the exercise bike at the gym? Tell him to hop on the treadmill instead. A study at the University of California School of Medicine revealed that men who cycle more than 100 km per week put their fertility at risk. The repeated banging of the groin against the bicycle seat can damage critical arteries and nerves.

• You can have too much of a good thing -- at least when it comes to exercise. Excessive amounts of exercise can lead to such fertility problems as irregular periods, anovulatory cycles (cycles in which ovulation does not occur), and luteal phase deficiencies (a problem that occurs when the second half of your cycle isn't long enough to allow for the proper implantation of the fertilized egg). The moral of the story? Stay active, but don't overdo it.

• Don't go on a crash diet if you're hoping to try for that Y2K baby. Starvation diets, purging, bingeing, and yo-yo dieting affect ovulation and consequently your fertility.

Next question is have is that "Can exercise affect implantation?"

• Yes, "excessive" exercise can interfere with conception.

So while doing exercise, in my opinion is to do it moderately. I suppose anything too much may not be good for health.

Sharing with you the benefits of exercise.

Exercise and Stress
Developing a healthy exercise routine is an excellent way to increase fertility as well as to improve overall healthy. Exercise reduces high stress levels, which are linked to the development of cardiovascular diseases and depression, which can in turn negatively affect ovulation and menstruation.

Exercise, such as Pilates and yoga, releases endorphins which condition the body to respond in a more healthy manner to stress and also improves overall mental health, thereby improving a woman’s chances of getting pregnant.

Footnote: We should try to RELAX when trying to conceive as STRESS affects FERTILITY!

Create a Sperm friendly environment

In the fertile woman there must be normally functioning ovaries. She must ovulate (produce an egg). The uterus must be normal and the Fallopian tubes must be clear so that the sperm and egg can meet. In the fertile man there must be production of millions of healthy, active sperm. And in both the man and the woman the hormone-producing glands must be normal.

Interesting finding is that :The male seminal fluid is alkaline. The fluids in the female vagina are acid-this probably being nature's way of helping to keep harmful bacteria from causing infection there. At the same time, acidity is harmful to sperm, and if the semen lacks enough alkaline to neutralize the female's acid fluids, the sperm can be immobilized. Fertility specialists sometimes need to "equalize" the alkaline-acid environment in the vagina to avoid the destruction of the sperm.

Base on the above, woman should try to create an alkaline-acid environment in the vagina to avoid the destruction of the sperm.

Take a look at the following:
Chasteberry or Vitex (vitex agnus-castus, chastetree berry) stimulates the hormones involved in ovulation, restores female hormonal balance, and increases ovulation frequency. Vitex is useful in normalizing pituitary gland functions and the balance of progesterone and estrogen levels. Vitex is often used as herbal treatment for infertility and is especially helpful for women with irregular menstrual cycles, anovulation (failure to ovulate) or a short luteal phases (a shortened second half of the menstrual cycle). The effectiveness of vitex increases over time with continued use.

Red Clover (trifolium pretense) restores and balances hormonal function and nourishes the uterus. Red Clover contains isoflavones (estrogen-like compounds) which promote estrogen production and which may enhance fertility in women and boost estrogen levels in women with estrogen deficiencies. In addition, the Red Clover contains calcium and magnesium which can relax the nervous system and improve fertility. Traditionally, Red Clover has been administered to help restore irregular menses and to balance the acid-alkaline level of the vagina to promote conception.

Siberian Ginseng (eleutherococcus senticosus root) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to reinforce the body's vital energy (what the Chinese call chi). Siberian ginseng may positively affect hormone levels, tone uterine muscles, support healthy uterine function, and enhance fertility.

Ginkgo Biloba has been used in traditional medicine to treat circulatory disorders and enhance memory – and recent scientific studies lend credence to Gingko claims. In addition, laboratory studies have shown that Gingko improves blood circulation and increases peripheral blood flow to the reproductive organs, maintaining healthy blood vessel tone. Gingko also performs a cleansing antioxidant function.

PABA is a B Complex vitamin that is synthesized in the body. PABA is believed to increase the ability of estrogen to facilitate fertility and increases the ability of some infertile women to become pregnant. A clinical trial reported that 12 of 16 previously infertile women were able to become pregnant after supplementing with PABA over several months.

Antioxidant Support: Vitamins C and E are important vitamins and cleansing antioxidants that play a vital role in repairing damage caused by the environment, aging, and in preventing cellular damage due to oxidizing free radicals. Vitamin E is an important antioxidant central to overall reproductive health and wellness.

Avoid Coffee!

About 10% of non-coffee drinkers took more than 12 months to conceive, compared with 17% of consumers of four or more cups daily. The estimated relative risk of failure to conceive within one year (after adjusting for age, parity, weight for height, welfare status, and tobacco and alcohol consumption) was 1.8 (95% CI 1.1-3.0) among consumers of four or more cups of coffee compared with non-coffee drinkers.

True or not is between a line. To be on the safe side avoid coffee. No harm right?

BBT Charting

What is basal body temperature?
Basal body temperature (or BBT) is the temperature of the body at rest. The BBT method requires charting your basal - think 'base' - body temperature when you're completely at rest. For most women, 96 to 98 degrees is considered normal prior to ovulation and 97 to 99 degrees after ovulation. By charting the differences - in one-tenth degree increments - you can determine when ovulation has taken place.

BBT Charting - How Can It Help In Conceiving?
During the first two weeks of a woman's cycle, her body temperature is lower (97.0 to 97.5 F), due to the presence of estrogen. With ovulation, a rise in body temperature takes place - caused by an increase of the hormone progesterone - in order to provide a warmer, more fertile environment in the womb. A minimum temperature rise of 0.4 to 0.6 degrees F can be measured - and this change will last through the duration of the menstrual cycle. By monitoring when this temperature change takes place, you can estimate when ovulation has taken place.

How to take your Basal Body Temperature?
1. Taking Your BBT Temperature
Take your BBT temperature first thing each morning - as soon as you wake up. It is recommended that you remain in bed (as any physical activity can increase your resting temperature), as well as avoid eating or drinking. Coffee can wait! Either insert the thermometer in your mouth - or alternatively your rectum - and wait five minutes. Read the temperature to within 1/10 of a degree and record the reading.

2. Charting Your BBT Temperature
Starting on day one of your menstrual cycle - the first day of your period - begin recording your BBT temperature using a calendar or notebook and graph paper. Each morning, record your temperature. Plot each day's BBT on the graph. Your temperature rise may be sudden, gradual, or in steps. The pattern may vary from cycle to cycle.

3. Predicting Ovulation
For most women, 96 to 98 degrees is considered normal prior to ovulation and 97 to 99 degrees after ovulation. By charting the differences - in one-tenth degree increments - you can determine when ovulation has taken place. Typically a rise of at least 0.4 to 0.6 degrees will take place at ovulation, though for different women the temperature increases may be sudden or gradual.

Folic acid

Folic acid is a B vitamin. It helps the body make healthy new cells. Everyone needs folic acid. For women who may get pregnant, it is really important. When a woman has enough folic acid in her body before and during pregnancy, it can prevent major birth defects of her baby's brain or spine.

Foods with folic acid in them include leafy green vegetables, fruits, dried beans, peas and nuts. Enriched breads, cereals and other grain products also contain folic acid. If you don't get enough folic acid from the foods you eat, you can also take it as a dietary supplement.

Saliva Ovulation Predictor Test

Another means of detection using the following:



How the Saliva Ovulation Predictor Test Works:

Most women ovulate near the middle of their monthly menstrual cycle. The average cycle length for a woman is between 23 to 35 days. It is possible, however, to have a longer or shorter menstrual cycle. Sometimes it is even possible to have ovulation occur twice in one month, or to have a month where no ovulation occurs at all. Most doctors agree that ovulation usually happens 13 to 14 days before starting your period or monthly bleeding.
Each month, as a woman, your saliva goes through changes because of different hormones. One of these hormones is estrogen. Just prior to ovulation, estrogen levels increase and create a distinct pattern in your dried saliva that looks like frost on a window pane. This pattern is called ferning.


When you see these patterns you will know that ovulation is likely to occur in the next 24 to 72 hours. However you are able to see through using this method, your estrogen levels increase daily.


It is important to note that an estrogen surge or ovulation may not occur in all cycles.
Results will typically appear as shown in this image, however please note that the results have been enhanced in black. The unit you choose may also have a different color illumination.



Picture of the ferning:

Ovulation Test Kits

Hi there,

Now I am trying to look for some information on how to improving my chances to be a mummy again. I already has a son who is now going to be 5 years old.

2 years back I found out the existence of Ovulation test kits that can be used to test when is your ovulation within a few minutes using urine and hence increasing the chances of conceiving.
Some people sold these test kits or strips online via auctions and some at the online store. Try and see for yourself.